Hey Dolls (and Dudes)!

Welcome to Life with Lisa! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to check out my column…..my very own column! Doesn’t that just sound AMAZING? Well if you think that’s amazing, check out the picture I made to go with this new column!

Since becoming a member here, at Burn Bright, I’ve really tried hard to build relationships with everyone, including you, the reader. Instead of just telling you what I liked or didn’t like about a book I just recently finished reading, I actually want to talk with you, communicate with you, and discuss with you. I want pieces of my personality and me, to shine through everything I write.

Having my own column will allow me to to do that and get close and personnel with the readers (that’s yooouu!). Bec has given me permission to blog about anything I want; anything that’s fresh! But MDP, reminded me that each post must have a purpose. Burn Bright already has a few columns (make sure to check those out too, if you haven’t yet!), but none of them were aimed towards teens, even though Burn Bright only reviews Young Adult.

If I did make a teen column, how would I work it? I don’t want it to boring, I want people to ACTUALLY want to read it. Why not make a column where I can talk about anything, school, cooking, gardening (yes, I know. I have a lot of hobbies.), boys, candles, dogs, birds always crashing into my bedroom window, and everything else! That’s simply why this column is called “Life with Lisa”…. and all the crazy things she does.

Every Saturday (if your in Australia, but if your in the USA, Friday) there will be a new post,  soooo, mark your calenders people!!!!

After thinking through this, and debating how I should kick off this column. I wanted something that everyone could relate to, girls, boys, teens, tweens, and even someone younger. What I finally came up with was school! We’re all forced to go..(cricket, cricket) … I mean, who doesn’t love school?!

Here, I came up with a few ideas for posts:

1. Back Packs

2. Binders & Pencil Cases

3. Notes & Study Tips

4. Q & A (send me questions about school, supplies and anything else here)

I hope you find this first series of posts the least bit helpful, and enjoyable! I’m already planning things ahead, but if you have any suggestions on future series or posts, don’t be afraid to leave a comment, or shoot me a email (no guns, please).

What was that? I think a book is calling my name!

Have a fantastic day everyone,

Lisa

1. Well obviously you’re not going to have a morbid fear of spiders if  Peter Parker is your beau. Just be aware spiders probably will like him an awful lot, so be prepared for Eensy Weensy to make an appearance.

2. You’ll probably be constantly dusting to keep his web count low enough so your place won’t be mistaken for a haunted house.

3. That work uniform is a bitch to get in and out of. You might also want to let him get undressed on his own of an evening; it doesn’t matter how much baby powder or body oil you put on, body suits that tight are gonna pull a few hairs.

4. He probably won’t drive anywhere since he’s got the swinging from building to building thing down pat. Just make sure you’re wearing long pants if you’re going to go along for the swing, last thing you need is to flash anyone silly enough to look up.

5. Bad guys will probably have a knack of dropping in right before your assignments are due and taking you hostage without computer access to hand them in. Time management is key; get those assignments in as early as possible.

6. Speaking of the bad guys, they have a knack of causing trouble when you’re out on a date too. Be prepared to have to watch most of the movies by yourself and catch them on DVD later; because if it’s not you being taken by the bad guys, it’ll be some other chick. Doggy bags are a good option too. Who likes sitting in the restaurant by themselves anyway?

7. He doesn’t want every Tom, Dick and Harry knowing who he is when he’s on the job or he’d never get any peace. So you had better be okay with him having his mask tucked into his back pocket. It’s scratchy on the outside and a pain to pull up for a kiss. So hold off on smooches while he’s working.

8. Speaking of secrets; when it comes to his friends, they will all be the undercover professionals like your guy Peter. It’ll be all about keeping Mum. Look on the bright side, things could be worse, He could be like Superman, and wear his undies on the outside, or have the Hendra virus thing looming over his head like batman. You may not act like a fan girl around these people. You’ll make your guy feel bad.

9. When visiting his family, remember his aunt has no clue about his Spidey nature. She finds Spiderman to be a tad freakish, so avoid all talk of the crime fighting hero or his 8 legged buddies.

10. Lastly, might be an idea to avoid clubs. Have you ever seen a spider dance…? Just Sayin’.

Book summary

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
—
A much anticipated novel from Maureen Johnson, I held high hopes of seeing her venture into supernatural mystery. I knew from previous books that this author can really keep the reader’s interest and has very relatable to characters. I am very excited to say that she does not disappoint!

It took me some time to get into the book; there was a lot of filler about the main character, her family, her life and the new school she was attending. As this is the first in a trilogy, it made more sense to me to have the extra details in there to set up the whole series. I started to really get into the story about halfway in, when we see the Ripper set his eyes on Rory.

I felt that Rory’s character kind of holds back and I hope to see her open up and become stronger throughout the series. But she is definitely brave and you will find yourself rooting for her. As Rory delves deeper into the Ripper mystery and her connection to it, the story becomes more intense and gripping. I was pleased to see that the murder scenes are not too shy on the details. You get enough info that you can picture the scene, but not make your stomach turn.

I have to give major props to all the details and research that went into this story. It was very appreciated and noticeable. I really enjoyed the addition of ghosts and the secret ghost police. The combination of real life with the supernatural worked well. The thing I appreciated the most, from the beginning of the story, was the lack of drama and gossip. The characters were so reasonable when it came to student interactions. I was just not ready to read another book that had over the top drama with a new girl, in a new country, at a new school. I know you have all heard that one before! This story takes it to a level where sometimes it’s just normal that people can get along, even with a whole new list of social rules to follow.

Even though I have yet to read all of her books, Maureen Johnson has never failed me. At this point I would recommend any of her books. This by far is one of my favorites by her—she knows how to tell an interesting story.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

http://cubicleblindness.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCubicleBlindness?feature=mhum
http://twitter.com/#!/Cubicleblindnes
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4303947
http://www.librarything.com/home/Krista23

The Name of the Star—Maureen Johnson

Hardcover, 370 pages

Expected publication: September 29th 2011, by Putnam

Series: Shades of London #1

1. Jon, you say that you ‘write books for teens and the troubled at heart’ and that you’ve never felt that you’ve belonged. When you were a teen, how important were books to you and which books helped you through the tough times? Was writing also important to you, when you were younger?

I can honestly say that in middle school, there was nothing more important to me than books. I had spent my earlier childhood in a funky, liberal urban neighborhood downtown. I wasn’t the most popular kid by any stretch of the imagination, but there were other kids around like me and I had my little circle of friends. But then when I was in fifth grade, we moved to a conservative suburb. Suddenly I had no friends and not the slightest inkling how to fit in. The things that I liked were not only unpopular, but downright scorned. Reading was one of those things. For the next four years I was bullied mercilessly and frequently beat up. During that time, my only escape was books. I read voraciously anything I could get my hands on that had some element of fantasy, science fiction, or paranormal.

My favorites were The Belgariad by David Eddings in the fantasy genre, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams in the SciFi genre, and Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice in the paranormal genre. I also frequently re-read favorite series. For example, The Belgariad is a twelve book series, each volume weighing in at around 400 pages, and I read the entire series at least four times. I remember during those years wishing so hard that I could just slip into one of those worlds.

It was around then that I started writing. I guess to see if I actually could slip into another world, at least for a little while. My stories were mostly knock-offs of the authors I admired. Not the plots, but the voice. I would “try on” Douglas Adam’s style and tone, for example to see how it felt. I think that’s where a lot of artists start. Trying to emulate the masters. Like an apprenticeship, almost. And with each voice you “try on”, you learn something, you gain some aspect of the writer you will eventually become. Strangely enough, though, it never actually occurred to me that I could become a professional writer. That didn’t happen until about ten years later

2. Jael, the central character of your new novel Misfit, is a teenage girl. Why did you choose to write from the perspective of a female character and was that a challenge at all?

Actually, in its very first inception as a short story, the character was a boy. But it felt wrong for some reason. I just couldn’t quite get a sense of who the character was. I was getting pretty desperate and ready to give up on it, when it suddenly occurred to me that it should be a girl. Then everything fell into place and the story took off, rapidly becoming much bigger than a short. Early on in the drafting process, I made sure to have several women read it and tell me if there was any “guy thinking” sneaking in there. And there were some moments I had to rewrite because of that. But that got much better over time. Now I know her so well that I would never dream of slipping into “guy thinking” while writing her.

3. How crucial is social networking to your work? Given the fact that you often write for outsiders, or troubled young people, do you feel an additional sense of duty in terms of being accessible to your readership?

To my work? Not very. I do things like Twitter because I enjoy using them and always have. I’ve had some sort of website/blog since 2001 and have been on various social networks since around 2003 (anybody remember Friendster?) But yeah, I do know what you mean about feeling a sense of duty to be accessible to readers. Because during those middle school and early high school years, I felt utterly alone. I felt like there was absolutely no one who would or even could understand me. But of course that wasn’t really true. There was probably another kid just like me in the next city over. Possibly even in the next neighborhood.  And that’s something that social networking and other online communication venues can do. Bridge the gap from one misfit to the next until perhaps it even forms a community. If my work and I could in some small way be a connection point for a bunch of outsiders, that would be amazing. But even if it’s just reminding one lone misfit out there that they aren’t the only one, then I’m doing something worthwhile.

4. Which of your fictional characters Burns Brightest in your mind and why?

Unquestionably, it would be Jael Thompson, the protagonist of Misfit. I may have created her, but it’s her loyalty, her kindness, her honesty, and her courage in the face of ridiculous odds that has sustained me through my own difficult times. A character like this, you don’t really understand how or why they came to you. You’re just grateful they did.

Read more about Jon here.

Hey Everyone,

It’s Lisa reporting for duty!….Well actually, I just want to say hello, and introduce myself a bit.

First off though, thank you for welcoming me so warmly into your Burn Bright family! I’m very honored to become a part of it. Thank you, again, for selecting me as your teen blogger. I’m EXTREMELY excited to finally start reading and reviewing books for you! And lastly, thank you for this huge opportunity you’ve given me, not only in this crazy-insane blogging and book world, but also in real life. This is a big step into my future, and I don’t think I could ever repay you guys for this. [We’re thrilled to have you aboard the good ship Burn Bright, Lisa! — Ed.]

But enough of this touchy-feely stuff, let’s get down to business.

Whenever I have to either write or talk about myself, I draw a blank. I never (ever!) know what to say and what not to say! But on the other hand, I can blabber about books for hours on end. This, by the way ladies and gentlemen, is one of the first signs of book-a-holic-ism!

Turning Pages is my own, personal blog. This is where I write reviews, do weekly memes, host giveaways and trades, and some other bookish things. Turning Pages was born at the end of last February, and in about two weeks she’ll be turning six months old. She has become not only one of my new-found addictions, but also a part-time job. Back in February, I had no clue how much work blogging can be. At first, I felt like it was me against the world, always questioning myself, is someone out there even reading what I’m writing? But after two or three posts, I received my first follower, and ever since then things having been going uphill. And I’ve fallen in love with blogging, reading like crazy, meeting authors, chatting with people who have the same love for books, and finally doing something by myself.

The second sign of serious book-a-holic-ism is when you can’t decide on the top five books you’ve read in the last year. Picking favorite books is the one thing I could never do. Books are each so different, with different characters, different writing, and each story has its own unique message. I love and enjoy books, each for their own reasons.

What genre do I like? To be honest, if a book is really good, no matter if a friend suggested it to me, or the summary just sounds fantastic, I’ll read it, not caring what genre it’s in. Of course I have a couple of favorite genres, such as Paranormal, Romance, Chick Lit, Historical Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Horror and Mystery. But I like to spread my wings and try out new things too.

Sadly we’ve reached the end of my very first post here on Burn Bright, but there will be lots more to come. Again, thank you everyone for welcoming me into your family (:

Yours truly,

Lisa.

P.S. There is no known cure for book-a-holic-ism.