In Which I Respond to Your Comments

After having returned from a long time blogging hiatus, I posted a simple note in which I divulged a few of my thoughts. You have shared yours in return. I owe you each a penny.

To the brave and beautiful Nicole who is a lot smarter than any of the eighth graders I knew in MY year...

... I think often of the future, too, and your worries are also mine. Even when I was your age, I used to think of success not as a dream but as a nightmare--- an obtainable something I couldn't quite get a hold on.

Enter the name of this blog!

It used to be a negative mantra. Almost, but not quite there. But then something changed in me, as things often do. I took out the but. Added parentheses. Then I wanted to blog. I wanted to show people that I was almost there. Just, not quite yet.

Perspective is a biggie. I've had to change mine SEVERAL times. God helps with that. People help with that. LIFE helps with that. But really, it's something WE'VE got to DO. I know. I'm putting emphasis on all the wrong words. That's how I talk and how I think and how I figure things out. You are brilliant, respectable, loving AND loveable... I have no doubt that, in time, you'll find your mantra. You'll make a goal. You'll get 'er done. In regards to TFiOS, read, read, read and tell me what you think! I thought it was brilliant and, too, crushed on Augustus. As I've mulled it over, though, I realize HE is the character I think of some nights when I can't sleep. Not Hazel. Is that a bad thing?

All my love!
You Know Who

To the brilliant little Mama named Ms. Prerna Pickett...

...You and your jumbled mind continue to bless and inspire me. I don't comment on your wonderful blog as often as I should, but I am reading it and every time I visit I get the chills on how well you know what I need to hear without knowing I need to hear it!

I too, am more elegant in my written words, so I often jot things I'm thinking into my little BrainBooks. They're great company and they keep me sane. If you don't have something like it, might I suggest it? Any tiny journal thing will do. :)

P.S. Your craziness makes you YOU. It's awesome like that.
Deserae

To Sonal, my sweet!

You musn't let school get you down! Or anything for that matter! Our minds ought to be our safe havens. Our Palaces of Peace. Our Thinking Cap-sules of sorts. Not that we should lock out darkness (because I heard once that if we didn't know darkness, we'd never know light), but we shouldn't let it consume us. We're bigger than our shadows. Remember that! And though I'm glad to have cheered you up, hearing from you has cheered me too, so thanks for commenting! Your new picture is cute. It's so nice to see all of your faces. Perhaps it's time I turn around in mine. Haha!

Later gator,
Mi-mi-mi-mi-ME!

To my favorite sister, Freda, as long as you don't tell the others...

I absolutely loved what you said and I promise! I didn't criticize it once! Lol! Yes, it's called hope and I have always hoped for more and more and more... The problem is sometimes I forget myself. I forget where I am sometimes. Is that strange? Do you know what I mean?

It's like I'm here. I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. I'm fitting in what I want to do, but one day, for some reason, everything feels wrong. And the second I stop I think, "What am I doing?" It's at times like these when I have ALL OF ZE DOUBTS. About my plans, about college... It's so easy to want to give up. I am good at that. 

But God knows where he wants me. He knows where he wants me to be. He has guided me, and is guiding me to a better tomorrow. I plan on thanking Him for that in whatever way I can.

Thank you for everything. You, Z, and Kia must know that I would've never gotten this far without you. We're sisters and THAT has always meant the world to me. Even if I'm never published, or if I never see Europe, or if I end up a hobo on the street (Dear God: NO.), I'll always be THAT.

So you'll take care of me when I'm broke and hungry, right?

Love always,
YOUR favorite sister with no contingencies.

To all of you...
...I'll post again soon. Thank you for your love and support!

Wishing you all well,
Deserae

We So Excited

It's been a busy week, but today was one of the best Fridays I've had in a long while. I ate a really good Caesar Salad, I invited some peeps to a wedding, I took the wrong bus and ended up having to walk by the beach to downtown, I SAW THE AVENGERS WITH SOME FRIENDS! (you MUST see it, I swear!).

Then the bus driver who dumped us in the middle of nowhere earlier that day took us home. But first, he made the whole bus break out in "Bohemian Rhapsody." Then he made us make sad faces at the people who couldn't fit on the bus.

So basically, it was just an all-around good day because I've got Aria and Karly on board for the webseries! You know what I'm talking about... The one I said all of us could make together? Because, you know, I've got a script. And you've got a camera. And Karly's brother has an editing software. And we all really like each other, maybe.

I know it's weird to think that a rag-tag group of people can actually come together to make something sort of resembling awesome, but when you think about it, what's stopping us? We've got the technology and the means of communicating with one another. Why SHOULDN'T we do something fun and creative and (dare I say it?) COOL?

All you need to join this project is the following:
-Commitment and determination to see it through.
-A camera and (at least one) someone willing to act in front of it.
-The ability to email me at myticketsomewhere@gmail.com expressing your interest.

Seriously. That's it. Not everyone is going to be in every episode, but if you're really extremely down to help, let me know and I'll try to work you in as often as possible. And you know what? Because you're so nice, I'm even going to tell you, the folks at home, what it's about. Here's a brief synopsis of what our collab (you like what I did there?) is going to attempt to get at:

YouTube Rules!

Bree Jackson is going to be a star. Or at least that's what she tells her best friend Ariel one night over their weekly video chat. Ever since the Pearce family moved to the East Coast and took Ariel with them, Bree's thought up all sorts of ways to keep their friendship alive. First she ran up her parent's phone bill, then there was Skype, but now she's convinced that YouTube is the place where the two of them are going to find fame and undo the damage a couple of hundred miles has brought upon their relationship. 


Although Ariel is skeptical about their supposed rise to fame and beyond reluctant to get in front of a camera after "the incident," she decides to humor Bree by hooking her up with a few friends from her side of the country. Together, the group shares a few laughs, frustrations, and breakdowns as they start to figure out who they are on the road to internet stardom.


Based on the tips and tricks of the trade posted in videos by Charlie McDonnell, Adorian Deck, Luke Sims, Claudia (BeyondBeautyStar), and more, YouTube Rules! is fundamentally an experiment to see if a remote collab could be successful and if the "rules" could work for anyone.

Sound familiar? Well it should! Because it's a highly dramatized version of our story, you guys! For me, this isn't about fame or fortune. It's about telling a story I want to share with the world. Yeah. That's why I write. But I realize it might be a long while before I actually get published. This? I can do this RIGHT NOW. With your help, I can share something I think could be really great with the world.

I've only written the pilot episode at this point so if you want like a "permanent" in, you should email me expressing interest soon! I've already got an idea who Ariel's going to be (ahem! Aria), and I already have an idea of who I'd love to be the friends she recommends (ahem! Karly and bro). Bree is going to be someone on my end because I also have plans of showing her in different locations other than in front of her computer screen. But as of right now, YOU could be in it, too. I swear! Let me know soon. Like I'm going to have to give you a deadline, aren't I. Hm... What's two weeks from today? The 19th? Well that's not an even number. So...

If you want a "permanent" part in this series, email me by May 12th.
If you want to be in it, but missed that deadline. No worries! I'll write you in if you email me by May 20th.

And, uh, yeah! That's about it. You guys don't know how happy ya'll have made me. In fact, ya'll have made me SO happy, you should look for something special in the Treaties for You section, ahora. The other webseries I was making needed a theme song, so I wrote one. And even though my voice cracks at some point during the recording, I feel so honored to be working with you guys, I'm willing to let you hear an embarrassing version of the song as a way to say "thanks" up until the day I stop accepting people for permanent roles (MAY 12TH!).

Love you guys. SO much.

BAI!
Deserae

Commenting on Comments

Nicole- Comments is a weird word indeed. Speaking of, I meant to leave one on your Bibliomania post, but can't remember if I ever got around to doing it! I shall rectify this at once. I adore you for mentioning me in the post and because I have your posts sent to my email, it was even more special because I got to save it. :) Haha! While winky faces ARE peculiar, your faith in my and optimism are downright spectacular. Thank you for your love, my dear. I must say that to you every time we speak, but I mean it. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hope all is well! Have an awesome weekend and GO SEE THE AVENGERS!

The Name of the Game is Tag

I was extremely pleased to check my inbox this afternoon and:

1. ...have another very educational, insightful, and interesting conversation with Arianna about TFiOS (but trust me! You don't want to know the topic of said conversation. It was interesting, though. Let's go with that)... 

2. ...see that my billing statement for school has come in and I owe thousands of dollars for next quarter that I don't yet have and will actually never see...

3. ...read the following urgent message from a Miss Prerna Pickett: "Hey, Deserae, I gave you a few awards over at my blog. Stop by and get them!" 

You don't have to tell me twice, people. This is me collecting my bounty. 

But, though I'm not exactly sure WHICH of the awards I was awarded, I'm not going to worry. The idea that I was given some cool Blogger awards always makes me smile and it makes my entire day. The first thing I did when I saw my BritLit buddy, Carissa, was break the news that we wouldn't be living together next year, but THEN I told her, "And I won a Blogger award!" to which she looked at me and asked, "You have a blog?" 

So in honor of Carissa and Prerna and all of the people out there who put the effort into creating Blogger awards such as these, I'm going to participate in the tag! I hope it gives you even more insight into the wonder that is me.

1. What's your favorite book?

I wonder if my answer to this changes every time, but today I'm certain it's A LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Correct me if I'm wrong.

2. What inspires your writing?

Fabulous questions such as these and fabulous people who don't know how awesome they really are. In truth, I'm inspired by everything. No lie. And that's probably why I have ten unfinished projects lurking around in drawers and things. Everything is wonderful. Why doesn't anyone believe me when I say these things!

3. Where's your favorite place to write?
I can write anywhere, but I like to write in a place that's either completely solitary or extremely crowded. Places in between don't do well for my creative juices (ooooooohhhhh yeeeeaaaahhhhh...)

4. If you could plan ahead, what would you want your last meal to be?

I don't know! Something DELICIOUS!!!!

5. If you had to participate in one extreme sport, what would it be?

Have you met me? Sports of any kind and I do not bode well. Why you gotta go and add an EXTREME for?!

6. What's your biggest fear?

Dying without having done all I was put on this Earth to do. 

7. Vampire or werewolf?

... Were... pire...? Where's Micheal when you need him?

8. Favorite writing snack?

It's gross, but sunflower seeds. I'm pretty clean with it, but yeah... too much info, huh? Either that or Wheat Thins. The idea is something I can eat A LOT OF without dying a glutton.

9. What's your favorite scary movie?

Again: have you met me?!

10. Why did you start writing?
Because I finished my math drills several minutes before all the other chitlins and was bored. True story.

11. Your favorite day of the year?

Christmas. How I love Christmas. Or the last day of school (sweet Jesus, hallelujah!). 

Big thanks to Prerna for tagging me! It's seriously an honor to be tagged by her because she's got a great group of followers who are very much devoted to the craft, to their writing, and to her so seriously, Prerna: thank you! 

Also, shout out to Maya who has tagged me in a super crazy tag-a-bonanza! I will be answering those questions tomorrow do get ready to know more things you were dying (not to) know about me! Tomorrow some of you will be tagged to do either this tag or the one I do then. So watch out world! It's your turn to shine like the light from the sun!

Lots of love,

Deserae

P.S. My Ticket Home and My Ticket Elsewhere love you, just saying, okay bye!

P.S.S. If I sound crazy here or Elsewhere, it's because I am sick. I don't feel sick but I keep coughing and sneezing so it must be true. Do forgive my crazies. I mean, you're used to them for the most part but JUST IN CASE... 

Commenting on Comments

Sonal- AGH! I knew I butchered it the second I tried to put it to the melody. But I am so glad you had such a wonderful fourteenth. Here is a song I hope you enjoyed on your very special day and continue to play throughout the year. I admit, it's not the most upbeat song in the world but hey! It's got "fourteen candles" in it, and the chorus rings, "And I love you, and I know you love me too," so that's got to count for something, right?

Nicole- I'm glad you, too, share my hatred for that terrible expression! Feel free to use or manipulate any of the other sayings. Because seriously... Lemons? Who thought of that?!

Prerna- Thank you so much! I appreciate you bunches!

You've Been Tagged!

I just got tagged by the wonderful Sonal to complete this questionnaire. So I'm going to, and then I'm going to tag three people, and then tomorrow (or later on tonight), I'll post a more writer-like post because... I like those. Hehe!

1) Do you like to read?
Mm-hmm! I love reading. Writers read, right? Right! So I'm an avid reader. I plan to read at least 10 books during my month off. 


2) Who are your favourite authors?
Lisi Harrison, Louise Rennison, Lemony Snicket, Trenton Lee Stewart, C.S. Lewis, Victoria Schwab, and way too many more to include here. 


3) What phone do you have/do you like it?
An Android something something... I, uh, don't know much about phones. I do know that it works though and that I can call people... so that's cool...


4) Favourite store?
Store, store or bookstore? I'll answer both. Fave store is Target and fave bookstore is Vromans.
 
5) Nickelodeon or Disney Channel?
Disney Channel. I'm always going to be a Disney girl and I have faith that Disney'll get better.


6) Pinkberry or Yoomoo?
I've never been to Yoomoo (nor have I ever heard of it!) so I'm going to go with Pinkberry. But have you ever had Wildberry? YUM!!!


7) Harry Potter or Twilight?
Blink, blink... AVADA KEDAVRA!
 
8) Cookies or cupcakes?
Depends on the cookie.


9) Do you have any allergies?
No, Ma'am. 


10) Do you believe in ghosts?
I believe in everything.


11) What are you wearing right now?
What are you wearing right now?!


12) What was the last song you heard?
"Kiss Me Slowly" -Parachute and Lady Antebellum. LOVE that song! 


13) If you were an animal what would you be?
Okay... are you saying I'm an animal? What kind of a questionnaire is this?! 


14) Have you ever been hang gliding/paragliding?
NO! I'm a big scaredy cat. But now that you mention it... Gosh, that sounds fun. Is Desi allowed to have fun? Fun does not compute @.@.


15) Favourite board game?
The bored game. Okay, that's... that's cheating. Life. I like Life. 


16) Favourite video game?
I am physically incapable of playing video games. I have absolutely no hand-eye coordination. 


17) Have you ever been on a plane?
Yep and I'll be on one a little later this week.
 
18) Do you like sports?
Do you even have to ask?


19) If you had £1000,000 what would you spend it on?
Well, first I'd have to move to Europe so I could spend it at all. And THEN I'd take care of my family and save whatever's left to support me while I write books and wait for them to get sold.


20) Favourite flower?
Is it weird to say I don't have one? I like lillies and orchids and cherry blossoms and roses, but only in pictures. I wouldn't like taking care of them. SO not my thing.


21) Favourite fruit?
Strawberries


22) Can you ride a bike?
Hehe! I should probably just clear this up: DESI DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. 


23) Do you believe in aliens?
I believe in everything.


24) Favourite kind of cake? (e.g. coffee, cheesecake, etc)
New York style cheesecake. Please and thank you. 


25) Have you ever been bungee jumping?
O.O Next question.


26) Have you ever completed a Where’s Wally book?
THOSE ARE REAL?!


27) Disneyland or Universal Studios?
Disneyland. I love Disney. 


28) Pirates or ninjas?
But they're both so awesome!!! 


29) Sweet or salty popcorn?
Sweet. Me loves kettle corn.


30) If you could visit any fictional place where would it be?
I write about so many places I'd love to see. So one or all of those. Oh, and Narnia. Let's go; RIGHT now.


And that's it for me! I tag Arianna, Bareha, and Maya. I'll talk to you guys later about the wonderful world of writing! And before I go I'd like to thank you all for your kind words. Believe me. That rejection was the first of many. But I'm determined not to give up on PW. That rejection was perfect in the sense that it was purely about taste. Not a reflection of my work or the story... but it was about the agent and how he wasn't feeling it. That doesn't mean someone else will feel the complete opposite. So Maya, Sonal, and Aria--- I'm holding on. :) 


Love you girls! 

Talk to you soon,
Deserae

Eleven, Eleven, Eleven

1. Am I the only person who's noticed that we've been having these blank-blank-blank dates since 2001? They happen at the beginning of every century and my family (okay... little sister) and I have gotten excited about each and every one. But for some reason, the whole freaking world is bugging out about 11-11-11. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood or something. But if you miss your chance to make a wish at 11:11 tonight, don't fret! 12-12-12 is only 1 year, 1 month, and 1 day away, plus an hour and a minute if you plan on making wishes then, too.

2. Blogging has taken a backseat to my hectic schedule (wake up, eat, study, sleep). I plan on getting all the blogs back on track, so please send in contributions to My Ticket Home and My Ticket Elsewhere so that love and inspiration can be spread all across the land.

3. In the meantime, feel free to check out what I've been lollying around with:
-Sonal's blog where inspiration and book recommendations abound.
-Arianna's current project which shows that superheroes are just super human.
-Maya's blog where I go to chat with one of my girlies from the Blah-g.
-Author and agent sites like Daphne Unfeasible's blog, Natalie Whipple's blog, Evil Editor's blog, etc.

4. Hmm... what else has happened? Well, I've been listening to music, as usual. You guys already know of my love for The Civil Wars and The Kings of Convenience, but maybe you don't know that One Night Only has a new song out. Check it out, ya'll. I love George, and you will, too.

5. Oh! NaNoWriMo is nearing its halfway point. I decided to push my WriMo to December, but I've been revising a project I think is coming along nicely. Thanks to Lisi's Blah-g, I've made some writing friends my age and they're a pretty supportive group. Together, we're whipping PW into shape. I hope to be able to share it with all of you one day! But until then, good luck on your own WriMos. Don't let age stop you from pursuing your dreams. Start now because you'll only get better with time. I guarantee it.

6. My Twitter has been sorely neglected, but don't worry; I'm finding more contests for you guys and am making more free time to read the things everyone's buzzing about.

7. Speaking of buzz, I pretty much hate it. Because, in my opinion, half of the books people buzz about aren't all the spectacular folks make them out to be. But I appreciate buzz, too, because word of mouth is how people find out about books and start to read them. So take Sonal's lead and RECOMMEND books! Take Talia's example and show us what you're reading! There are few of us who actually read consistently, so we've got to spread the word. Don't keep quiet about the books you love and dislike, okay?

8. I haven't had ice-cream all week and it's pouring out here in the woods. Due was going to get some ice-cream today. I am sad, Clouds, and it's all your fault.

9. Greek verbs suck. Hebrew vocab sucks even more. But both languages are beautiful and worth learning. I don't know what to do. Definitely can't continue with both next semester, though, because they're killing me softly.

10. Happy Veterans Day. Yeah... that's right... I didn't leave this one until number eleven. I'm laughing at you right now because I knew you'd think I would. Ha! And double ha!

11. My tummy is rumbling which means lunch is upon us. Reread numbers 2, 3, 5, and 7 so you know your homework for this week (i.e. checking out blogs, contributing to blogs, recommending things, etc.). I love you all mucho. Have a blessed week and an awesome three-day weekend.

Love,
Deserae

Awards and General Loveliness

I went downtown today with my flatmate, Due, and, on top of getting to know her on a new level of awesome, I got my costume for the Halloween bash we're a'throwing. Pictures will come at a later date because A.) I'm exhausted and B.) I have awards to delve out! 


Yes! When I got home, my first email notification for the blog This Blog has no Name arrived. And to my surprise, the lovely Sonal won an award AND decided to pass it along to Talia, Olivia, Tiffany, Miah, and (wait for it...) me! So Almost (not quite) There has been awarded the One Lovely Blog Award courtesy from Sonal (who was awarded it by Poppy) and the way this works is simple. 
I post the award in my post. Check! 
I then answer the following questions. 
Then, I award it to others. I am so flattered and so thankful that words cannot describe this compilation of emotions I'm feeling. 


Anywho. Onwards we march. 


Part 1: Questions
1. What's your favourite colour?
I like most shades of blue and blue greens, so I'm going to cop out and say blue. Is that okay?

2. Name your favourite song.
Agh! This is hard. My favorite song RIGHT NOW is "I've Got this Friend" by The Civil Wars. However, yesterday it was "Something Good Can Work" by Two Door Cinema Club and the day before that was something entirely different. I don't like picking favorites!

3. Name your favourite dessert.
Mint chocolate chip ice-cream with Nutella and whipped cream (and sometimes cookie bits. Yum!).

4. What pisses you off?
I'm easily annoyed, so sometimes it's just me, but I really hate it when people try to belittle me or make me feel or look stupid, JUST to make themselves seems superior. That's lame, Folks. And SO Grade Three.

5. Your favourite pet?
I've loved all my pets. Tanger the Turtle. Snuggles the Hamster. And Momo the Kitty. I think my favorite pet is the one I have at the moment, so Amelia the Cat wins. I love kitties and she's such a grumpalumpagus.

6. Black or white?
White

7. Your biggest fear?
I'm afraid of failing. And yet, I do this on a daily basis so you'd think I'd be used to it.

8. Everyday attitude?
I'm always trying to stay positive. Either the cup is half full or it's twice as big as it needs to be. Hehe! I don't remember where I heard that. GREAT line.

9. Your best feature?
Like, physically? Oh, Lord... My pinky toe? I don't know!

10. What is perfection?
Perfection is the state of realizing that one doesn't have to be perfect in order to be their best.

11. What is your guilty pleasure?
Guilty? As in, I should feel bad about it? I don't know. I feel like I should feel bad about SO many things I like... like Dawson's Creek, my love for Euro music, and my obsession with whipped cream. But I don't. These are the things I love and essentially, they make me, me.

Part 2: 7 random things about me
1. I'm a procrastinator.
2. I sometimes put on an English accent because I think I'm cool like that. 
3. I never do the things I'm supposed to do when I'm supposed to do them unless trouble will immediately follow in the case that I don't. 
4. I hardly ever make sense (see above). 
5. I mumble. And I do it on purpose because I'm always talking to myself but if I say things louder than a mumble, people start having opinions and what not. Who wants those?! 
6. I am one of 5 children (and my brother is the only boy). 
7. I love to learn (but I tend to dislike school. Bleh!).

Part 3: I award the One Lovely Blog Award to...
Maya
Victoria Schwab
Claire Legrand 
and Bareha


If I could re-award this to Sonal and Talia, I would. But you know where to find them, now, so find them you must! I hope you all had a lovely weekend and I will talk to you guys at Home, Elsewhere, or here tomorrow. Thanks, Poppy! And thanks a million, Sonal. 

Love,
Deserae <3
P.S. Oh! As Maya pointed out, this is my 50th post! What a wonderful way to celebrate. With awards! Woot! 

Snapshot Saturday #1

Yes, yes... it's Sunday. BUT you still get the snapshot, don'tcha know? Here is a snap of my current WIP. It's the first part of chapter one. Lucky you!

I think if you clickity click on the picture, you can enlarge it. BUT, just in case that wasn't possible, I blew it up as large as I possibly could. :) And oh gosh... thanks to this snapshot, I just saw something I need to change. See?... You guys are helping me. Amanda's middle name is not really Natalia. What the freezing heck? Anywho, here is a picture of something that inspired me this week. Actually, I found this picture a while ago on Maya's blog, and I TOTALLY needed to share it with you. Because Anna kind of feels like the subject of this photo and the caption provides the LOL! moment that is her life. Love you guys mucho. Have an amazing rest of your weekend!

Hehe!
Deserae <3