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This Week I Read…June 30th Edition

Welcome back to another edition of “This Week I Read.” First up was, surprise, The Princess Diaries Volume VII: Party Princess by Meg Cabot. I’m moving into the books I don’t remember as well, which only adds to the adventure. I mean, how did I forget Grandmere’s play?! It is a triumph my dear, a triumph.

I did take a break from the Princess Diaries this week because I watched the movie The Duff. I read the book, The Duff by Kody Keplinger, a few months ago so I was excited about the film. It did not live up to my expectations at all. See, the brilliant thing about the book is it deals with real issues, not issues adults think are appropriate for teenagers. The book is full of swearing, sex, alcoholism, bullying and more. The movie takes on some of that, well the bullying part, but makes it a cliche commentary on high school hierarchies that is disappointing and ineptly dealt with. The controversial material that makes the book one of the best contemporary YA novels I’ve ever read is dumbed down and ignored. No one is going to argue that cyberbullying is ok. But seventeen year olds who hate each other having meaningless sex and hiding it from their friends? Things just got interesting. So, obviously, I had to reread the book .

The Things We Never Say

By celiamulder42@gmail.com

I am a big proponent of being open and honest with our words. I am all for free speech and authenticity and sharing. There are, however, certain things that aren’t said for a reason. They aren’t said because the only possible outcome will be to hurt another person. It’s not a good reaction/bad reaction situation. It’s just going to hurt.

What I’m talking about is asking a woman if she’s pregnant.

I was at an event just a few weeks ago wearing an outfit I didn’t feel comfortable in. I wanted to look professional but hadn’t had time to change so I was worried about how my shirt was a little too short and my pants kept falling down a tad. I wasn’t relaxed. Another person, a person I had to be courteous and attentive to because it was my job to be, came up to me and asked me if I was having a baby.

I immediately felt shamed. My face turned red, I hunched over, I wanted to run away. “No,” I said quickly. I was turning my class ring, the one I always wear on my right hand, because I’d read a story about a woman who turns her ring three times before answering, as a way of thinking instead of reacting. The woman asked me if I was married. I said no again, still furiously turning my ring. She persisted, asking me if I was looking for a husband. At this point I wanted to punch her. Instead I said not really and turned my back, effectively closing off the conversation. What else could I do? I couldn’t pull her aside and tell her she was insulting me or tell her to shut up and leave me alone. She was a VIP for the event! All I could do was busy myself with something else and hope she left me alone.

I will probably never see that woman again. I will probably never have the chance to tell her she hurt me. All I can do is share the experience, write about it, and let it go. There are some things we never say because they are shaming and insulting. I’ve shared the one that affects me on a not infrequent basis because of the way I look.

Next time you see a woman with a belly, please remember that it might just be a food baby and keep your mouth shut.

This Week I Read… (June 23rd Edition)

By celiamulder42@gmail.com

You may have guessed it – this week I read the next two books in the Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot.

First up was The Princess Diaries Volume V: Princess in Pink, followed by The Princess Diaries Volume VI: Princess in Training.

The fun thing about rereading books is that I generally remember the beginning and the end but I have no idea how the book goes from point A to point Z. Perhaps I have a bad memory. More likely it’s because I have so many books floating around in my head, it’s hard to remember all the nuances and plot twists. I can hardly keep those straight for the books I’m writing, let alone all the ones I read!

This Week I Read…

By celiamulder42@gmail.com

As I continue my re-reading of The Princess Diaries, there are so many things I’d forgotten about. I had completely forgotten, for example, the movie Blue Crush came out in the early 2000’s and that, for the first few years of the millennium, we were still using dial-up. I’m finding the books funnier this time around and I think it has to do with my distance from my teenage years. When I read them the first time, I was a teenager, I felt Mia’s high school angst. Now that I am no longer a dramatic teen myself, I am enjoying the books even more.

This week I finished books three and four.

The Princess Diaries Volume III: Princess in Love

The Princess Diaries Volume IV: Princess in Waiting

This Week I Read…

By celiamulder42@gmail.com

You are about to see how busy my life had been over the past week:

I only read one book.

Gasp.

The Princess Diaries Vol. 2: Princess in the Spotlight by Meg Cabot. This has always been one of my favorites in the series. In fact the first three books are, in my opinion, the best. Volume 2 in particular, though, has lots of wonderful early 00’s pop culture references that perfectly align with my own middle school/high school memories. It’s one of those books that will always be special to me because of when I first read it and my teenage-hood nostalgia.

What did you read this week?

This Week I Read…

1 Comment / By celiamulder42@gmail.com

Even though it was a crazy busy week, I still fit in time for reading (how can I not when my TBR shelves continue to grow?). Here are the books I read:

Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman. If you, like me, love comedy memoir, this is a must read. It was hilarious and obscene, with lots of photos. I loved how honest she was about her life, particularly when she was talking about some of her moments of shame and the hate mail she’s received.

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. In preparation for reading the eleventh book in the series, I am reading the first ten (as one does). I forgot how great these books are! They are fun, funny, and addicting in the best possible way. I forgot how much I love Grandmere. If you’ve only seen the movie, you’re missing out. Let’s just say the book Grandmere has tattooed eyeliner, drinks sidecars like they’re water, and dresses from head to toe in purple.

What are you reading this week?

In other, related news, my review for Plus One is up on the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books site! Click here to read it: Plus One Review by Celia

This Week I Read…

1 Comment / By celiamulder42@gmail.com

As part of my goal of reading 100 books this year, Tuesday posts are now going to be all about my literary adventures from the past week.

I read Plus One by Elizabeth Fama for the RITA Reader Challenge that Smart Bitches, Trashy Books puts on every year. It’s a YA, urban fantasy book and, though I’m still working on my review, spoiler alert, I thought it was fantastic. My review will be up on the SBTB site sometime in the next few weeks.

I also read What We See When We Read by Peter Mendelsund. This is essentially a essay on what happens in our brains while we read. However, the book separates the essay into bite sized, manageable pieces and includes tons of illustrations. The unique construction made for an interesting and enjoyable read.

Check back next Tuesday for the next edition of This Week I Read… In the meantime, what are you reading?

RT – The Photo Edition

1 Comment / By celiamulder42@gmail.com

Tamora Pierce and I, hanging out in the bar, talking about Alanna!

Meg Cabot and I at her Princess Diaries Fan Party.

My advance copy of the last Princess Diaries book that I won in a raffle.

My fellow aspiring authors and I, all dressed up and ready for the Steampunk Party.

My handmade fascinator from the Flaunt Your Fascinator party with the lovely hostess, Eloisa James.

Just part of my brand new book collection! The rest arrived in the mail yesterday and it was a perfect early birthday present. Now I need to see about getting a second bookshelf to fit all my new acquisitions.

RT Top Ten

By celiamulder42@gmail.com

Top Ten RT Booklovers Convention Moments (in no particular order)

1. Making a new friend on the shuttle from the airport. This then led to making many more new friends. By Wednesday we’d formed a posse. By Friday we made plans to all come back next year!

2. On Saturday I was walking through the bar when I happened upon Tamora Pierce, sitting alone and reading. I was all ready to keep going but my friend stopped me and persuaded me to ask for a photo with her. I am so glad I did. She told me about her process writing Alanna and her early days of trying to get published.

3. As I sat in the bar on Friday night, wearing my Princess Diaries tiara, I saw Meg Cabot. She noticed me too, called me a princess, and gave me a royal, princess wave.

4. Erica O’Rourke, a published author I met at the RWA Chicago North Spring Fling conference last year, offered to help me reach my goal of pitching a finished manuscript at next year’s conference. She said she’d be running registration the first night and would ask to see my book.

5. In one of the panels, an author made a careless comment that was potentially insulting to many of the audience members. Cherry Adair called her out on it and masterfully defended not only her own writing but that of all the writers everywhere.

6. Many of the panels surprised me by how good they were. In particular, the panel on writing LGBTQ characters and the BDSM panel blew me away. I heard from authors who were passionate and knowledgeable about their genre and their craft.

7. Heather Graham’s supernatural western party was fun, campy, and highly entertaining. I especially loved it when a little girl in a tutu and rain boots won the costume contest.

8. The comedy panel was everything I wanted and more. If I can write anything even half as funny as the women on that panel, I’ll be doing well. Any of their books I haven’t read yet are shooting to the top of my TBR list.

9. Being the crafty gal I am, I couldn’t resist making fascinators with Eloisa James. It was a delightful hour filled with ribbons, glitter, fake flowers, tulle, and historical romance authors!

10. I spent another spectacular hour with my favorite bloggers, the women from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, knitting and talking about Outlander. A knitting book chat with my favorite snarky bloggers? It honestly doesn’t get better than that.

#RT15

By celiamulder42@gmail.com

This week I’m writing from the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Dallas, TX. I love conferences. They are full of creative, introverted, weird, wild writers seeking support, inspiration, and new knowledge of their craft. Upon my return, I fully intend to write a top 10 list of my favorite moments this week. In the meantime, here’s a teaser:

Yesterday, I fan girled out (as we at RT are calling it). I was able to see one of my absolute favorite authors, the humorous and sensationally talented, Tamora Pierce. She was everything I didn’t expect and more. And yes, folks, I brought my well worn copy of Alanna from home and I WILL get her to sign it!

Thank you to Tamora Pierce for this unsolicited photo I took at the panel.