Tickled Pink

This morning, when I woke up, I remembered something:

The Go Teen Writers prompt winners are announced today. 


I've never gotten up so fast in my life. It helped that I'd left the page open in my browser, so all that kept me away from the news was a tiny little reload button (well, I also had to open the laptop and log in- but that's aside from my point). And what greeted me when I read the list?

Honorable Mention

P.R. Golden

I didn't even get into third place, and I don't care. Because while winning is fine, getting into Honorable Mention out of 82 other writers, while being judged by published authors? I think that's really, really cool.
As usual, I did not get nervous until right before who wins is decided. Try being half asleep, then suddenly remembering the winners for a judged writing contest--that you entered--are going to be announced the next morning. Especially when you are torn between jumping around from joy at having made it as far as you did or sitting petrified with that horribly unsure fear that you wouldn't win, that you weren't good enough. Nasty stuff, I tell you.

But it doesn't matter. You know why? Because I, P.R. Golden (my pen name, FYI) are hereafter and forever more tickled pink. Pink from hope, that someday, my books will sit snugly on the shelf in the bestseller aisle for many years to come, that one of these days I will have my very own author website, with all kind of slick JavaScript, HTML and CSS. Because let's face it, only 3 or 4 authors I know of have a truly nice website, and that's not counting J.K. Rowling, because hers is pretty epic.

Speaking of J.K. Rowling, Pottermore's opening soon. I'm glad, because it's been in Beta for a very long time. It looks pretty safe as well, since users can't truly interact and you have to choose one of the user names they generate for you when you sign up. It all looks pretty awesome.

Also, for your enjoyment, here is the piece of writing I entered:

Mira was the type of girl who didn’t care what anyone thought. But when her entire future rode on someone’s opinion, she didn’t have a choice.
“Posture, Mira. Your spine must be an elegant, graceful I.” Madame Pettit glared, rapping her solid wooden cane at the base of her charge’s spine. Mira winced, but stood straighter, ignoring the pain flowing warmly up her back as she pirouetted again.
“Dismissed,” the judge said suddenly, waving his hand at the right side of the room. Mira smiled proudly. At least until she realized her position. She froze, but then raced from the room, a trail of tears in her wake.

Spring Has Sprung!

Yes, I know Spring doesn't officially begin till tomorrow. Pfft. Tell that to the 85 degree weather outside. And the wasps. Not to mention their evil bee friends... they have it out for me. I step outside, cue buzzing. Lots of it. It's like this:

Bee: *rubs hands evilly together while cackling, his eyes glowing under his tacky cloak* Oh, look. An innocent girl... let's bee evil.

Me: Lalalalala happy happy happy flowers and all sorts of other good sweet stuff.

Bee: *swoops by my ear* ATTAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!!! *cough*

Me: O_O

Okay, maybe the bee isn't that cheesy. But nevertheless, they are evil! Very, very evil... like, HTML evil. Yeah. HTML evil...

Why did this turn into a rant about bees?

Anyways, I have something big planned soon, and I'll be announcing it in a real post. I really don't want to give away the secret right now, but I know a lot of you will like it. Stay tuned!

A Burning Inspiration

Fire doesn't really scare me. Not unless it's untamed. Or a threat. Still, I don't really care for it. Usually. 

But lately, I've kind of had a fixation with it. Not the fire itself, the embers, really. And yes, that does mean:

My favorite name is currently Ember 

My favorite phrase is 'Playing with fire' (by the way, I don't condone this. I just like the dangerous edge to the words) 

It has inspired some writing

Something is alluring about the glowing red orbs that linger for hours after you snuff out the flames, barely keeping their hold on life. They eventually go out and are relatively harmless, but remember, they are fire. You can't forget that.  

Artemis Fowl...

Okay, I will admit when I first heard about it, I thought it was just another crummy series with another anti-social anti-hero. But for the sake of it, I picked up Eternity Code and Opal Deception, the latter of which I'm reading now.   

They are just amazing! I mean, the villains are ingenious, the hero isn't too good, and his alienation and awkwardness among others around his age is relateable, in a twisted way. And the plots keep you on the edge of your seat right till the last page. 

Artemis is seriously the male personification of awesomeness (Ahsoka being the female one.)

One of the things I really like about this series is the blend of Fantasy and Sci-Fi. I love both genres and are constantly torn between them, so this is a fresh breath of air.

So with that, I only have one thing to tell you if you have a minute:

            Pick up a copy Artemis Fowl. You won't regret it.

P.S. I don't really like how they keep trying to show him as a short, playing-dress-up type of kid in a suit. In the graphic novel, he looks 7, not 13, in my opinion. I see him as a sharp, tall, pale boy with black hair and narrow eyes, not... a baby faced dude with red glasses.

Updates, Spice and Everything Nice

Hey, I noticed something- one of my most popular posts of all time is the Luxsoka one I did after a Fiend Friend In Need aired.  With 291 page views. 

Whoa. Okay... heheh. 

Speaking of the Clone Wars... THE SEASON FINALE AIRS NEXT WEEK!!!!!  Ahem. Fangirl moment there... 

Anyway, I have some reservations because one: Ventress is being 'baptized' into black magic, as StarWars.com says (in Mother Talzin's section). Ummmm, wha?! 

I love Fantasy and Mythology and writing Sword and Sorcery is fun and all, but come on. I think they're going way too far. This is Sci-Fi, not whatever you call this atrocity. I want explosions, not magic. It really is just the Force, but the way it is presented as... dark magic, well, yeah. In fact, I just recently saw the original Nightsister arc a couple weeks ago. I only enjoyed Anakin and Obi-Wan, and even then I was still glad I had skipped those episodes originally. 

Anyway...

I am suddenly tempted to remake my blog all white with pink for the accents. Yes, you read/heard right. Of course, I will keep this design for a bit more. Something where the accents could go from pink, to blue to purple or whatever and there won't be major changes. It still bugs me I can't make the changes I really want to with Minima yet. Oh well, a little more trial and error won't hurt anything. ;)

No Matter What

 Sometimes, people want to chance things about themselves. On a bad hair day, you may wish it was straighter or thinner. On days when math is feeling too hard, you wish you'd never ever have to do it. On days when you just want to cry or something made you upset, you never want to see them/it again.

But wait.

What about the things you'd never change about yourself, no matter what? 

I know that I solemnly swear to:

Never, ever, stop writing. Even if I have to make the ink by melting my own hair and writing on leaves. 

Never, ever, stop being Queen of Imaginationa, where all are welcome. 

Never, ever, stop laughing.

Never, ever, stop believing there is a hero in all of us waiting to fly. 

Never, ever, stop being my geeky, epic self. 

Never, ever, stop being happy. If you make me upset, yeah, I'll cry a bit if it's really bad, but who cares? 

Now, what do you solemnly swear to never change?

P.S.  I am so sorry I never got spotlight author out this week. Even though I have tons of authors I love, I'm not sure which to do. Sigh. Well, we'll try again next week...

Days Like Golden Honey?

Ever had one of those days like golden honey? Well, I love those types of days. There's something magical, something special about them. Something that makes you wanna dance. Like, when you made up with the person who asked to see your novel (and even sent them some of it)? Where you discover you have ten followers (thanksies Sarah!)? That one of your favorite blogs isn't dead and even has a beast new design? That maybe math isn't so hard? That your crazy new Forum is going great? Your new favicon finally showed up? Days when you feel like you could touch the sky? Do anything? Yepo. I'm having one of those. And I can't wait to see what the rest of it brings :)