REC OF THE WEEK...Director David Slade

Quick Update: So, apparently Myspace and Sodahead hate me now that our ethernet is dead. I'm thinking Blogger and Youtube have been talking with them behind my back, because they seem mad at me now. Is it really too much to ask of them to load a page within one minute? Ugh...at least Yahoo! and Twitter will always be on my side...

Okay, it is rather late, but it's time for my first ever "REC OF THE WEEK", people. And that rec (short version of RECOMMENDATION) is director David Slade.

This is totally the work of someone else, I promise...though it is rather funny...

So...have you seen any of the these three movies?

1. 30 Days of Night, a horror movie about an Alaska town that is pretty much overrun by evil, horror movie vampires in winter when there's no sunlight for a month.

2. Hard Candy, an intense film with Ms. Ellen Page playing a young girl seduced by a sexual predator.

3. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, well...hopefully you know what this is, even if you've yet to see any of the movies. See my old blog post on the Eclipse movie if not.

Anyways, should you have seen any of these movies, then, wah-lah, you've seen a movie of David Slade's already.

While my favorite director is actually Tim Burton (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS! CORPSE BRIDE! NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS! ALICE IN WONDERLAND! SWEENEY TODD! JOHNNY DEPP! Wait...the last one isn't a movie...) David is definitely my second. Mostly because he didn't start out as a MOVIE director...no, he directed music videos, and very wicked ones at that.

No idea how that got there...silly Blogger...

Here are a few of my favorites...







If you watch his videos, you'll notice a pattern...I mean, besides the creepy, but cute, characters in the last two and various others. Well, otherwise, a lot of his videos have a morbid edge to them, as well as this colorful, but intense, use of red-against-blue coloring. It looks amazing.

His use of colors in music videos, and the intensity in his films, make me glad he still has films coming out. So, hopefully you'll check him out; check him out on IMDB or Wikipedia for some more info.

Muse, in "Hyper Music". Isn't the red and blue pattern beautiful?

Other music videos by the Slade...(list brought to you by Wikipedia and Youtube...)

* Aphex Twin's "Donkey Rhubarb"
* LFO's "Tied Up"
* Rob Dougan's "Clubbed to Death"
* CJ Bolland's "Sugar Is Sweeter"
* Muse's "Hyper Music, Feeling Good"
* Muse's "New Born"
* Stereophonics's "Mr. Writer"
* System of a Down's "Aerials"
* The Killers' "Goodnight, Travel Well"

Hope you enjoy all his videos, movies, and such, and all the creepy bears and pedophile natures to some, though they are all still friggin' amazing...talk to you on Friday!

Side note...since Blogger is still not letting my comment on ANY blog posts whatsoever...to people on Monday's post, thanks! And the clone puppies produced the biggest "awww!" out of me as well. Also, Sandy Wills decided to post her own take on songwriting and character's voice, which you can read here. It's awesome, don't worry.

Thanks for reading and subscribing everyone!

How Characterization and Voice is Like...Songwriting

Quick Update: Every book-review blog I know is spazzing out about the new "Mockingjay" book trailer...an eerie reminder that I'm probably the only YA reader in the world who has yet to read Suzanne Collin's "The Hunger Games" series...do I get points for being obsessed with the Uglies trilogy?

So, today, I am going to give you my own, personal tip on how to master the tyranny of first-person narratives, or character voices in general. One thing authors do wish to avoid like the swine flu, after all, are having well-written and humorous role-players...that sound exactly the same.

Unless your novel happens to be about an army of clones, of course...

Authors, I want you to think of a song. No, not some catchy one you accidentally heard at the store earlier and have stuck in your head still. Think of a song with lyrics, tone, or theme that you relate to, that whenever you hear it you ponder, "Oh, how flawlessly this describes moi!". And yes, that is French.

Easy, right? We all have songs who lyrics or atmosphere we relate to, it's the joy of music.

I want you to think of different character voices as song lyrics, tone, and theme. Do not gawk at me like that, did you really think I'd let you escape without explanations and examples? Dream big!

Think of how lyrics are similar to other song lyrics. They all tell stories, or rants, or opinions on the world. They vary from chipper and peaceful tones to angst-y and heartbroken. And usually, they're easy to relate to, we can see a whole new perspective through words.

Really intense songs can spark a variety of emotions!

Now, think of how they are different. Songwriters all have different perspectives, as well as experiences to focus on. A song could have more than one tone, and express amounts of emotion, or be pretty average and neutral. Sometimes, they are just stories, something to maybe see an inch of ourselves in but mainly listen to for entertainment.

In a way, song lyrics and songwriting is EXACTLY like writing characters and distinguishing their voices: you tell a story through their words, whether they speak articulately or bluntly, whether they are optimistic or a little on the negative side. You tell their story, and hope that everyone will either say "yep, that's MY life, exactly" or be amazed by it.

So, here's my tip: think of three songs that would match your character. One to match their grammar and voice, or how they talk. Do they use metaphors, ask a lot of questions, have a favorite word they say in every few sentences? Another way is to match their personality mood-wise. Someone like Kesha and Lady Gaga would be the life of the party, always wanting to dance. Someone more AC/DC or Metallica is charged up and easily ticked off. The last is how they share things. If your character is like Taylor Swift, which I'd say is more first-person, then be ready to have a narrator who's willing to fess up EVERYTHING, and not leave details out. Then you can have someone more, say, third-person (Green Day anyone? Wow, I'm such a teenage girl...) who tells others stories, and leaves out a lot but does get across the emotional impact. See the album "American Idiot" for more.

Hopefully the only time I'll ever compare St. Jimmy and Taylor Swift...

I'll give my own example: in my series, the main character is a sorta sarcastic, distressed girl with many issues (PTSD and nightmarish monsters to be exact). I'd say the way she speaks is sorta offensive towards others, but she's just curious most of the time, and asking why. Sorta Katy Perry's not-so-popular song "Ur So Gay". When it comes to tone, it's sad and regretful, but trying to force herself to move on...very Three Days Grace or Sick Puppies. And when it comes to her perspective, she's Avril Lavigne, focusing on herself more but doing her best to not expose much of her life's experience, but instead talking around it. Not many words, but just enough.

The coolest part of my examples? They were all my musical influences while writing. ;)

Hope this helps, and that you understand your character more. Do you know songs that would describe your MC's, or any of your characters really, in these ways? Oh, and if I don't commant back like I usually do...again, blame the ethernet. :/

Blame My Ethernet or (Lack Thereof) Please

Quick Update: Well, this post is technically an update itself, so this part is rather pointless.

Okay, so during the past week I've mostly helped out my female parental prepare for this huge yard sale, and clean up our room due to a nasty bed bug infestation (if I had a camera hooked, I could show you a picture of my arms, the evidence). And that required moving the computer into another room...only somehow her loser boyfriend had messed with the internet too many times. Our ethernet decided to stop working, pretty much.

It is still sorta warped, and Youtube videos takes about a decade to load, but the internet-without-ethernet rather seemed to hate Blogger, Blogspot, and all related things. Which is a pity, too, because I had Monday's WPT post written and ready! Ugh.

Anyways, to my subscribers - new and...well, new (this blog is only an infant after all) - I apologize, and promise an awesome WPT post Monday, as well as the first "Recommendation of the Week" on Wednesday, and who knows what on Friday.

Okay, now to return to Twitter because I missed today's first EVER #UFchat (a chat just about urban fantasy! AND THAT'S WHAT I WRITE!) and neeeed the transcript. ;) Hope all your weeks were swell, and I shall talk to you all on Monday! Unless the computer decides to crash...okay, now that isn't an optimistic thought...

So, to extend my apologies, here are some worthy LOLcatz (since LOLcatz brighten every situation, don't you agree?)

Let's Talk about Twilight Spoofs

Quick Update: So, you're probably wondering whatever happened to my first Wednesday post...well, that is a long story, involving a huge debate on which musician/movie/book I would talk about first. So, hopefully next week the battle of good and really good will be resolved. On a positive note, I think I learned how to link stuff in my blog...cheers!

For today's random post, let us talk about Twilight spoofs.

That's actually Taylor Swift there as Bella...and Frankenstein as Edward.

Spoofs and parodies, as you should know, are usually movies or small clips that mock a well-known culture icon. They'll highlight the flaws, and add humor to them. Perverted, slapstick, and nonsense humor, sure, but still humor. My favorite would have to be the entire "Scary Movie" series (Anna Faris, who plays the dumb blonde Cindy Campbell in each, happens to be my choice actress). However, what MANY of us have seen lately is spoofs mocking one certain franchise:

The Twilight Saga!

Weirdly enough, I have already talked about this series. But, since I have been hearing about the trailer for the film, "VAMPIRES SUCK" everywhere I go, I thought it would be fun to talk about. If you have no idea what the The Twilight Saga, then I'm surprised. It's sorta...everywhere. If so, whether you like it, hate it, or just don't care, you might enjoy this trailer.



However, not that VAMPIRES SUCK is the first to tackle the issue. Small mentions have gone into other spoofs, such as the prom from the first movie (DANCE FLICK) or just Edward and Bella in the not-so-popular THE 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN WHO KNOCKED UP SARAH MARSHALL AND FELT SUPERBAD ABOUT IT. Hollywood certainly isn't alone though. So, I have complied a list of my favorite Twilight spoofs/parodies...please note, I happen to be a fan. I just enjoy the humor. Check them out if you have the time!

TWILIGHT SPOOFS/PARODIES:

Movies -
1. Vampires Suck

Television -
1. Saturday Night Live (Firelight, as in, Twilight with Frankensteins)
2. Jimmy Kimmel Show (done by the cast of Jersey Shore)

Books -
2. Nightlight (some of which you can read HERE: http://bit.ly/1dWFv0)



Youtube Videos -
1. EVILIGUANAPRODUCTION have so far spoofed all three of the trailers. Their first spoof, of the original Twilight movie trailer, became so popular that it earned them a chance to also do their version of the Edward vs. James scene.

2. JACKSFILMS is more known for his summaries of the Twilight movies in a minute. Though he wasn't around for the first film, he did have time to parody New Moon and Eclipse. His most popular video will have to be THIS though, which is just a comedic parody of the Eclipse trailer.

3. JCKSPARROW, or "The Hillywood Show" as they go by, have also spoofed the Twilight movies, usually having a dance and music sequence to add to the film. As seen here, they sum up Twilight with Katy Perry's hit "Hot n' Cold".



There are plenty of amateur The Twilight Saga spoof videos on Youtube that would take a few ages to go through. Sometimes they re-act a scene with humorous lines, put a different voice over the actual actors in the trailer, it varies. Heck, there is even a puppet-version or two of the series.



Other spoofs -

I came across this the other week, and if you like LOLcatz, you'll likely find THIS hilarious as well. It is pretty much the entire Eclipse movie in LOLcatz pictures. They have New Moon and Twilight in the archive as well, but they're shorter and do not span over the whole film.

Well, hope you enjoyed the excessively long post and videos. Are there Twilight spoofs you have seen or read that thought are worth reading? How do you feel about the franchise? Thanks everyone for subscribing! Truly appreciate it.

Since Blogger Isn't Perfect...

Some Screaming Fangirl: WHAT TEENAGERS DON'T WANT FROM YOUR BOOKS...Writing, Publishing, and the Teenager Pt. 2

Since I began the draft of this post on Friday, apparently it counted as Friday's post, so...here's the link to Part Two of my opinion on what teenages desire and do not desire from your YA books, in case no one saw it.

Thanks for reading and subscribing everyone! ;)

NEW SSF BLOG SCHEDULE!

Quick Update: Expect the second segment of "Writing, Publishing, and the Teenager" tonight, brought to you by the song I am listening to now...and if the link does not work, forgive my idiocy with HTML.

So, in the middle of writing my newest post, I had an epiphany...sort of. Okay, it was not nearly as cool as that, but I did think of an official blog schedule for SOME SCREAMING FANGIRL that isn't hectic and unpredictable (at least for now):



MONDAY: Writing, Publishing, and the Teenager. Once, I had thought of doing this as a separate blog. But it's not like I have THAT much to write about. Still, as a writer and teenager, I want to share some of my knowledge, because even a year later, I'm still hungry for information on writing. It's one of those things that authors, new and old, will hunger forever.



WEDNESDAY: Entertainment-related things. As in, my chance to fangirl over movies, music, books, you name it. My plan is to recommend a favorite of mine every Wednesday. Of course, for writers, if you have a book you want reviewed, I shall gladly do so, and for anyone, I'll take recommendations. Maybe your favorite band or flick will be one of mine, too! You know...if Netflix or Youtube has it... *wink* P.S. Did not make the collage, just found it online, and I happen to know a majority of the bands, so....



FRIDAY: This shall be RANDOM day. Something I might have noticed over the week, rants I need to get off my chest. Discussions. The options are endless!

That said, expect a WPT post in the next hour or so!

WHAT TEENAGERS DON'T WANT FROM YOUR BOOKS...Writing, Publishing, and the Teenager Pt. 2

Quick Update: I feel famous. Kimberly Pauley (a.k.a author of "Sucks To Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire [Maybe]) is following me on Twitter after I talked to her on there. Crazy or what? I'd definitely recommend her books though...unless you don't want to laugh....

http://www.kimberlypauley.com/

So, anyways, while I wait for more questions about the YA genre to come in to answer, how about a sequel to my earlier post?

My own, personal list (as in, please do not go psycho and say I'm wrong or that I left out a million things) of things YA readers DO NOT WANT FROM YOUR YA BOOKS!

1.WE DO NOT WANT LESSONS SHOVED IN OUR FACE. Of course, the idea of every novel, story, etc. is theme. Theme is a good thing. You learn values through fictional characters, and see the consequences of common sins. However, I'm sure parents of adolescents are quite aware of what happens when you tell them what they did was bad...glazed-over eyes and repetition of the word "whatever". i.e... Say a YA protagonist lectured that shoplifting is naughty will not have the same effect of a YA protagonist shoplifting, and facing the police afterwards. It'll also give you a chance how the character handles themselves in panicky scenarios.

It happens to the best of characters, I suppose

2. WE DO NOT WANT A MENTION OF SOME EXTREMELY OLD FIGURE IN MEDIA. Yes, it is nice to know about that one legend that existed in the 60's...but if every celebrity, musician, actor your characters talk about require either a quick trip to Google, Wikipedia or a parent, that'll just waste time readers could be spending on your story. The same with dictionary terms, too...when I was younger, there have been books when I had to have a Word Document dictionary open while I was reading. Shouldn't be necessary!

3. WE DO NOT WANT CLICHES! AGH! Are you curious by what I mean? I'm sure a lot of you have seen or heard of this, but, Joelle Anthony’s old list gives a good idea of it. Hmmm *random idea* perhaps I should make a list of my own? Anyways, there are characters and scenarios that show up in teenage...everything! Be original. And if you're going to take an idea, at least breathe your own self into it. We can't all be Megan McCafferty.

Save the teenage cliches for spoof movies!

4. WE DO NOT WANT ASSUMPTIONS! Yeah, you think you know teenagers. They all go on Myspace and obsess over that mouse-voiced Justin Beiber...Bieber? I have no idea, which is exactly my point. Just as adults are, teenagers are extremely unique, impossible to define, and unexpected. That book-smart nerd boy in your book who seems to get flawless A's, is in every honor roll program at his school, and makes his momma proud might attend "parties" on Saturdays that are very un-Harvard. The school's resident, er, "female dog", might volunteer at a shelter, and maybe dealing with that and her fellow students makes her so bitter. You never know! And trust me, there are plenty of teens who have no Myspace. Some even have FACEBOOKS!



And lastly, the one I KNOW you've heard before, but cannot be emphasized enough...

5. WE NOT WANT TO BE TREATED...LIKE INFERIORS! Today's teen readers aren't all bumbling, Disney-channel-watching fan girls. I am glad to say I have friends who devour Anne Rice and Stephen King just as much as Stephanie Meyer and Scott Westerfeld. So, slow and simple reading, elementary-school worthy vocabulary, plenty of "OMG's" and "totally!", and characters with crushes on those scary Jonas Brothers...well, they just make us think you underestimate us. That you underestimate your audience.

There was a book series I read once (will not say the name, so no one is offended) during my post-Twilight phase. The hook was very vampire and werewolf-ish, and seemed like it would be interesting. Yet, the writing...was just wretched! A little kid might have written it. The plot could be predicted at the very beginning. The dialogue seemed like a bunch of Youtube comments. And it was a series!

Teen fiction is truly an amazing thing. They are stories of people growing from kids to adults, learning all the lessons that will mean their future. And yes, it's wonderful to write for them. Just be sure to have some respect for the mind of the teenager.

NOT NECESSARY!

Thanks for reading, and a huge thanks for subscribing when it comes to some of you! I feel like jumping up and dancing every time I see a bigger number on the followers list. Of course, that would only terrify every person in the room, so I try not to.

Bye! Stay tuned next week for another segment!

#YAlitchat ... ASK A QUESTION!

Quick Update: Yay, Billy Madison's on, no better way to relax than with a Adam Sandler flick!

Well, I decided to dare myself to do this, so, to all YA authors and readers out there coming through Twitter, I ask you this...

IF YOU COULD ASK A YA/TEEN READER ANY QUESTION, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Why do I ask this? Well...maybe this week I can give you answers, eh? Not just me either. I'm hoping to get the help of some other Book Bloggers...:)

Any question is appreciated. And if there are people who want to contribute answers, be sure to email me via anythingbutordinary927 at yahoo dot com with your answers. Hopefully this will be a cool way to connect readers and their writers!

Thanks for reading! Be creative, be open!

WHAT TEENAGERS WANT FROM YOUR BOOKS...Writing, Publishing, and the Teenager Pt. 1

Quick Update: HA! I thought of something to write about, maybe multi-posts, too. Cue: evil laugh. And since I'm following (and being followed) by some cool new writers on Twitter, why not?

Obviously, as a pre-published author, YA reader and YA myself, I can say that my favorite genre is pretty much exploding on the market right now. See below:

Vampires and werewolves and fallen angels, oh my!

There are not many differences between YA and adult literature, if we get honest. There is still sci-fi and romance, fantasy and mainstream, issues and conflicts. The main contrast is and will always be: the audience.

So, here is the official WHAT TEENAGERS WANT FROM YOUR BOOKS.

1. We want smart, funny dialogue. Not simplistic, short sentences that have triple spaces on page. Sarcasm may be a no-no in a lot of genres, but we can never get enough. If the narration is satirical and can generate a laugh or two, we read on.

2. We want new characters. Yes, we all know cheerleaders are evil demons living inside tanned, bleached blonde teen girls. Move onto a new monster please. (Like, Jennifer's Body...Jennifer was on the flag team, not a cheerleader). How about the chess club captain or the track star being the antagonist for once? Everyone has a motive...you just have to look deeper.

Jennifer's Body's Flag Team Villain

3. We want romance. No, this does not indicate a book chock full of declarations of love between two teenagers. This would never happen, anyways, especially in contemporary YA. "I love you" is thrown around more carelessly than ever these days. How about romance elements? Where the hero/heroine have their issues, and the boyfriend/girlfriend merely acts as a shoulder to cry on, an ally who knows how to kiss? If love is the main story at hand, then do not mirror Nicholas Sparks. Be original with your lovers and their relationship. You're a human*, so hopefully you know how humans express and feel emotion.

*If you are not a human, then you are excused.

4. We want to be shocked. We want twists at the end that make us scream "What the (insert curse word here)" and then force us to keep reading so we look for a resolve (which should also be included. If things are predictable, and I can already tell that Whatshisname will get the girl and defeat EvilVillainGuy, then you fail. However, keep the shockers to a minimum. Bringing in a demented evil twin who has yet to be mentioned at all will not shock us, it will only mean a negative review of your work.

Er...best EvilVillainGuy I could find, I guess...

5. We actually kinda want cuss words and "bad" stuff. I can remember reading "Breathing Underwater", one the required books, and the three kids in my group got all giddy because someone said a swear on the first page. I was pretty shocked; I mean, back then, I just finished a Scott Westerfeld book where it was a common, REALISTIC thing. The truth is that teenagers today are just like the shows Family Guy and South Park: perverted and yet a little intelligent when it comes down to it. We watch Shane Dawson videos and listen to Lil Wayne. It's a new generation, I guess. But, the idea of of censoring YA is beginning to thin. Just be natural!

6. We want sad stuff, in the case of the girls. I'm not speaking for myself (I sold my soul for a chocolate chip cookie two years back) but my peers seem to love books that end with people dying. A popular choice is the Outsiders, which remains one of the most beloved required readings ever. You know how many people sobbed over the ending? And dogs dying in fiction is pure tradition yet legend. Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows are classics. Yet, so are I Am Legend and Marley & Me. Tears are the best attraction.



This is all I can think of for the moment, but the post is sorta lengthy anyways. Any questions or suggestions? Perhaps I should make these multi-posts...

Thanks for reading! :)

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Review, Pt. Two - Pros and Cons

Quick Update: What a memorable fourth of July I'm having. Female parental and loser boyfriend got in a fight, so I went with said female parental around the block, saw/heard a couple colorful explosions, and then back home it was. Fun. Still, happy Independence day to all, I suppose.

So, as promises, here is the second installment of my opinion on the third installment of the The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. (There's a tongue twister).

I decided to go with a overused tactic...PROS AND CONS OF THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE!

I never fathomed how small/short Kristen Stewart was...

Pro: Scenes like Bella and her mother, Jasper/Rosalie/Quileute stories, Bella's proposition to Edward, and the fight scene between Victoria and Edward were kept rather similar and intact to the original book.

Con: Yes, but scenes like, per say, Edward and Bella's note-passing, Jacob accidentally stabbing his hand and Bella's dangerous "fit", Alice's excitement over the wedding, and Jake ditching Forks at the end...nada.

Pro: Half the movie is not just Bella, Edward, and Jacob competing in emo staring contests *cough* Not that New Moon and Twilight were...

Con: Half the movie was instead spent flipping back and forth between short, cut scenes and never quite focusing on just one. Whatever happened to character and relationship development?

Aww...how romantic....

Pro: Pretty much any scene with the Newborns was friggin' amazing. Such as when they were making a mess with their food, or when their heads turned to dust under the grasp of an enemy.

Con: Er...why exactly did Bella CUT HERSELF in the movie? In the book she was about to, she had a jagged rock ready, but never actually CUT HERSELF. Can we say WRIST-SLITTERS!?

Pro: Werewolves forgot their shirts a lot.

Con: Vampires remembered.



Pro: There was actually a part where Bella expressed emotion (punching Jacob).

Con: Well...it didn't exactly last long.... (no offense, Stewart's awesome, just not in the the Twilight Saga).

Pro: Charlie and Jacob's lines had the entire midnight showing audience laughing their intestines out. I.E "And let's face it...you know I'm hotter than you".

Con: Plenty of corny screenwriting as well, enough to fill the bucket of greasy popcorn. I.E "I'm gonna fight for you."

And lastly...

Main Pro: The actors really got a chance to show off their skills. I suppose after their stints with Remember Me and the Runaways, Robert and Kristin at least proved they could act, and were willing to show it off. And, yeah, the fight scene was wicked cool.

Main Con: As always, the atmosphere and screenplay clashed. Honestly, the books are more light and fluffy than dark and full of angst. The first movie was depressing in both screenplay and setting. The second had a light atmosphere...but extremely depressing screenplay. And this movie had the funny screenplay it needed...but there was still some gloomy/angry performances that weren't always necessary. Hint: stop speaking in the monotone every other minute! Much thanks to Robert Pattinson for listening to that for this movie. He was nearly alone though.



Well, hope my opinion angered no one. I still loved this movie, and would recommend it first when deciding which Twilight flick to watch. Sadly, David Slade will not be directing Breaking Dawn *sob* but with Breaking Dawn being split into two films, hopefully the newbie will have common sense to do them right!

Hope you liked this post, and know what to expect of the Twilight Saga: Eclipse if you have yet to see it. Tune in tomorrow for a new post...still not entirely sure of its subject though, actually. Bye!