and, like my title said, it’s not even haloween yet. Reading 100 books in one year is a lot easier than I thought!

I haven’t been loyal to this blog. I’m really sorry about the nonexistence of posts….But, I did it. So nothing else matters! lol

<3 Becky! Keep Reading!

The 4th of July is my favorite holiday of the year! I love the music, the people, the food, and the entertainment…FIREWORKS!!

Last year, I was at Disney.

This  year, I was in San Marcos.

I missed all of it. Stuck in a hotel and really tired, I ended up catching the tail end of the fireworks through a crack in the tree across from the hotel. I was sad and didn’t even realize it till the next day. Next year?

Anyways, one good thing did happen this past weekend.

I finished (caught up) with Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Series. (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood)

It was great and I loved how it was written.

I’m trying to write a novel at the moment and it’s really really hard. I know that for it to be good I need to write it in First Person. It’s the only way to make my voice or my characters voice stand out really really well. lol

Well, I have another book club meeting tonight. Annette Blair will be calling in. This will be interesting.

Fireworks! Becky

I totally got an amazing internship! It’s with Fresh Fiction!

Fresh Fiction is an online book database. As their very first intern I’m helping them put all upcoming books onto the site, proof read all incoming book reviews, get to interview authors and go to lots of book signings, and I get to review the books I read and get published online too!

So, I won’t be online updating this blog as much….But I’m still keeping track of all the books I read.

Honestly, I’m going to hit 100 books WAY before December comes rolling along.

Happy Summer! Becky

More choices. More competition.

Less books with frayed edges. Less bulk.

Plus a shorter attention span.

Movies have more scenes. Reading now takes more page turns.

You’re probably confused, how can we get shorter attention spans if we are still reading the same amount whether its from a book or an electronic device?

We live in a fast world. We like to keep moving.

We flip a page in a book. A newspaper. Scroll down a computer screen.

E-book devices are doing the same thing. They just help us do it quicker.

I haven’t read a paperback or hardcover book in months. literally about 5 months ago I put down the latest Robert Crais novel. I read on my Kindle, then on my ipod touch. Two different screen sizes with two different ways to turn a page.

Going from a book to the kindle was relatively easy. The page size is the same, maybe bigger, maybe smaller. It really depended on which font you used. The big change. Instead of flipping a page, I clicked a button. Easy. Simple. Uncomplicated. Reading felt faster. In a way it was.

Going from my kindle to my ipod touch was a plus when i came home from college. I was sharing a room with my younger sister. She still had school the next day, so sleep was early for her. In my pajamas, i took out my ipod touch and read. Kindle has an app. Go figure. The device had a lighted background. That’s what i needed when my sister was sleeping and i was surrounded by darkness.

The screen was a whole lot smaller. First change to get used to. Page turning? I brushed my finger across the screen. No button, no click. Not even a whole hand motion to turn a frickin’ page on the device.

I got spoiled in the dark.

In the nail salon yesterday, I had my kindle and left my ipod touch at home. I had time to read so I was going to use my kindle. It had an advantage I thought, more words and a bigger screen.

It was the longest 25 minutes of my life. I couldn’t keep my eyes on the page. My hands were itching to click or swipe or to DO something. I finally just put my kindle down and got home to cherish my ipod touch one more time.

At the moment I’m reading “My Sisters Keeper” by Jodi Picoult. My first paperback book in what did I say above? 5 months? wow. I can totally feel it. I thought the kindle was hard. This is even worse.

The book is amazing. It’s really really good. But my hands are restless. Or is it my mind? I’m used to multi-tasking and reading things pretty quickly.

In this instance I realized that reading a normal book in its original version was slowing my reading ability. Is that even possible? Yes.

I’m testing it right now. I read and finished an old Anita Blake novel on my kindle (ipod touch) yesterday. It took me 6 1/2 hours to finish a 560 page paperback novel. My sisters keeper has already taken me over 8 hours and I just hit the split center of the book.

Both books are great. It’s not a factor of me disliking the content or style of writing inside the different covers. I think and believe its due to how fast I turn a page. A finger swish or click is much faster than the movement of a whole hand that does the same thing.

Weird? Don’t believe me? Try it out. Read on an electronic device for a while. Then pick up a book. Try the same book.

You’ll know what I’m talking about.

Am I on to something here or is it just my imagination?

I’ll let you figure that out.

Reading Faster! Becky

Fine, it’s something that happens to me after I find something new. For example, I haven’t stopped listening to “If we ever meet again” by Timbaland. If you think that’s bad, you have NO idea. I watched and listened to Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” for two weeks straight during finals week last christmas…. That was BAD.

But, I really can’t help it. I like the song, it’s catchy and it blends in enough for me so work actually gets done when I listen to the song. Plus, if I decide to stop working on whatever it is I’m doing, I can still stand up and DANCE to it

If it’s not something new, it’s something I really really like.

NCIS always runs marathons on USA. I  can’t help but watch….My eyes and fingers, they control the remote you see, just click till they’re satisfied.

NCIS is on right now…and I’m once again watching it as I type. Even worse…..I’m also listening to that song I told you about…..SEEEEE!

Re-runs are fun at times. But right now, it’s kind of annoying.

I hate having obsessions, why you ask? Because if I learned anything from Mitch Rapp, or Special Agent Gibbs, or Special Agent Scot Harvath, is that an obsession makes you WEAK! Weak I tell you.

So, I’m not looking at the TV anymore. lol. Even though it’s on in the background. I won’t be weak. I’m typing!

Destroying all Re-Run obsessions! Becky

May is the end of the spring semester for college students. Not only do we have exams but we also have to move, either from an apartment for the summer or the dorms. As in my case.

As an RA, not only do I have to move out of my room, but I also have to check out all of my residents before summer starts. I had a little over 71 residents this semester. Not all the same. Some dropped out, some moved on to an apartment due to dorm complications, others found home in a boy or girl friends place.

This was my last semester as an RA and I didn’t realize it till the last friday of school. I cried once and it was brief. I’m talking like maybe 3 tears brief. lol I thought it would be worse but I also know that I may be closing one door in my life, I’m definitely opening up another. You gotta look at it in a different perspective to understand not everything is as it seems.

So, after everyone finally left the building, I had to clean my room. It was HORRIBLE!! I hadn’t moved out of my room in two years people. 2 YEARS! & a girl who isn’t a pack rat can and will accumulate a whole lot of crap regardless of what she says. Me included.

In total, it took me and my family about 8 hours to clean my room and get it move-in ready for summer conferences. I said my goodbyes and let me tell you, I was happy to go back home. Finally.

At this point in my life I really need to go back home. I need a break from Denton, TX. UNT in general. I love it but that’s all I had. After becoming an RA I never made a new real friend. Sad. All I knew what that this needed to change. So that is what I’m doing. I’m changing a bad situation into one with opportunities.

Anyways,  all I did was sleep, eat and catch up on a lot of shows I forgot were on TV the week after school ended. Including: In Plain Sight, Glee, Bones, etc…

My book choices this month have varied greatly. If you look at my book count you’ll find some Mangas and alot of short stories found in anthologies. I also reread a couple of my old books like all my Fever books by Karen Marie Moning & a lot of Laurell K. Hamilton.

I’m not the type to reread books in general (unless it’s Harry Potter…shhhh)but for some reason I just HAD to. So I did.

Now, I’m just waiting on Bullet to come out next week on the 1st. It’s the newest Anita Blake Novel and I can’t stop thinking about it! Totally Excited!

At the moment, I’m trying to read James Patterson’s Maximum Ride Novels. I’ve never read him before and it’s really hard to go from romance to mystery/fantasy this quickly. Hopefully I’ll get my act together to continue on. I have a lot of good picks out for June! Now I just have to read them! lol

Besides reading, I’m working on my spanish with Rosetta Stone, my first novel, math/physics/chemistry, and trying to fit in with my family again. I’m actually really left out. It’s hard when you’re the only one who acts a certain way and no one else understands or trys to listen before laughing or casting you off.

I’ve been in a position of authority for so long that apparently my parents think I’m acting mom/dad for my sisters. I don’t find humor the same way nor do I find humor a good way to pass the time. I like intelligent conversation and my family is not a great place to find it at the moment.  Maybe when they’re older?

FYI: I’ve decided on graduate school!

Instead of sticking with Fashion Merchandising and Business I will continue on with a Masters in Geoscience. It’s not that random if you know me. lol. I want to go to the University of Texas @ Austin. They have the best program in the south. Now, I just have to get ready, sell myself and get in.

FYI2: Remember that great big interview I had to dress for the other day? Well, I aced it! I got into the prestigious PLP Program at UNT. Go ME

I’ll probably be the only Fashion Merchandising student included in the program filled with business students of all majors. It’s a great time to Network

Till Next Time! Becky

Laura Childs, a mystery author, phoned in and we got to talk to her about her career and her upcoming books.

Laura Childs is a pseudonym for Gerry Schmitt. A woman who once owned her own Advertising Firm in Minneapolis.

She described the fabulous luck and fortune she had to start off her book writing career.

It all started with a  dinner with a friend. Gerry mentioned the book she randomly wrote and the friend mentioned another friend who could help her out. That other friend ended up being Mary Higgins Clark. A Fabulous Writer!

After receiving a phone call not even an hour after the lunch, Gerry signed up for a book conference to meet up with Mary to continue her passion. Gerry left the conference with 5 different agents wanting her.

From there, she wrote her Tea series then continued on with her scrap booking one as well. Currently Laura Childs has three series up and running.

This phone conversation inspired me greatly!

Anyone can write and find a way to publish.

Random Fact: Paperback authors cannot live their lives by writing.

This is why Gerry continued on with a second series. She gets maybe 15 cents per book sold. The middle man (borders, Barnes and Noble, etc…) receives the better pay rate.

I’ll be meeting Marie Boswick this Saturday for Tea.

Cheers! Becky

Clothes Breakdown: Definition: Not knowing what to wear and stressing to the point where crying and pulling hair seem normal.

I have an interview tomorrow morning (technically today) at 10am. It is business professional wear and I had the perfect suit. Well, to put it lightly, I had a clothes malfunction and the skirt now reaches my mid thigh instead of my knee. No longer will it work to my advantage. Thus ensuing my major breakdown.

I have one other suit, but it is a fashion suit. A suit made to stand out and get noticed. The interview tomorrow is with the Business Administration at UNT, I need to blend in and look conservative enough to run for office.

I’m screwed. At least I thought I was.

Living in the dorm does have its advantages!

I knocked on almost every girl’s room that I knew to be around my size and tried on soooo many shirts and jackets. Nothing worked.

I ended up going just a little bit casual. Some striped slacks and a textured business top.

I feel comfortable, look great, and will be able to stand confidant during the interview.

I just don’t have a matching jacket to finish the outfit.

I know what you’re thinking. This girl is crazy, crying over an outfit.

But people! Listen up! Listen up Good!

An interviewer will always look at your appearance and judge you from the moment you walk into the room till the day you’re forgotten. It’s a fact of life.

So, my master plan! I will blow my interviewers socks off with my charming smile and intelligent problem solving!

Tomorrow will be a good day. I promise. Now I just gotta land the program!

Stressing! Becky

Two books I have been waiting for have come out this month. YAY…NOT!

The Problem: I started reading them on Kindle. These new books aren’t even close to being available on kindle at the moment.

WTF?!?!?

I’m not going to buy a physical book for one book in a series that I’ve been reading on an e-reader!

J.R. Ward has a new book out today!!! I really want to read it; but then again, not THAT bad. Same with Jessica Andersen’s Demon Keepers.

Someone needs to talk to whoever is making this difficult! Isn’t the industry supposed to cater to its readers?!?! You’re leaving me out on an edge here!!

Fix the problem PLEASE! I’m tired of watching the fight. It’s affecting my reading habits WAY too much.

Geeez! Becky

Numbers apparently aren’t my forte and when you combine them with accounting principles and concepts, the word “hard” turns into nightmare!

My test is tomorrow, you set the date yourself; I don’t feel a lick of  confidence, so lets not turn my life into hell.

Postpone the test tomorrow, dear professor mine!

Postpone the test tomorrow, so I don’t blow my MIND!

You have me rhyming, you have me almost in tears.

Postpone the test tomorrow, I want to live my future years!

I may sound over dramatic, I may sound crazy like a loon; but, this class is freaking harder than all my other classes combined this semester, so I have a right to rant, don’t you swoon. (BAHAHAHAHA!)

I will try my hardest. I will give it all I’ve got! But, the grade I want is unattainable, with accounting filling my most hated classroom slot.

Farewell  my lovely blog reading friends,

Farewell to all my family!

This may be the last blog post I write, the percentage of tomorrows accounting test killing me is nilch-to-none; BUT inside, I may die just a little, for my challenge was not won.

To the death of the Accounting Exam! Becky

P.S. Wish me Luck