EndOfSummeritis...again

I can't believe it. It's been over a year since I started blogging...and that means I've went through two bouts of EndOfSummeritis.

Here's what I wrote last year...

Sorry for the lack of posts... I've been pretty busy back-to-school (!) shopping and trying to wrap my mind around the concept of GOODBYE, SUMMER. (It's not an especially nice concept.) I've also been writing (but not blog posts...) and practicing Taekwondo, and trying to become motivated to finish my correspondence course (that's not going so well either).

I think it's called EndoftheSummeritis. It doesn't help that it's chilly all of a sudden, it's a slow, foggy morning, my toes are cold, and I'm wearing my mom's college sweatshirt which always makes me feel too cozy. Therefore, I am not motivated to do much at all. I'm hanging out with my (awesome) neighbors in a little while, though, so I will hopefully perk up then.

At least EndoftheSummeritis should only last another two days. Then I'll turn to BeginningofSchoolitis. That will cause me to be constantly tired with rare spurts of energy, to run around like crazy getting ready in the mornings, give me neck cramps and eye strains from sitting for hours doing homework, and a frustrated disposition on days when I can't find time leftover to write.

Pretty much true. Except I saw my awesome neighbors on Saturday, not tonight, and in addition to homework I'm going to have to juggle my book promo, training for Team in Training, swing dancing, Taekwondo, Driver's Ed, a cultural exchange LE program, honors English (for which I've already had homework...woo), my friends' nonprofit group to benefit SOS Villages, being a Band-Aid (artfully coined term meaning Marching Band Groupie), more writing writing writing...

It's going to be fun.

Except for the homework part.

Winnie Worth 1000

Hey! So one of my favorite things to do when I'm surfing the internet is read book blogs. Considering my sister and I are always reading, it's neat to see what other people have to say on books I liked, on ones I didn't like, and on ones I haven't read but want to get.

I haven't had as much time to read as I'd like lately, but my sister definitely has. She's a speed reader and is always stealing my books. We get into great arguments--er, debates--and discussions over books we've both read. I was online reading book blogs the other day and turned to her and said, "Hey! You should do one of these."

Because she loves to draw, she not only jumped at the idea to share ideas about her books, but to draw a scene from each one she reads and include that in her review as well. I'll be adding in my two cents at times! She just put up her intro post today...go check it out and follow!

www.winnieworth1000.blogspot.com

PAYA

As I facebooked, tweeted, and mentioned here, I went to PAYA Saturday. it was AWESOME. I can't wait until next year. It was an amazing idea and everyone who made it happen deserves a huge truckload of props.

I had a really fun writing workshop with Chelsea Swiggett, and the signing afterward was tons of fun. I met so many cool authors, bloggers, readers, and et cetera. (I'm not even sure what et cetera would be, but they were there.) Also, it was all for PA libraries, which rocks.

My mom was there with her camera, so I have a few decent pictures. Such as...


Me and Chelsea! Her tee is covered by her hair, so if you can't tell, that's the Mockingjay symbol. On the back it says "Down With The Capitol." I was so jealous of the shirt. There I was wearing flowers with my hair misbehaving and Chelsea shows up in a Hunger Games shirt! :)
When my dad saw the shirt he asked me if she was a rebel or something. I just sighed and shook my head and said, "Dad, it's a Hunger Games thing..."






Yes, CYN BALOG, author of SLEEPLESS and FAIRY TALE, which were so much fun to read. We're signing books to each other here. Coolest picture ever.









Of course, Josh Berk (THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN) was there, being all comical-like at the next table. This is our secret handshake, which is so secret apparently I didn't even know it.



I was running my bag of books I got from the used book sale (which I couldn't stay away from, of course) out to the car when the author group picture was being taken. But I kind of hated my hair that day anyway, so it worked out. ;)

---
On a side note, SCHOOL STARTS IN T-MINUS-8 DAYS. If that's not scary I don't know what is. At least my schedule was settled. But still, school is going to mess with my writing/reading/author time. Because, for some reason, even though I'm an author, they still give me homework!

Kidding. Not about the homework, but about the being indignant about it part. (Not that I love homework anyway.)

Stack o' Books

As I mentioned on facebook and twitter (hey, if you're not following me, you should consider it. I keep it more updated than my blog!) I was at the beach this week. While I was there I got a chance to read a ton (or, rather, a backpackful) of library books. I read on the beach, on the beachhouse porch, on the couch, in my bed, in the car... It was paradise within a paradise.

Today I went mini-golfing with Katie and our little sisters, and I kept trying to recap my thoughts about the books I read, but (understandably) I kept getting distracted by swinging the club and, er, fishing balls out of water... So I gave up. But I thought I'd list the books and my thoughts on here.

• All-American Girl (Meg Cabot): Awesome book. Meg Cabot always has really distinct main characters.
• Something, Maybe (Elizabeth Scott): I kept seeing this at Barnes & Noble and on blogs, so I decided to check it out. Glad I did. Read it in one sitting.
• Teen Idol (Meg Cabot): Devoured this one as well.
• Hush, Hush (Becca Fitzpatrick): I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would. I actually ended up skimming through the second half. I felt like I'd read the story before. The style was fun to read though.
  
• As You Wish (Jackson Pearce): Gobbled this one up. It's one of those books where you have to find out how the problem gets resolved. The ending surprised me.
• The Treasure Map of Boys (E. Lockheart): I didn't read the first two books (didn't realize it was a series) but I enjoyed this one anyway.
• The Cardturner (Louis Sachar): Took me a while to readthe first half, but I read the second half nonstop. -SPOILER- I cried when Trapp's voice started giving Alton Bridge directions. So if it made me cry, it was a good book.
• Give Up the Ghost (Megan Crewe): Also made me cry. I wasn't that into the story as I read it, but at one point I found tears streaming down my cheeks, so a part of me definitely felt it.
• Ready or Not (Meg Cabot): The sequel to All-American Girl. I think I liked this one even better than the first.
• Princess Diaries (Meg Cabot): I'd seen the movies but hadn't read the books. Definitely like the book better (off to get the rest of the series soon). And yes, I'm becoming a huge Meg Cabot fan.
• Fairy Tale (Cyn Balog): I zipped through this one. I liked Morgan's character better than I liked Julia's in Cyn's other book, Sleepless, but I liked Eron in Sleepless better than Pip in Fairy Tale. I was actually up for an extra thirty minutes trying to decide which I liked better. Didn't come to a definite conclusion.
• Audrey, Wait! (Robin Benway): Yeah, I read it again. Twice, actually. Favorite book right now.
• An Abundance of Katherines (John Green): Win. Very win. And mathy. But mostly win.
• Gimme a Call (Sarah Mlynowski): Another one that didn't end how I expected, and was fun to read.

I feel like there were other books, but I can't picture them right now. If I remember I'll probably post again.

Anyway, there are some reccomendations. Oh, and Rain. You should read Rain, too. :)

Team in Training

I'm really looking forward to my Sweet 16. It's going to be incredible. It's in January, and I'll be going to Disney World....

....to do the Disney Half Marathon with Team in Training.

I've been planning this for years. My grandpa had non-hodgkins lymphoma when I was in third grade, and when I was in fifth grade my mom did a half marathon with Team in Training. Team in Training is the world's largest endurance sports training program, where participants do half or full marathons, triathalons, century cycle rides, et cetera, while fundraising to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). The LLS uses those funds to benefit blood cancer research and patients and treatment.

When I was in sixth grade my parents did the Disney World full marathon with Team in Training. I got to attend the pasta party beforehand and hear the speakers and patient heroes and it was so, so incredibly inspiring. I decided that as soon as I was old enough I would also be doing Team in Training. And guess what is the minimum age? Sixteen! And, of course, I had my heart set on doing Disney, which just happens to be the same month as my sixteenth birthday.

Fate? I think so.

Anyway, I am now officially registered. I have a road ID (which lookds like a dog tag) that has the Team in Training logo on the front and medical/contact information on the back. I also have a fundraising web page, where I'll be updating my training process and you can see my fundraising progress in the right-hand corner. (Feel free to contribute!)

So that's also going on right now. In other news, I'll be at the Ocean County Library (Long Beach Island branch) on LBI this Monday! (And then hanging at the beach for the rest of the week, after my mom does a triathalon! I love LBI.) And don't forget to sign up for PAYA!

Over and out!

(The picture is of my parents, before the Disney Full, decked out in their Team in Training attire.)