2012 Blog in Review and Reading Wrap-up

Welcome 2013!!! I look forward to this time of year so I can do my favorite meme:

Take the first line from the first post of each month last year (make sure to link to it!)

2012 Blog in Review

January

Happy 2012: Around the World in Under 5 Minutes

"You know that guy who quits his finance job and travels around the world photographing amazing places all year?"

February
Blogging Booboos Revisited and Great Comments Award
"Remember Top 3 Things Well-Meaning Bloggers Do That Drive Readers Nuts?"

March
A Day in the Life and GIVEAWAY: Jenna Gustafson
"Our third Day in the Life profile will probably be our youngest ever - 15-year-old published MG author, Jenna Gustafson from Montana."

April
Reality Bites
"Last week:

"

May

Happy APA Month!

It's Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month!

June
Wordless Wednesday: Optimism

July

Wordless Wednesday: Shady Saloon

"I'm actually at work today, but I hope the rest of you are enjoying your Fourth!"

August

Tiger Tea Tent Debuts at Camp NaNoWriMo!

"Greetings from CampNaNoWriMo!"

September - no posts, swamped with work

October
So You Think You Can Dance Wrap-up and Check In
"I'm not back!"

November
Rough
"My NaNoRevMo post was going to go up on Friday but something traumatic happened."

December
NaNoRevMo Wrap Up
"We survived!!!!!"


I only completed one of my reading challenges:

25 books I own that have been growing dusty, now finished! See the montage HERE

Sunshine Blog Award - Duckfaces Welcome

Thank you Kristy from Two Nerds. One Dream. Zero Results. for giving me something to blog about this award!

There's something wrong with the questions, you say? Yes there is! I've swapped most of them out for a set I found on Tumblr, the hipster's Facebook.

1: Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? 

The doors are sliding mirrors and I keep the side facing the bed open because I 1) don't want to wake up and give myself a heart attack thinking there's some ghost girl rising from my bed 2) read something about feng shui somewhere once.

2: Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? 

No, I'm pretty particular about the type of shampoo and conditioner I use (must be wave-enhancing for the latter because I love curly hair).

3: Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? 

Who in the world sleeps with sheets tucked in?? Do you like your toes being in permanent Barbie position?

4: Have you ever stolen a street sign before? 

I wish! My friends once cut down my iPod ad plastered on some construction site. There were like months of other posters stuck behind it. Those things are also surprisingly large.

5. What is your Favorite Time of Year?

Summer, hands down. If it could be summer all year long I would make it so.

6. What is your Favorite Time of Day?

Late night when traffic dies down and the creepy crawlies come out to play.

7. Which are better legos or lincoln logs?

Lincoln logs. I spent all my Monopoly money on an incomplete set of them in 1st grade during a school auction. I didn't really know how to count money so I just held up everything I had. All in, baby.

8. Do you always smile for pictures? 

I try to MySpace duck face as much as possible. Like this:

(this shot is probably going to end up all over the internet and be my downfall - the lengths I go to to entertain my readers)

I tag the ladies of Tiger Tea Tent from Camp NaNoWriMo 2012:

Julie Dao
Wistfully Linda
Krispy and Alz
Emy Shin

and

Lydia Kang cuz she's an awesome Azn Lady too

11 More Questions

I know, I'm sorry. But my tagger Coleen Patrick swore my readers wouldn't be bored with another of these, so if you are, blame Coleen. (by following her blog)

1. What 3 books would you take with you into your zombie apocalypse/alien invasion bunker (I’m assuming you all have one)?

Ha ha! I'm one step ahead of you. My zombipocalypse bunker IS my library. Take that, Panic Room.

But alas, it has only 3 books in it and they are:

• my personalized, signed copy of Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
• A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2) by George R. R. Martin because I haven't read it yet and it'll last me a long time
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore

2. What was your first job?


This is going to sound really bad, but I promise you it wasn't shady at all - I played a girl attacked by a sexual predator in a Chinese soap opera in Taiwan. I got to wear the kind of old school clothes you see in the dynastic era. Again, the guy who played the "rapist" was this big teddy bear, it was very professional and he barely touched me. (My other option was to play a concubine and my mom was like "NO." I was fifteen.)


3. What song is stuck in your head right now?


I'm playing Christina Perri's album on Spotify and even though "bang bang bang" is on, I've got "miles" stuck in my head because it's very meaningful to me right now.




4. What celebrity would play you in the movie about your life?


Me, duh.


5. What did you eat for breakfast this morning?


Oh gawd I wish I could forget! Din Tai Fun, the famous dumpling joint, was too crowded so we ended going to the boba shop next door and ordered two unexpectedly spicy dishes that didn't behave like polite guests in our empty tummies.


6. If you could go back in time for one day, what time would you revisit and why?


Gorging my face off at dinner on the set of First Daughter. There was sliced prime rib, a stir-fry station, an omelet station, dessert table of cookies and cakes, and some southern entrees.

Plus hot co-stars to eat with. photos of hot co-stars used to be here but after a fellow author was sued by a photographer, they are no longer here

7. What was the last movie you saw in the theater?


Let's check my handy-dandy list for the 50/50 Challenge: we're up to movie #17 Wrath of the Titans 3D. (loved it)


8. What’s your favorite movie snack?


clementine or apple slices


9. What TV show is most like your life?


Felicity starring a Gilmore Girl, set in Everybody Loves Raymond's world


10. If you could get on a plane right now, where would you go (all expenses paid)?


Bora Bora


11. If you could tweet to your 13 old self, what would you say?


@Sophat13 it's going to be ok. you'll be out soon. don't sweat it until then. you are good. One day you'll go higher than you ever dreamed. I love you

It's Those 11 Questions

I'm the last blogger on earth to get this meme.  Tagged by Nutschell (and accidentally tagged by Julie Dao when I commented on her blog, so I sprinkled some of her questions in.)

1) What’s your ultimate caffeine source?

Boba!!! 4 Life

Which I can only drink before 7 p.m.  Caffeine messes me up.  One day I would love to own a caffeine-free boba shop.  I know, I know, no one but me would drink it.

2) If you were stranded on an island, what book would you like to have with you?

One of Maria V. Snyder's, or one of George R. R. Martin's since it'll last me a long time.

3) Favorite music source? (Radio, Pandora, Spotify, CD, Ipod, etc)

Pandora and Spotify these days, though I used to get most of my new music from KCRW, our local public radio station

4) You have the winning $50 million lottery ticket. What do you buy first?

A house not in the ghetto.

(Maybe this pimp mansion that just got built next to Krispy's house.  Alz and I visited the Open House today and spied on Krispy and her sister in their backyard.  With their permission.)

5) Favorite day of the week?

Tuesday or Sunday (coincidentally those are the days local movie tickets are $6)

6) Favorite TV show?

Sister Wives

do NOT judge me

7) Movie you’re planning to watch on the big screen?

Safe House
Denzel AND Ryan - the manly one

photo of hottest man on earth from Lani's site

8) Actor/Actress you’d most like to meet?

Since Dante Basco and I didn't pan out...it's time to introduce myself to one of my future husbands, Keanu Reeves or Christian Slater.

I would also say Jason Momoa or Joe Manganiello, but I can't breathe when I see those two men, even with shirts on.  In fact I'm having a hard time finishing this blog post with this photo ...of...humina humina....

9) Author you’d love to have lunch with?

Maria V. Snyder

10) What Disney character are you most like?

Is there any writer/book lover who doesn't answer Belle?

11) Harry Potter or Twilight?

This question is so uncool. I'm a crazy dress-up and reenact scenes fan for both.

But of course I'd say Twilight. I'm an admin of the Los Angeles Twilight Lovers Group after all.

I've said too much.

Psychedelic Tiger and Blog in Review Meme

I know.  It's out of control, isn't it?

And now, 1-Year Blogaversary Fest continues with - a meme you can steal!

Take the first line from the first post of each month this year (link to it) and you've got your very own blog in review.

2011 Blog in Review

January
Happy Birthday New Blog
"You were born on 1/11/11."

February
The 48-Hour Dark Experiment
" You can't make me, but you can sure join me! "

March
I Dreamt of High School, I Mean Beverly Hills
"I've been having a series of intensely vivid dreams this week and after reading Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall yesterday I was sure I'd dream about it. "

April
April Boobs Day
"When I first moved back to NYC after a run through Hollywood, I got a new friend to spread a rumor that I had gotten implants."

May
Heading South with the Boyfriend
"Let's go Vin; my ex Dwayne looks mad!"

June
May/APA Music Crush of the Month: Bruno Mars
"It may be June, but APA month continues here at Sophia the Writer!"

July
Boba 4 Life!
"Accent vlog with Krispy concludes with read-alouds from Imaginary Girls and White Cat - plus a lesson in what to call your grandparents in Taiwan Mandarin. "

August
Mashti Malone
"I'm off to the 40th SCBWI Conference!"

September
1000 Mile Weekend
"Sorry I'm behind on the writer's campaign and CPing - I was getting card sharked by this kid:"

October
In My Mailbox #4
"It's time to thank some giveaway hosts!"

November
NaNoRevMo and WriMo
"This is the first Saturday I haven't had to work or rehearse in over a year!"

December
NYC Boba and Boba 4 Life: Questions Pt 2
"Greetings from NY!"

***
Giveaway is coming tomorrow...

Class of 2011 Superlative Blogfest: Elements of Fiction

Hosted by: Alison Miller, Jessica Love, Katy Upperman, and Tracey Neithercott

I'm starting the busiest work crunch of the year, so I've only got two for you today:

Elements of Fiction

Best First Line: "On the day he died, Eric Leaventhall had a date that couldn't be broken, so he went."
from Dead Man Dating by Lori Handeland, in the anthology Dates From Hell

I originally bought this quartet of novellas for Kelley Armstrong's bonus Karl Marsten story, but Lori's first line (and next few) was so eye-catching I read that story too and LOVED IT.

Most Jaw-Dropping Finale: Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, Book 3) by Richelle Mead

This is when I knew Mead was a complete and utter plot genius.  She holds NOTHING back in this series - where most authors would drag out the storyline over a course of books, Mead gives you the ending you can't believe, leaving you wondering how the heck the story can go on.  And it does.

December Book Crush of the Month and Top 10 Book Boyfriends of 2011

Hosted by: Confessions of a Bookaholic, A Life Bound By Books, Fiktshun, and Two Chicks on Books

Today's theme also re-caps my meme: Book Crush of the Month.  Unfortunately, I used music/dance crushes mostly, so there are only, um, 2 in the retrospective.  December revealed at the end...

Top 10 Wolf Book Boyfriends of 2011 

1) February Book Crush of the Month: sorcerer-lawyer Lucas Cortez from Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series

kickass wallpaper by mistymerrymistletoe

2) Cery from The Magicians' Guild (The Black Magician Trilogy, Book 1) by Trudi Canavan

Because I love strong short guys!  

3) James Hallowell from Vampire Crush by A.M. Robinson

4) Chen Yong from Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

photo from Cindy's website

5) Jack, from Exit Strategy (Nadia Stafford Series, Book 1) by Kelley Armstrong
Because who can resist an older contract killer?  (Gabriel Byrne in Point of No Return, anyone?)

In The American, Clooney rips off this book plays an older contract killer named Jack, which made me like the film way more than I should have.

6) Jeremy Danvers from No Humans Involved (Women of the Otherworld, Book 7) by Kelley Armstrong
The Alpha wolf of the upstate NY clan who might have some Chinese blood in him.  

7) Karl Marsten from Personal Demon (Women of the Otherworld, Book 8) by, who else? Kelley Armstrong - she writes the HOTTEST love scenes (children look away)

8) Beast from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
But only before he turned into some pansy-looking prince.  What can I say, I like anybody wolfish.

9) November Book Crush of the Month: Taycob from Twilight

and finally: 10)

  December Book Crush of the Month:

Alexander of Macedon as portrayed in The Persian Boy by Mary Renault

photo credit

This guy had a Napoleon complex a couple thousand years before Napoleon was even born.  He was short, strong, handsome and healed from wounds with freakish vampire nature.

Alexander, is that you?

He had beautiful male lovers and traveled a distance most Americans can't even fathom, over mountains, down rivers and across deserts.  In 300 B.C., yo.

Top 10 Book Covers of 2011 and Superlative Blogfest

Hosted by: Confessions of a Bookaholic, A Life Bound By Books, Fiktshun, and Two Chicks on Books

Top 10 Book Covers (I Read) in 2011:

Hosted by: Alison Miller, Jessica Love, Katy Upperman, and Tracey Neithercott

I realized too late that this might be an impossible blogfest because I've read a total of 18 books published in 2011 - and 4 of those are MG, adult fantasy, graphic novel, and Go the F**k to Sleep, which I don't think counts as YA.  Or picture book for that matter.  But it is the funniest 2011 book I've read.

Today's topic: Head of the Class

Favorite Dystopian: Crossed by Ally Condie

Favorite Science Fiction: Outside In by my idol Maria V. Snyder

Favorite Fantasy: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Favorite Paranormal Romance: The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Favorite Action/Adventure 
AND
Favorite Genre-bender: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - my review

Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011

Hosted by: Confessions of a Bookaholic, A Life Bound By Books, Fiktshun, and Two Chicks on Books

Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011
(in reverse chrono order that I read them)

1) Crossed by Ally Condie (won ARC from Elana Johnson)

2) White Cat by Holly Black, narrated by Jesse Eisenberg (library audiobook)

3) Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (library, then bought)

4) Beauty by Robin McKinley (library)

5) The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (library) - Review at Afterglow

6) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (bought by accident - my review)

7) Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong (library)

8) Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones (library)

9) Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead (library)

10) Vampire Crush by A. M. Robinson (Kindle)