Sheila A. Nielson's Blog

Dolls in the Dark

2012-01-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

My mother and I have been reading one of my new manuscripts--one that has haunted dolls in it. So one day, after reading, my mother went into my room without turning on the light, to place something on my bed. When she turned around, she came face to face with the doll pictured above. Now, you have to understand. This particular doll is big. (two feet tall) He is usually kept in a glass display case out in the living room with all of my other dolls. But a couple of my nieces accidentally knocked him over and I took him into my room and stood him against the wall so that he would be safe until the kids had gone home. Unfortunately, that was when my mother had her run in with him in the dark. He totally scared the snot out of her. I must admit, he does look a little like one of the dolls I described in my book. She said that was why he startled her so bad. It was like my story had suddenly come to life. My mother is not normally a jumpy person. She said, my story had just made it seem so real. We couldn't stop laughing about the incident afterward.

Coming Soon!

2011-12-08T08:47:00.001-07:00

Okay, maybe not SOON. Writing a novel always takes so much more time than I think it will.

I recently spoke with my agent, Amy Boggs, and we started planning what manuscripts I should begin working on next. I always have dozens of story ideas simmering in the back of my mind--but I can only work on a few at a time. Deciding which one to begin working on next is always a big decision. After all, it can take years to get a book ready for publication. If I'm going to be spending that much time and effort on a story it has to be one I really love. I currently have four novels I'm actively working on. That's right FOUR. And I am so excited about finally getting to write these stories which have been patiently waiting their turn! I've been creating characters, plotting out story lines, and creating new worlds. One of the stories has illustrations, so I've even started drawing again as well. It's been far too long--I'm really enjoying it. Telling a story in a visual format has its own set of challenges that are completely different from a novel that is only told only in words. Getting my brain around it can really push my creative limit at times. But it is so much fun to try something different!

Will any of these stories find a home at some publishing house in the near future--we will soon see!

Pirates Ahoy!

2011-11-20T19:18:00.001-07:00

A bunch of my nephews and nieces came to stay for the weekend. After they'd all gone home, I went to clean up the mess in the toy room and this is what I found had been done to my pirate ship:

My pirates are gonna be living in high style now! I'm guessing one of my nieces got tired of the plain old boring dollhouse and decided to liven things up a bit. At least those scurvy pirates will travel in comfort as they plunder the seven seas. Do you think they have a doily for when their walking the plank?

Jelly Beans, SWEET!

2011-11-20T14:56:00.001-07:00

This music video was made using nothing but the singer and a whole lot of Jelly Bellys. That's right, those are thousands of jelly beans you see dancing around in the background. Check it out!

Halloween Candy Woes

2011-11-09T21:05:00.000-07:00

A hilarious video of parents telling their kids they ate their Halloween candy. I could not stop laughing. My favorite is the last one with the two little boys. Enjoy!

Contest! With PRIZES!

2011-11-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

Contest Now Closed

A friend of mine is putting on a great contest with lots of cool prizes! I'm one of the sponsors donating a prize. Click the link below to find out more.

http://windwaithemermaid.blogspot.com/2011/11/contest-with-lots-of-prizes.html

All Ready for Halloween!

2011-10-25T08:52:00.001-06:00

I found this adorable Halloween bedspread for sale online and had to buy it. When I went to bed the first night, I quickly discovered the ghosts glow in the dark. How cool is that? And don't you love the matching ghost accent pillow? I'm all set for Halloween. Are you?

Book Trailers Are Hard Work!

2011-10-21T11:55:00.000-06:00

This last month has been filled with a flurry of work while I and my family prepare to film the Forbidden Sea book trailer. Things are never as straight forward as you might think when filming. Especially when you have no budget to speak of. A lot of things don't come out exactly as you'd like them to--but then again pleasant surprises pop up along the way as well. People who have read Forbidden Sea will see right away that some literary license had to be taken with the storyline in order to condense it down into a trailer length plot that makes sense to people who have not read the book. We have Denn in a scene he was not actually a part of in the book, but it works better that way for the trailer. Adrianne does not have short hair like she does in the novel, but the girl who plays her is PERFECT for the part, so I figured it was a trade-off worth making. The actor who plays Denn is the real boyfriend of the young actress who plays Adrianne, so the chemistry between them is just right--and he definitely looks the part. We still have more filming scheduled for next weekend. I hope everything continues to come out as well as it has begun. I can't wait to see the finished product!

I So Wish I Had That!

2011-10-12T22:11:00.001-06:00

Before you know it, Christmas will be upon us once again. So here it is. A list of totally bizarre stuff you can buy online but probably never will. Someplace deep inside, though--you know you wish you could.

WARNING: Clicking on links below will take you to outside websites over whose content I have no control.

Glow-in-the-Dark Toilet Paper (you know you want it)
http://www.amazon.com/thu-GLOWROLL-Glow-Dark-Toilet/dp/B002VKDO1E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318475803&sr=8-1

Remote Control Wand (must have)
http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/home-entertainment/cf9b/?cpg=cj&ref=&CJURL=&CJID=1764687

Bacon Band-Aids (I kid you not)
http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Customer-Favorites_2AA/Item_Funny-Food-Bandages_CF2912_ps_cti-2AA.html

Food Face Plate (yes, you may play with your food)
http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Item_Food-Face-Plate_CE5342_ps_dpr.html

Skel-a-Gnome (hold me back)
http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Customer-Favorites_2AA/Item_Skel-A-Gnomette-and-Skel-A-Gnome-Garden-Sculptures_CF2993G_ps_cti-2AA.html

Food Jewelry (Can you smell the bacon?)
http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Shop-By-Theme_4AA/Odd-Bizarre_4BY/Item_Skillet-amp-Eggs-Earrings_CH0342_ps_cti-4BY.html

Peace Sign Toaster (All I can say is--WHY would you ever want one of these?)
http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Shop-By-Theme_4AA/Odd-Bizarre_4BY/Item_Peace-Sign-Toaster_CH1192_ps_cti-4BY.html

Flavored Dental Floss (Eeeew!)
http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Shop-By-Theme_4AA/Odd-Bizarre_4BY/Item_Flavored-Dental-Floss_CE5402G_ps_cti-4BY.html

Darth Vader Lamp (Uh--okay . . .)
http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/product/star+wars+darth+vader+character+lamp.do

Nose Gel Dispenser (not even going to comment)
http://www.shopgadgetsandgizmos.com/product/18294/?gclid=CMLT1aPj5KsCFQgaQgodoguCHA

I know what I'm putting on my Christmas list this year . . . how about you?

A Halloween Treat

2011-10-01T22:27:00.000-06:00

It's Halloween time once again and I thought I'd post an appropriate link to celebrate. Usually when you think of haunted houses, you think about scary stuff. But the cute ghosts of the world have a right to haunt houses too! For anyone who likes their ghosts adorably cute and not so scary, check out the link below to find out all about Whispia--possibly the cutest ghost in the whole world.

http://hauntlinginmyhouse.blogspot.com/

P.S. I predict that glow-in-the-dark dolls are going to be all the rage this year.

Coming Soon--Goliath by Scott Westerfeld!

2011-09-09T20:43:00.000-06:00

So am I the only one totally stoked that Goliath by Scoth Westerfeld is finally going to be out in just a couple weeks. (Sept. 20th, baby!) I love the Leviathan series and can not wait to find out how it all ends. To celebrate, I'm including a link to one of Mr. Westerfeld's recent Fan Art Friday posts. This one is the kissing edition. Yes, you heard that right. Fans just love to draw their favorite characters kissing. Click here for a link to this hilarious post. Make sure to read Mr. Westerfeld's comments about each picture because they are the best part!

Absolutely Fascinating Part 5

2011-07-02T09:38:00.000-06:00

Yes, it is that time once again. The time when I give you a peek into some of the strange and bizarre things that go on in this world. As a librarian, I have uncovered some absolutely fascinating but completely useless knowledge over the years. If you want to entertain yourself for a while try looking up information on the Internet about these bizarre but oddly enthralling subjects.

WARNING: Clicking on the links below will take you to outside webpages whose changing content I have no control over. Click at your own risk.

Virtual pop stars?

I kid you not. These girls don't actually exist. The holographic singer's voice is even synthesized.That's right, that is actually a computer singing, not a human being. And she's got a sold out concert in L.A. this coming Monday, right here in the USA. Just a little too freaky for me.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2011/07/01/lah.japan.cg.video.star.cnn?hpt=hp_c2

And this leads us to . . .

The Uncanny Valley

This is a psychological fear of something that looks human but isn't. We humans tend to feel uncomfortable or even fearful when a man made object gets a little too human looking, but isn't quite the real thing. Example: ultra realistic robots, CGI, or even dolls. (Think wax museum.) Something seems just a tiny bit off to us when we look at them and this triggers fear. Scientists have tried to study this phenomenon for years. Watch the video below to see some great examples of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNdAIPoh8a4

Think of all the people who are terrified of dolls--or clowns. That's the Uncanny Valley. Freaky, huh?

Almost as freaky as . . .

Training Your Goldfish to Do Tricks

I saw the guys on Mythbusters attempting to train goldfish once. To my amazement, it actually worked. I've had lots of pet goldfish in my life--none of them did anything like the ones in the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Iznh9VbsY

Distorted Beauty Perceptions

This video shows the way society has distorted our perception of beauty. That gorgeous woman you see on the billboard, she doesn't exist. So why do woman spend so much time and money trying to look just like her? It just shows how much we've all bought into the myth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhgoGfnD8sc

If you are interested, here are links to past Absolutely Fascinating posts with even more strangely curious stuff to read up on:

Absolutely Fascinating Part 4
Absolutely Fascinating Part 3
Absolutely Fascinating Part 2
Absolutely Fascinating Part 1

Snorting Dog Video

2011-06-30T22:01:00.000-06:00

I can not stop laughing every time I see this video so I figured I'd better share. For those who need a good laugh, click the link below. I think the news crew's reaction is almost as hilarious as the video they are watching. You can even hear the camera crew in the background busting a gut and trying so badly not to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9XKo1UaeEo

You have to watch it more than once to get the full gut busting effect.

I Am Almost Afraid to Ask

2011-06-16T14:56:00.000-06:00

J.K. Rowling is going to make some kind of earth shattering announcement in six days time. What kind of announcement? I have no idea and I'm almost afraid to ask. Is she about to start a whole new series of books--nothing to do with wizards and magic? Or is there going to be more Harry Potter books? I LOVED the Harry Potter series, but I'm not sure how I would feel about more of them. I felt it ended just right. A whole new series might be fun, though! Then again, maybe she's figured out when the world will end and wants to share this inside info with the rest of us. You never know. We will soon see. Click here to see the countdown.

Insanely Tiny Miniature Sculptures

2011-05-27T19:06:00.000-06:00

As a miniature collecting enthusiast and a tiny sculpture artist myself, I can't help but be in awe of all things itty bitty. Like Willard Wigan, micro sculpture artist extraordinaire.His works are so small he has to sculpt them in between heartbeats so his hand will be steady. Click here to see some of this amazingly talented artist's miniature works of art which are currently up for sale. Click the title of each piece to see a picture. All his sculptures come with a magnified display so you can actually see what it is you bought.

How I Spent My Weekend

2011-04-18T14:40:00.003-06:00

My puppy had an accidental run in with a three-year-old this weekend. A running child not paying attention to where they were going--a teeny tiny dog that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time--need I say more? We spent all Monday morning in surgery trying to fix that broken leg. She's now home recovering from the whole ordeal.

Poor, poor Baby!

A Kid History

2011-03-20T20:58:00.002-06:00

Okay, I haven't laughed so hard in a very long time. Had to share these hilarious videos. Click the links and laugh till you cry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80entLldZOg&NR=1&feature=fvwp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVlaZfLlWQc

It's All Nancy's Fault

2011-03-09T12:24:00.002-07:00

I stayed up way too late the other night. I was caught up playing the newest (and by far, the creepiest) Nancy Drew computer game Shadow at the Water’s Edge. I admit I am completely addicted to these games! There are currently 23 titles in the series and I own them all. This particular adventure takes place in a haunted Japanese inn. Is the place really haunted or is someone trying to close the place down for their own evil purposes? I’d keep telling myself stuff like: I’ll go to bed as soon as Nancy gets someone to translate that mysterious Japanese news article that nobody wants to talk about. You know, the one Nancy found hiding behind the backing of the haunted painting that fell off the wall and nearly scared Nancy (and me) to death. But by the time I’d have that one figured out some new mystery would have surfaced. How can I possibly go to sleep before I know what the ghostly voice on the EVP recorder said? But Nancy can’t get to the recorder’s docking station to finally play the recording because someone is standing right next to it who might overhear. It goes on and on—which is exactly why it is so much fun. And why I didn’t get to sleep until after midnight.

I love when that happens.

The best part of these games is the different ways they can end—really abruptly. Like if you pull the emergency break while a train is in motion and get Nancy knocked out cold. Or if you accidentally burn your hotel to the ground by forgetting to unplug the iron before you leave. Or my personal favorite—getting caught breaking into somebody’s office or apartment while looking for clues. In Phantom of Venice Nancy actually has to hide in a cabinet to avoid getting caught and if you don't get her in there quick enough--it is game over.

So for those of you who need a little more mystery in your lives, you really should try one of these games—just not right before bedtime. All Nancy Drew games are not created equal though, so here is a list of some of my favorite adventures.

Shadow at the Water’s Edge (Don’t look in the bathroom mirror—trust me on this one)

Curse of Blackmoor Manor (Also very scary)

Phantom of Venice (Nancy’s not-so-secret admirer had me laughing)

Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon (The Hardy Boys are in this adventure)

Legend of the Crystal Skull (Don’t tap on the creepy jar in the curiosity shop too much.)

Danger on Deception Island (Always check the expiration date on your mayonnaise.)

Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy’s first adventure)

Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake (Ghost dogs with glowing eyes—what’s not to love?)

Message in a Haunted Mansion (Did I mention that I like the scary ones?)

The Final Scene

Secret of Shadow Ranch (virtual horseback riding!)

You’ve got to try at least one!

Only in the Library

2011-01-03T20:32:00.001-07:00

I looked up from my work today to find a little boy standing in front of my desk. He couldn't have been more than four years old at most. He shook his head sadly and gave me the most sorrowful and repentant of looks I've ever seen.

"I ran in the library," he whispered to me as if confessing the most grievous of sins.

"I'm sure you won't do it again," I said solemnly in return. He nodded slowly and then walked away.

If anybody else needs to unburdon themselves, I'll be in my librarian confessional from noon to nine tomorrow. : )

Fighting Crime with Classical Music

2010-12-07T16:31:00.004-07:00

Here's one for you classic music lovers out there. Police have discovered that classical music can actually cut down crime. Yes you read that right. Here is the link to the article if don't believe me.

http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/06/10/05/how-classical-music-can-reduce-crime-benefit-your-mood-and-increase-your-spending.htm

Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, they can make this world a safer place with only the power of their music. Who knew?

Book Signing

2010-12-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

For those who might be interested, I will be visiting the Storybook Nook at Gardener Village to have a book signing on December 11th. I will be there 1:00pm - 3:00pm. Those who visit with me can get their name in a drawing to win a one-of-a-kind handmade miniature mermaid necklace. I will also be handing out adorable sea creature shaped lollipops to anyone brave enough to come up and talk to me while I'm out there. Books will be available for purchase, but even if you don't buy the book, come on by and just say hello.

The Storybook Nook's address is:

100 W. 7800 S.
Jordan, UT 84088

Hope to see you all there.

School Library Woes

2010-11-03T17:50:00.002-06:00

So many school libraries are in trouble financially these days. Their budgets get smaller and smaller every year so they can't buy the books that kids need to read. Sometimes it feels a little like that even for the bigger public libraries in an economy like ours. Click here to see a hilarious video that gets right to the heart of the subject. At least this school can still have a sense of humor about the situation. Good for them. : )

Small Secrets Now Open for Business on Etsy

2010-10-11T12:26:00.002-06:00

For those who might be interested, I now have a shop open on Etsy where I will be selling my miniature sculpture jewelry. There is currently one necklace up for sale and another one will soon be listed in the near future. You can find links to Etsy and more information about the handmade necklaces I create by visiting the official Small Secrets blog. Click here to go there now.

The Royal Gardens--Pure Paradise

2010-10-03T21:13:00.005-06:00

My traveling companion suggested that we visit the Royal Botanical Gardens. We had to take a train just outside of London to get there but was it ever worth it! As you can see from the pictures in this post, it was like wandering about inside a Jane Austen film all day. There were hundred year old trees and several beautiful estates located within the grounds. My favorite part was the lily ponds!

We stopped to eat lunch in a little cafe where we ate in a building that reminded me of a greenhouse with giant glass windows overlooking beautiful vistas as far as the eye can see.

The Sights of London

2010-10-03T21:02:00.004-06:00

Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Big Ben, and Westminster Abby. I saw them all on my trip--and got pictures too!

The London Eye

2010-09-26T18:17:00.008-06:00

So the first thing I did when I arrived in London was to go and ride the London Eye--one of the largest Ferris Wheels in the world. I had read the book The London Eye Mystery (great book, by the way) and knew I had to take a spin on this amazing structure that had been such a big part of that story.

If you look at the complete picture of the London Eye, you will see that it is taller than the sky scraper right next door to it. It is HUGE. Much bigger than this picture makes it seem since I was taking the picture from a bridge on the far side of the river. It takes almost an hour to ride all the way around. The other pictures at the top of this post are what the giant pods look like while riding inside them.

The Many Lamps of London

2010-09-24T20:01:00.008-06:00

So one of the things I noticed on my trip to London were the street lights. Each one was more fancy than the next. There were so many varieties I couldn't possibly get pictures of them all--but here are just a few examples I saw scattered about the city.

So how come we don't have lamps as pretty as these in my home town? No imagination, I guess. : )

Crazy Thunderstorm

2010-09-22T13:25:00.007-06:00

I'm back from London and what a great vacation it was! I will be posting more about the trip with photos later. The return trip was long--I had to go twenty-eight hours without sleep. I was so exhausted I slept in until really late the next day and was awakened by a horrible thunderstorm. I went outside and discovered that buckets of large hailstones were coming down. Within five minutes our street looked like a river. I pulled out my camera and took this video of the water rushing through the street. You can see the huge pile of hailstones in the lower left-hand corner of the video. What a homecoming.

Taking a Much Deserved Vacation

2010-09-07T06:46:00.000-06:00

I'm off to London for the next few weeks! I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to this trip. Things have been pretty crazy for the last couple months as I've been working like crazy to promote Forbidden Sea. It has been a long time since I've taken a REAL vacation where I can just enjoy myself. Unfortunately, I will have only limited access to the Internet while out of the country and I will not be able to update this blog or answer my emails regularly until I return. So if I'm slow to answer you in the next few weeks, please be patient. I'll catch up when I get back with lots of new stories to tell.

Wish me luck!

Etsy--Uh Oh!

2010-08-10T15:50:00.007-06:00

I'm addicted to Etsy. I'll come right out and admit it up front. There are things on Etsy that I never even dreamed I needed before I saw a picture of them just waiting for me to buy them. Once I know they exist, I hear them calling out to me, "You will never see anything like this again. You'll regret not buying this." And they are so right.

Then there are the items that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole but I can't help but sit and stare at them for a while in horrified fascination. I can't help but ask myself if it is really possible that anyone would actually purchase THAT?

Here are just a few items I found last time I was online that are just too cool (or too bizarre) for mere words:

This item is oh so beautiful. Not that I would have any place to actually wear it if I did own it. *Sigh*

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44322846/soft-blue-teardrop-cameo-denim-victorian

I can't imagine myself actually wearing this in public but it's still really neat all the same.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53504435/floating-ring-pancakes-with-syrup

And these as well.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53440345/veggies-pizza-earrings?ref=sr_gallery_18&%3Bga_search_query=miniature+jewelry&%3Bga_search_type=handmade&%3Bga_page=10&%3Border=&%3Bincludes%5B0%5D=tags&%3Bincludes%5B1%5D=title

What practical purpose would these life-size felted animals ever serve anyone? None that I can see. So why do I want one so bad?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SteviT

So adorable and teeny tiny. Must RESIST!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveableTreasures

Okay, this one actually disturbs me a little bit. So why do I feel impelled to keep going back again and again to look at it? It's just too weird for words.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53510230/pea-pod-play-set-three-peas-in-a-pod?ref=sr_gallery_40&%3Bga_search_query=miniature+doll&%3Bga_search_type=handmade&%3Bga_page=11&%3Border=&%3Bincludes%5B0%5D=tags&%3Bincludes%5B1%5D=title

I don't even know what these are, but they are so darn cute!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53515964/digital-pdf-crochet-pattern-8th-mcc?ref=sr_gallery_28&%3Bga_search_query=doll&%3Bga_search_type=handmade&%3Bga_page=16&%3Border=&%3Bincludes%5B0%5D=tags&%3Bincludes%5B1%5D=title

Someone took a lot of time to make this. Someone will probably spend their hard earned money to buy it--but it won't be ME! Way weird.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53433286/zoe-ooak-pink-girl-80s-anime-zebra-plush?ref=sr_gallery_26&%3Bga_search_query=miniature+sculpture&%3Bga_search_type=handmade&%3Bga_page=9&%3Border=&%3Bincludes%5B0%5D=tags&%3Bincludes%5B1%5D=title

If you discover any great finds on your next visit to Etsy--please share them in comments.

Papo and Schleich Figures

2010-08-09T14:55:00.002-06:00

Last weekend my nephew got into my toy closet and pulled out a bunch of my Papo and Schleich figures. He put them all into this giant battle together. It took him a great deal of time and he came and got me afterward so he could show me what he had done. I looked down at this huge battle going on between all these tiny plastic figures and thought to myself—how did I get so many of all these? I’ve got, knights, dragons, griffins, skeletons, monsters, pirates, cowboys, Indians, unicorns, fairies, and so many more, I couldn’t possibly write them all here in this post.

I actually do remember how it all started. There were two librarians at work who often had these really cool plastic figures that they would use in their book displays. What ever they needed, Papo or Schleich had a figure to go along with their idea. Their book displays were always the most popular, gathering little fingerprints until the glass doors on the display case were so clouded nobody could see inside anymore. When I asked one of these ladies where they bought the figures she told me about this amazing local toy store that carried them.

Fast forward now to the weekend one of my nephews came to stay with me for three days. I quickly saw that I wasn’t set up for entertaining six year olds for that amount of time. I didn’t have any toys for him to play with in my house. So that first day, I packed him up in the car and we headed down to this fabulous toy store I’d heard so much about. When my librarian friend said they had a lot of these plastic figures, she wasn’t lying. There were literally hundreds of choices to choose from. I bought a castle and told my nephew he could choose five knights and a dragon to go with it. They kept him occupied all weekend. Word quickly spread to the rest of my nieces and nephews and before long they were all begging to come play with my new toys. I got more knights, but quickly hit a snag when my nieces demanded princesses to go with the knights. Then there had to be pirates to fight the knights and monsters fight the pirates—well you get the picture.

Years have passed and my collection has grown, a few figures at a time, into a regular monster of a collection. I have never made a better purchase in my life. I use those figures for everything! They are fabulous for displays at the library. I can also put them in my purse and keep kids entertained when on the road or on camping trips. (Making rock forts and using the figures in them, will keep bored kids going for hours.) It doesn’t matter what age a kid is—even the teenagers in our family can’t help but paw through the collection from time to time and admire their favorite characters.

If you are interested in seeing some of the figures available for purchase these days, all you have to do is put in an online search with the words “Papo Figures” or Schleich figures” and you’ll get a ton of companies who sell the brands. But I must warn you that it is impossible to buy just one.

Jewelry Now On Sale

2010-07-29T20:07:00.002-06:00

The first piece of my hand made one of a kind Small Secrets Jewelry is now up for sale on Ebay. For those interested in more particulars on the piece click here. Future pieces will be listed on the Small Secrets blog as they become available.

I WANT One of these!

2010-07-17T13:11:00.002-06:00

Wait until you see this adorable little mobile house. Talk about simplifying your life! Just think of all the money you'd save on furniture.You could travel all across the US and never leave the comfort of your own home. Of course, I'd like one of these as more of a camping accessory than as a permanent home. Click the link to see video of the interior.

http://vitality.yahoo.com/video-second-act-jay-shafer-20910192

Small Secrets Jewelry Will Soon be Open for Business!

2010-07-07T15:17:00.005-06:00

For those many people who have asked me if I ever plan to sell my handmade sculpture jewelry to the public--I now have a blog set up showcasing the pieces that will soon be going up for sale on Etsy and Ebay. Click here, to visit the new blog. These necklaces are one of a kind, hand made works of art. Check the Small Secrets blog for updates about when they will actually be going on sale. New jewelry will be posted there as I finish each piece.

Got Your Adrenalin Rush for the Day?

2010-06-19T13:12:00.012-06:00

The links below are videos I found of some very near misses (mostly involving trains) that people managed to survive by sheer dumb luck. Every one of the people in these videos walks away unharmed--but only barely. If watching people ALMOST get killed is a little too stressful on the heart for you, you might want to skip these. : ) But if you love a good adrenalin rush where everyone is happy in the end--live dangerously and click the links!

(As with any link, these will take you to an outside site whose content, beyond the video highlighted, I can not be held responsible for.)

For video 1 click here.

For video 2 click here.

For video 3 click here.

For video 4 click here.

For video 5 click here.

And to see one big ship launch gone awry click here.

2010-06-15T15:28:00.004-06:00

My life would be a whole lot nicer if I started it off this way every day.

Click here to see daily affirmations in action.

Affirmations really do work, because after watching this--I feel better already.

My Very First Book Signings--Two of Them!

2010-06-14T15:09:00.002-06:00

Can I just tell you how excited I am to attend my very first book signing as a real true published author? Absolutely, positively stoked! If you live in the Utah area and want to come meet me click here for more information on where and when my first book signings with the public will be.

I've Been a Busy Girl

2010-06-05T21:55:00.002-06:00

I finished my spring project of making a sculpture of the mermaid character in my book. It took forever but I'm finally done. If you'd like to see the finished product click here for photographs. She is currently on display to the public at the Orem Public Library. I guess this means I need a new project to work on.

Miniature Sculpture Jewelry

2010-05-30T09:04:00.003-06:00

I've had lots of people asking me about purchasing some of my miniature sculpture jewelry. If you haven't already seen my handiwork click here to see to photos of some of my work. I have sold a few pieces to friends and family in the past, but I haven't really considered doing it online like a real business. I am pleased to announce that sometime in the near future I will begin selling a few of them from time to time online. Possibly on Etsy or Ebay. I'm still getting organized here and it will take some time to get a few pieces finished and ready for sale but sometime before the end of this year I will begin selling some necklaces for those who are interested. When the time comes I will post an announcement on this blog. So keep checking back for more info.

I could really use the help of all you fantasy buffs out there in Blog Land to help me get started. If you were going to purchase a fantasy necklace--what would you want on it? A Mermaid? A Dragon? A Fairy? A Centaur? A Griffin? A gargoyle? Or something else entirely? I'm probably going to start with three new necklaces and I want to choose a subject for each one that lots of people would be interested in buying. Feel free to put your two cents worth in comments below.

Absolutely Fascinating Part 4

2010-05-18T22:44:00.014-06:00

The world can be a strange but fascinating place full of mysteries. Here are just a few of the stories I've collected over the past couple months.

Meteors in All Their Glory

Here are two particularly spectacular meteors which were caught on video tape. Click here for the one in Canada and here for the one in Denver. Cool doesn't even begin to cover it. Especially the one in Denver. So wishing that I could have been there to see it in person!

Demon of Dartmoor

Okay, this one was too bizarre for words, especially when I saw it how it played out in the end. Someone captured a picture of this terrible looking, big, black beast wandering only a few hundred yards from a group of helpless school children. Click here for the original article. Pretty scary, right? I mean look at that thing? Well then I saw this link here and couldn't stop laughing.

He's sooooo adorably cute!

The Doll That Grew Old in the Attic

You have to see this one to believe it. Click here for the original article. As a doll collector, I know how easily dolls can be damaged by the elements. Humidity, extreme temperatures, bright light and even pollution can do some pretty horrible things given enough time. Older dolls are especially bad this way--but DANG--if I found this had happened to one of my dolls--I'd get rid of it as fast as I could too! That's just creepy.

Insanely Small Miniature Sculptures

Click here to see the smallest sculptures you will ever lay eyes on. Most of these fit inside the eye of a needle or on top of the head of a pin. As a person who likes to sculpt in miniature myself, even I can not tell you how the artist did this. At this size, you could accidentally breath in the piece if you are not careful. The beat of your heart could cause your hand to shake and destroy the piece.

For more fun and bizarre facts to blow your mind, click on the links below for past posts:

Absolutely Fascinating Part I

Absolutely Fascinating Part II

Absolutely Fascinating Part III

UK Cover for Forbidden Sea--Vote for Your Favorite

2010-05-14T17:45:00.003-06:00

The final UK Cover for Forbidden Sea can now be seen on Amazon UK. Click here to see what it looks like! So let's take a vote. Which one do you like best? The US cover (Click here) or the UK cover? Make sure to list where you are from with your vote--I'm curious if where a person lives really does affect what style of cover they like. Let me know what you think. Be honest now. You won't hurt my feelings. I had no say what so ever in either cover.

Does This Mean I'm Official Now?

2010-04-26T07:37:00.002-06:00

I was informed by my editor that I now have a publicist assigned to me. What does a publicist do exactly? Heck if I know--yet. Hopefully, I will soon. And when I find out, I'll let all of you know. : ) But it is exciting all the same to know I now have someone who can help me know what I should do as a new author to get my book out there to the masses. Book launches and book signings here I come! Only two more months until Forbidden Sea is out in stores. I must admit there were times I never thought this day would come.

The Fun Theory

2010-04-13T20:02:00.002-06:00

This is a fabulous video about the power of making life more fun. Click here to watch the clip. You must watch this with audio to get the full effect. : )

All in a Day's Work for a Librarian

2010-04-06T15:58:00.002-06:00

A father brought his three children to the reference desk today, inquiring after a certain Veggie Tales Christmas movie that said it was checked in, but wasn’t on the shelf. Deciding not to question his off season choice of films, I went into the back room and did an extensive search for the title. Before I was through, half the backroom staff was helping me look for the DVD. Triumphantly one staff member held up the missing DVD and I happily took it back to the father who was still waiting for my return. The father held the DVD out to his son and asked, “Is that the one you wanted?” The kid wrinkled his nose and backed away from the DVD like it had some kind of a bad smell rolling off of it.

They left the library without the DVD.

The Way Things Should Be

2010-03-12T16:15:00.004-07:00

Norman Rockwell use to say that he didn't paint the world the way it was, but he painted it the way it should be. Well today I came across this article of some girls who made the world a little more like it should be. I was so touched by their simple act of kindness, I had to post it.

Click here to read the article.

Another Great Viral Video

2010-03-10T12:42:00.002-07:00

I was talking to a friend of mine about one of the stories I'm currently working on, with a haunted doll as part of the plot, and she showed me this commercial for USPS. I could not stop laughing. Clowns have alway given me the willies. This was just too good not to share!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKGKB5bc9DU

Fairy Tea 2010

2010-03-05T22:46:00.007-07:00

Every year our library puts on a big program called the Fairy Tea. This year there were four teas, each with 200 attendees. That makes 800 guests in all, most of them little girl ages three and up. The little girls dress up like fairies (wings, crown, the whole she-bang) and come to watch ballerinas perform and be introduced to the fairy court as they walk the runway and show off their fairy finery. The girls are always so cute! As part of the program, we librarians are required to dress up as well. I've been doing this for eight years now, so I've got quite a collection of fairy dresses hidden away in my closet by now. This year I wore a dress I sewed myself. (pictured above) I don't know how real fairies can move around freely with wings permantly attached to their back, because I kept hitting people in the head with mine whenever I tried to turn around.

The cream dress is my costume for the second day of Fairy Tea.

Library Wisdom

2010-02-16T19:54:00.006-07:00

Listed below is some of the mystic knowledge I've gained from working twelve years as a public librarian.

1) If your toddler goes missing at the library head straight for one of two places, the top floor of the elevator and the parking lot. Yep, there they are.

2) If you are one hundred percent, really, really, really, sure that you returned that overdue book back to the library and it hasn't shown up on the shelf yet, check under the passenger seat in your car. It has never failed for me. Freaky huh?

3) If you get a sudden fabulous idea to take your whole family to the library tonight, you can be certain that every other family in the city has received the exact same brilliant idea and they will all be there standing in the checkout line ahead of you. We call this psychic broadcasting.

4) If you want to make your librarian's day just walk up to the desk and ask them to recommend some good books. (Be fairly warned, however, that you might not be able to get them to shut up before closing time.)

5) Coming to the children's department to read your favorite childhood picture books with your significant other is not the unique date you might think it is. Proposing in a library, though a surprisingly popular method, is NEVER a good way to start out a future marriage commitment. Trust me on this one.

Amazing Animals

2010-02-11T09:22:00.005-07:00

Animals are truly amazing. I had a busy day the other day and came home pretty late. I was really tired and just wanted to go right to bed, but still had to put my parrot to bed in his nighttime cage first. I usually play with him before I put him to bed, but that night I was in a hurry. When I tried to put him in the cage, he carefully took a hold of my sweater with one foot and wouldn’t let go. He didn’t fuss or threaten me or anything; he just looked me in the face and hung on—tight. I realized he was telling me he didn’t want to be put to bed yet. He didn’t know where I had been all day and wanted to spend time with me, even if it was late. He missed me all day and he didn’t want to let go. I was really touched by his quiet devotion.

I also recently had a mother and daughter come in to check out some items at the library. They had a service dog with them. When I asked them about it, they said that they bought the dog as a pet but it soon began alerting whenever their teenage daughter was about to have an epileptic seizure. The dog is now a licensed service dog and helps the girl to live a better life. Talk about pets changing their owner’s life!

Here of some examples of other amazing animals. Click on the links below to read their fascinating stories.

Nursing Home Cat:

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/doctors-book-profiles-furry-angel-of-death-oscar-the-cat/19339074

The Two Bobbies:

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/aug/29/two-animals-of-katrina-inseparable-ever-after/

Dolphin Saves Whales:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_motddvnQ

Dog Saves the Boy She Loves from Cougar:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/04/boy.cougar.attack/index.html

It makes you just want to go home and hug your pet doesn’t it?

One Lovely Book Award

2010-01-25T14:41:00.007-07:00

My dear friend Karlene at Inksplasher has kindly given my blog a lovely award. Karlene has been one of my writer's group friends for years and is quite an author and blogger herself. Now that I have received this award, I am supposed to pass on the joy and nominate some of my own favorite blogs and list them here.

Many of my favorite blogs belong to friends who have personal blogs. Since most of them probably wouldn't want me to link up to those here on my public blog, I have decided to only list book blogs that I visit frequently in my work as a children's librarian. This list is huge, and trying to think of them all at once was very difficult, so I am sure I have forgotten some. I've put together a list of those I could remember--if yours is not on there, don't despair, I probably just ran out of brain power before I got to yours. Those who are listed for the award below, are now supposed to pass on this award to someone else.

Rebecca’s Book Blog: http://rebeccasbookblog.blogspot.com/ (What Rebecca doesn’t know about a book is not worth reading about.)

Two and a Half Book Lovers: http://twoandahalfbooklovers.blogspot.com/ (Blogging for the whole family! Also a great place to keep up with all the contests currently going on in the blogging community. My first official author interview was posted on this site. Check it out!)

Bookworming in the 21^st Century: http://www.bookworminginthe21stcentury.com/ (An invaluable resource for any children or teen librarian. Kristen always writes fair and honest reviews with great details. I find I tend to agree with her reviews a lot of the time.)

The Story Siren: http://www.thestorysiren.com/ (I stand in silent awe of The Story Siren’s knowledge of all things juvenile and teen fiction.)

Never Ending Shelf: http://www.theneverendingshelf.com/ (Just plain fabulous. Great reviews, contest info and all things book related. Pure heaven.)

The Blue Castle: http://thebluecastle.wordpress.com/ (If she loves The Blue Castle, by L.M. Montgomery I trust her opinion of other books implicitly.)

Princess Bookie: http://www.princessbookie.com/2009/05/upcoming-books.html (I ADORE the pink cupcake theme. Books truly are as scrumptious as pink cupcakes, don’t you think?)

La Femme Readers: http://lafemmereaders.blogspot.com/ (Love the new layout, Eleni.)

Tales of the Ravenous Reader: http://lushbudgetproduction.blogspot.com/ (Got to love that title! The blog itself is even better.)

Mandy Can Read: http://mandycanread.blogspot.com/ (Mandy brings a fresh teenage perspective to all her reviews. Nice work.)

My Fluttering Heart: http://myflutteringheart.blogspot.com/ (She blogs about great books and about a whole lot of other extremely fascinating things besides. Check out that real Bilbo Baggins house some guy built for his family to live in! And if your next wedding isn’t steampunk you are so missing out.)

Tempting Persephone: http://persephonereads.wordpress.com/ (Just recently discovered this one. Nice header artwork. Wish I knew who the artist was. I want them to design the cover of my next book.)

A Good Addiction: http://agoodaddiction.blogspot.com/ (I love that she always posts pictures of her dog sitting with her books. Toby is so cute.)

Jack of All Trades: http://raincoyote.blogspot.com/

And for the younger crowd:

XOX Casey + Sammy Forever: http://cammylover.blogspot.com/ (Is there anything as delightful as a young fan who has finally discovered the perfect series of books? I think not. Fabulous job, Cammylover. Did you take all those cool photographs yourself?)

I'm sure there are many more but I don't want this post to take up too much space. Thank you to all the hardworking bloggers who provide me with such great blogs to read. I could not do my work as a well informed librarian without all of you.

Congrats to all!

One of My Favorite Authors

2010-01-22T15:46:00.002-07:00

In case any of you out there haven’t caught it yet, I love the author, Wendelin Van Draanen’s writing. I’d give anything to be as great a writer as she is. Last year, when a friend and I were reading aloud one of the most recent Sammy Keyes book, we got to this part where Sammy has a fly up her nose and she’s trying to get it out. She describes the whole experience in depth with every last gory detail. My friend and I were laughing so hard, I was crying. I kept thinking to myself, here is a woman who has had a fly up her nose at some point in her life. Only the way Van Draanen writes about this experience, it becomes a comedic adventure worthy of the stage. As a writer, I despair of ever being even the smallest bit as entertaining as Wendelin, but I keep striving anyway.

Wendelin is having her book Flipped (another of my favorite books!) made into a movie this summer. (opening bout the same time my book will be released!) I found this blog entry on her site explaining how a book is transformed into a movie and how much work goes into such an undertaking. It was so fascinating I thought I’d include a link here for anyone who is curious about how these things work.

http://etrtr.blogspot.com/2009/09/thats-what-i-call-cosmic.html

After reading all of that, I'm not sure I'd want any book of mine made into a movie. So much work! If you have not read Flipped, run out and get yourself a copy as soon as possible—it is a fantastic story. And the book is always better than the movie.

And for those who are fans of Sammy Keyes, like I am, I’m including a link that talks about the publishing process an author has to go through in creating a book. If you have ever considered becoming an author, this is a realistic look at how much work goes into the creation of a story.

http://etrtr.blogspot.com/2009/09/thats-what-i-call-cosmic.html

Owl Visits the Library

2010-01-21T14:27:00.002-07:00

Since I used to work at this library many years ago, I had to share this story and the amazing photos. Birds used to smack into those huge windows all the time when I worked at Orem Public Library, so I can tell you this is not a hoax. My old boss told me one of their workers noticed it one day when he came into work and it quickly became big news. Even the mayor got on a lift so he could examine it up close. My old boss said they never did find a body so they are hopeful the owl survived his mishap. You've got to see the pictures for yourself to believe it.

http://saltzworks.blogspot.com/2009/04/wowie-owl-imprint.html

Librarian's with Hidden Talents

2010-01-19T13:02:00.007-07:00

Anyone who loves books knows that yesterday was the big day when the Caldecott and Newbery award winners were announced. The winner of the Newbery Award was When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead and the winner of the Caldecott Award was The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney. Every year, when the winner is announced, one of my librarian coworkers likes to create some fun treat to celebrate the winning book and share it with all of us. She's been doing this for years and the whole staff now looks forward to seeing what outrageously fantastic creation she will come up with next. Here is her masterpiece for this year.

I really feel that my coworker has missed her true calling in life. She should devote her life only to making fantastic artwork out of cheese in the future. Just look at that adorable mouse!

I'm beginning to realize that most librarians harbor amazing secret talents that the world knows nothing about. They are like superheros hiding their greatness beneath a mild mannered librarian facade. But when no one is looking--watch out--their cheese lion and mouse collage will make your jaw drop. It tastes even better than it looks too.

One librarian on our staff recently created a book display featuring only books about monsters under the bed. She not only created a little bed, but sewed all the adorable furry monsters underneath the bed herself. This display is one of the ones we constantly have to wipe little fingerprints off of because it is so popular. And don't even get me started on the display featuring books about the upcoming winter Olympics. All the events in this display are being performed by very detailed little pipe cleaner people created by one of our MLS college student volunteers. Soon she will join the ranks of thousand of other librarian superheros ready to change the world of literature one pipe cleaner person at a time.

How Exciting!

2010-01-11T20:57:00.002-07:00

My book has been purchased by the library I work at and today it was entered into the catalog and made available for holds. Best of all, someone actually put a hold on it today! My first hold. *sniff sniff* Excuse me a moment while I grab a tissue.

Dizzy With Delight

2009-12-28T15:56:00.010-07:00

There is nothing more exciting than having the next book come out in a series you have been following for years. It's like Christmas, your birthday, and the prom all mixed into one. Here are a few books I'm dying to get my hands on!

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner - I have been waiting to find out what happens next in this fabulous series for a very long time. I might lose it if this book doesn't wrap everything up this time. I can't wait another two years for the next one.

Bartimaeus Trilogy #4 by Jonathan Stroud - There is no title listed for this one yet. I really thought number three was going to be the end of this series so it is a nice surprise to realize there will be more. I can't imagine what will come next. I'm dying to find out!

Sammy Keyes and the Wedding Crashers by Wendelin Van Draanen - What mess will Sammy get herself into this time? Will she receive her first kiss? Can't wait to find out.

Moon and Sun Book #3 by Holly Lisle - If her life is anything like mine these days it will probably be a while before she finishes this book, but I'm patiently waiting for that time to come. Hopefully soon.

Black Heart of Jamaica by Julia Golding - I really didn't expect to like the Cat Royal series as much as I do. A couple librarian's that work with me love the series and got me started on it. It drives me crazy that people in the UK have already read it and I have to wait. So rude!

Firecat's Dream by Isobelle Carmody - Read the first two books in the series and loved them. It has been almost two years and still no sign of the third book. *sigh*

As an author myself, I really do understand that these things take lots of time, especially if you have--oh say--a life? But it's so hard to wait all the same.

The Life of a Librarian

2009-12-22T17:58:00.003-07:00

Today I help a little boy find some books on a certain topic he was really excited to learn more about. He was actually bouncing up and down while I searched for his books then hugged them to his chest with the biggest grin and widest eyes I'd ever seen on a happy little face. He was practically skipping as he went to check out his books. What was this thrilling subject that had him so excited?

The Digestive System.

Yep. That's right. His mom told me he's been obsessed with learning about the subject ever since his dad had to go to the hospital to get his gall bladder removed. Hey, whatever makes him happy, eh?

Christmas for the Rich

2009-12-17T11:09:00.003-07:00

Here it is. A Christmas list for those who already have everything, so what the heck, they might as well blow a few more million dollars on useless stuff. (I would not be one of these people, and I probably never will be. Even if I were, I’d be building a school in Africa instead of buying this stuff.) Extravagance at its worst. It just gives you the warm fuzzies all over, doesn’t it?

Teddy Bear with Fur Made of Gold Thread – $84,000.00
http://most-expensive.net/teddy-bear

14kt Gold Playstation 3 with Matching Gold Controllers - $4,999 Just scroll down the page to see photos of this must have stocking stuffer.

http://www.computer-choppers.com/

Snow White’s Talking Mirror Security System – This mirror won’t tell you that you are the fairest of them all, but it will tell you if someone is breaking into your home. It will also tell you when your Jacuzzi is at the perfect temperature. If you can afford to buy one after purchasing this, that is. It’s so expensive you have to contact them personally before they will actually quote a price.

http://themeaddicts.com/pages/mirror.html

Talking Animatronic Cat – The list price for this beauty is $18,125.00. However, this is your lucky day because it is on sale for $2,500.00. Rush delivery is available for Christmas.

http://www.animalmakers.com/store/products/Animatronic-Cat-in-Seated-Position.html

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cie0-d57iCg

A realistic swimming animatronic dolphin, however, will cost you a cool $45,500.00. You might as well get the real thing and save yourself a few thousand.

http://www.animalmakers.com/store/products/Animatronic-Dolphin.html

Working Mermaid Suit – You’ll be the talk of any costume party you show up to in this. Pool parties also an option since this is waterproof. $9,500.00.

http://www.animalmakers.com/store/products/Mermaid-Special-Effects-Suit.html

Real Suit of Armor – Neiman Marcus puts the price for this at $20,000. OUCH!

http://www.gizmag.com/go/3316/picture/6661/

And for Fido We Have Luxury Doghouses – $5,000.00 to $7,000.00. My dog will not be getting one of these this year. She can sleep in the dog kennel if she’s feeling the need for privacy.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/6266/picture/27935/

Christmas Presents from the Dark Side

2009-12-09T14:16:00.018-07:00

Christmas is the time for giving and receiving gifts. Have you ever noticed that most people buy presents that say more about them than about you? Some presents can be downright amusing and even a little bit scary. But hey, it’s the thought that counts right? So here are a few examples of some of the more unusual Christmas gifts I’ve seen given or have received myself.

Fish Pillow – My father loves fishing, so of course everyone in the extended family buys him gifts with fish on them. The truth is he’s not THAT fond of fish, just the sport of catching them. He is somewhat bewildered as to how it is that over the years he has come to own a rather sizable collection of fish-themed items when he doesn’t even really like them that much. My favorite item in his collection is the fish pillow he received for Christmas one year. It looks a lot like this:

Who comes up with this stuff anyway?

Life Sized Robotic Pony – Once you get to a certain age, nobody buys you the cool gifts anymore. You get things like Tupperware or Christmas socks you can’t wear for a whole other year. I decided long ago that I was going to buy myself one big Christmas present every year. It would be the one time I could spend money frivolously on myself and not feel one iota of guilt in doing so. The more outrageous and unnecessary the gift, the better. As soon as I saw this robotic pony I knew I had to have it for my toy room.

Centaur Doll – What do you get for the serious doll collector who has everything? A centaur doll, of course.

Real Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh – My Mom received this historically fascinating gift for Christmas and she LOVED it. (FYI--real frankincense and myrrh doesn’t smell so good.)

Four Inch Tall Plastic Forest Ranger – I got this stunningly useless gift from my brother back in grade school. I remember looking at it and wondering what on earth I was supposed do with it. Years later my brother admitted that he’d bought it because it only cost him twenty-five cents. That left him with more money to spend on himself. Obviously, the true spirit of Christmas had not quite taken a hold in his heart yet.

(I don't have a picture of it to show you because I didn't care enough about it to take one.)

Musical Tie – All right, I admit that I am the one who cursed my father with this gift back when I was a teenager and thought it was so cool. When you press a button on the front of the tie, it plays different Christmas carols. The worst part is that even after all these years, the batteries still work—so my dad can’t throw it out and feels guilty if he doesn’t wear it at least once each year. My father is a saint.

Five Foot Tall Singing and Dancing Snowman – My mother was the recipient of this rather unique gift. She and all the grandkids were absolutely enchanted with it. My father went around the house shaking his head and muttering to himself about where they were possibly going to store the thing when Christmas was over.

Visit the address below to see a video of this monstrosity in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgBquVb1pdU

The Epilady – My sister and I got a pair of these torture devices for Christmas one year. For those who have never heard of the Epilady, there is good reason for this. It was a machine that shaved your legs by pulling each hair out by the roots with a rotating spring coil. Talk about OUCH! It only took one session of pure unadulterated pain, to convince most people they never wanted to use this product again. I know my sister and I never did.

So what is the most bizarre gift you ever received? I’d love to hear about it.

Eating in Darkness

2009-12-04T15:36:00.004-07:00

A coworker told me about these restaurants that make you eat in pitch blackness so that your sense of taste is enhanced. The waiters are either blind or wear night vision goggles that allow them to see in the dark and lead you to your table. I would love to try eating in one of these places. It sounds like a lot of fun. Visiting the restroom might be difficult. Click on the link below to learn more.

http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/unusual-restaurants-eating-in-the-dark

So who wants to go with me?

Forbidden Sea now Available for Pre-order on Amazon

2009-12-01T17:36:00.004-07:00

My book is now available for pre-order on Amazon!!! *Insert cartwheels here* I'm like 400,000 plus in rankings, but hey, you've got to start somewhere, right? Quick, everyone go put Forbidden Sea on your amazon wishlist. You can always get rid of it later. I'll never know. : ) No cover listed yet. I'm happy with the summary as well, it doesn't give too much away.

England Here I Come

2009-11-29T22:27:00.002-07:00

An old friend of mine and I have decided to go to England next year! I haven't done much travel out of the country so I'm thrilled beyond words to finally be going someplace exciting. (I was supposed to go to Guatemala last year but revisions on Forbidden Sea shot those plans out of the water.) It looks like we'll be staying at an English bed and breakfast. Sounds dreamy doesn't it. I'll have to bring along my laptop and take research notes for a future book set in England. Anybody out there in cyberland visited England before? What are the sights I need to see? Any special foods I shouldn't miss trying out while there? Hopefully I'll be at my goal weight by then and I'll actually get to eat real desserts once in a while. (For those who are interested in the diet update: I've lost seventeen and a half pounds so far.) I'll have to buy a stylish new wardrobe so the English don't chase me back to the states for being the truly unfashionable dresser that I am. My traveling friend lives in New York so I'll probably stop over there a few days and we'll fly out together to England. Maybe I can catch a Broadway musical. If only I didn't have to wait a whole year. *sigh*

Oh well, back to real life . . . for now.

Random News for Random People (Like Myself)

2009-11-20T21:49:00.002-07:00

Some random bits of news:

Sammy Keyes and the Wedding Crasher—the next book in the Sammy Keyes series—is coming out sometime next year! Can I tell you how excited I am? REALLY excited! It has been far too long since the last book. Sammy is supposed to be a bridesmaid at Officer Borsch’s wedding. With Sammy as a bridesmaid, anything could happen. Will Sammy finally find out who her father is? (I’m almost positive I know who he is already, but I want to find out if I’m right.) Will Sammy and Casey kiss for the first time? What new devious plot will Heather come up with next? Will Grams and Hudson get back together? Can I really wait until next year to find out? Good question.

I’m still waiting for the next book in the Sun and Moon series to be announced. Write faster Holly Lisle!

A live action movie starring Barbie is coming to the big screen sometime in the near future. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

I meteor blew up in the atmosphere over my home state a few nights ago and I missed it. (How rude!) The explosion was so bright, eyewitnesses said the sky momentarily became as light as day. The sonic boom was so big in some places the sound made houses shake and knocked items off of shelves. People in California, Utah and Idaho all reported seeing the blinding flash of light in the sky. My dog woke me up just after midnight and wouldn’t go back to sleep. I wonder if the meteor is what upset her. Click on the link below to see video footage of the phenomenon.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=8714738

My Next Big Project

2009-11-15T22:51:00.002-07:00

Now that I'm done with the ghost marionette, I'm starting my next big art project for this year. I will be making a sculpture of the mermaid character in my book. I thought it would make a good conversation piece at any signings I attend. As you can see from the picture, I've got all the supplies I need to begin, now I just have to find some time to actually start working on it. I'll take pictures of the sculpture as it progresses over time, so stay tuned for future developments on this project.

And yes, I am a hobbyaholic.

Projects Past and Present

2009-11-15T22:40:00.004-07:00

I finished my ghost marionette for Halloween this year. It's taken me quite a while but she is all done. I couldn't posted pictures of the finished project before Halloween because she was on display at the library. The kids loved her. We have a joke at our library that the display with the most fingerprints wins as the most popular. I had to wipe down the glass of the display cabinet at least two or three times a day, so I think the little ghost won. I made her out of glow in the dark clay so when she is under a black light she glows (as seen in the picture).

She turned out even better than I expected. I can't wait to try her out in a puppet show for Halloween next year!

Amazing Clip

2009-11-14T10:44:00.002-07:00

There are some pretty bizarre things that go on in nature. They may be perfectly normal behavior for animals but they can sure look strange to us humans. This clip of a swarm of birds is enough to make your jaw drop. Had to share.

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93176?fp=1

For the Curious (and Those Who Haven't Seen Me in Years)

2009-11-01T11:37:00.003-07:00

I've had a lot of old friends who haven't seen me in a long time, asking me to post a photo of myself on this blog. (Yes, facebook friends, you know who you are) I guess my self portait just wasn't enough. (It really does look like me, I promise.) I don't take many photos of myself so I had to go and take one special for the occasion. For those who see me all the time, you can skip this post and move on to more exciting articles, like the one about dancing babies. For those who haven't seen me since high school, don't freak when you see how short my hair is now. I cut it for the first time a few years back. It took a little getting use to, but I don't think I will ever go back now.

If I look like I'm about to burst out laughing, it's because I was. I really hate taking photos of myself.

Dancing Babies

2009-10-20T17:18:00.001-06:00

Babies learn to rock early in life. Who knew? Here's the CNN video to prove it.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/10/20/lustout.skorea.pink.parking.cnn

Sold!

2009-10-19T15:52:00.007-06:00

I sold my very first Small Secrets necklace today! (If you don't know what a Small Secrets necklace is click here to see some examples.) This particular piece of jewelry is a pink mermaid sculpture (see picture below). A good friend of mine wanted me to make a necklace for her and I ended up converting this mermaid, I made years ago into one. It turned out rather well, even if I do say so myself. I was sorry to part with her, but I knew she would be well taken care of and greatly apprieciated in her new home. I hope this will be the first in many future sales someday. The first sale is always the most exciting. It means someone other than my mother thinks my jewelry is something nice enough to wear in public. : )

Adventures in Dieting

2009-10-11T22:30:00.014-06:00

I recently started on the Jenny Craig program. Not because I feel I'm fat or anything, I just feel that I need to be a little healthier in my eating habits. And with my bad knee, I figured it couldn't hurt to lose a few pounds and take some pressure off the injury. (Never fall down the stairs and land on your knees on concrete, trust me on this one.)

So I've been on the program two weeks now and many more months of this are ahead of me. To really lose weight that will stay off, you must lose it slowly. (Too bad it doesn't work that way for gaining weight, huh?) I will say this for paid diet programs, during those moments when my body is screaming for something more than carrots and cauliflower--I think about the obscene amounts of money I paid for the privilege of starving myself in style and my appetite is gone in no time. Not to mention the fact I have to report every bad choice I make to a diet councilor every week. They have this paper where you have write down every mistake as well as the reason WHY you decided to cheat. Somehow, "I just wanted to" doesn't feel like quite as good of an answer as it used to before I had to report it to a complete stranger.

My favorite part is the weighing in each week to see how much (or how little) you've lost that week. I almost died laughing when I saw the big piece of poster board propped up in front of the scale with different kinds of Halloween candy taped to it. Next to each one is listed the unbelievable amount of calories each one has. Very effective, I can tell you. Believe it or not they also have an emergency hot line you can call 24 hours a day and talk to someone who will talk you out of any horrendous splurges you might be contemplating. So far I have not had a midnight crisis so I can't tell you if the diet 911 center is effective or not. But it's nice to know they are there if I need them.

I also have to keep track of how many steps I take each day. Seriously. I have this pedometer that I strap on each morning and have to record my findings each day. My main dieting goal this week was to take more steps than last week. Aim high I always say.

They say I can eat as much as I want as long as the foods I choose are on the free food list. (Spinach, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower are a few examples at the top of the list.) There is no reason I should be hungry at all, my councilor says. Yeah, right! I came home to eat with my parents one night and I was so hungry I ate the entire bowl of cooked chard. My parents just sat there staring on in horrified fascination as I dished out my fourth helping and emptied the bowl.

I was still hungry.

So how are my adventures in the world of dieting panning out so far? Here is the report.

1) I'm starving. (How is it possible for me to be so hungry and not be thin as a rail already?)
2) I'm sick of vegetables. If I never saw another vegetable again in my life, it would be too soon.
3) Jenny Craig food tastes much better than I thought it would. Too bad there is so little of it.
4) Did I mention how much I hate vegetables?
5) I've lost five pounds in two weeks!

Number five is the one that makes all the rest worth while. And it better, because the membership I paid for lasts a full year. Now excuse me while I go cook up another batch of chard--I'm starving.

Spooky Books to Creep You Out

2009-10-05T13:49:00.002-06:00

Need something good and creepy to read this Halloween? Look no further. Here is a list of great spooky (and not so spooky) children's stories to haunt you this holiday. I’ve started with the least scary books at the top of the list. As you move down the page, the stories get much scarier. The books at the bottom of the list can cause thrills, chills, and sleepless nights so read at your own risk.

Not-So-Scary Picture Books:
Ghosts in the House by Kazuno Kohara
Hush, Baby Ghostling by Andrea Beaty
Skeleton Bones and Goblin Groans by Amy Sklansky
Aaaarrgghh! Spider! by Lydia Monks
Ten Little Mummies by Philip Yates

Just a Little Bit Scary Books:
Drowned Maiden’s Hair by Laura Schlitz
Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Secret of the Seven Crows by Wylly Folk St. John
Doll in the Garden by Mary Downing Hahn
Midnight Magic by Avi

Really Scary Books:
Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright
Seer of Shadows by Avi
House on Hackman’s Hill by Joan Lowery Nixon
Watcher in the Mist by Norma Johnston
House of Shadows by Andre Norton
Ghost Cat by Beverly Buttler
Hunt for the Seventh by Christine Morton-Shaw

Scary as All Get-Out!
Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan
Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman
Stone Child by Dan Poblocki
Witch’s Sister by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Now get out there and scare yourself senseless!

Great Chemistry Experiments

2009-10-03T14:50:00.013-06:00

Truth can be stranger than fiction, especially when it comes to science and nature. Recently the library was putting on a chemistry program and the librarians in charge of it found some really fascinating videos of some experiments being performed on YouTube. I had to share.

Instant Ice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDqIE3ba0GQ

Dry Ice Bubble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76CNkxizQuc&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Dry Ice in a bottle (Don't try this at home)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zJEF_rOP1U&feature=related

Out of Control Mashmallows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_W3MD6TMto&NR=1

Liquid Nitrogen and a Swimming Pool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCtdW_BDuVI&feature=related

I’ll never look at Gummy Bears in the same light again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUensqImzXM&feature=related

Ice Bulb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h7u0axpnhs&feature=related

Glowing Water (I am SO doing this for Halloween this year)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1bA8NUp2vM

Glowing Tomato
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWVmp3eN-Vg&feature=related

Science is awesome!

Halloween Past and Present

2009-09-30T17:14:00.002-06:00

I have to work at the library on Halloween this year. Anyone who knows me and my love of all things Halloween, will understand how depressed I am over this. Halloween is a bigger holiday than Christmas in my family. We used to be known as "The Scary House" in our neighborhood growing up. I have more Halloween decorations than Walmart does. Seriously.

One Halloween my sister talked me and some of our friends into being in one of those haunted houses that people pay to go through and get scared to death. Let me tell you, people who are scared are dangerous. We were supposed to hide behind this wall and grab people's feet as they walked by these hidden openings. We learned pretty quickly to grab and move back because people's first reaction when their foot is grabbed is to kick back. HARD.

The other thing we were supposed to do was lay down in this hidden loft just above people's heads and pop out, pretending to grab at them from above. One of the girls who was helping us bent over to frighten a large group of teenage girls and accidentally fell out of the loft right into the middle of them with the loudest thump you've ever heard. Talk about screaming--all ten of those girls hauled it out of there so fast they never did realize that it wasn't something that had been planned. You could still hear their screams in the distance as they ran the rest of the way through the haunted house. I don't think they stopped until they were all the way back outside. My friend got up and dusted herself off and got right back up into the loft as if nothing had happened.

Got any great Halloween memories to share? I'd love to hear them in comments.

Don't be Afraid: Halloween Scares

2009-09-25T12:55:00.006-06:00

Okay, maybe it is a little mean to scare the pants off of your loved ones and video tape it, but then we wouldn't have such great viral videos to send around to one another. Click the links below to see some hilarious videos of people getting the snot scared out of them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYcmsTedS_Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9IdVrUyaR8

The one I love best is where the kid smacks the monster in the face with his trick or treat bag. I guest kids just don't scare as easily these days.

Absolutely Facinating (Part Three)

2009-09-19T10:47:00.009-06:00

I love a good mystery which would probably explain why I love learning about the strange but true things that often go on in this universe. As a librarian, I find myself stumbling onto some of the most curious facts and bizarre occurrences. Kids love this stuff, and their enthusiasm has rubbed off on me.

The Mystery Hum - Did you know there are certain places in the world where residents hear a strange humming noise from time to time? The only problem is, the sound can not be recorded on any audio equipment and there doesn't seem to be any reason for the sound. Click the link below to read more about this strange phenomenon.

http://www.qsl.net/w5www/taoshum.html

The Palenque Mask - You'll have to click on the link below if you want to learn about this one, it's too bizarre to explain in five sentences or less.

http://www.stateoftheart.nl/phenomenon/frames/subjects/civi/mayan/palmask/palmaskmain.htm

The Winchester Mystery House - I've actually visited this strange aberration of architecture when I was young. They used to hold charity drives where people would pay to play hide and seek in the house on Halloween. I really wish I could have been a part of that. I did not see any ghosts while there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dy0TnZ_vpk

Bizarre Meteorological Phenomena - There is some pretty wild stuff going on in nature. Click the link below to see some of the most unbelievably fascinating weather phenomena of the natural world.

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/most-bizarre-meteorological-phenomena/6091

Panama Creature - A wierd creature was found and killed in Panama. (Warning: the photos of the dead creature's body are a little freaky looking. The squeemish might want to skip this one.)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1214182/Remember-Monster-washed-ashore-Terrified-teens-claim-beat-new-mysterious-beast-death-Panama.html

It looks like a hairless sloth to me. Poor thing.

Monsters of the Deep - These fish look like something created by hollywood for a horror movie but they are 100% real. *Shudder*

http://www.who-sucks.com/animals/real-life-sea-monsters-24-bizarre-creatures-of-the-deep

All in a Day's Work

2009-09-19T08:48:00.004-06:00

The library I work at has a section of large rooms available for people in the community to rent. We have all sorts of interesting activities going on at any given time. Weddings, company parties, graduations, etc. So this morning when I walked into the building I was presented with a large sign that said:

Due to a death in the family, our chainsaw carver will not be here today.

Uh, okay.

You know what--I don't even want to know.

Hoaxes and Pranks Galore

2009-09-05T12:56:00.009-06:00

Everyone loves a practical joke but some people take it a bit too far. Below are some hilarious prank videos I found on the internet. You'll laugh till you cry.

(Warning to viewers: People who are the subject of pranks tend to swear a great deal.)

Ratman Prank http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpZHFNGo5cQ

Skunk Prank http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwSqdL7fiE8&feature=fvw

Mirror Prank

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvJdCyOZB_Q&feature=related

More Pranks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmIMSyVclw&feature=related

Best Prank Ever http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USOVuLkPhU8&feature=related

Here are a few links to some famous hoaxes from history and how the truth was finally discovered.

Houdini vs. The Blond Witch of Lime Street

http://www.cicap.org/new/articolo.php?id=101010

War of the Worlds

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/archive/permalink/the_war_of_the_worlds/

Van Meegeren

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/3654259/The-forger-who-fooled-the-world.html

Cottingley Fairies

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/photo_database/image/the_cottingley_fairies/

I've got to try that skunk prank sometime.

News of the Bizarre

2009-08-25T14:58:00.003-06:00

Okay, now I've seen it all. This story is about a cellphone that did a lot more than put through a call. The scary part is that this kind of thing can happen and no one will believe it until it's too late. Make sure you click on the video link in the article for even more info about how they figured out the culprit was the cell phone.

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/147548

What else does my cellphone do when I'm not paying attention? Hmmm?

What's Your Favorite Song?

2009-08-14T10:20:00.003-06:00

My fifteen year old nephew and I recently were talking about his favorite song. It was interesting to hear why this song affected him the way it did. What did the lyrics mean for him? (I was very interested to find that it was not the same message the band had written them to mean.) It got me thinking about my own favorite songs and why I love them so much. My very favorite song is by Josh Groban. Don't Give Up (You are Loved) I heard this song and the radio one day and it just spoke right to my heart. If you'd like to listen to this song click on the link below.

http://www.wat.tv/video/josh-groban-you-are-loved-13zn1_sffb_.html

This song is to me one of the greatest examples of the human spirit in the midst of life's adversities. Not to give up when things are tough is one of the most important things we can learn in life. We are not alone and can overcome all things if we don't stop believing in ourselves, in others and in God. When I feel like I can't go on, I listen to this song and find my strength once again.

So what is your favorite song? Why does it affect you the way it does? How does it speak to you when it might not for others? I'd love to hear your stories if you are willing to share them. Include a link to your song if you possibly can. If it is too personal, feel free to leave your story anonymously in comments.

And the Winner Is . . .

2009-08-12T15:51:00.003-06:00

Congrats to everyone who voted to name my elf princess doll Aurelia because that is the name that won. Now when kids ask me what her name is I won't have to say, "Uh . . .I don't know." anymore. Aurelia is a much better name by far.

Haunted House? An Early Halloween Treat

2009-08-08T16:38:00.006-06:00

This article I found on the internet is a facinating look at a real haunted house that turned out NOT to be haunted at all. What was causing, the unexplained ghostly activity dozens of people were experiencing in the home? Click on the link below to read this facinating story about a perfectly logical explaination for what might be causing many of the hauntings in our country, even today.

http://www.ghostvillage.com/resources/2004/resources_10312004.shtml

Victor Borge

2009-08-07T10:51:00.002-06:00

After watching this orchestra play you will never see them in the same light again. I saw this on public tv the other night and laughed until I cried. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGESFaMl84U

The Biggest Mistake of Somebody's Life

2009-08-03T10:23:00.002-06:00

After watching the video below I don't feel so bad about some of the mistakes I make while on the job. Somebody is seriously busted.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8179857.stm

I'll bet the people in the appartments next door saw their lives passing before their eyes.

Make Way for Ducklings

2009-07-31T08:50:00.002-06:00

It's stories like this that give you back your faith in humanity. It is heartwarming to see such a small act of kindness effect the hearts of so many. You can see that this crowd of strangers was touched and unified by something sweet and tender that they will never forget.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prRmQ-OldyE

A Most Unusual Car Chase

2009-07-30T13:20:00.006-06:00

I saw this clip on the news and was laughing about it all morning. It must have been a real shock to the highway patrolmen to discover who it was they were chasing all over town. Since I'm sure you could all use a good laugh as well, I'm putting a link to a video of the story here.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32216294#32216294

Here is a more in depth coverage of the story.

http://www.examiner.com/x-2812-Road--Driver-Examiner~y2009m7d30-Video-7yearold-steals-car-to-skip-church

Whoa!

2009-07-29T08:45:00.002-06:00

I finally found the one hobby I haven't tried yet--making driftwood horses. You have to see this for yourself. Click on the link below to see these works of art. What amazes me is that this artist actually looked at a huge pile of driftwood and saw something more than a pile of garbage. They are life sized! How does she manage to get pieces of wood that fit the shape?! She must have way more time on her hands than I do.

http://www.rense.com/general70/drift.htm

Laugh for the Day

2009-07-27T07:23:00.002-06:00

My nephews came to spend the weekend and I heard them playing down in the toy room, so I went down into the basement and found them playing with an army of plastic knights down there. I could hear there was some sort of pretend battle going on. Only the boys were playing with the lights off so it was almost completely pitch black. As I came down the stairs the boys looked up from their toys at me like I'd caught them doing something they shouldn't.

"Why are you playing in the dark?" I asked.

"The knights are fighting in a spooky dungeon," they said in hushed tones.

Of course they were. Silly of me not to recognize it.

More Summer Projects

2009-07-22T23:26:00.010-06:00

I finally finished my latest summer project--an elf princess to go with my elf prince doll. Don't they make a handsome couple? Once again my amazing coworker and her talented daughter helped me design the dress. (Donna and Diane, you ROCK!) I didn't like the name the doll came with so she is currently nameless. If you have any suggestions for a name for her I'd love to hear them. As a life long doll collector, I have dolls with just about ever color hair imaginable. I thought I'd go wild this time and get pink (one of the only colors I didn't have). It came out quite nicely even if I do say so myself.

Just For Fun

2009-07-17T09:18:00.002-06:00

You have to see this to believe it!

(Warning: Clicking on the link below will take you to an outside website whose content I have no control over.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lAGc0A2eJY

Wish I could get dressed that fast in the morning.

That was NOT in the Job Discription

2009-07-08T16:49:00.006-06:00

Things that were not listed in the job description when I applied for my job as a librarian.

--Cleaning up Vomit/other bodily fluids

--Finding Lost Parents/Lost Children

--Crawling around on the floor in the back room, clawing my way through mountains of books looking for that one Magic Tree House book a child hasn't read yet.

--Being Sneezed/coughed on by sick children at least half a dozen times a day.

--Smiling and trying to act really interested in a blow by blow account of the fifteenth Pokemon book in a series as told by some really sweet and excited child who has discovered the joy of reading.

--Stopping pillow fights in the reading corner.

--Stopping water fights at the drinking fountain.

--Trying to convince that twelve year old boy who really hates books, that he really does want to try this one because it is SOOOOO different than all the others he's read before. Really!

--Paper cuts. Paper cuts. And even more paper cuts.

--Teaching adults how to find something in alphabetical order without making them feel stupid.

--Evacuating the entire building every time a child pulls the fire alarm.

--Explaining to small children that we really do not have that book in right now--so please don't cry, you'll make me sad. : (

--Explaining to children going to story time that we have to put their real name on the name tag along with the name "Superman" so we can tell them apart from all the other Supermans in that particular class.

--Ooohing and Ahhhing over all the darling princesses who turn up in their crowns and dresses to show them off at the library(which is almost as good as a ballroom, apparently). Have you ever noticed how those fake plastic high heels never fit right?

And that's just the beginning of it. : )

I Don't Feel So Good

2009-07-03T12:34:00.005-06:00

I had to stay home sick from work today. If you know anything about me, you know I have to be pretty sick to not go into work. So I have nothing to do now but lie around in bed coughing up a lung, and entertaining myself via the internet on my laptop. Here's a couple things I found. (Warning: clicking on the links below will take you to an outside website whose content I have absolutely no control over.)

Rebel Turkey

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=4055317

Sea Lion Hijacks Boat

http://beach.freedomblogging.com/2009/07/01/random-sea-lion-hijacks-boat/13479/

Deer Gets Revenge on Hunter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeA5ow7cS1c

I'd say the human race better look out, animal kind is about to take over.

Busted

2009-06-29T14:04:00.005-06:00

So I went to use my parent's bathroom the other day and found this HUGE hastily rolled up roll of toilet paper at least twice the size of any normal roll. My mother explained that one day she had the grandkids over and noticed that my one and a half year old niece was missing. She found her in the bathroom standing amid a mountain of unrolled toilet paper. When my niece saw my mom her eyes got huge and innocent as she pointed to her nose and said, "Boogey!"

That must have been some booger.

Cover Art!

2009-06-27T09:31:00.001-06:00

Go to my book blog and read the post about the cover art for my book!

I Need Help

2009-06-23T14:05:00.005-06:00

I need help. More than usual, I mean. I've been concidering eventually selling some of the miniature sculpture jewelry that I'm always posting pictures of on my "Sheila's World" blog, but I would need a really cool name for them if I did. Miniature sculpture jewelry just doesn't quite do it. For those of you who are interested in helping me brainstorm some ideas, click here to visit my artwork blog and leave a suggestion. If not, you can move on down the page and pretend you didn't see this post. I'll never know the difference. Really.

Some Things Shouldn't have a Price Tag Put on Them-- Seriously

2009-06-19T09:56:00.001-06:00

People will buy anything on Ebay. There was a haunted teddy bear up for auction a few years ago—Closing bid: $11,100.00 US dollars. My first reaction was—SAY WHAT? Anyone can buy a teddy bear and claim it is haunted, people! How could you possibly prove you had been scammed once you got the item? Excuse me Ebay but this teddy bear doesn’t get up and murder people in their beds after all, I want my money back please.

Here are some other real true items that have been put up for auction on Ebay as well as the original description the seller used to describe the item. With a little imagination and a bizarre sense of humor, you too can make thousands on the internet. Here’s how:

High End Cotton Swab - Up for auction is a very, very bizarre cotton swab. Why is it bizarre, you ask? Well, this is a high end cotton swab. If you do not like high end cotton swabs with a variety of uses then please do not bid. Payment is due within twenty four hours of auctions end.

Goldfish Pancake - Pancake in the shape of a Gold Fish it is one inch long see pic. I’m storing it in a ziplock bag in the freezer I also have a Pancake in the shape of a VW BUG car with the exhaust coming out the tailpipe, Pancake in the shape of the Predator from AVP - Alien vs. Predator it is about three by four inches long.

Five Questions Answered by Teen Genius - Great Advice! The winning bidder of this auction will be able to ask me any five questions and I must answer them truthfully to the best of my knowledge. You can ask me about advice on your car, girlfriend, boyfriend, wife, husband, job, house, brother, sister.

Chicken Finger that Looks Like a Chocolate Easter Rabbit - Chili’s chicken finger looks like chocolate Easter bunny. Here it is folks! The strangest chicken finger to ever get posted on eBay. I got this chicken finger on my plate at Chili’s. Just seconds before this prized gem almost ended up in my mouth, my eyes caught the amazing site.

Snow Globe that Can’t Snow - Mysterious Snow Globe! Alpine Skier by Perzy of Austria snow globe high collected around the world. This snow globe will NOT snow! There is no liquid inside the snow globe…but there is snow! You can see this in the picture as the globe is held on its side there’s no bubble of air at the top.

Diamond White Gold Ring Evil - This genuine diamond and white gold ring sold for one thousand eight hundered dollars from JcPenney. Since the ring has been in my possession, I have had nothing but bad luck and evil fortune. I believe that this ring is hexed and I want it away from me as soon as possible.

Fly Perfectly Preserved - I found this strange roll of tape over ten years ago and set it aside when I noticed there was a perfectly preserved fly specimen caught between the layers of clear tape. I do not know the species of fly or the exact time it met its fate but it could be well over fifteen years old.

Ghost in a Lemon - We had a bunch of unexplainable things happen to us in our home, we were watching a TV show one day, it said to catch a spirit you need to cut a lemon in half and leave it in a room for a day and the lemon will absorb the spirit. We decided to give it a try, and it seems that this actually worked.

Buy the Right for Bob to Live - We live on a small farm and this spring my husband and I bought two turkeys to raise for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately one turkey died young and one survived, my husband named her “Bob”. Bob is a friendly bird that allows my husband and two year old son to pet.

Area 51 Base Access Pass - Is it Real? This is a replica of the original sticker. Not Intended to be used for access to Area 51. Sticker is manufactured of high quality ultra violet resistant vinyl. Designed to mount on outside of windshield. Great for the Area 51,XFiles, Roswell, UFO-Space Ship Fanatics.

Well I know what I’m asking Santa to bring me for Christmas. How about you?

It's a Girl

2009-06-15T14:33:00.004-06:00

Remember that tadpole I wrote about a while back? I haven't said much about the frog it became because it's been on a hunger strike and I wasn't sure it was going to make it. I've been force feeding the the poor thing for weeks because it refused to eat on it's own. So imagine my surprise when I went to feed the frog last night and it had eaten every last mealworm in the tank all on its own. Not only that, but it has now grown enough for me to see that the frog I've been calling "he" is very likely a GIRL frog. Since it is the boy frogs who make all the noise in the middle of the night, I find this a pleasant surprise. All the kids at the library have been asking about the frog and I've been terrified of what would happen if it up and died on me. All's well that ends well.

One of Life's Little Mysteries

2009-05-29T15:23:00.007-06:00

Why is it that I always have to drink out of the children's water fountain which is much too short for me while some little child on a stool plays in the big water fountain?

Things It's Better Not to Think About

2009-05-28T08:50:00.002-06:00

You want to see something scary? Next time you're on the freeway notice how many skid marks there are all over the road. I noticed it for the first time the other day during my commute to work. I couldn't keep count there were so many. That is a lot of car accidents! At least a dozen of them went straight off the side of the road. Some skid marks went on for two blocks in length. Yikes!

I Can't Believe I Liked It

2009-05-22T11:42:00.002-06:00

What follows is a list of books I fully expected to hate when I started reading them, but ended up LOVING. Here they are in no particular order. (Parents: Most of these books are for older readers.)

Homeless Bird—Now one of my all-time favorite books. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Hunger Games—The first time someone told me what this young adult book was about it didn’t sound like my kind of book. Was I ever wrong.

Ruby Key—As a librarian, I’ve noticed that most of the books with fabulous covers are usually not very good stories. The cover on this one was so beautiful I figured it had to be a flop. Thank goodness it wasn’t.

Sammy Keyes Series—I read the second book in the series first and liked it, but not enough to read the whole series. I decided to read one more—this time I chose the fifth book. After that, I was addicted.

Skeleton Creek—I almost didn’t even start this book because I was so sure it was going to be badly written. I now own it and can’t wait to get my hands on the second book.

The Mennyms—A coworker recommended this charming book to me. When I asked her what it was about she told me it was the story of a family of life-sized rag dolls. I actually gave her a funny look. “I know it sounds bizarre, “she said. “But you have to read it to understand how clever the story truly is.” She was absolutely right. I read the whole series in a week. The last book in the series was the best one.

Amulet of Samarkand—I’ve never been a fan of anti-hero stories, so right from the beginning I didn’t think I would be able to make myself finish this one. I have rarely laughed as hard at anything as I did at this book. By the time I got to the last book in the series, I was laughing and biting my nails until 3:00am, unable to go to sleep until I knew what was going to happen to my favorite characters. If only all books could be like this one.

The Girl Who Could Fly—I made a goal this year to branch out and read more books in genres I don’t normally like. This fabulous book was one of them. Thank goodness for annual work goals.

The Teacher’s Funeral—WARNING: This book could cause damage to your spleen from all the laughter it will induce.

Only Alien on the Planet—The strange but haunting cover on this book both repelled and attracted me. I kept seeing it at the book store and eventually I just HAD to know what it was about. I didn’t think I’d end up liking it. It’s now one of my favorites.

Life As We Knew It—Looking at the unexciting cover of this book, you would never imagine the life and death suspense hiding inside. I sure didn’t.

Stargirl—I got the book on tape for this book because I was so sure I wasn’t going to like it. After I listened to it, I couldn’t stop thinking about this story for weeks.

Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs—This was another of those books I read because I’m a librarian and it’s my job to read a large variety of books. I’m so glad I did. This book made the ordinary seem magical. I wish I could do that with my own writing.

Just goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Book Blog Update

2009-05-19T16:23:00.001-06:00

My publisher finally hired an artist to do my cover. If you want to find out who it is, click on the link to my book blog.

Too Cute for Words

2009-05-14T20:53:00.004-06:00

A friend and I recently discovered some old photographs in my mother's storage closet. Among them was this darling picture of my dog when she was just a puppy. She was so tiny in those days that a friend of mine (who was watching the dog for me) actually smuggled her into a movie theater in her diaper bag with no one the wiser. The dog slept through most of the film but managed to crawl out of the bag toward the end when no one was looking. The dog wandered through the theater isles eating stale popcorn, getting petted by people, and occasionally barking at the screen for good measure. My friend finally tracked her down and smuggled the puppy back out of the theater when the movie was over. No one told management about the incident. But then look at that adorable face--how could anyone resist?