Reading: The Great Gatsby

I’m just over 100 pages into The Great Gatsby, and I’m absolutely loving it.  It has been less than a week since I began it.  I can’t pinpoint any one thing about it that draws me in, but I do know that it’s on the verge of becoming an obsession. 

I’d heard plenty about it before beginning my independent reading, but never anything about the content, really.  That’s why I generally shy away from classics.  I want to read a book for pleasure– not for intellectual stimulation (or something).  Also, they don’t give you a summary on the back.  That bugs me.  On the back of The Great Gatsby, it tells me how wonderful the book is, how masterfully written it is, and there is a rather long bio for the author.  But nowhere is there a summary.  How am I to know if I’d like to read it if there’s no summary?

Anyways, I did eventually cave… because of the movie.  The trailer for the movie is just.  So.  Freaking.  Awesome.  I had to see the movie, and therefore I had to read the book.  I’m glad that I have my priorities straight because it has been an absolute joy so far. 

Don’t tell me anything about the book, but I’m sensing a looming tragedy.  Aah!  I just want to read it. 

Warning: I love the book, but if I was forced to read it for school, I would absolutely hate it.  I cannot enjoy literature if I did not choose to read it.  If you are being forced to read it, there is plenty about the book to nitpick and hate on. 

Another warning: You have got to pay attention in this book!  If you just skim it, you’ll think that nothing is going on.  It does have a bit of a slow start, but it’s less than 200 pages!  If you give up on that… *shakes head*

Until next time,

No–wait!

X’s and O’s,
Katie Lemontop

Calling All Whovians! Plus, Internet Goodies.

Hello!  How’ve you been?  Okay, enough with the pleasantries.  I’m about to do something completely shameless.

http://figment.com/books/607920-Road-Trip-With-The-Doctor

That is a story  that I have posted on Figment.  It’s a story for a Doctor Who fan fiction contest.  I’m sure you can see where this is going, especially if you’re on Figment.

Yes, I am asking for hearts.  I have become that person who spams people with messages begging them to read their story.  BUT I DO ACTUALLY SWAP WITH THE PEOPLE WHO AGREE!  I read whatever they ask me to, even if it does take 2 hours while mine takes 6 minutes.  I always comment, and I’ll heart the story if I think it’s deserving.

So, this is me asking you to go onto Figment and read my story.  If you like it, heart it.  If you really like it, comment.  If you don’t like it, comment and tell me why.  Don’t heart it if you don’t think that it deserves to win this contest!  I strongly detest those who heart stories for swaps without reading them and leave a generic comment (e.g., “Really interesting.  I liked it!”).  If you do that, how am I to know that you actually read it?

If you don’t have a Figment account, make one!  Not just to help me win this contest (I told you, I’m shameless.), but because Figment is a really awesome writing website that I love.  I think you’ll love it, too.  The forums are filled with awesome people, and the cover making forum– wow.  Everyone is ridiculously talented, I tell you!  Also, if you read it, I’ll swap with you.  Yay!

Also, if you don’t understand what I’m talking about because you’re not on Figment, I’ll tell you here.  Probably should have done this earlier, but… *shrugs*  I’ve entered in a heart-based contest on Figment.  To even have a chance at winning, I need to be among the top 10 most hearted by April 10th.  I have 20 hearts.  There are people who already have 100.  That is why I’m asking you to read and heart my story here on my mostly abandoned blog.

Also, even if you’re not a whovian, you can still read it!  If you know even the basics of Doctor Who, it should make sense.  It’s supposed to be pretty funny.

Thanks for sticking with me to the end of my scatterbrained blog post.  Even to me it seems unorganized.  If you’ve made it this far, I’d like to give you some internet goodies.

• Search “French Cafe Radio” on Pandora.  Trust me, it’s awesome and soothing and fun.  I enjoy it very much.
• www.rainymood.com is an awesome website for relaxing rain sounds.
• www.theoatmeal.com is a funny website for procrastination.

Sorry, but that’s all I have.  The French Cafe Radio is really worth it, though!

X’s and O’s (and please read my story!),
Katie Lemontop

PS: Oh, please!  Oh, oh please please please!

I LITERALLY peed my pants from laughing…

If you have ever heard someone use this phrase, or *shudders* used it yourself, bring same upon that person.

Guys, this needs to stop.  The misuse of the word literally is so common today that it is commonly looked over.  BUT NO MORE.  Because, dear readers, we are going to make a change.

lit·er·al·ly

[lit-er-uh-lee]  Show IPA

adverb

1.

in the literal or strict sense: What does the word mean literally?

2.

in a literal manner; word for word: to translate literally.

3.

actually; without exaggeration or inaccuracy: The city was literally destroyed.

4.

in effect; in substance; very nearly; virtually.

Thank you, dictionary.com, for setting the record straight.  Only use the word literally if it actually happened.

The next time someone says, “I LITERALLY peed my pants from laughing,” do not encourage them.  Instead, say, “Oh, no!  That’s terrible.  Did you have to replace the pants?”

How are you going to help educate the population of america?

Katie Lemontop

P.S. By the way, happy Valentine’s day!

My Writing Process

When left to my own devices (meaning, NOT NaNoWriMo), my writing process is a little weird.  

Yesterday I dug out a partial rewrite that I did during Camp NaNoWriMo of last year.  I remember stopping half way through because I felt that if I wrote another word I was going to vomit.  (I actually suffered through quite a few days of feeling like this, but I did eventually give up.)  I reread it and by the time I was done (10:30 PM) I was asking, where is the rest?

Oh, yeah.  It’s in my head (well, also the previous manuscript, but that WAS vomit worthy).

Upon realizing this I began writing it again, picking up where I left off as easily as if I hadn’t stopped writing.  This is when I realize that my writing process is a bit weird.  Here is an average five minutes of “writing” time:

Type, type.  Type.
Laugh at funny dialogue.  Type that up.
Stop in the middle of a sentence because I just realized that I could have an email.
Refresh email.  I have no emails.
Refresh Twitter.  Read thirty new tweets from authors, editors, publishing houses, and agents.
Become inspired to write again.
Fix a snack, instead.
Refresh email.  I have no emails.
Type, type.  Type.  Type-ity type type.
Refresh email.  Yay, I have an e– Oh.  Wait, it’s just spam.
Refresh email again.
Type.
Refresh Twitter.  Read some tweets.
Type-type.
Repeat.

I have added three-thousand words to my novel, making it total 21,000.  One thing that had really surprised me is how I can turn a one-and-a-half page chapter into six pages of the same content without trying.  Boy, did I really not know how to write a transition? (Oh, wait.  I was eleven.) What about description?  Showing not telling? (Yeah, you probably should have known about that.) Did I really make that grammar mistake all that time ago? (Shut up, you make that grammar mistake now.)

AHEM.  Anyways, I’m just super excited to be working on Battle Camp: the Rebellion again.  YIPPEE!  This was my first large project, and it’s my favorite.  It feel so liberating to be writing again!

Except now I have that vomit feeling again.

Guess I’ll take a break.

X’s and O’s,

Katie Lemontop

Interlochen

http://academy.interlochen.org/

http://camp.interlochen.org/

…I would say ’nuff said, but that would imply that you clicked on the links.

Interlochen Arts Academy High School.  A boarding high school.   That focuses on art,  music, acting, dancing, and, yes, writing.

Interlochen Summer Arts Camp.  A three-week long camp that focuses on the same things.

I don’t know about you, but I kind of want in.  If you don’t, you are insane, or you do not understand.  Let me put it this way, if you could live or spend near a month in writing heaven/paradise/utopia, would you.  Of-freaking-course you would.  And so would I.

Unfortunately, writing paradise has a cost.  And I mean that literally.  It costs… a lot of money.  Four digits for the camp.  Five for the boarding high school.  (Yes, I have done my research.  I’ve probably spent days overall on that website daydreaming.)  Three digits of money is about all I can really comprehend,  but I know that this is a lot.

Don’t get me wrong, I can talk to my parents about things.  But when those things involve asking for large quantities of money so I can leave them for a year to writeandwriteandwrite, I might have a problem.

I actually literally just (like, two seconds ago) spoke to my mom about it because I had requested information and got it via mail.  Yeah… it didn’t involve asking on either sides.

Here is a partial transcript:

MOM: *enters room* So, what did you get in the mail?

ME: Oh, it’s just this writing thing.

MOM: What kind of writing thing?

ME: It’s this thing for this arts boarding high school, but I don’t want to go.  Well, actually I do want to go, but…  Anyway, I just thought that it was cool, so I requested information.

MOM: Okay.  *leaves room*

My heart is beating a hole in my chest, and I kind of feel like crying.  Actually, I’ve felt like crying all day, so don’t read too much into that.  I’m going to go before I confuse you further.

X’s and O’s,

Katie Lemontop

P.S. You know, maybe I could talk to my parents about the summer camp?  Maybe?  No?  Okay.

Free Book of Your Choice? I’m in. (Also, Selfishness)

And you should be too if you still read this blog!

http://simplybks.blogspot.com/2013/02/valentines-giveaway.html

So this totally awesome person that I do not know is giving away a free book of your choice that has to do with love.  So, yeah.  Enter.

Or not.  I would be okay if you didn’t, because that means I have a greater chance of winning.  And yes, I am posting this post because I want to win this book.  It’s not even about the book, even.  It’s about the winning.

I am a winner.

I am also selfish, so…  Yep.  I’m selfish.  So are you.  So is the rest of the world.  I actually have a big problem with this fact and have written several poems and personal essays about it.  Huh.  I guess it just gets on my nerves, ya know?  I’m so freaking selfish, and it’s in the little things, too.  I guess I just assume everyone else is.

Think about that.

So, to recap, do not enter the contest here: http://simplybks.blogspot.com/2013/02/valentines-giveaway.html and I am a selfish person.  And so are you if my inner thoughts have anything to say about it.  Which they do.  I have the poems to prove it.

X’s and O’s,

Katie Lemontop

___________________________________________

Later: Thank you for not entering that contest.  I actually won it.  Who’d have thought?  I got the book Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  Respect that last name.  Take a moment and just respect it.

My Dilemma: We Still Have Air

Okay, so air is a good thing, right?  Wrong.  Air is despicable because it’s still here.  Air has over stayed its welcome.  The problem is, there are all kinds of things that are keeping air around, such as trees and algae.  This makes getting rid of air a lot harder than I originally thought it was. 

Let me get you up to speed.  I like air, and I want it to stick around for a few more centuries.  My NaNoWriMo idea, on the other hand, does not like air.  The story is based on the whole idea that there isn’t enough air to go around.  I thought it would be a piece of cake to get rid of air.  Just do a few Goole searches, and POOF: wonderful idea to get rid of air.  Unfortunately, this planet we live on wants to keep air around, and it won’t provide me with a probable reason for air to just leave. 

Help me.

I have other NaNoWriMo ideas (retelling of Snow White as a dystopia, suicide mystery thing where she says she’s going to kill herself on insertdatehere but kills herself a day later, another dystopia, this wedding thing, AND I’M MISSING ONE), but I want to write this one.  It originated from a dream I had where, well, the earth ran out of oxygen.  I was on earth, and I died.  Not a violent death that might prompt waking up, but something almost peaceful: insufficient oxygen.  The dream was cool (gosh, that sounds morbid), and I tweaked it enough to make it a story idea.  So. 

Help me.

Help me figure out a way to make this work!  Got an idea?  TELL ME.

Thankyou,
Katie Lemontop

ps: I really want this idea to work.  Really.  Thankyou.

High School: The Homework Load

Okay, so high school has been a lot more work than I thought it would be.  I wasn’t under the impression that it would be easier than middle school (nothing is easier than middle school), but I didn’t think it would be as much work as it is.

Most of my classes are a piece of cake (with the exception of ib prep physics, which is more than memorizing facts), but some have a lot of homework.  Physics has a little every night, but this is only a few problems.  I rarely have anything from French, but all in due time.  It’s this class called Honors Government that’s killing me.

I don’t think my Government teacher understands that some people have lives (I don’t, but some people do).  She’s okay when it comes to book work, but it’s still a lot.  She gives us two days to read and take notes on a chapter.  If she gives us an outline, it’s easy.  If she doesn’t, I get hand cramps.  And I’m used to writing a lot.

We had this project (projects are generally my fault because I wait until the last minute).  We had to read a dystopian novel and fill out a packet on it.  I read The Host by Stephanie Myers for the fourth time.  Easy.  I filled out the packet the day before I thought it was due (yesterday).  Turns out, it’s due tomorrow.  Oh, well.  Then she gives us an outline (DIE OUTLINE, DIE!  DEATH TO ALL OUTLINES!) to fill out for tomorrow.  It took a while because The Host doesn’t really have a cookie-cutter government like she wants it to.  I ignored her suggestions of stretching the term “oligarchy” and just said there was no government.   This made things more difficult for me, but I’ll survive.

Thankfully, the actual essay isn’t due until Monday, October 1st (squeal for NaNoWriMo planning month!), otherwise I would be tired(er) tomorrow.

Have I ever told you that I suck at introductions?  I do.  But I am beast at conclusions.  My introduction is choppy and the thesis is acceptable, but the conclusion is a slap-in-the-face-I-never-thought-about-it-that-way ending.  I summarize points like a pro and add in my own mind-blowing observations.  And that’s the last thing they read, so I guess it’s a good plan.

LeavingyouwithoutaconclusionSOWHATCALLMEAHYPOCRITEIreallymissedyouguysandI’mtired,

Katie Lemontop

PS: Did you miss me, too?

School: How I’m Feeling

In all honesty, I’m not quite sure how I’m feeling about school starting up again.  This year, I’m going to be a freshman in high school, and I’ve made a pact with myself to get perfect grades.  It’s going to be a lot of work, but I’m okay with that.  Grades are important, and I will not slack off my freshmen year.  I want A’s for the final grade in all of my classes (coughgymdoesn’tcountcough).  That’s not to say that if I get a B on a test I’ll freak out.  If I do get this hypothetical B, I’ll just work extra hard to bring my grade back up.

As for friends, I’m not sure how I feel about seeing them everyday again, either.  I love you guys, but I’ve done pretty well this summer on my own.  Without the pressures of friendship (Friendship is sort of suspended during the summer.  This way, we don’t have to see each other periodically, and we can get actual things done.) I’ve started blogging again!  I also have a spotless room and a laptop.  How did that happen?

One thing I like to do before school is get super organized so that when I get unorganized during the year I can say that I tried.  This will not happen this year (yeah, right)!  I have decided to clean my room and backpack and folders out weekly to maintain organization.  I even have a schedule, how organized is that?  I also have an ulterior motive for doing all of this, which I may or may not share with you.  It’s good for writing, but there’s something else, as well.

The one thing I have not done is cleaned out my inbox, but I’m checking my email again (Yes!).  This means that I’m reading your blogs (Double yes!).  You guys are awesome, but I have noticed a  bit of inactivity from some of you guys.  Shame (such a hypocrite)!

That is all,
Katie Lemontop

Poetry on the Spot

I wanted to blog but nothing’s going on in my life besides a cute pug but that’s old news that I didn’t share with you all when it was new news.  SO.  I will be writing poetry on the spot.  None of this was written before I wrote this blog post.  Here I go.

 

Spaces
Big empty spaces
Black and white and gray and–

I can’t do this.  I quit.  Because, you know what?  I’m a quitter.

 

Empty
Nothing to fill them
They sit without purpose on–

Nope.  Still a quit-ter (sing-song voice).

The day of dying
Because perhaps a death– another nothing– can fill them
But, no
Death is not the answer

That time I AT LEAST got to a real stopping point before I–

So they remain
Empty
And without purpose
Yet they are there
We see them
And they yearn to be filled
They cry out so loud
Begging and pleading and wishing and hoping
And they are us
We are big, empty
Black and white and grey
Yearning, begging, crying
Empty

Empty

 

Empty

 

 

 

 

Spaces

 

That’s the end.  That… actually turned out okay.  Here’s what it would look like without all of my interruptions.

Spaces
Big empty spaces
Black and white and gray and empty
Nothing to fill them
They sit without purpose on the day of dying
Because perhaps a death– another nothing– can fill them
But, no
Death is not the answer
So they remain
Empty
And without purpose
Yet they are there
We see them
And they yearn to be filled
They cry out so loud
Begging and pleading and wishing and hoping
And they are us
We are big, empty
Black and white and grey
Yearning, begging, crying
Empty

Empty

 

Empty

 

 

 

 

Spaces

 

What do you think?  Was it okay?

I spelled gre(a)y two different ways and didn’t realize it until now,
Katie Lemontop

P.S. You were thinking about that pug the whole time, weren’t you?

P.P.S.  PUG

This is the pug [Orianna, or Ori (half a wish to whoever can tell me where that’s from!)] around six months ago when she was a puppy. HOW CUTE IS SHE?