The Magic of Writing

This past week was fall break for us, and we decided to take an actual vacation for the first time in years. Our daughter is 12 and a huge Harry Potter fan—so it made sense to book a trip to Orlando to experience the magic of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. Given her age and only-child status, we figured this might be our last trip to Orlando for a while so we wanted to do it up right. We stayed at a resort and let her bring a friend. I’ll admit I was pretty stoked myself. I love Harry Potter and couldn’t wait to see it all.

And it did not disappoint.

We had a blast—the girls and the hubs rode lots of rides while I took in the sights. We got the park-to-park tickets, so we were able to experience both the Hogsmead and Diagon Alley attractions. As I looked around, the primary thought I had was, “All this came from the mind of an author.”

And it wasn’t just how the setting was brought to life—from the castle to the butterbeer—or how visitors were able to experience a bit of magic through the rides.  It was also how many of the people there, from young to old, were immersed in Harry Potter attire. Oh, and of course the spells. There was one moment when I was waiting for my daughter and her friend to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey for probably the 4th time, and my husband was off trying to get some pictures printed. As I was waiting, a couple of kids met up in front of me. One waved his wand at the other right before their parents joined them. The mom took a few steps and then this exchange happened:

Mom: {looking at the kid who wasn’t moving} Come on.

Kid: I can’t.

Mom: {looking at the other kid and sighing in a way that suggests it wasn’t the first time} Unstupefy him.

Seriously, how cool is that? Being an author has to be the best job in the world. Even if the vast majority of us will never achieve a fraction of the success J.K. Rowling has seen, we can make just as big of an impact in someone’s life. Our stories mean something to someone.

That’s why I write. The trip only reinforced why I do what I do for such little pay. It’s knowing that I’ve been given words to translate in a way that can resonate with people on a very personal level.

Now it’s time for me to go and write all the words.

~ Carrie

Bringing Books to Life

I’ve been a member of my local Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping (FXB) gym for the past couple years. I love starting my day off with an intense workout. It’s a great gym with a lot of great people. A few times a year, the gym hosts a challenge to help people get motivated on their health and fitness journey in a fun way. I’m now the challenge coordinator, and my first challenge started today.

And my theme is Harry Potter.

I love books (obviously), so I shouldn’t be surprised I was inspired by a book series. The 50+ participants have been sorted into the houses of Hogwarts and each week I’ll assign them challenges that tie into the series—the Golden Snitch, Quidditch, Prefects and more. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named even curses people each week! Some of the participants are huge Harry Potter fans, and it’s been so much fun already as they tie in the series with real life. However, there are some who know nothing about Harry Potter, and I’m happy to be able to give them an introduction with this challenge. At least one has said she is now watching the movies to get some idea of what’s going on (yes, I know, not the same as the books but it’s a start).

As a reader, it’s been a blast trying to bring this series to life at my gym. As a writer, it has reminded me just how much of an in impact our stories can have on the lives of readers. Some books are read and forgotten. Then there are books that impact the reader’s life in some way, causing a lasting impression. I can only hope to be the latter kind of author.

Have any of you used a book for inspiration for something in your non-reading/writing life?

~ Carrie

Google Search: What if they...

A new year is upon us and here at Across the Board that means trying out new things. Among the changes you’ll see this year is a new reoccurring segment called ‘Google Search’. Have you ever started a search in Google and noticed the predictive suggestions provided? If so, then you’ve probably also noticed that a few of them can be a bit humorous. We Borders decided to have a bit of fun with these Google predictive suggestions this year in our new series.

Here are the rules:

1. Start a random search string in Google (or could be from one of your previous searches)
2. Choose one of Google’s suggestions
3. Write up a post (or some flash fiction if you’re feeling really creative)

That’s it. It’s all about creativity and fun.

Since I suggested this crazy game, I’m the lucky one who gets to go first. For my random search, I started with, “What if they” and here’s what Google gave me:

I had to go with “What if they mated” for my topic today. My spin on this is what if they mated one book with another? What would we get? I read You by Caroline Kepnes earlier in 2016 and enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun with my Back Jacket Hack-Job of You, so I decided to use it for my inspiration here as well.

What if they mated You by Caroline Kepnes with....

1) The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

This mating may or may not work out well for Joe. While I believe Joe’s obsessive tendencies would lead him quickly to full-on OCD, it would likely ruin his game. Original Joe would sometimes wait hours or days or even weeks to get the results he desired. OCD Joe might not be able to hold out that long. He would feel compelled to stalk Beck at the exact same time every day, in exactly the same way. It would make it much harder for him to blend into the background. Also, he’d probably get caught sneaking into Beck’s apartment because he’d have to organize all her personal items before leaving. Of course, with this mating the title would need to change. The Beck Project seems obvious.

2) 11/22/63 by Stephen King

I believe Joe would love this mating. He’d be able to keep going back in time and take his stalking to a whole new level. I imagine Joe would go back 50 years in time, select his prey, stalk her for a few years, go back to the present and stalk her again! Yeah, this takes creepy to a whole new level.

3) 50 Shades of Grey by E L James

Speaking of the number 50, Joe would have fun in a mating with 50 Shades of Grey. He would still be able to monitor emails and phone calls, control his woman, and he could even put her in a cage. But the bonus is that she’d know about it—no hiding! Since Joe is so sinister, I assume the title of the mated version would need to be changed to something like 50 Shades Darker—oh, wait . . .

4) Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

The mystery for me in this mating is if Joe would be Harry or Voldemort. Joe thinks he’s a good guy, so that’d make him Harry. But he doesn’t exactly like to be the center of attention. He wants to hide in the shadows, and that’s where Voldemort likes to slither. While I have questions with this mating, I am absolutely certain Joe would love to be able to wave a wand to make a little magic happen. Maybe even conjure up a potion such as Amortentia to ensure his desired results. And that invisibility cloak—priceless!

5) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Ah, in this mating Joe will finally have an arena for his obsession. He’d be able to prey on his victim beloved 24/7. And as an added bonus, he’d be adored by millions of viewers for his superior stalking abilities. He’d be rewarded for eliminating his competitors. Although, in this mated version Joe wouldn’t have to kill his beloved at the end of the game. She’d be forced to serve him for the rest of his life—or at least until he found a new target for his adoration.

Well, there you have it. My twisted version of ‘What if they mated’. What books would you mate?

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoyed this first installment of our new Google Search segment!

~ Carrie

Fall Equals Book Sales

IT'S FALL!

Fall is my favorite season. What's better than snuggling up with a blanket and a book in front of the woodstove?

Well, I'll tell you. Book sales.

Every spring and fall my local library has a book sale. I'm always too busy in the spring with gardening, writing (remember the Seasons of Writing post by Beth?), and a few volunteer projects that I never end up making it to the spring sale, much to my wallet's approval. But I happened to be in the vicinity of the sale last weekend after work, which meant I also didn't have my kiddos in tow.

So, of course, I stopped. And I spent some money.

I mostly spent money on books for my homeschoolers, including Charlotte's Web and a few junior novels for Disney Channel movies my daughter loves. But I also bought these:

I happen to be a HUGE Cassandra Clare fan, so I snagged the book without a second thought. And it's in amazing condition! I could stare at it all day if I wasn't so interested in actually reading it...

I also picked up The Giver, which I read in elementary school years ago, because I figured it would be a great discussion book for my daughter and me. Also, I feel like I'd appreciate this book much more as an adult choosing to read it, rather than a child being told I have to read it, especially because I have a special appreciation for dystopia now.

And because I'm also an audiobook lover, I had to grab these:

I haven't actually started the Dresden Files yet, but my brother insists I need to and the first book glares at me every time I step into my office. I took proactive measures in buying it, knowing I'll get there at some point. And Neil Gaiman...I don't believe he requires an explanation.

I feel like I lucked out. My daughter would actually say the best find was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on DVD (she reminded me almost daily that we didn't have it).

Do you visit book sales? If you do, what's the first thing you look for?

This Bud's For You

A Post By Jonathan

So as I was trying to figure out what to blog about today I had an epiphany that if I wanted my post to speak to as many people as possible, I should make it as random as possible. Cast a wide net, you know? So, without further ado, I present some major randomness for your reading pleasure...

#1 Okay, first thing's first, let's talk about the word Ado. It's pronounced nothing like it's spelled. Should be Ahh-Dough, but is more like Uhh-Dooo. Leave it to the French. 

#2 Let's talk about the French for a second. Anybody ever been to Paris? Why do they call them Frogs anyway? I did some digging and found like a gazillion different explanations. One said it's because Paris used to be surrounded swamps, another because when the English first saw the French flag with the Fleurs de Lis on it they thought it was a frog, and yet another said it's because the French eat a lot of frog legs. Any French people out there who can help a brother out? 

#3 Let's talk about the Fleurs de Lis. On second thought, let's not and say we did...

Source

#4 Not French related at all, but random all the same, I totally binged on this show on Netflix recently that you Fantasy genre lovers simply have to check out. It's a reality show called The Quest (stick with me here...), that takes 12 ordinary people and plops them into a real-life fantasy world called Everealm (the show is both scripted and unscripted) where they compete to become the One True Hero and vanquish the land of evil. The contestants learn swordplay, archery, etc. and are obviously surprised by every twist and turn the show's writers throw at them. 

Every time I watched it I couldn't help feeling like this was closest anyone has come, since maybe Sebastian in The NeverEnding Story, of living out a true storybook life. The contestants stay in a castle, fight a dragon and an evil villain and everything!!! Okay, totally geeking out here. Might be taking over the mantle of resident nerd pretty soon... Seriously though, I can't believe the show wasn't a bigger deal. It has not been renewed for a second season yet, but if it is, you better believe I'll be submitting a an audition video, armor, spandex and all!

#5 I chose Trebuchet font for this post in honor of The Quest and my earlier French-y-ness. 

#6 Remember when we used to call french fries freedom fries? And french kisses freedom kisses? And french toast freedom toast? That was awesome!

#7 Let's talk spandex for a second... It really is underutilized don't ya think?

#8 Hey did you hear there's a Wizarding School in the US?! The location is unknown, but I'm guessing it's not in Indiana. Trust me, I've looked... I figure it's in Salem, Massachusetts or Roswell, New Mexico or some place cool like that. Who's up for an Across the Board road trip to try and be the first ones to find it? What would it look like anyway? Would there be houses named after Bald Eagles, Buffalo or perhaps a Turducken or two? Would Elvira be the Headmaster? Would Jack Hanna be the Game Keeper? Would there be wands that shoot bullets instead of spells? Time will only tell.

Source

 
#9 Speaking of good Middle Grade books, I'm currently reading Gregor the Overlander Chronicles by Suzanne Collins. It's been a bit overshadowed by her other series --you may have heard of the Hunger Games-- but really good all the same. She is a master at only putting the good parts into her books. I've never once been bored while reading one of her novels. I strive to do the same. 

#10 I hope you haven't been bored reading this post. 

#11 If you weren't bored type "Fleurs de Lis" into the comments section so that I know. 

#12 If you were bored you probably didn't make it this far, but if you did please type "I'm a Frog" in the comments section so that I know. 

#13 Finally, to tie my title into my post somehow, I leave you with this video and these lyrics:

This Bud's for you!
There's no one else who does it,
Quite the way you do...
So here's to you!

You know it isn't only what you say,
It's what you do!
For all you do...
This Bud's for you!

For all you do...
For all you do...

This Bud's for you!

For all you do,
You know the king of beers is coming through!
Ohhhhhh...
For all you do...
This Bud's for you!

See you next time!