CHARETTE! I’ve sent her an email to tell her about it, and then I’ll send the copy, and then there’s about to be much rejoicing at the Charette household.

—

And now, for your reading pleasure, I’d like to give you one of Becca’s Greatest Hits [1]

From April 15, 2010, for your edification or for to fill my page with words:

So I’m going to go ahead and blog about clothes.

Stop laughing.

I mean it. Stop.

I like clothes. I do. They certainly beat the alternative. (I know, right?) But fashion? I don’t get it. Even little-kid fashion. In fact, I was in Macy’s yesterday with all four Kids, and I had gag-reflex issues with the little girl shirts. Not all of them, just the ones in neon colors with what looked like paint splattered over a silk-screened animal head.* Hellllllooooooo, 1984. The fashion flashbacks were appalling. Skin-crawlingly so. (And not only because I wore that shirt, but because I probably had the whole themed set.)

Kid 3 was entranced. “Look at all these cute clothes,” she crooned. She really did. Maybe it’s because we don’t live within normal daily driving distance of a mall, and she’s very seldom been inside one. Maybe because she’s the poster child for hand-me-downs. Maybe because her new clothes all get picked for her (by me) in an effort at the beauty of “cheap and reusable.” Maybe she’s showing (heaven forbid) an innate sense of style. But she was in heaven and not at all amused when we went to the old lady section to look at dresses. (Which was a bust, by the way. No such luck.)

So here’s what I’ve discovered about me, you know, fashionwise. I need time to get on a bandwagon. Years, maybe. Part of that is my cheapness – I don’t want to invest in a trend that won’t last past this season (and how do I know this? I don’t. Also, I’m learning not to care, too much). But a bigger part is just not knowing how I feel about _____ until I’ve had some time to digest it a little. I read books several times, to be sure which parts I love best. I re-make (and edit) recipes over and over and over to find the just-perfect blend. Also with books, the really popular series ones, I often wait for several volumes before I’ll go ahead and read, not just so I don’t have to wait for the next installment, but so I can hear the buzz and decide if the second, fourth, sixth books stand up to the hype. So it is with clothes: I need to see if I’m going to still like it in a month or next spring.

Next, I know my limitations, figurewise. Fashion is about waiflike tall women without hips. I am not those women. I think I hit thirty about the same time I realized that no matter how cute the fashion, if it doesn’t work on my body, it’s a large waste of dollars. I am not a girl who can wear a drop-waist shirt or dress. Ever. The end. And anything made to highlight cleavage? Not for me. Pleats? Of the devil. And don’t even get me started on skinny jeans.

Color may be my friend, but I’m shy around it. Do you have friends that make you feel like this? My closet is strangely imbalanced in the direction of brown, black and gray. But I’m trying. I am.

Patterns? Shudder. Love them on other people. I do. Bright, patterny clothes are excellent. On you. My face isn’t interesting enough to compete. The patterny clothes in my closet get worn most often by Kid 1.

But do you know what I do well? Accessorize. I love me some earrings. And long, dangly necklaces. And scarves. And jackets. And shoes. Oh, shoes. Not that I give in to that particular love very often – because I don’t. But the love is there.

Are we done here? Because what I’m saying, really, is that I don’t know anything about Fashion, but I’m finding my Style. It’s a work in progress (one that’s a little jeans-and-T-shirts heavy most days), but it’s coming. And I’m not in a hurry.

*A horse’s head, covered in splatters of neon paint? “The Godfather,” anyone? Seriously? Go to the mattresses. (Disclaimer: I read the book. A long time ago. I do not recommend it. Also, I’ve seen this scene, and a few others, not the whole film. Again, do not recommend it. “I knew it was you.” Okay, maybe I recommend it, if you can get an edited version, one they’d show on an airplane. Ooooh. Another blog post is brewing…)

—

[1] We’ll do this periodically throughout the month, because I am lazy. And revising. And occasionally funny, at least in the past.

Mozart’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra #26
Cake’s “Frank Sinatra”
Goo Goo Dolls’ “I Wanna Get Married”
The Cardigans’ “Love Fool”
Aretha’s “RESPECT”

You never know when that information is going to come in handy. And that, my friends, is precisely how I am Here For You.

You’re welcome. Happy Monday.

(Don’t forget to show up here on Wednesday. Because we have the fabulous, brilliant, lovely Ally Condie returning for a second interview, and I’m totally giving you a chance to win CROSSED. Already have one? Have another. Want to know how many copies are in my shelves? Or, just wait. Many, many more prizes throughout February. But our Ally is first. So get here.)

But somehow, when the thing you want to accomplish is Bigger than You, is full of life and emotion, then you have to be a Dreamer.

My Husband is one of those. A Dreamer of Epic Proportions. And I want to tell you about his latest dream. He has a beautiful, inspiring, fill-your-heart and flex-your-muscles kind of story to tell. And he is really, really good at telling these kinds of stories. He’s good at finding and writing them. He’s great at putting together a production team to execute them. He has a gift, is what I’m telling you. And with the help of KickStarter, he has a chance to tell THIS truly amazing story.

It’s not really a football story, even though it is. It’s not really a special-needs story, even though it is. It’s really, really a Stick-To-It story. A Never-Say-Never story. A You-Can-Do-This story. And it’s a great one. And he’s using this cool program to get it off the ground, turning it into a community effort. And it’s Bowl Season, so the timing is excellent, right? So if you want to, if you feel like it, stop over and pledge a little something. [1]

—

[1] KickStarter is cool. They’ll ask for your credit card, but nothing gets charged until the whole project funds, so… you know. And also? Thanks for listening.

Oh. I do.

For a lot of years, I have been a vocal proponent of email over telephone. Because, hey — if I can give you the information you requested at your ungodly hour (any time after 10:00 p.m.) at my own ungodly hour (between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m.) then everyone wins. And I love when everyone wins.

But text? Oh, text. I love you. And I would love to kiss the face of the clever person who invented you.

Here’s why.

I love my Kids. So much. And as they get older, they still like me, too. But they spend a lot more time away from here than they used to. I love to be able to sneak my way into their lives for a quick moment, whenever I feel like it, just to tell them something that started as a normal mom-message and was auto-corrected into the most bizarre mystery of the day.[1] Some day I’ll share with you some of the intended vs. received messages we’ve done lately. Proofreaders, beware. It may be painful. [2]

Also, I love that people can tell me something really fast, in not-very-many-words, and I can respond or not, as the mood strikes me.

And it’s instant (unless you have the Wrong Phone Plan, as I once did, when messages would arrive 24 hours later… but we remedied that by having Kid 2 take my phone to DC with her and leave it there. Forever. At Arlington Cemetery, because we’re nothing if not appropriate.)

And people are clever and send texts that make me laugh.

And we all know how I love to laugh.

Also I love love notes, in the middle of meetings (mine or Husband’s).

And saying, ‘Hey, Kid, I’m here to pick you up,’ without getting out of the air-conditioned car.

And the messages that say, “I’m inside the store. What do you need?” Oh, I love those.

Not to even mention emoticons, of which there are more than I would ever care to try to learn. My favorite is this one ;>}. (the ever-popular “winking face with beak, smirk, and chin-mole”) or this one .{<; (“upside-down winking face with beak, smirk, and chin-mole” which carries a bit more of the sinister with it…)

HEY! LET’S HAVE A CONTEST! Comment with your best emoticon. And a description of what it is. Do it. You know you want to. I’ll send the winner a book. (One I wrote, your choice.) [4]

Don’t you love it when I let my stream of consciousness dictate my blog posts?

So anyway, today I shall virtually kiss the face of the inventor of TEXT MESSAGING. Ready?

:*

*Mwah*

(And one for reals - a kiss IRL, if you will...)

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[1] I am well aware that the iPhone is too much tech for me. I know it. This knowledge does not make me love it any less.

[2] Because, really? Who puts the “send” button right where the delete key goes? Who? Who does that? Nobody who’s getting his face kissed, that’s who. [3]

[3]… but wouldn’t it be ironic if that was the same guy who invented texting? Wouldn’t it?

[4] United States or Canada only. Contest closes Sunday at midnight (hahahahahah!) or when I get up early on Monday morning. Winner will be chosen by a panel of experts (who live in my house).

Last night I did the Valentine’s dinner, with a little something that was each person’s favorite. That by no means should be misinterpreted to say that everyone liked everything on the table. But everyone ate. And everyone loves stuffed mushrooms. Isn’t that funny?

So while Kids and Husband cleaned up dinner, I snuck upstairs and finished up the object lesson for Family Night. Which went a little something like this.

I put 5 wrapped gifts on the ottoman that serves as coffee table/laundry central. They all had the same wrapping paper (plain white – who knew such a thing was possible?) and a different ribbon (so I could remember what was inside). Then I told everyone to pick one. To pick THE BEST one for them.

Grabbery ensued.

Not really. They all picked until there was only one left, which Kid 4 gave to Husband. Then I asked them how they chose. One kid said that this bow was the best color. So I said, “Good. You chose based on appearance. Okay.” Which made her glance around with a perfect, guilty look on her face. Someone else said, “This one is the one everyone would have chosen if I hadn’t chosen it first.” And I said, “Good. You chose what would make everyone else jealous.” Then, “This one was closest to me.” Which I loved, because it let me say, “Oh, great. I’m glad you didn’t have to do any work for yours.” Husband said, “I didn’t choose.” “Okay. Complacency. Excellent.”

Within two minutes I had them all rethinking their choice.

Ha.

Then I said, “What kind of information would make you sure your choice was right? What if I told you that one of these things cost very little money? One I had to go a specific place to find. One, I searched and searched for. One I could get anywhere. One of these things wouldn’t do most of you any good.” But I didn’t tell them which. I let them sweat for another few minutes. It was great to see them worried about their decision.

Then I brought it home. I told them that Heavenly Father wants to give them gifts. He has gifts for them, and knows what is best. He’s ready to tell them which gifts are best for them if they’re willing to listen.

Then I asked Kid 3 if she would pass her gift over to Kid 1. She did, and was left empty-handed for a minute. I said maybe three more thoughtful things about the Lord’s good gifts (including the part about how sometimes it may feel like everyone has a gift but you, and you need to trust that there is enough to go around) and then orchestrated the hand-off. Everyone was left holding the proper gift, I told them again that God wants to give them the gifts that are right for each of them right now, and let them open their Valentine’s presents.

And there was much rejoicing.

Hey, it doesn’t happen often*, but when it works, we rejoice.

*Clarification: Family Night happens often. Every Monday night. Successful object lessons? Much harder to come by.

I "borrowed" this perfect image from Ally's blog.

Do you know what day this is? Do you? It’s November 30th, the day MATCHED by Ally Condie is finally released to all of us mere mortals. People have been talking about this book. Lots of people. Lots of talking.

The Wall Street Journal said THIS.

Entertainment Weekly said THIS.

Publishers Weekly?  Kirkus? Booklist?

Kirkus, Starred Review–”Condie peels back layer after dystopic layer at breakneck speed, Dylan Thomas reverberating throughout. If the Society’s at war, who’s the enemy? Of the three tablets carried by everyone, what does the red one do? …A fierce, unforgettable page-turner in its own right.”

Publisher’s Weekly, Starred Review. –”Condie’s enthralling and twisty dystopian plot is well served by her intriguing characters and fine writing. While the ending is unresolved (the book is first in a trilogy), Cassia’s metamorphosis is gripping and satisfying.”

Booklist. –”The stunning clarity and attention to detail in Condie’s Big Brother–like world is a feat. Some readers might find the Society to be a close cousin of Lois Lowry’sdystopian future in The Giver (1993), with carefully chosen work placements, constant monitoring, andpills for regulating emotional extremes. However, the author just as easily tears this world apart while deftly exploring the individual cost of societal perfection and the sacrifices inherent in freedom of choice.”

The Independent Booksellers of Indie Next?

I know, right? It’s a big, big deal.

Here’s what I want to tell you about the book. It is lovely. Lyrical. Elegant. Exciting. Intriguing. Cerebral. (I work really hard not to be spoilery around here, and it may happen that I don’t tell you anything about the book at all. That is not my intention. Just want to whet your whistle, so to speak.) Characters (especially Cassia, Ky, and Xander) are shaded, in great ways. I found myself not sure what I wanted to happen, because I wanted to sort of protect everyone from The Effects, you know? I’m giving this book my fullest recommendation. Go ahead and pick yourself up a copy or two or three.

How about one for free?

Why, sure. The generous folks at Penguin have offered two copies to people who read this here blog. I’m not kidding. If you want one, leave me a comment. We’ll do the random winner draw on Friday morning.

But Wait! There’s More!

We’ve seen how many people think MATCHED is awesome, and now I’m here to tell you how Ally is awesome. (It’s not the same thing, you know, for an author to write a fabulous book, and to be an excellent person. When it happens, it’s a lucky and wonderful coincidence. Like this one.)

Boys and girls, I’d like you to meet Ally.

Photo Credit: Brook Andreoli. Thanks, Brook!

I know. Isn’t she lovely? Ally agreed to do a little interview with me, which is so great of her, because I happen to know she’s neck-deep in Book 2 revisions. And before you read the interview, there are a couple of things I’d like you to know about Ally. She is funny. She thinks she’s not, but she’s wrong. Very funny. She has a terrific husband and three beautiful sons. She is gracious. She loves food like I love food. She is modest and humble and unassuming. She is, really, one of the loveliest women I know, and I am grateful to be able to call her my friend.

So, on to the interview:

Becca’s Question: If you had three uninterrupted hours (I know, just come with me to the land of make-believe), what would you love to do?

Ally’s Answer: *Okay, that would be awesome. Here’s what I would do:  I would go running(in the daylight!) and then I would have a really long shower. Then I would write something for fun. Then I would go to lunch with a great friend.

(Do you think she means me? I’m going to totally assume so. Feel free to assume the same.)

B: How do you quantify a good writing day? Word count? Tears produced? Kids ignored? Ache in the joints? Some other method?

A: *I like to feel like the manuscript moved forward somehow. Whether that’s writing a new scene, or deleting a bad one, or having a new idea–anything that makes me feel that progress is being made!

B: When you were seven years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? How about when you were 12?

A: *When I was seven, I wanted to be an animal protector. I don’t know what that is but it is documented in the journal my parents kept for me. When I was twelve I wanted to be a writer or a teacher.

(I love that her parents still kept a journal for her when she was seven. I should be such a mom. Also, she is a writer and a teacher – wow. What if I did what I thought I’d do when I was twelve? I wanted to be a National Geographic photographer. Yeah, not so much.)

B: Sweet or salty snacks?

A: *Sweet!

B: When you write, do you prefer music or silence?

A: *I prefer silence but I love to listen to music before I write or while I’m editing to set the mood.

B: Be honest – when you saw the mock-up for MATCHED’s cover, did you cry?

A: *No, I didn’t, but my heart started pounding and I kind of couldn’t breathe because I loved it so much.

B: What did you do to celebrate your book deal with Dutton?

A: *First, I cried. Then my husband came home and we cried and then giggled. Then we got takeout from the Bombay House and ate that and cried some more because it was so delicious. Seriously, though, it was so surprising and wonderful and overwhelming and there were a LOT of tears.

(So there are the tears. I knew they’d be there.)

B: What books did you/will you buy as gifts this year?

A: *I think everyone should have the chance to read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I have been giving away a lot of copies of both of those books and will be giving away more for Christmas!

B: Do you have a favorite film adaptation of a book?

A: *Cry, the Beloved Country. Such a great book, and the movie feels very true to it but stands on its own as well.

B: How do you relax?

A: *I love to run and read and hang out with my husband. He always makes me laugh and that really helps.

B: When will we see Books 2 and 3? And what should we call the series?

A: *The books should be released a year apart, so November 2011 for Book 2 and November 2012 for Book 3. Right now we’re calling it the Matched Trilogy, which is great, but feel free to let me know if you think of something sexier.

B: Have you put up your Christmas tree yet?

A: *Yes! It’s tilting to the side a little but it is fully decorated, mostly on the bottom half because the kids are short.

B: Do you love the travel you’ve started doing (for promo reasons)? Or does it stress you out?

A: *I love the being there part. I love being in new cities and meeting new people and talking books. But it is hard for me to leave my kids. They are still very young. Luckily, Penguin is great about working with me and they always make the time away as easy on my family as possible (they help me work around my mom’s schedule so she can always come help out with the kids; schedule things efficiently, etc.).

B: Shall we talk about Launch Parties?

A: I’m so excited because I’ve never had a launch party before and now I get to have two!

Let us party with Ally: At the King’s English Bookshop (Saturday December 4th) and the Provo Library (Tuesday December 7th) Get yourselves to Utah, friends.

And in the mean time, let’s give away books. Leave me a comment, and you’re in the game for a copy of MATCHED. Several will enter, two will win. If you live in my house, you’re out. Contest closes at midnight on Thursday (except seeing how I only stay up till 10, the contest is open until I get up about 5 on Friday). Thanks again to the generous Penguins who are donating copies of MATCHED.

And a thousand thanks to Ally for coming by on this very cold morning in the Frozen Mountaintops (negative 5 this morning – mmmm, yeah). We love you , Ally, and we can’t wait for the whole world to fall in love with Cassia, Ky, and Xander!

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(CONTEST IS CLOSED. WINNERS ARE NOTIFIED. TRY AGAIN TO WIN, OR GO BUY YOUR COPY. VISIT ALLY AT HER LAUNCH PARTIES. COME AGAIN. ANY TIME.)