Recent Posts
I don't claim to be an aficionado on anything, but I think I have a decent handle on a few great places to look for upcoming books. Obviously no one's omnipotent, but some of us have a better idea of where to look than others. Of course you can always stalk publisher websites, trolling for the newest catalog release and read authors' blogs & websites; but for the best bang-for-your-buck, my go to favorites are:
Book Divas A wonderful community for discussion, giveaways & interviews!
Book release dates at YA Lit
Shelf Awareness A daily e-mail newsletter (but you can also just look at it online) whose motto is "Daily enlightenment for the book trade." You'll find a plethora of articles about all sorts of book-related things. This is more for book sales than strictly upcoming releases.
IndieBound.org
TeenReads.com
Your local library is also a great place to find out about upcoming releases!! Most libraries order their books a few weeks to a few months in advance. As such, they can make really snazzy newsletters with the book information in them so that you know what you want to reserve before it's even released! This is my library's upcoming teen release page.
While my list is quite small, I'm always on the lookout to expand my sources. While I am on Twitter, there is so much going on that I tend to miss a lot of things because I can't possibly read every tweet. While it may work for some people, that option is kind of out for me.
What are some of your favorite places to look for upcoming book releases? Any favorite blogs, feeds, newsletters, websites, etc? Fire away in the comments!
Where do you get book news?
As developmental care in the NICU continues to become a stronger force the high noise levels are coming into question. In my research I've come across the following article that confirms this is not a new idea, "Like libraries, hospitals used to be considered quiet zones. In her 1859 book "Notes on Nursing," Florence Nightingale railed against unnecessary noise, calling it "the most cruel absence of care." The article states that hospitals use to be quiet zones but as technology rapidly advanced so did the noise. It is proven that premature babies in a NICU environment have lower stress levels, thrive, and have a shorter recovery time when they get optimal rest and uninterrupted sleep. Although a baby may not "wake up" by opening their eyes and looking up at the world around them, when beeps are constantly going off their brain patterns reflect this stress. In addition to non stop beeps you get the occasional voice that may be a little on the noisy side, crying babies who may be "rooming" in, and the loud (to the preemie anyway) tapping on the incubator. All reasons why private rooms are proving to be most beneficial for developmental care. I came across another website that sells NICU noise meters. These things are selling! The website states that, "Noise from visitors and staff is best dealt with using a device such as the SoundEar as it is not influenced by the complicated human perception of noise". This makes sense and it seems to be a simply way to keep the noise under control.
Neonatal units, like most hospital environments, tend to be very poor acoustically due to hard, reflective surfaces. Beds are often closely spaced, visitors can talk loudly (especially the younger ones) and staff have to work quickly and move equipment about. Add to this the incubators being opened and closed, occasional tapping on the lid and items dropped accidentally and the noise levels soon become unpleasant for the baby. One of the biggest culprits is the alarm, which is clearly essential, but as the background noise levels get higher the alarm has to be louder still. A quieter background allows for quieter alarms.
Another article states that, "current literature supports the theory that neonates, particularly premature infants, are not sensory deprived but receive a bombardment of large amounts of stimulation. This stimulation is often noxious in nature and contributes to "overload." This article written in 2011 continues on to explain a study conducted where the NICU staff was educated on noise reduction and forced to change their speaking habits to be lower. In addition monitors were turned down and clipboards were not allowed to be placed on or near incubators. When comparing the data from before the study and after, they found the decibels decreased from an average of 70 dB to 68 dB in the NICU environment. Although, this is only 3 points it represents a 50 percent reduction of perceived noise intensity to a sick baby. These are great results. They continue on to state, "clearly, there are obvious benefits of reducing noise in the NICU. Decreased noise helps to improve infants' physiological stability and growth, the inci-dence/severity of hearing loss may be reduced, as well as long-term perceptual difficulties. A quieter, more nurturing NICU environment helps support the development of a well-regulated infant behavioral state. Moreover, noise reduction can promote infants' bonding with relatives and extend parent visitation. Additionally, staff members directly benefit, with the possibility of stress reduction." I think what is most interesting about the study is that these are very simple cost efficient changes that can be made and they are having a positive impact on the babies' development. Even in a semi-quiet NICU environment, like I would compare mine to, positive changes can me implemented. I distinctly remember numerous times a false alarm was sounding and a nurse let it go on for longer than it should have because she A) knew it was false and B) was busy with something else. In the womb a fetus is only exposed to low frequency sounds then when they come out they are then exposed to high frequency. If we could bring down all noise levels, even talk in a lower tone consistently, it seems it would be more comparable to the womb. It may get to a point where it seems extreme, especially when you are in the NICU environment all day long, working and parenting, but if the obvious goal is for these babies to thrive, develop at the fastest rate possible, and decrease the time they have to be in the hospital, as time goes on we may witness more and more noise control. Shhh!! You are about to enter a quiet zone....
References:
http://speech-language-pathology-audiology.advanceweb.com/Article/Noise-in-the-NICU.aspx
http://www.noisemeters.com/product/soundear/neonatal.asp
Noise in The NICU
Barbara La Marr,
Cecil B. DeMille,
Clark Gable,
Irving Thalberg,
Jean Harlow,
Joan Crawford,
Loretta Young,
Paul Bern,
Wallace Reid,
William DeMille,
William Haines
Adoption seems to be a popular sport among today's celebrity elite. Sometimes a famous lady or gent has simply gotten impatient while waiting for Mr. or Ms. Right and decides to start a family on his or her own. Other times, a svelte actress may opt to visit the orphanage to protect her figure instead of having babes the ol' fashioned way. Then, of course, there is option three, wherein certain celebs become invested in a strange, maternal gluttony-- a la Mia Farrow or Angelina Jolie-- and keep adding to their litter like bitches in heat without the heat. (I suppose all the extra nannies help). Adoption in Hollywood is not a new phenomenon, however. Joan Crawford accrued a tally of four lucky (if you ask the younger two) or unlucky (if you ask the elder two) tots, and Cecil B. DeMille had only one legitimate daughter (Cecilia) before adding on another three, due to his wife's charitable love of children and alleged distaste of the marital bed. This brings me to the point of today's segment: those mysterious, adopted children who suspiciously resemble their new parents. Coincidence? Perhaps. But Scandal is much easier (and more fun) to believe and, in Hollywood, almost always true.
Returning to Cecil, he had an older brother, William (left), who was also a director. The two were very close and mutually respected each other. While Cecil went on to be a much more famous and powerful man in the business, he still looked up to and admired his big bro. Perhaps this is why, when Bill ran into a little trouble, Cecil was all too ready to offer his help. See, William had married Anna George in 1903. This, however, didn't stop him from having a few extramarital dalliances, including one with writer Lorna Moon. This affair led to the birth of a son, Richard, in 1922. In order to save his marriage and to save the child from an unknown fate, William asked Cecil to adopt the child as his own, so at least William could watch him grow up. Cecil agreed to the request, since he had already adopted two other children, John and Katherine DeMille. Cecil was known for having trysts of his own, most particularly with writer Jeanie Macpherson, actress Julia Faye, and secretary Gladys Rosson, though aside from Julia he never dabbled with his actresses, sensing the danger it would cause on the set. For this reason, Cecil held no judgement against his brother, and took on the task of raising Richard and supporting Lorna until her death of tuberculosis in 1930. It was publicly stated that the child was abandoned and left inside Cecil's car and that he took it in. This and Cecil's own checkered romantic life raised many eyebrows, and it was often incorrectly speculated that Richard was his own child. The only two people who supposedly knew the truth were the two brothers. Cecil kept the secret until after Bill's death, when, as agreed, he told Richard about his true parentage. This brought forth a rush of understanding on Richard's part, who, though always treated with the same love and tenderness as the other kids, suddenly understood both his uncanny feelings of somehow being "apart" from the rest of his family and his strange attachment to his mysterious Uncle Bill. However, it never changed his relationship with CB, who continued to treat him as his own son.
A sudden and questionable bundle of joy also arrived in (William) Wallace Reid's life in 1922. Wally (right) was the All American Boy whom no woman could resist, as many women of his time could attest. After successfully wooing and wedding actress Dorothy Davenport, the two became the delighted parents of Bill, Jr, Wally's pride and joy. However, as time wore on and the marriage cooled, Wally's hijinks and shenanigans did not. Living a fast-paced and debaucherous life as one of the most desired men in American-- and even the world-- this superstar found it hard to resist the temptations that came with fame and fortune. Of course, his outward bravado also hid a sensitive and somewhat sad overgrown boy who was constantly searching for comfort, whether it be in inebriation or the arms of an all too inviting woman. As such, it is rumored that Wally fathered a child out of wedlock with an extra girl, who appeared on his doorstep and begged his wife Dorothy to take the baby girl in as her own. Whether or not these are the exact circumstances is unknown, but Wally and Dorothy did adopt daughter Betty Anna Mummert in 1922. It is said that Wally, who loved being a father, adored her just as dearly as his "legitimate son," so much so that if anyone insinuated or mentioned the fact that she was adopted, Wally's eyes would turn red with anger. He could be seen playing with his two tots in his backyard on DeLongpre, where they enjoyed splashing around in the family's fashionable swimming pool. Many would recall the strange resemblance Betty had with her adopted father and sibling Bill, and it is also recorded that she inherited some of Wally's more tortured mental traits. After Wally died as a result of his morphine addiction in 1923, Betty would live for another fifty years, having become estranged from her remaining family. If she was in fact his true daughter, all concerned took that information to their graves.
Barbara La Marr (left) also allegedly adopted her own child in 1923. This task was much more daunting for a female, since she could not simply take on the child after its birth as the father could, but had to carry it to term without raising attention. Since producer Paul Bern had been pining away for Barbara for some time, and the newborn seemed to bear a slight resemblance to him, many opined that it was indeed his child. However, this throws a wrench in all of the rumors built up around Paul, which include the theory that he had infantile sex organs and was unable to pleasure future wife Jean Harlow, (coincidentally leading to his mysterious "suicide"). If in fact this whole story about Paul's anatomy was a fabrication concocted by Mayer to cover up Bern's mysterious death, his possible paternity of Barbara's child also begs the question why he wouldn't marry her when she became pregnant, since one hears nothing but how infatuated he was with her. It is possible that she simply turned him down, as she was not in love with him. (There were additional stories that Bern tried to drown himself in his own toilet when Barbara broke things off. Clearly, this was either an incredibly unstable man or one whose memory people loved to desecrate). In any case, the child is popularly believed to be Barbara's own, one that she placed in an orphanage temporarily to complete the ruse. Though the child's true father is unknown, there is another papa possibility- William Haines-- who was a constant "friend with benefits" to Barbara at this time.
But, the most famous case of celebrity "adoption" is the story of Judy Lewis (Mary Judith Clark), who was adopted by her own mother Loretta Young in 1937 (both pictured right). This one gets even juicier because not only was this lovely girl the offspring of one of the most gorgeous and powerful women in Hollywood, but her true father was none other than the King himself, Clark Gable. When Clark and Loretta met and began work on Call of the Wild, it wasn't long before the sparks started to fly, and Loretta's high Christian morals were soon overcome by Clark's charms. The two entered into an affair, he still being wed to Ria Langham at this point. Loretta, to her own shock and shame, became pregnant. Of course, there was no way to solve this disgraceful problem except to have the child aborted, which is what the studio wanted in order to protect both of their stars' images. However, Loretta's faith would not allow her to do so, so she concocted a plan: she would "take ill" in Venice Beach until the baby was born (on November 6, 1935) and place it in an orphanage (St. Elizabeth's Infant Hospital for unwed mothers) with the understanding that she would return within a matter of months to adopt it. With the help of Irving Thalberg, this is exactly what she did.
Of course, everyone in Hollywood knew the real story, but for the press, Loretta went on the with act-- perhaps the best of her career. Clark made a few visits to mother and daughter after the birth, and by Nov. 30, Loretta gave her first interview, sans child, about how she had completely recuperated from her illness. Judy remained well taken care of, basically sitting in wait for her mother to return to her, which she did after a year and a half. The world bought the whole story, however, the secret became more difficult to hide as Judy aged. Not only did she resemble her mother greatly, but she had also inherited her father's trademark ears, which Loretta kept firmly hidden underneath a bonnet until she was forced to have them surgically pinned back. Later, after being prodded by a friend at school with the curiosity, Judith asked her mother why, if she were adopted, the two should look so alike? Loretta fumbled for an answer, stating that it was simply that they had spent so much time together and used the same mannerisms and way of speaking, etc. When the truth came out in Judy's early twenties, and Loretta was finally forced to confess to her daughter, she became so overwrought that she rushed to the restroom and threw up. Loretta had been tortured by both her love of Judith and her knowledge that she was the result of outright "sin." For Judith's part, once she knew and accepted the truth, she said that it made her feel whole for the first time in her life. And while her sketchy history and upbringing has become the stuff of Hollywood legend, she remains secure in herself and proud of both parents, despite their naughty, naughty ways. (Judy shows her resemblance to both parents, with mother Loretta, left).
There are certainly more stories from whence these dollops came, but uncovering them all would take a large chunk of time. The sad truth is that in these studio days, when celebrities were looked up to as Gods, it was intolerable for them to commit human errors. Many adhered to studio regulations when being punished for their immoral crimes, hence the number of "appendectomies" that female stars had to undergo. (Marlene Dietrich once quipped that abortion was the only studio supported method of birth control). For some, like the aforementioned, who chose to bravely go against the grain and have their children against studio objection, they still had to sacrifice honesty for a continued life of fame and fortune. Since most people in the community knew the truth, it makes one wonder why people chose to wear the facade of morality when all concerned knew that it was a facade. Between the shame of studio condemnation and the knowledge that a pious audience may too turn their backs on them, these players were forced to keep up the ruse and maintain their pristine reputations. As always, The Greatest Show on Earth takes place behind the cameras.
Cecil ponders: how am I gonna pull this one over???
Dorothy, Wally, Betty, and Bill, Jr.
Clark and Loretta adhere to the Call of the Wild...
and pay for it 9 months later.
There are certainly more stories from whence these dollops came, but uncovering them all would take a large chunk of time. The sad truth is that in these studio days, when celebrities were looked up to as Gods, it was intolerable for them to commit human errors. Many adhered to studio regulations when being punished for their immoral crimes, hence the number of "appendectomies" that female stars had to undergo. (Marlene Dietrich once quipped that abortion was the only studio supported method of birth control). For some, like the aforementioned, who chose to bravely go against the grain and have their children against studio objection, they still had to sacrifice honesty for a continued life of fame and fortune. Since most people in the community knew the truth, it makes one wonder why people chose to wear the facade of morality when all concerned knew that it was a facade. Between the shame of studio condemnation and the knowledge that a pious audience may too turn their backs on them, these players were forced to keep up the ruse and maintain their pristine reputations. As always, The Greatest Show on Earth takes place behind the cameras.
MENTAL MONTAGE: Who's Your Daddy?
Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week I am anxiously awaiting the newest novel by Sarah Dessen: What Happened to Goodbye. It is scheduled for release in just 2 short weeks on May 10! The synopsis is rather mysterious.
I have to admit that not long ago, I was an anti-Sarah Dessen reader. Her books sounded very flippant & far too romantic for my tastes. I am obviously proof that our reading habits change. The first novel of Sarah's I ever read is still by far one of my favorites. Along for the Ride was deeper than I thought it would be & so much more than I expected! This newest book seems to have some of the same qualities. Mclean sounds like a very self-sufficient kind of gal with a "let's make this work" attitude. I'm quite anxious to see it live up to my hopes!
What are you waiting on this week?
This week I am anxiously awaiting the newest novel by Sarah Dessen: What Happened to Goodbye. It is scheduled for release in just 2 short weeks on May 10! The synopsis is rather mysterious.
Another town. Another school. Another Mclean. Ever since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her father have been fleeing their unhappy past. And Mclean's become a pro at reinventing herself with each move. But in Lakeview, Mclean finds herself putting down roots and making friends—in part, thanks to Dave, the most real person Mclean's ever met. Dave just may be falling in love with her, but can he see the person she really is? Does Mclean herself know?
From Goodreads
I have to admit that not long ago, I was an anti-Sarah Dessen reader. Her books sounded very flippant & far too romantic for my tastes. I am obviously proof that our reading habits change. The first novel of Sarah's I ever read is still by far one of my favorites. Along for the Ride was deeper than I thought it would be & so much more than I expected! This newest book seems to have some of the same qualities. Mclean sounds like a very self-sufficient kind of gal with a "let's make this work" attitude. I'm quite anxious to see it live up to my hopes!
What are you waiting on this week?
Waiting on Wednesday: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
The Teen's Top Ten nominees have been announced & there are some very exciting nominees this year. First, a little history. Every year, YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Association) polls 16 book clubs around the country about what books they think should make the list of the best teen books published in the last year. The nominees are announced on Support Teen Literature Day during National Library Week in April & the voting takes from late August to early September. The winners are announced during Teen Read Week, which will be October 16-22 this year & have the theme Picture It @ your library.
This year there are 25 nominees that teens (12-18) can vote on between August 22nd and September 16th. If you want more information on any of these events, please visit the YALSA website.
The 2011 nominees are:
Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Drought by Pam Bachorz
I Am J by Cris Beam
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
Lies by Michael Grant
Love, Inc by Yvonne Collins
Matched by Ally Condie
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Red Moon Rising by Peter Moore
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
The False Princess by Ellis O'Neal
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin
Zombies vs. Unicorns by Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
See some familiar names up there? That's because in order to be nominated, the book has to have been released within the last year, so some of them have been out for a bit. Because I like to read as many of them as possible so that I can recommend them to my teens during the summer and fall to gear up for voting, I thought it would be fun to make it into a challenge to see who else would like to join me! Since I'm (sadly) over 18, I can't vote, but I still feel like a part of it all when I read the books. There are 3 different levels to the challenge.
Wallet: Reading 1-8 books
Frame: Reading 9-17 books
Canvas: Reading 18-26 books
Get it, "Picture It" & picture sizes? I'm a dork, I know.
There will be book pack prizes for completion! If you complete the challenge by September 16th then you be entered to win a prize pack of books. There will be 1 winner in each category. Please let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!
P.S. No you don't have to leave a comment after linking, but they're always welcome!
2011 Teens' Top Ten Reading Challenge!
Invincible is the second book in the Chronicles of Nick series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. As such, there may be spoilers in this review for the first book Infinity.So after saving the world from the nerd-induced, zombie-apocalypse Nick Gautier was really hoping that his life could go back to normal. Or, at least, as normal as a mostly human teenager's life can be. With all the new abilities he's learning, Nick is finding it harder & harder to determine who to trust. His mysterious Uncle Ambrose is a little too close for comfort, his life-defending demon Caleb has a nasty temper & even Death himself is teaching Nick new tricks, at a cost unknown to Nick.
Despite all these new preternatural events going on in his life, including the discovery of just how many of his classmates are "unique", Nick still has his real life mess to deal with. His overly-protective mother just started a new job at the local preternatural bar Sanctuary & decides to move them out of their crummy condo & into a nicer place. Also, Nick finally gets to go on a date with new girl Kody. The most mundane thing that happens to Nick is the new football coach picks him to rejoin the team. Or at least, Nick thought it was mundane. The new coach is weird in a different way. He wants Nick to steal personal items for him or else. And with teenage boys from his school dying left & right, Nick is tempted to do as he's told. But this Cajun's got a fightin' streak in him that a UFC fighter would envy.
This book picks up exactly where Infinity left off & hits the ground running. Since there isn't much back story to rehash, we can step right back into the action with Nick. He's learning to harness his powers & rein them in because they seem to be getting him in trouble everywhere he goes. I have to say that I liked watching Nick grow in both his human & preternatural forms. He got to experience some very human firsts (first date, first kiss, first torn-between-to-things, etc) that I think are key in teenage development. I would have worried had he gone much longer without those experiences. He is also learning to channel his powers & control them rather than the other way around. He also learns a lot about himself, like his potentials & his weaknesses, that I think will become a greater part of the story as we move forward.
The writing style continues to be very fluid & amusing with just the right amount of humor & wit. While it seemed a bit predictable (not in what necessarily was going to happen, but in how it would all play out) I still enjoyed the ride & I think that is what makes this such a wonderfully pleasant read.
Pick it up & take a peak (after you read Infinity of course) & let me know your thoughts!
Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Nick Gautier is one of the cockiest, most smart mouthed 14 year old in all of New Orleans. Or at least he thinks he is. The son of a teen mother & death-row inmate, Nick hasn't hasn't had the easiest of lives, but that doesn't change this Cajun's fiery attitude. He would lay his life down to defend his mother & wants nothing more than to become the man worthy of her praises.Unfortunately there are things lurking in New Orleans that have always been on the periphery, that are now attracted to Nick like bees to honey. Every crazy creature from every horror movie ever created, and some new ones to boot, are coming after him & his friends. Some of them have been sent for nefarious reasons & others are renegade agents accidentally created by a nerd trying to avoid being bullied.
As Nick sinks deeper into the new New Orleans, he's learning more about himself & his friends than he ever expected. Those closest to you are your most dangerous enemies & strangers' kindness always comes with strings attached. Can Nick hold his ground or will he have to give an inch to gain a mile?
While I must admit that overall I did like this story, there is absolutely no denying that this book was written by someone accustomed to writing adult, romance novels. Nick Gautier is one of the more intriguing "human" characters in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters series. As such, he was created in an adult world. Despite the fact that she is now going back & writing his back story for teens, she can't very well change his lineage as it already exists. Therefore, Nick's mom is a Bourbon Street stripper & his father is a homicidal death row inmate. There are also some phrasing choices & references that some more reserved readers may cringe at, but nothing overly imposing.
All that being said, I really loved the feeling of New Orleans in this book. Sherrilyn really captures the city's majesty & essence while also managing to capture the more struggling side of life. There is something about a "Cinderella" story, rising to greatness from the lowest depths, that I find truly compelling & masterful. Sherrilyn manages to combine all of these elements together in a truly astounding way that is still so very relative.
My absolute favorite character in this story is Bubba. A backwater, zombie-hunting, Oprah-watching redneck who owns a computer repair/gun shop, he is a main source of information on the preternatural & Nick's unofficial guide while he's learning to navigate in this new dark world.
A fun read, with creative flair, Infinity is the beginning of a series I intend to keep an eye on.
One last thing, if you've never checked out Sherrilyn's website, you really should. She has so much information on all her series & characters. Be forewarned though, since there is some crossover between the adult & teen series, there are spoilers in the adult profiles. The niftiest part I found on Nicky's profile was his 10 Things to Know About Me:
1. I was born standing standing up and talking back
2. Cajun born and bred
3. My fave haunts are Mulates and Cafe Du Monde where my mom takes me after work.
4. I live for Zydeco and good gumbo.
5. I really want a gaming system, but we can't afford it.
6. I don't like authority and it doesn't like me.
7. Bubba is one of my best friends.
8. Rich man's gumbo is when the meat is actually bought in a store.
9. Schools and prisons. Both are institutions with people who want to abuse you where you're confined to little rooms.
10. Manga. The new drug.
2. Cajun born and bred
3. My fave haunts are Mulates and Cafe Du Monde where my mom takes me after work.
4. I live for Zydeco and good gumbo.
5. I really want a gaming system, but we can't afford it.
6. I don't like authority and it doesn't like me.
7. Bubba is one of my best friends.
8. Rich man's gumbo is when the meat is actually bought in a store.
9. Schools and prisons. Both are institutions with people who want to abuse you where you're confined to little rooms.
10. Manga. The new drug.
Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Bugsy Siegel,
Cecil B. DeMille,
Daeida Wilcox,
Debbie Reynolds,
Frank Baum,
Harvey Wilcox,
William Mulholland
Don't mind if I do...
The thing about Hollywood is that it's very much alive, even while being haunted. In truth, despite all of the sordidness and usary, the hypocrisy and superficiality, you kind of can't help loving this city. I guess what it all comes down to is that, while I myself often can't stand what Hollywood currently stands for, I still marvel at what it was built upon. Vision, integrity, imaginiation, grit, artistry, beauty, determination-- these things all came together inexplicably when man embraced his latest invention and found himself encroaching on modern genius. This is why Hollywood will forever have my heart, and while I cynically enjoy driving down the paved streets in need of serious repair, past the electric lights pointing me toward the nearest bar, strip joint, or medical marijuanna emporium (which are sprouting up everywhere like... weeds), there is something equally yet contradictorally invigorating about the open landscapes and unknown wildernesses that indicate what once was-- the Hollywood that Cecil B. DeMille stumbled upon in 1914 after he overruled AZ as the shooting locale of The Squaw Man.
Original Stone Gate at the Hollywood Entryway.
The real estate development venture known as Hollywoodland still exists. This is a fact that I myself did not know. I assumed that whatever properties had once been established by Harvey and Daeida Wilcox had long since been demolished and buried beneath the latest architectural ventures Los Angeles has had to offer. However, on a whim, and with a little luck from Living Social, I encountered a tour meant to take me on a narrated hike around the Hollywood sign. Twenty bucks later, I found myself walking up Beachwood Canyon into a small, tucked away neighborhood known as Hollywoodland. My jaw dropped, my eyes bulged, and I very nearly kissed the pavement beneath me when my brain accepted what my eyes were seeing, but I stilled myself for fear of frightening the other hikers.
Site of today's Hollywoodland Realty.
Yes, H-land is still very much alive, and despite the array of modern cars lining the streets, it remains very much untouched by time. Upon entering the stone entryway, complete with turrets and a large clock, one will see the Village Coffee Shop (great Eggs Benedict, left) and the local market, where a scene from Invasion of the Body Snatchers was filmed. A few small shops and private businesses greet the eye, and then a slew of streets take one up into the hills above Hollywood. Of course, there have been modern renovations and new homes built, but many of the buildings are reminiscent of or actually are the original structures regimented by the original neighborhood rules: homeowners were once given a choice of French Normandy, English Tudor, Mediterranean Revival, or Spanish Revival styles of design.
Example of classic architecture and original
supporting stone walls.
When walking up Ledgewood, one can get pretty close to the notorious Hollywood sign, and on the hike up I was too able to spot an interesting bit of property known as The Garden of Oz. Since Frank Baum was an early resident in Hollywood, and his The Wizard of Oz went onto become one of the greatest films of all time, it makes sense that there be a little tribute to him. I'm not sure what the whole story is, and the doors were locked, so I couldn't go inside, but I got a peek. Inside the closed gates there seemed to be a child-sized world resembling Willy Wonka's chocolate factory-- minus the chocolate. It appears to be private property accessible only to the neighborhood children, who each have a key.
The Garden of Oz.
Perhaps the most surprising moment was when I laid my eyes on Hollywoodland's greatest secret-- Lake Hollywood. Man-made by engineer William Mulholland, this vessel holds 2.5 billion gallons of water and once kept nearby inhabitants very hydrated during the hot and dry summer months, (we all know Los Angeles isn't known for its rain). Begun in 1923 and finished in 1925, it used to be a very popular swimming hole for local residents and sunbathers. It is still there, visible, but untouchable and off limits after the disaster of 9/11.
Lake Hollywood
Different homes were also pointed out on the tour: one that belonged to both Madonna and Bugsy Siegel (Castillo de Lago- Wolf's Lair), one that belonged to Debbie Reynolds, but the most interesting and lasting structures are perhaps the still remaining, original staircases (right) that early residents used to climb the vast hills of their neighborhood. It really puts things in perspective when you realize that people didn't always have the privileges we take for granted today: paved roads, cars, and highways that can take us up and over anything in a few minutes. There are several steps still around, but you have to look a little bit to find them. Surmounting them makes you realize why everyone was in much better shape in the days of yesteryear. Many people use the stairs today to exercise. One staircase in particular had a counter at the top, so joggers could keep track of their laps-- aka insanity.
Original Staircase Marker.
At the end of my two hour hike, I was sad to leave. This small little gem, tucked away in the hills behind Franklin, felt much more like Hollywood to me than today's Hollywood, which is loud, littered, and overcrowded. Standing back and over the city on Mt. Lee and taking a glimpse at all of the structures we have built, the bright lights, and the social achievement is one thing, but there is something even more interesting about turning in the opposite direction and facing only green hills and rugged terrain. One direction is this city's past; one is its present. If you are ever in the area and are bored or in the need of a little mental and physical exercise, I suggest you take the hike up to Hollywoodland. It is truly wonderful that this small patch of earth remains somehow untainted and pure. As the starting point for all that Hollywood has become, it remains the still beating heart from which the unruly Los Angeles spread out to take over the world. Just dallying around and grabbing a cup o' joe, you can feel the nostagia and reminisce about the way we were and how amazing it is that such a great something came from a little nothing. But, I guess that is the story of all America. While others will surely extol the praises of their own hometown or self-proclaimed favorite city, I can not part from mine. I guess I left my heart in Hollywood.
Hollywoodland was but one of many signs that went up (in 1928)
to mark regional real estate development sectors, yet it is the
only one that remains, thanks to the movies.
If you're in town and want to take a great tour through the hills around the Hollywood sign, go to LA Active Adventures.
Hahaha, oh Hollywood...
HOT SPOTS in CA: Hollywoodland
Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week I am very interested in the April 28th release of Angie Smibert's first book Memento Nora. It's being billed as a fantastical dystopian debut.
Nora, the popular girl and happy consumer, witnesses a horrific bombing on a shopping trip with her mother. In Nora’s near-future world, terrorism is so commonplace that she can pop one little white pill to forget and go on like nothing ever happened. However, when Nora makes her first trip to a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic, she learns what her mother, a frequent forgetter, has been frequently forgetting. Nora secretly spits out the pill and holds on to her memories. The memory of the bombing as well as her mother’s secret and her budding awareness of the world outside her little clique make it increasingly difficult for Nora to cope. She turns to two new friends, each with their own reasons to remember, and together they share their experiences with their classmates through an underground comic. They soon learn, though, they can’t get away with remembering.
Memento Nora website
This is a slightly different take, but it reminds me of XVI. XVI focused on consumerism & technology where this book seems to focus on consumerism & selective memory. It seems to be a very streamlined society that solves all its problems for its citizens. Those who do not confomr are in danger from the get-go. I hope it lives up to its promise. What are you waiting on this week?
This week I am very interested in the April 28th release of Angie Smibert's first book Memento Nora. It's being billed as a fantastical dystopian debut.
Nora, the popular girl and happy consumer, witnesses a horrific bombing on a shopping trip with her mother. In Nora’s near-future world, terrorism is so commonplace that she can pop one little white pill to forget and go on like nothing ever happened. However, when Nora makes her first trip to a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic, she learns what her mother, a frequent forgetter, has been frequently forgetting. Nora secretly spits out the pill and holds on to her memories. The memory of the bombing as well as her mother’s secret and her budding awareness of the world outside her little clique make it increasingly difficult for Nora to cope. She turns to two new friends, each with their own reasons to remember, and together they share their experiences with their classmates through an underground comic. They soon learn, though, they can’t get away with remembering.Memento Nora website
This is a slightly different take, but it reminds me of XVI. XVI focused on consumerism & technology where this book seems to focus on consumerism & selective memory. It seems to be a very streamlined society that solves all its problems for its citizens. Those who do not confomr are in danger from the get-go. I hope it lives up to its promise. What are you waiting on this week?
Waiting on Wednesday: Memento Nora by Angie Smibert
My name is Sarah; I am a single mother of four of the most beautiful little boys I have ever seen. And if you think its tough being a single mom of four, it was even harder getting them here!
It starts with Jaxson Gordon; born 12/11/07 at 36 wks and 2 days yet still only 4 lbs and 0.5 oz. at Madigan Army Medical Center. At 2 months I found out he had a single-umbilical artery which they knew would cause growth restriction, but then at 5 months I was diagnosed with an extreme case of pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure had been creeping up all along, (which was odd as I never had high BP before) but I went into pre-term labor this time and was hospitalized. After 24 hr urine they found my protein counts well over 500. They bumped up my blood pressure meds and started doing weekly ultrasounds and after 3 of them told me I needed to have an amino done because they feared Jaxson may have trisomy 18 otherwise known as Edwards Syndrome. Very Scary, and painful I might add! Thank god the tests came back negative, however Jaxson wasn’t growing as he should and my blood pressure kept going up as well as my protein counts. I was put on bed rest, at 32 weeks and hospital bed rest at 34 weeks.
December 10th I started getting really sick, I had horrible headaches that wouldn’t go away, I was seeing spots, and to dizzy to stand up alone. They decided to induce me and 17 hrs later I hadn’t really progressed at all and my blood pressure kept getting higher and higher. I felt like I was in a state of shock (later diagnosed as on-set eclampsia) and suddenly Jaxson dropped his heart rate to 50! They flipped me over on all fours immediately and ran me to the O.R. for a c-section. They knocked me out and took Jaxson. When he came out he was blue and wasn’t breathing-I praise God I was out for that because even the thought of him like that makes me sick. When I woke up from surgery all I wanted to do was see him, and they said I needed to try and get up and walk down there. I got up, went numb, turned white and passed out. Upon awaking from that, they kept insisting I try again but I was in so much pain it hurt to breathe! Meanwhile I’m gushing blood and still nobody will inform me of how Jax was doing! (My husband was in Iraq-I was 3000 miles from home and all alone). They were convinced my pain wasn’t that bad and made me get up again. Again I passed out. They ran tests and I had bled out- WAY too much! I received several blood transfusions and finally 2 days after he was born I felt well enough to go down and see my son. (God forbid they roll the bed down there for me to see him!) He was doing fantastic! Such a little fighter! It was love at first sight! He only spent 2 weeks in the NICU but that was long enough for me! Now my little man is 3, and very advanced for his age! He is so impressively smart everyone who meets him is amazed!
Next comes Joaquin Richard born 6/8/10 at 30 wks and 4 days at 3 lbs 10 oz at Aurora Bay Care Medical Center. With Joaquin I was 2 months along when I started seeing a specialist for early onset pre-e. I felt lousy, always with pounding headaches, seeing spots, and my vision started to go as well, I couldn’t see 10 feet in front of me without squinting really hard and even then it was tough. I was on a ton of BP meds and he just slowly increased them about every two weeks. They started weekly ultrasounds at 20 weeks as well as weekly HELLP labs and 24hr urines. June 1st I went in for my checkup and my blood pressure was 182/116 and I was hospitalized immediately. My protein levels again were very high, and I just kept getting worse and worse. June 8th my brain started to swell and I was at stroke/seizure level, so again another emergency c-section. Joaquin made no noise upon arrival which terrified me, but I did hear him cry finally as they were about to take him to the NICU. I don’t think I have ever been so scared in my life than having my son at 30 wks! Joaquin was so little-he spent time on oxygen, c-pap, canula, he had bad apnea, trouble with feedings and issues with his eyes. After 50 days in the NICU we got to bring him home! He had his issues yet and until about 5 months old didn’t seem like he had it “all together”. His eyes seem fine now, but the cups in the back of his eyes are extremely large which is a sign of glaucoma but so far so good he has passed all his tests! Joaquin is now 10 months old and mama’s “chunky monkey”! He is 19.4 lbs! Doing very well!
And last but certainly not least are my twins, Cole Philip 3 lbs 3 oz and Wyatt Christopher 3 lbs 6 oz born 2/22/11 at 31 wks and 6 days also at Aurora. This pregnancy was NOT planned and NOT expected! So much for birth control! LOL! And then finding out it was twins was even a bigger shock! Where to even start with this story…I went into a follow up appt with my specialist 12 weeks after Joaquin was born, knowing I was already pregnant. Before I told him, he told me not to have any more children and if I did to wait at least three years because my body “doesn’t like being pregnant” and I needed a great amount of healing time. Then I dropped the bomb! He put me on a baby aspirin a day (to prevent my blood from coagulating) and back on a higher dose of blood pressure pills as I hadn’t fully come off the one’s from Joaquin. I started 24 hr urines and HELLP labs every other Monday and got ultrasounds then too. Needless to say it was 2 weeks later I found out about the twins. Dr. Hayes had the biggest look of worry on him. He told me right off the bat I would probably only make it till early January (23-24 wks) at the latest and that’s if they even lived that long. I got really sick at 3 months with early on-set pre-e. I know shocker! I was put on partial bed rest and took enough pills to knock out a horse! Real fun when you have an infant and a 3 yr old at home! As time went on I lost vision almost entirely and my headaches were so painful I would throw up 3-4 times a day. At 5 months I was to be on 90% bed rest and not lift anything. I had weekly labs done and ultrasounds 2 times a week. One of those just being a Doppler to check the cord blood, because the boys weren’t growing enough and when they did I didn’t so the cords were getting kinked by them. At this point he didn’t hold out a lot of hope for them, and said it may come down to me or them. I did my best to stay strong-I was in an abusive relationship and I finally left and went to my mom’s with the kids. That took a lot of stress off of me and helped a great deal. My protein levels kept going up though and on Valentine’s Day I was hospitalized again. This was a good thing though, because nobody thought I’d make it that far! Plus my body was slowly shutting down on me and I needed to be there. February 22nd rolled around and my brain had swollen again, I was in so much pain all over and I couldn’t see. So they rushed me back and my twins were born. They also didn’t cry and I was worried, I couldn’t think, see, and I was alone again. There was so much going on and so many people in there for one NICU baby let alone two! Geesh! In a state of utter confusion I just laid there with total loss of control. Back in my room I struggled to do anything, I was totally out of it I couldn’t focus on what was going on around me and I couldn’t speak a full sentence. I ended up having a small seizure. So again I wait to hear how my babies are. When there Dr. came to talk to me she had the hugest smile on her face. They were anticipating the boys to be very sick because I was so sick. But they only needed a tiny bit of oxygen then went on to c-pap and canula. They were doing so well! I was overjoyed! Cole had a very small brain bleed that cleared itself up and beyond that I can’t complain. So 30 days later my twins came home. Since then they have been doing fantastic and I pray they stay that way.
We want to thank Sarah for sharing her amazing story with us and allowing it to be shared with all of you.
Preemie Print Stories: Sarah and her babies (Jaxson, Joaquin, Cole, and Wyatt)
Yay for Support Teen Literature Day & Rock the Drop! Be sure to drop a book (preferably a "Banned Book") in a public location with the Operation Teen Book Drop logo on it.
As I stated on Tuesday, the best part of today is the announcement of the Teens' Top Ten nominees. And they are as follows:
Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Drought by Pam Bachorz
I Am J by Cris Beam
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
Lies by Michael Grant
Love, Inc by Yvonne Collins
Matched by Ally Condie
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Red Moon Rising by Peter Moore
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
The False Princess by Ellis O'Neal
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin
Zombies vs. Unicorns by Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
That is an impressive list. Congratulations to all the nominees & a double congratulations to Rachel Hawkins who managed to get both her books on the nominee list! Again this year I will be hosting a Teens' Top Ten reading challenge. The details will be up early next week, but if you really can't wait until then to a chance to win a prize, then enter the Purple Daze giveaway here!
As I stated on Tuesday, the best part of today is the announcement of the Teens' Top Ten nominees. And they are as follows:
Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Drought by Pam Bachorz
I Am J by Cris Beam
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
Lies by Michael Grant
Love, Inc by Yvonne Collins
Matched by Ally Condie
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Red Moon Rising by Peter Moore
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
The False Princess by Ellis O'Neal
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin
Zombies vs. Unicorns by Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
That is an impressive list. Congratulations to all the nominees & a double congratulations to Rachel Hawkins who managed to get both her books on the nominee list! Again this year I will be hosting a Teens' Top Ten reading challenge. The details will be up early next week, but if you really can't wait until then to a chance to win a prize, then enter the Purple Daze giveaway here!
Support Teen Literature Day & Rock the Drop!!
Ava Gardner,
Carl Switzer,
Cecil B. DeMille,
Claudette Colbert,
Dorothy Lamour,
Gloria Grahame,
Gloria Swanson,
Kathryn Grayson,
Mabel Normand,
Preston Sturges,
Thomas Meighan,
Veronica Lake
Gloria Grahame and an elephant friend in The Greatest Show on Earth.
Cecil B. DeMille was a great animal lover. With a deep appreciation for mother nature and all of its inhabitants, it is no wonder that he filled so many of his films with a hodgepodge of creatures. Whether feeding the deer at his beloved "Paradise" or marveling at the beauty and surprising elegance of the elephants in The Sign of the Cross and The Greatest Show on Earth, CB was always in touch with his "wild" side. However, not everyone had the great adoration for animals that Cecil did, which has inspired the following humorous human vs. animal tales:
Gloria and a dangerous prop: the jury is still out on who is
truly the more dangerous...
Gloria Swanson was also on the receiving end of CB's outlandish animal requests. For her part in the film, she was to enter the lion's den. Literally. Cecil was intent on getting a shot of her lying on the ground with a lion's paw on her back. Gloria's eyes bulged but she was a tough cookie, plus CB indulged in a little bribery to get her to cooperate. Thus, Gloria found herself on her stomach with nothing separating her from the dangerous beast but a piece of canvas. When the lion roared, she would later recall feeling its vibrations through every inch of her body. Yet, she remained cool as a cucumber and believably dead. After the quick shot, Gloria arose with dignity and suddenly found herself in tears, the stress of the situation finally coming to the surface. CB was proud of his "young fellow," finding her more manly than her male co-star, Thomas. He kidded her with a, "Thank goodness. At last a woman!" To repay her, he offered her a choice from his famous bag of gems: Gloria proudly selected a gold evening bag with an emerald clasp. Her pain had been worth every penny.
Bruce Willis finally meets his match.
To end, there is a contemporary story worth chuckling over. Tony Scott was excited to be working with the famous and charismatic action hero Bruce Willis on his 1991 film The Last Boy Scout. However, after a great start, he was a little perturbed when Bruce arrived to work several hours late their second day of shooting. When Tony pressed him for a reason, Bruce comically had to relay an embarrassing story. It turned out that the cleaning crew had left his trailer door open the night before and a cat got in. Curious as cats tend to be, this one located Bruce's cherished hair piece hanging on the wall and got a little... frisky. Thus, Bruce explained, he was late because the cat had been humping his hairpiece. After all, a leading man needs his hair. Me-ow.
