Random Junk Again

Hey everyone! I have a few things I want pass on to you today.

First of all, I was going to do a nice post about all the author events of the past week. But I didn't take any pictures at one, and the other, we ended up not going to, so instead I'll just share pictures of the one I would like to mention: Ransom Riggs! Add him to the list of very nice looking authors. Handsome Ransom. Sheesh. I had to say it. I was sad his wife (Tahereh Mafi) ended up not being with him after all. But maybe next time. He did sign her book for me though:

Ransom signs for Tahereh

What a cool looking title page!

 

Tall!

Gazing at Kami.

Feeling silly as usual!
But look at his shoes! :)
(Picture courtesy of Kami!)

For more and thorough recaps of this event, check out the posts over at Kami's Library Thoughts and Jenni Elyse's blogs! Now I just need to read the second book.

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Are you fond of taking surveys? If so, help out the wife of one of my coworkers by letting her know your feelings on YA dsytopian novels! She's doing her big paper on this subject. Here's the link to the survey:  http://goo.gl/forms/KmjQ6oL5ec I knew you'd all have tons to say, so I thought I'd share and let you help out a student! :)

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So, guess what? BLOGGIESTA IS COMING! Again! Sheesh, that rolls around fast. The crazy thing about this event is that it's going to be ONE WEEK LONG!! You asked for it, you got it! But that also means that we need some totally awesome challenges. And we have only few so far, so I need more! I need you all! Let me know if you have a fabulous idea for a challenge. If you've been thinking about doing one, but have been too shy.. this is your chance. Now! Let me know! Anyway, mark your calendars: March 23 to 29. Plan to work on your blogs all week long. It'll be a blast.



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If I was participating in Top Ten Tuesday over at The Broke and the Bookish today I'd be posting some favorite books of the past three years. And if I were to make that list it would probably include:

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
All the Laini Taylor books in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series
All the Veronica Rossi books in the Under the Never Sky series
Pivot Point and Split Second by Kasie West
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry

Yeah, it would probably at least include those.

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Letter month is over! I didn't do great, but I didn't do terrible either. I sent a letter to everyone on my list! I meet a few new people. I wanted to try a fan letter again, but couldn't figure that out. I think I ended up sending maybe 20 or so pieces of mail. I'll keep going even if it's not February you know. Just in case you wondered. :)

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Okay, well. I have no idea what else I meant to spew out today. I guess I'll leave it at that. Have a wonderful day.

A Month of Letters Take Four

Does anyone remember what February is? A Month of Letters!!! This is the fourth year  of this lovely event and I've participated every time, which means,  it's a tradition now! I must do it again! So,  I'll be writing letters all month long. Or trying to write letters. Or planning to try to write letters!

Who's with me? You can either to write some letters, or volunteer to get some. (I know, it's a hard job but someone has to do it!)

I have some of your addresses, but I'd like more, especially if you are a new reader of the blog here, or if you've moved, or if we've especially connected this past year and have yet to exchange addresses. Deal?

A few years ago I had you fill out a form, and that seemed to work well, so I think I'll do that again this year. Don't forget to include your state (assuming you live in the states) and zip code! (That seemed to be a common problem last time!)  And I'd love to send international mail too, so don't be shy if you don't live in the states. :)

Happy Letter Writing!

In Which I Faint at the Mailbox

I've already shared these pictures with many of you. Yes, if you are on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, you've seen my mail already. However, if you are not, how could I neglect sharing here also? I must keep sharing 'till I've shared in every single place there is! (And after this post, I promise, I will shut up about it. I think.)

So I went to the mailbox the other day... the long and arduous trek down to the end of the driveway where usually I gather all the junk mail and throw it away in the can on the way back to the house, where I then stack the rest of it to be shredded at some later time. Getting the mail is usually so disappointing. However, sometimes there's a book in the mailbox, which is always exciting, but only rarely happens these days. Sometimes, during letter month or Christmastime there's a card or a note from a real life person, though this is far and few between too.

But one this particular day there I found a postcard that looked like this:

At first I thought it might be from Melissa of Avid Reader's Musings since she's been known to send me Book Thief related things. I was thinking... ah cool! Melissa you are the best!

Then I looked on the back and saw this note:

I couldn't understand it at first, but then I realized it says THESE not THERE... and "whole lot of these" was referring to the postcards themselves.... Book Thief movie promotional materials I'm thinking. Still, it's not quite clicking in what I have in my hands.

And then I saw this on the other half of the post card:

And that's when I freaked and gasped and very much out loud there at the mailbox said, "Are you kidding me?" I looked again. Out loud, I said to no one. "Seriously? Oh! My! Gosh! Really? He didn't! He did!! Wow, he really did!"

If the neighbors had been out, I wonder what they were thinking!

I may have turned about in a circle, I may have done a happy dance, I may have giggled a little. And then I took myself quickly back in the house were I looked again, and thought "I think this is for real. This is real, right?"

About that time I managed to calm down and think rationally that I really am no one special, that he probably sent a "whole lot of these" to EVERYONE he knew... or I should say, to everyone he had an address for. And I'm sure that stack was a very large one.

But how did he get my address, you may ask. Remember back nearly two years ago at the first Letter Month? And I was brave (or crazy) enough to decide to send him a fan letter? Even though I felt pretty darn silly doing it? Remember that?

Well, sometimes it pays to write a fan letter! Especially if it's to Markus Zusak because I think he says what he means and means what he says! Back at the time, this is what he tweeted me back:

@SueySays Suey - I got your letter! Thanks. I'll reply when I've done some decent work on the new book. It's killing me. THANKS AGAIN- mz
— Markus Zusak (@Markus_Zusak) March 7, 2012

And ever since then I've wondered if he really would, but figured he really wouldn't. I mean, seriously. He has better things to do.

And yet he has! In the form of a promotional movie postcard, and, you know what? I'll take it.

A Month of Letters 2013 Wrap Up

Last year after A Month of Letters was over, I had all sorts of very ponderous things to say about the experience! This time, while I could apply all those things again, I just mostly want to say... it was fun!

And thank you!

Thanks to those of you who filled out my address form. I got a much bigger response than expected! And I wrote to every single one of you, except the very small handful whose addresses were incomplete. (I sent you all an email, but didn't hear back from anyone, unless I missed it somehow, so if you send me your whole address, I will still write to you of course!)

I concentrated on that list this time around and didn't really send anything to family or long lost friends (except a couple) but with that, I ended up mailing 31 one letters/cards during the month... and couple of packages too, all across the USA and a couple overseas and to Canada.

I find the hardest thing about writing a letter a day is not the writing itself, but the mailing. If I miss the mailman, then I have to make a trip to a mailbox somewhere. Not a big deal, but it ends up being one! I hated that!

Last year I vowed to keep up the letter writing once the month was over, and I did okay during March, but then of course it petered out. This year, I'll try again and I have thoughts that maybe once a week I'll have a letter writing hour, or something, and at least keep writing to those that have replied to me. I have a stack here already! THANKS to everyone who wrote me back! You are awesome!

I don't know what it is, but I find the whole practice of "old fashioned" letter writing to be soothing and comforting. I've had a blast participating yet again and look forward to another great experience next year! Thanks to Mary Robinette Kowal (whose books I STILL need to read!) for thinking up this project.

Questions: Did you participate this year? How'd it go? And if not,  have I convinced you to give it a try yet? Do you feel letter writing is dumb now that we have ways to instantly communicate? Or do you think we should try to keep the art alive? I'd love to know what you think!

And, did you not get a letter but wanted one? Let me know!!

A Month of Letters: Address Request!

Everyone! It's almost time for another round of A Month of Letters! 

Remember how I did this last year? And how much fun I had? And remember that I sent some of you letters? And how much fun that was for YOU? (It was, right?)

So, let's do it again!

In February, I'll be making the goal to write (and mail of course!) a letter or card or postcard a day. I have some of your addresses leftover from last year, but if you didn't give me yours and you'd like a letter, now is the time to make that possible! I'd so love to add to my list!

If you are cool with that, email me your mailing address (jenstusue AT yahoo DOT com) or fill out the form below if that's easier for you. I promise I won't do anything shady with your address, just mail you a letter is all!

And, if this sounds even a little bit fun to you, do join the fun! Then let me know, and we'll send each other letters! :)