Book Signing in San Antonio

I am doing a book signing on Saturday, June 6th, in San Antonio. Here's the info for anyone in the area who'd like to come:

Saturday June 6 from 11am to 2pm at

Temple View Books

20079 Stone Oak Parkway #104

San Antonio, TX

This is my favorite place to do book signings. Here's a picture of me last year signing copies of my first two books.

Summer Reading Thing

I'm doing the Summer Reading Thing on LDS Publisher's blog. Here's a list of books I'll be reading this summer:

1. Wings by Aprilynne Pike

2. Agent in Old Lace by Tristi Pinkston

3. Tower of Strength by Annette Lyon

4. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

5. Tribunal by Sandra Grey

6. Lockdown by Traci Hunter Abramson

7. Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack

Interestingly, these are all books that were released this year. I'm making a huge effort to read mostly only 2009 releases this year. It's kind of a fun challenge and great preparation for Whitney Awards reading.

The 3rd annual Whitney Awards will be held next spring. I did some heavy duty reading earlier this year to vote on the finalists. So, to cut down next year's reading, I'm trying to read as many as I can early on. I've already nominated a couple of awesome books.

Go to Danyelle Ferguson's Queen of the Clan blog for awesome giveaways all summer long. On June 17, she will be giving away a copy of my book, Pickup Games.

Harry Potter and Other Movies I've Never Seen

In light of my recent Harry Potter post, I decided to come clean and admit all the movies I've never seen. Let me preface this by saying, I'm weird, I know. Here's a list of movies I've never seen:

Harry Potter movies (soon to be rectified)
National Treasure
Lord of the Rings
Star Wars (the new ones. I watched the original 3 when I was a kid)
Bourne Identity series (It doesn't count when it's playing at your cousin's house and the adults are watching, but I'm chasing a one year old around to make sure he doesn't break anything.)
Chronicals of Narnia
Pirates of the Carribean
Star Trek
X Men
Fantastic Four
Matrix
Spiderman (only saw the first one and don't think I'll ever watch the rest)
Men In Black (even though I love Will Smith. It just looks so dumb)
Dark Knight
Shrek
Indiana Jones movies
Davinci Code (or that new one)
The Mummy movies

Chances are, if a movie makes big bucks, I probably won't be watching it. Yes I know, I'm weird.

Harry Potter. . . Finally Part 2

So, my friend, Amanda, and I made a deal back in November. If she read Twilight, I would read Harry Potter. Amanda's read Twilight and New Moon months ago, and I've very slowly read Harry Potter. The last 30 pages have gone unread for almost a month. Tonight, I finally read those 30 pages and can finally say that I'm done. Sorry it took so long, Amanda. You'll probably never want to make a deal with me again.

Thanks Julie for lending me the book and sorry it took so long. So, the verdict? It was okay. I have no criticisms. I like Harry and his friends. For some reason, I just couldn't get into it. It didn't make me want to devour it. Many people have said that Book 1 is not the best and it gets better with Book 3 and so on. I believe them, but I don't think I'm in it for the long haul.

I've only recently started reading Young Adult. I love it. In the past 4 months, I've read almost only YA. But I like girly Young Adult books. I like princesses, fairies, fairy godmothers, young maidens that bring down evil empires, frogs that have to be kissed, princes who fall in love with the lowly girls, and girls who break evil curses. I devour those books. While I find no fault with Harry, I just couldn't get into it.

My friend, Kira, has lent me the first two movies. I for sure will watch them, and she said I could borrow the rest. So, I don't think I'll read the rest of the books, but I do think I will watch all the movies. Reading the books is just too much time to devote to something that doesn't grab me. I have too many other books I want to read. I know that I'll miss out on a lot of stuff that's in the books and not the movies.

After I watch all the movies, I'll just have to grab Erin, Julie, and Amanda and go to Cold Stone to let them fill me in on what I missed. And anyone else who wants to come. So, this weekend, I'll watch my very first Harry Potter movie. I know, it's weird that I've never even seen any of the movies.

My book is headed to libraries

My husband was searching the Salt Lake county library system and found this:

http://ipac.slco.lib.ut.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=12433X33A00T5.220131&profile=dial&uri=link=3100018~!1020637~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=subtab13&menu=search&ri=1&source=~!horizon&term=MICKELSON%2C+MARCIA&index=PAUTHOR#focus

My new book, Pickup Games, is on order for their libraries. It looks like they have ordered almost 40 copies for their libraries. That's exciting news.

I don't want to hear that

If I'm in the children's section at Barnes & Noble with a good book to skim and a happy three year old playing with the Thomas trains, guess what I don't want to listen to. I do not want to listen to a personal cell phone call.

It's Barnes and Noble. People go there to look through books and what do you need to look through books? Some quiet. Sure, it's the children's section, but what's wrong with a little quiet. Yes, I expect to hear the clickety clack of Thomas and his friends on the wooden train tracks and an occasional child's shriek and the inevitable child crying when it's time to go home and they're not ready. I don't mind that.

I do mind listening to a full volume cell phone call. I'm sorry that this lady missed her phone hearing because she didn't realize that we're not on Michigan time and she called an hour after her court hearing. I do feel bad that her ex is demanding she go to Michigan two times a year to bring their son for visitation. And, it is harsh that he wants the kid to spend the whole summer in Michigan. And, no it's not her fault that she called an hour late because she wasn't aware of the time change and now the hearing's been adjourned and her side wasn't heard. That is all too bad, but I don't want to hear it. Why do people think it's okay to have full-volume personal phone calls in front of complete strangers? Take it outside or better yet take it home. That's where I have my personal phone calls. At home. At Barnes and Noble, I just want a teensy bit of quiet to look through a book while my toddler plays happily with the Thomas trains. Is that too much to ask?

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Next on my to-read list is: Wings by Aprilynne Pike. This book was just released a few days ago, and I can't wait to get my hands on it! I'm super excited to read it.

Now, if I could just finish reading that Harry Potter. Why is it taking me so long? I have only 40 pages to go. Must finish by the weekend.