National Library's Secret Chamber

Sometimes an article is so awesome that I must quote it.

National Library [in the Indian city of Kolkata] has always been reputed to haunted. Now, here is a really eerie secret. A mysterious room has been discovered in the 250-year-old building a room that no one knew about and no one can enter because it seems to have no opening of kind, not even trapdoors.

The chamber has lain untouched for over two centuries. Wonder what secrets it holds. The archaeologists who discovered it have no clue either, their theories range from a torture chamber, or a sealed tomb for an unfortunate soul or the most favoured of all a treasure room. Some say they wouldn't be surprised if both skeletons and jewels tumble out of the secret room.

Read the rest here!

Can a Food Be So Gross That It's CRUEL to Serve It?

American readers should be familiar with the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibits "cruel and unusual punishments."

When I think of the Eighth Amendment, I usually imagine torture techniques like drawing and quartering or being burnt at the stake. But there are some folks who believe there's a certain food that's so disgusting that feeding it to imprisoned criminals constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. It's not a toxic or rotten food. It's healthy and wholesome. Just unbelievably disgusting.

It's called Nutraloaf. According to this fascinating article, it's often served to prisoners who misuse food or bodily waste.

Want the recipe? (I'm talking to you, Remy.) Well here it is! Bon Appetit!

(I'm pretty sure my mother used to make this.)

Notice Anything Strange About This Subway Sign?

No? Click here.

You Could Be Famous, Too!

Meet Remy Mumby, ten-year-old star of the web series Food Oddities. The kid will eat anything. Dung beetles. Pickled pig lips. Scorpions. Anything. (Except pets. Gotta draw the line somewhere, I guess.)

But I have a little challenge for Remy. It's coming up in the very next post. (UPDATE: The post AFTER the next post.)

I'm Never Taking a Shower Again

Scientists at MIT have developed a camera that can shoot pictures around corners. (Shown above.) According to Professor Ramesh Raskar, "It's like having x-ray vision without the x-rays. But we're going around the problem rather than going through it."

In honor of this great scientific development, I shall remain fully clothed for the rest of my life.

More here.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Little Red Riding Hood

Slagsmålsklubben - Sponsored by destiny from Tomas Nilsson on Vimeo.

The music kinda drives me nuts, but otherwise this is pretty darn cool.

Mamika!

Even Kiki Strike needs heroes. Meet Mamika. She's 91 years old. She survived WWII (and saved 10 people from the Nazis), communism, and the 1980s.

Now she fights the forces of evil with her grandson, French photographer Sacha Goldberger.

Find out more about Mamika (and see more photos) here!

Someday I'll Write About . . .

Fredericka "Marm" Mandelbaum. One of the most notorious criminals in 19th century New York was a portly Prussian woman. She worked out of a store at 79 Clinton St. in Manhattan (the building still exists today). Marm made a living fencing stolen goods. She also planned and financed some of the most impressive capers in New York history. But Marm was no "common" criminal. She threw swanky dinner parties for the city's finest citizens. And she was said to be a stickler for good manners.

But what interests me most about good old Marm is the school she started. The Grand Street School was Manhattan's elite academy for young criminals. There were classes in pocket-picking, safe-cracking, blackmail, and confidence games. Children under the age of ten were welcome to apply and those who graduated at the top of their class were hired by Marm herself. Hmmm. Sounds like a Dickens novel, doesn't it?

Here's Marm's obituary from the New York Times. She led an interesting life.

Amp Up Your Test Scores

A while back, I came across an article that listed a few study habits that are guaranteed to help a student improve her grades. For instance . . .

Don't study in the same place all the time. Get up and move around. It will help you absorb more information.

Don't focus on a single subject each time you sit down to study. Try to switch between a few related subjects. (Like math and physics. Or vocabulary and literature.)

A few short study sessions scheduled over the course of a week will help you learn much more than a single super-long study session.

Zapping your brain with electric current will work wonders on your math skills.

(Oh right. I found that last fact here. Do I need to say don't try it at home?)

Check the Band for Inscriptions!

More here. (Why do all the pictures available of this ring have someone's eye in the background?)

Let the Debate Begin!

According to a recent study conducted in Britain, children without brothers or sisters tend to be happier children. In fact, the more siblings a kid has, the more miserable he/she is.

Does this sound right to you? There were plenty of times in my youth when I wished I was an only child. But I was still pretty darn happy. And these days, I couldn't be more thrilled that I have a brother and sister. But who knows? Maybe I would have been SUPER happy if I had been the only kid in the family.

So what do you think? Does having siblings make a kid HAPPIER or MISERABLE?

Guerilla Gardening

(Photos: Daniel Phillips)

Someday soon, you might just stumble upon one of the unusual vending machines shown above. But I wouldn't recommend chewing on the contents. Instead of gumballs, these machines dispense seed bombs. Pop in a quarter, and you'll receive a ball made of of clay, compost, and seeds. Toss it into any crack, crevice, or abandoned lot, and soon tiny plants will begin to sprout. Each seed bomb is guaranteed to make the world a little bit greener.

Interested? You can find vending machine sites here!

Happy Birthday, Claudia!

Remember: You're never too old to be dangerous!

My Interview with Author Ally Condie!

1. I’ve heard people argue that “dystopian fiction” is just a new, girl-friendly label for books that might have been called “science-fiction” in the past. Do you think this is true? Did you read much science-fiction in your youth?

I hadn’t heard that argument! That is an interesting point. I think it may have some merit—but do girls shy away from science fiction as a rule? I really liked sci-fi growing up, particularly Ray Bradbury. (This is probably obvious because there is a scene in Matched that is a tribute to Fahrenheit 451.) His Dandelion Wine is one of my favorite novels of all time.

 

2. If one were to browse the YA shelves at the local bookstore, one might reach the conclusion that the future of mankind is going to be pretty darn bleak. Are you more optimistic or pessimistic about the days to come?

I’m optimistic. And here is why. I believe in kids. My kids, the kids I used to teach, the kids across the street. I think they are going to change the world in very good ways. I do worry about what we’ve done to the world and don’t think we have a free pass to just hand them our problems—but I believe that the teenagers and kids around today are capable of very, very wonderful things.

 

3. The love triangle at the center of Matched is both touching and believable. (And few are.) Here’s my question . . . What is it about dangerous boys (rebels, outcasts, “aberrations”) that makes them so incredibly attractive?

This is a great question. I actually don’t think of either of my boys as dangerous. They both play things fairly safe—unless Cassia is involved. I think of Cassia as dangerous, in a very quiet way. She takes risks herself and inspires others to do so too. But, to answer your question (sorry about that tangent!)—I think that boys who have an element of the unknown and the mysterious about them are attractive because of the sense of discovery one has when getting to know them.

 

4. The scenes with Grandfather made me cry like a baby. And I am NOT the kind of girl who gets teary-eyed over nothing. Were these scenes easy or painful to write?

Both. (And I’m sorry for making you cry.) They were easy to write because the feelings were real. They were painful to write because the feelings were real. I was and am lucky enough to have known my grandparents very well and they, particularly my paternal grandmother, have had a great impact on my life. I love them all very much. And I do not like to say goodbye.

 

5. Matched is set in a world in which young people’s “mates” are chosen by science. I imagine most people believe that such decisions should be left to the heart. Do you think our hearts are good at “matching” us for life?

If you think about it, we live in this very rare era in which love is seen as the key reason to marry. For most of history, that hasn’t been the case. It’s been about security, family, etc. Love in marriage is kind of a “newer” innovation. Personally, I think our hearts are good at matching us—and so are our minds. If we feel head over heels for someone but something in the back of our mind warns us about something or worries about something, we should give that equal attention. The best marriages always have both involved (mind and heart). I’m very much in love with my husband, but I also know that if we’re going to stay together for life—and beyond—it is going to take work to get there.

 

6. Matched sends the message that it’s sometimes necessary to break the rules. Have you ever broken the rules? (For the good of mankind, of course.)

Yes, I’ve broken the rules. But not usually in an overt kind of way. I think I feel like I break the rules sometimes not by doing things I “shouldn’t” do, but by feeling ways I “shouldn’t” feel. I think we all feel this way at different times, especially when we are trying to grow and it feels like there are rules holding us back.

 

7. I thought the language in Matched was incredibly beautiful. You seemed to choose your words with the care and precision of a poet. As it happens, a poem by Dylan Thomas plays an important role in the book. Do you write poetry? Read poetry? And why Dylan Thomas?

What a nice compliment, Kirsten. I don’t actually write much poetry because I am terrible at it. I do read poetry but I am by no means an expert. I tend to read poets I like—Frost, Thomas, Dickinson, Stevens, Norris, etc.—over and over. Probably because it takes me many readings to begin to feel that I am coming to know what the poet might be saying.

I chose the poem by Thomas for many reasons. He himself was a bit of a firebrand, the kind of person the Society in Matched would not have liked. And, of course, the language of the poem is beautiful and the subject fits perfectly with what is happening with Grandfather. But most of all I chose it because it is a poem that people respond to instantly—even people who don’t read poetry. The first line alone can change someone’s life. I know it did mine. The first time I read that poem I felt almost a shock of recognition. “This is how I feel too!” And Thomas is the one who put it into words in such a powerful way.

Thanks for the great interview questions, Kirsten! These were really thought-provoking and fun to answer.--Ally

Visit a Secret Subway Stop!

The City Hall subway station has been closed for 65 years. And for 65 years, New Yorkers have broken every rule trying to get a glimpse of one of the city's lost treasures. Why? Because City Hall may be the most beautiful subway station in Manhattan, with arched ceilings, chandeliers, and fabulous skylights.

Until recently, one of the only ways to see the station (aside from infrequent tours) was to sneak onto a downtown #6 subway at the last stop on the line (Brooklyn Bridge). The #6 trains use the City Hall stop to turn back uptown, but passengers haven't been allowed to go along for the ride.

But now they've decided to stop kicking people off the trains! Just stay on the downtown #6 after the last official stop, and you can ride through City Hall station without getting in trouble. And no one wants to get in trouble. Right?

(Thanks Nathaniel and Paige!)

A Post on Prom and Great Expectations

TODAY WE WELCOME AUTHOR ALLY CONDIE TO THE BLOG! HI ALLY!!!

Hi Kirsten! And Kirsten’s readers! Thank you so much for letting me post on your blog.

One of my favorite parts about The Eternal Ones was how Haven had to adjust her view of Iain. How she had ideas about what she thought/hoped/remembered he would be like, but then she continually had to alter her those ideas to fit the actual person, the real situation. I loved that.

I think that having high expectations for a person or an event—and then having to react to the actual person or situation—is something that happens to us over and over again. I remember being a kid and finally getting to Disneyland after really wanting to go and assessing myself on all the rides, Am I having enough fun? Is this as amazing as I thought it would be?

And it seems like another one of those high-expectation events is Prom. I noticed this when I went to Prom myself and I noticed it again when I was teaching high school and chaperoning Prom.

Prom is supposed to be awesome and wonderful and amazing and even if we don’t personally care about our Prom, it seems like it’s still one of those hallmarks of teenage experience and so other people expect it to be amazing for us. So we do what we can to maximize the experience in our favor: try to find the perfect dress, hope for the perfect date, etc.

In Matched, the opening scene (the Match Banquet) is kind of like Prom taken to extremes (and without the dancing). Cassia, the main character, is wearing a beautiful dress and she’s nervous and excited because she’s been looking forward to this night for a very long time. And now she’s about to find out who her Match—the boy she’s chosen to marry—will be. She doesn’t know his name or anything about him, but after tonight that will all change.

So what happens after? How does Cassia have to adjust her view of what her Match would be to fit the actual person, the actual experience? That part, both in fiction (The Eternal Ones!) and in real life, is often the most challenging and exciting to explore.

Test Your Detective Skills

Can you spot a fake smile? Most people can't. There's a great test on the BBC website that will let you see if you've got what it takes. For the record, I scored 17 out of 20. Yeah, I'm bragging. See if you can beat me. Click here.

My Review of Matched

I’ve been looking forward to writing this review. Matched is a beautiful book—and I don’t say that lightly. I read Ally Condie’s new novel with a pencil in one hand. Eventually I had to stop marking all phrases and passages I wished I had written. The story was too thrilling to keep pausing to underline every third sentence.

Matched takes place in a land where everything and everyone is under the careful control of the Society. Officials dictate what food the citizens will consume, what clothing they’ll wear, what professions they’ll pursue, and when they’ll die. These decisions are made using state-of-the-art science and statistics. The people accept their lot because they’ve been told that order and stability are essential for their survival. Their forefathers weren’t always so careful, and a terrible disaster befell the whole human race.

When citizens turn seventeen, they must attend a Match Banquet. It’s at these ceremonies that every young man and woman learns the identity of the person that the Society has decided he or she should marry. Cassia Reyes has been eagerly awaiting the banquet her entire life, and she trusts that the Officials have chosen the right mate for her. This time, however, there’s been a kink in the system. Cassia has been assigned not one match, but two. The first is Xander, a boy she’s known and loved since she was a child. The other is Ky, an enigmatic young man who should never have been matched at all. Like most citizens, Cassia has always believed that the Society doesn’t make mistakes. Its methods are scientifically sound. Tried and true. Error-proof. So how could her match have gone so terribly wrong? For the first time in her seventeen years, Cassia begins to question everything.

The world of Matched is terrifyingly bland. But it’s believable because the characters who inhabit it are anything but bland. In fact, they’re just like us. Cassia has a little brother who’s both naughty and charming. Her mother and father may look like a perfect pair of citizens, but they don’t always toe the Society’s line. Cassia’s grandfather subtly encourages her to break the rules that need to be broken. They’re all ordinary people trapped in a plastic world. That’s what makes the story so frightening.

Two of the best, most believable characters are Cassia’s “matches,” Xander and Ky. If the Society had chosen poorly—if one of the boys had been a jerk—this would have been a less compelling story. Instead, the Society chose too well. Read the book and try to figure out which one you’d choose. As Cassia learns, the answer isn’t always so clear.

As you may have gathered from the previous paragraphs, I loved Matched. It’s the first book in ages to make me cry. (Don’t tell anyone.) And it’s one of the few that have left me green with envy. The language is lovely, the story is engrossing, and the questions it poses are profound. I was moved—and I’m not easily moved. I highly recommend this book.

Public Service Announcement

Wondering how to improve your SAT scores? One New York high school student recently uncovered a few helpful tricks. So what does this say about SAT scores? Hmmmm.

The Strangest Beach in the World

See the beautiful little beach in the photo above? It's nowhere near the shore. Gulpiyuri Beach is completely inland. Yet it has sand, waves, even seaweed.

How is this possible? Read more here.

The Greatest Job in the World

(Above: A New York City street in 1893.)

Robin Nagle has my dream job. She's an anthropologist who works with the New York City Department of Sanitation. What does that mean? It means she gets to study the relationship between people and their trash.

I've long been fascinated by sewers, garbage collection, plumbing, and all of the things that make modern life relatively sanitary. It wasn't long ago that the world was a filthy, disgusting place. And New York City may have been one of the nastiest cities on earth.

Here's Ms. Nagle describing the average New York City neighborhood in the late 19th century:

Imagine, on your own block, that you can’t cross the street, even at the corner, without paying a street kid with a broom to clear a path for you, because the streets were layered in this sludge of manure, rotting vegetables, ash, broken up furniture, debris of all kind. It was called “corporation pudding” after the city government. And it was deep -- in some cases knee-deep.

Wow. The rest of Ms. Nagle's interview with onearth can be found here!

Happy Halloween!

Any Halloween stories you'd like to share?

Here's one. It's a bright, sunny day here in Brooklyn. I'm sitting on my couch in the living room, writing this post. I can hear someone upstairs. S/he's walking around in my bedroom. The only problem? I'm alone in the house. No. I'm not joking.

Was a Time Traveler Captured on Film?

A man in Belfast claims to have discovered something rather remarkable in some old movie footage from 1928. A woman appears to be speaking into a cell phone. (And no, there weren't any cell phones in 1928.)

Check out the footage below. It's clear that she's clutching something small and rectangular in her hand. And she seems to be speaking into it. (Watch the whole video for slow-mo and stills.)

Here's my question. OK, let's say she's a time traveler. Who's on the other end of the phone?

I think an obvious explanation has been ignored. She's an alien.

Ever Wonder Why Squirrels Are Evil?

We must have done something really, really bad to them at some point in the past.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONTANA IRREGULAR!

I'm sorry I'm a day late!

Be Careful! The Animals Are Up to Something

(Above: Coming to get you?)

An English florist discovered a deadly South American poison dart frog in a batch of tropical foliage.

Two monkeys have been made station masters at a train station in Japan. They don't look terribly competent if you ask me.

You say they're "pets?" Tell that to the neighbors, lady.

There's an animal that is able to clone itself. We must stop them before they take over the world!

Earlier this year, a stalker pheasant was terrorizing England, and an escaped hippo was roaming free in Montenegro.

Painting with maggots.

Don't Judge a Book by Its Label

Earlier this week, I discovered this photo posted on some of my favorite blogs. Apparently, there are many (male) bloggers out there who believe that a Barnes & Noble shelf labeled "teen paranormal romance" is a sure sign of the death of literature/the coming apocalypse/the idiocy of the book-buying public/their own superiority.

I commented on a number of the posts. Not only because The Eternal Ones is considered "teen paranormal romance," but because I've actually read many of the books on this shelf, and I know just how good some of them are. One of the bloggers took my comment to heart, did a little research, and decided we may not be idiots after all. (His blog is wonderful, by the way.)

There are a number of things that continue to bother me, however, and I'd like to get one of them off my chest. Most of the blogs that posted this photo are written by science fiction fans. (I, too, am a fan. That's why I regularly visit such blogs.) And many of the books on the "teen paranormal romance" shelf are essentially science fiction for young women (and enlightened young men). If these indignant bloggers bothered to read a few of the books they're mocking, they might be pleasantly surprised. But it takes less time to post a picture and point a finger than it does to offer an informed critique.

I'd also like to point out that it took the science fiction genre DECADES to receive the respect it deserves. It wasn't long ago that the mainstream literary world would have dismissed the entire sci-fi shelf (including the works of my beloved Philip K. Dick) as meritless trash.

Ah the Wonders of Science

Veruca Salt: Will Violet always be a blueberry?
Willy Wonka: No. Maybe. I dunno. But that's what you get from chewing gum all day, it's just disgusting.
Mike Teavee: If you hate gum so much, why do you make it?
Willy Wonka: Once again you really shouldn't mumble, 'cause it's kinda starting to bum me out.

I was in kindergarten the first time I saw Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (that's the original version). I recall being rather intrigued by two things in particular. Everlasting gobstoppers. And the "three course meal gum." Now, researchers may have made flavor-changing gum a reality. Let's just hope they've managed to get rid of the unfortunate side effects.

I Know Where Batman Lives

Now you do, too. If I ever win the lottery, (come on, universe, throw me one!), I'm going to do something similar with the Irregulars' logo. (Perhaps a little something involving topiary.)

Good to Know

Need to ask your dad, brother, uncle, or grandfather for something? (Karate lessons? Bail money? A kidney? A place to hide while you're on the run from the law/gangsters/CIA?) According to a study conducted by a major pharmaceutical manufacturer (I'm going to let that fact go without comment for now), men are more likely to grant the wishes of a female loved one at 6PM.

Gee, I wish all studies funded by major pharmaceutical manufacturers were this practical!

Zombie Barbies

One of the things I love about Brooklyn is that people here go ALL OUT on Halloween. Half the houses on my block are already decorated for the holiday, and the creativity on display is pretty astounding. (I should really take some pictures.)

I probably won't have the opportunity to decorate my own house this year, but I may have found my theme for next Halloween. I recently came across a guide to building a Zombie Barbie Garden. (What are you supposed to do with all those mangy old Barbies, anyway?) I love it!

Adventures in Texas

I just got back from my second favorite city in the world--Austin, Texas! I always love going to the book festival down there. Not only is it a chance to meet some wonderful authors, it's often my last chance to experience a little good weather before it gets dreadfully cold here in New York.

This year, there was a big bonus: The chance to participate in a panel that was held in one of the coolest settings ever. (See above.) The room was in the Texas State Capitol Building. I have no idea what kind of business usually takes place there, but I felt very, very powerful. Ha. And the panel itself was pretty amazing. That's me (trying to look tough) with authors Mary Mancusi (Gamer Girl, Bad Blood, Girls That Growl), Andrea Cremer (Nightshade) and Heather Brewer (The Chronicles of Vladamir Tod). And a big thanks to Soren for stopping by!

I'd also like to thank the lovely ladies from Amarillo who saved my butt later in the evening. (And Andrea's and Heather's.) We were stranded at an event. No taxis in sight. Then six heroines appeared in a minivan and offered us a ride to our hotel. If only I could think of a way to repay you . . . (And I WILL repay you. I never forget a good deed.)

(SECRET MESSAGE FOR "ANONYMOUS." I RECEIVED YOUR NOTE, BUT DIDN'T PUBLISH IT. CONSIDER IT DONE. CHECK BACK IN EXACTLY ONE WEEK.)

My Interview with Author Andrea Cremer!

 

Calla is a remarkable character. She’s strong, brave, beautiful—and flawed. (A difficult combination to achieve.) And yet what do I love most about her? That hair! (I, too, have written a book with a white-haired heroine.) What do you suppose is so alluring about young women with white hair?

I’m entertained by this question because I had a strong resistance to writing a blonde heroine (with no good reason – my dad is blonde and I like him a lot!), but Calla was without a doubt platinum blonde with golden eyes. She looks like the flower that’s her namesake, elegant but strong. I also think that white blonde hair has a translucent quality that conveys mystery.

 

The love triangle in Nightshade is absolutely delicious. I finished the book months ago, and I’m STILL finding it hard to choose between Ren and Shay. I want them both! Which guy would YOU choose?

Thank you!! I love writing the steamy scenes. I think it has to do with the fact that I was born a hopeless romantic and I adore being swept away by passion. One of my favorite responses to Nightshade is that so many people are torn between Ren and Shay. With regard to part two of your question – I’m afraid I have to give you the same answer I give everyone: I’m Team Calla because it’s her choice not mine.

 

Having spent some quality time with you in the recent past, I know you write very quickly. (And I’m incredibly jealous.) You say you almost go into a trance. Describe your work area, sartorial choices, and level of personal hygiene during these trances.

My work area is wherever I happen to be. I have a writing desk, but honestly it’s covered with books and notes and not actually somewhere I could get writing done. My most frequent writing spot is on my couch in the company of my pug and border collie, but I have been known to write on my deck, in coffee shops, in airports, and on planes. Sartorial: depends on if I’ve had to see people during the day. If yes, then I’m wearing normal clothes. If no, I’m probably in a t-shirt and yoga pants. Personal hygiene: same as above, except that when I’m really in a story I have problems remembering to do things, i.e. I’ll get in the shower and then just get back out without having washed my hair or anything.

 

Young adult literature is filled with some fabulous libraries. The one in Nightshade is particularly awesome. I must admit, I feel a little tingly whenever I set foot in an old library. These days, when almost every answer is just a Google search away, why are we still so drawn to these places from the past?

Since you’re speaking to a historian I feel like it’s in my blood. I’ve spent a lot of time in archives. I held one of John Winthrop’s bibles in my hand (for anyone who wants to know, John Winthrop was a governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony). Libraries are repositories for the human past in a way that is akin to archaeological evidence. Books, manuscripts, maps are all tangible. They have scent and texture. The internet is fantastic for its volume and speed, but it lacks the ability to ground you in the material past.

 

I know you grew up in a part of the country where wolves roam the woods. Have you ever come face-to-face with one? Would you like to?

Sadly, I have not, though my father has several times. And I’ve seen their tracks. When I was growing up the wolf packs were small as conservation and reintroduction programs were just getting off the ground. Now there are several wolf packs roaming the Chequamegon National Forest near my hometown. And yes, I do hope to encounter wolves in the wild someday.

 

The world you created for Nightshade is incredibly complex. How long have you “lived” in this world? How long do you intend to stay there? (In other words, how many books will be in the series?)

I stepped into Nightshade’s world in November of 2008 and I plan to stay there until 2012 for now (that’s four books, three in the trilogy plus a prequel). After that????

 

I don’t think it’s a secret that Nightshade ends in a cliffhanger. How could you do that to me!?!?! WHY, WHY, WHY?

I seem nice and cheerful, but in truth I am quite evil.

Guest Post from Author Andrea Cremer

 

The Right Place and the Right Time

When I read The Eternal Ones I fell in love with the characters Kirsten created, but I was equally bewitched by the settings she created. I often talk about the wolf mythology of Nightshade deriving from my upbringing in Northern Wisconsin and a follow-up question I’ve encountered is: So why isn’t your book set in the woods of Wisconsin and Minnesota?

I believe place is as vital to a book’s life as much as any of its characters. I love my home territory, but it wouldn’t have worked for the world I built in Nightshade. First, I needed mountains. There are some lovely hills along the North Shore of Lake Superior. But they are hills, not mountains. They might want to be mountains, but real mountains laugh at them (sorry, Lutsen).

I needed the “Call of the Wild.” The forests I grew up near are most definitely wilderness, but American history has attached a specific mythology to the West. I wanted to build on that mythology. The West evokes a spirit of freedom, hardship, and discovery that doesn’t quite resonate with more easterly locations in the U.S.

Place becomes even more powerful in narratives if the book’s setting is in touch with its own history. Again, Kirsten did a marvelous job in carrying echoes of the past into the present in The Eternal Ones. Though Nightshade is set in present-day Colorado, I’ve tied the wildness of the West with the history of witchcraft and warfare of medieval Europe. The events affecting Calla and her pack connect to an unbroken line of conflicts stretching across centuries and an ocean.

Bringing together place and time adds depth to a world and further complicates the motivations and choices of its characters. I hope Nightshade’s readers will feel the push and pull of past and present, history and myth as they join Calla on her journey.

I Might Just Get an Eye Patch

(Above: Yes, I know that's not a pirate.)

The other day, I was reading about pirates (as I'm wont to do), and I came across an interesting "fact." Some pirate experts (can you imagine a better job?) claim that sailors may not have worn eye patches to look tough or to cover up injuries. Instead, the eye patch might have been a trade secret of sorts. If a sailor always kept one eye in the dark, that eye wouldn't need time to adjust when the sailor went below deck.

Interesting, right? (Perhaps you already knew?) Anyway, I was thinking that this might have a few practical applications for those of us who don't spend our days on the high seas. Perhaps you have some suggestions?

WHAT????

A bomb was just discovered in the Marble Cemetery! I'm not making this up. Check out the news report here!

Here's a little message for the person responsible. Soon, you will wake up in the middle of the night to find a pale, elfin girl with colorless hair staring down at you. Don't bother to beg for mercy.

(And I would just like to state for the record that I wrote the previous post long before I heard about this. What a bizarre coincidence!)

UPDATE: This report from the New York Times leads me to believe that the device was discovered at the OTHER Marble Cemetery. (Yes, there are two of them. They're about a block apart, and people tend to get them confused.)

It's Monday. Let's Take a Moment to Blow Some Stuff Up

(Thanks, Emily!)

What the Heck Is Happening in Upper Michigan?

Earlier this week, residents of upper Michigan reported hearing the sound of an explosion in the woods. When they investigated, they discovered a mysterious crevice had suddenly appeared. The crack was over 600 feet long and up to five feet deep in places. And it's growing. There have been no earthquakes in the area. So what do you suppose could have caused the fissure?

Anyone out there in Michigan feel like doing a little investigative reporting for Ananka's Diary?

Who Knew Carrots Could Be So Interesting?

I live in New York. I know nothing about horticulture or farming. So maybe you guys are already aware of the facts I plan to put forth in this post. But I gotta say, I just had my mind blown. By carrots.

Are you aware that carrots were purple before the 17th century? Yeah. Purple. Apparently the Dutch are responsible for their current color. (Did they breed orange carrots because they were tastier? Or to celebrate the powerful House of Orange? Who knows? The Dutch work in mysterious ways.)

Among the other things I recently learned about carrots. (All taken from this enlightening post.)

1. Carrot seeds are they key ingredient in an ancient concoction proven to counteract the effects of poison.

2. The Romans believed carrots were aphrodisiacs. Everyone in ancient Rome grew them.

3. That whole "carrots improve your eyesight" thing? It's an urban legend cooked up by the British government.

Reading Tomorrow!

Tomorrow evening, I’ll be reading from my new book, The Eternal Ones, at the Jefferson Market Library in Manhattan. So if you’re in town, come say hi. (And be sure to check out the other authors who will also be reading. See the list below!)

(6-7:30, Jefferson Market Branch of NYPL, 425 6th Ave, at 10th St.)

Maria Boyd, Will
Matt de la Pena, I Will Save You
Kirsten Miller, The Eternal Ones
Lauren Oliver, Before I Fall
Samantha Schutz, You Are Not Here
Suzanne Weyn, Empty
Lizabeth Zindel, A Girl, A Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills

The Breathless Books Commercial Is Up!

Check it out on MTV's Hollywood Crush Blog!!! And if you like it, please comment on the MTV site and let us know!!!!

(Don't forget to check out the blogs for the other four Breathless Books! The links are in the post below!)

And in case you're wondering the music is "Breathless" by Miggs, and it's available for download here, at the Breathless Books portal!)

Breathless Books

Imagine my glee when I learned that Penguin (my publisher) would be making a television ad featuring five of their books--including The Eternal Ones! It's like a dream come true. The picture above is a still from the ad. HOW AWESOME IS THAT?

I haven't seen the full commercial yet, but I have seen images created for the other four "Breathless Books." (I've read all of the Breathless Books, and they're amazing.) You can check out more stills by clicking the links below . . .

The Replacement

Nightshade

Matched

Sapphique

The full ad will premier Friday, OCTOBER FIRST, on MTV's Hollywood Crush Blog! Check back Friday for the direct link!

In the meantime, excerpts from all of the Breathless Books are available for download at breathlessreads.com!

So What Do You Think?

Does this guy get paid to scratch giant rodents--or is he a little eccentric?

Ninjabread Men

Do you like cookies? Do you like ninjas? Of COURSE you do! Who doesn't? Thankfully, a genius over at Instructables has come up with a handy guide for creating your own ninjabread men cookie cutters!

Just in time for the holidays!!! (Helpful hint: Why not make them ninjabread GIRL cookies? Or hey, why not IRREGULAR cookies? Just a thought.)

Anyone Up for a Visit to the Marble Cemetery?

I just realized that Manhattan's secret Marble Cemetery (you know the one!) is holding its annual open house on October 9th and 10th! Anyone interested in joining me for a visit? Send an email to kikistrike@gmail.com!

My Interview with Author Brenna Yovanoff!

1) The Replacement is one of the most original stories that I’ve read in recent years. Sometimes it’s easy to identify an author’s influences, but I must admit, I’m drawing a blank here. What was it that sparked the idea for this book?

First, I need to put this out there: I am a huge pack-rat. I try not to be messy about it (much), but I save everything, and everything seems interesting and fun and like it might come in handy someday. I think my influences function in sort of the same way. The Replacement owes a lot to Shirley Jackson's short story “The Lottery,” because I knew I wanted that same kind of creepy-town vibe, but it also draws a lot from punk music and Victorian culture and my abject terror of water I can't see the bottom of. (In light of this, it probably won't surprise you that I like making collages.)


2) Do you know (or have you known) any children that you secretly suspect might be changelings? (I have, but this is about YOU, not me. Haha.)

I have to say, as an inveterate babysitter, I have known some pretty weird kids. No changelings however, although one of my cousins had me worried for a while.


3) I love books and movies that scare the @$*& out of me. The Replacement certainly fits that bill. Do you enjoy having a good scream now and then? If so, which films or books would you recommend?

Oh, I am so obsessed with scary movies! The last movie that really, really got to me, and I can't even explain why, was the Spanish film The Orphanage. Something about the cinematography, plus the storyline, plus the setting just completely terrified me. And I'd be remiss if I didn't confess that to this day, Pet Sematary by Stephen King is, without a doubt, the scariest book I've ever read.


4) In your novel, some very small children find themselves in terrible trouble. (I won’t say any more.) As the mother of a very small child, I found this ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING. Do you have children? If so, how could you imagine such things?

While I don't have kids, I really like them and I come from a big extended family, so I've always spent a lot of time with them. The idea of something bad happening to anyone defenseless, whether children or animals, scares me to no end. Which, come to think of it, is the common thread between The Orphanage and Pet Sematary!


5) There’s no way that a person who writes books like The Replacement can be just another average Jane. Are you as interesting in real life as I imagine you might be?

Well, that certainly depends on what you're imagining! I like to tell people that I have two different speeds. One speed is leisurely. When that's my general setting, I like sewing, cooking, gardening, and drinking tea. Also, babies, puppies, scrapbooks, and mittens. The other speed is how I actually get stuff done. It usually involves contact sports, too much eyeliner, pulling all-nighters, and climbing things I'm not supposed to be climbing.

6) Let’s talk about The Lady. She’s one of the more unforgettable characters I’ve encountered. (Along with the Morrigan.) Out of which dark, desolate corner of your brain did you drag HER?

The Lady is interesting because when I think about her now, she seems very Dickensian, but while I was writing, I had no idea where she was coming from. Looking back, she really owes a lot to Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities, though. Both those books have these very vengeful, self-righteous villains, and I can definitely see that at work with in her character.

7) I have a hunch we might see more of Mackie and Tate. Am I on to something? Will there be a sequel?

I actually don't have anything special planned for them right now. There's definitely potential for a sequel, but right now, I'm working on another standalone. We don't have a title yet, but I can say that it will feature demons, monsters, kissing, and probably something on fire.

Thanks so much for having me, Kirsten!

Guest Post from Author Brenna Yovanoff

Hi, everyone,

I'm really excited to be guest-posting here on Kirsten's blog!

Last month, I was lucky enough to have Kirsten as a guest on my own blog, and I got to ask her a few questions. In the Eternal Ones, main character Haven Moore and her good friend Beau run a very successful business making formal dresses for their classmates, so naturally I wanted to know if Kirsten was a whiz with the sewing machine. (I'm an incredibly nosy person and I always want to find out if authors really are skilled in the pursuits they write about.)

In my novel The Replacement, which just came out on Tuesday—holy surrealism, there is a lot of music-talk. Mackie loves music. He loves listening to music and going to shows, and he particularly loves playing the bass. And lately, I've been discovering that there are other people out there who are just as curious/nosy as I am. They read about Mackie, and then want to know if I play any instruments.

Now it's time for a confession: I'm terrible at music. And I don't mean in that tone-deaf, when-I-sing-karaoke-your-ears-bleed kind of way. Although, that too. I mean, I'm really terrible at music—terrible on a fundamental level. I simply Don't Get It.

How bad, you might ask? Well, I will tell you. I'm so bad that I actually failed my introductory music class in high school. Not just “didn't do that well,” but failed it. I didn't even have the self-possession to be upset, because I was so confused. It was the first time in my life that I had ever failed something where I tried really hard and showed up every day. Also, if high school had taught me anything, it was that if you try really, really hard, they will probably give you a pity grade. Nope, no pity grade. Just a big fat F.

So when people ask me if the scenes where Mackie talks about music are based on personal experience, the answer is no, no, and absolutely no flipping way. Luckily for me, there's fiction, and the great thing about fiction is, no matter how slim the odds are of you ever playing a really rocking solo, it lets you pretend.

Thanks for having me, Kirsten!

My Review of The Replacement

This week, I'm going to be spending some quality blog time with Brenna Yovanoff, author of the fabulous new book, The Replacement. Below, you'll find my review (though it's probably pretty clear by now that I really enjoyed it). In the days to come, I'll be posting my interview with Brenna, and she'll also be paying a visit to this very site!

So, without further ado, here is my review of The Replacement . . .

I’m afraid most novels don’t stay with me for long. I usually gobble one up, wipe my mouth on my sleeve, and move on to the next one. But occasionally I’ll come across a flavor so unique that it lingers for months—even years.

I read The Replacement ages ago, and I swear I can still taste it. (The flavor it left behind? A mixture of rusty iron, human blood, and holy ground. Rather delightful, I’d say.)

The Replacement is the story of a boy named Mackie Doyle who has grown up in a town that isn’t quite what it pretends to be. Prosperous Gentry, with its minivans and golden retrievers, may seem like the ideal place to raise a family. But once in a while, a child dies inexplicably, and the whole town chooses to look in the opposite direction.

Mackie might be the sort to search for the truth—if he weren’t hiding a few secrets of his own. He’s always been painfully aware that he doesn't belong with the people of Gentry. His eyes are too dark. His skin is too pale. And he suffers from a painful, embarrassing allergy to anything made out of iron.

It all adds up to something quite sinister, but Mackie’s parents refuse to discuss their son’s origins. Instead, they simply urge him to fit in at all costs. So Mackie has spent his entire life trying to avoid being outed as a freak. Now that he’s reached high school, he seems to have finally succeeded. He has friends, a social life—even girls who are dying to kiss him.

It’s the very worst time for his allergy to grow life-threatening. Suddenly, a whiff of iron-filled blood makes him faint. A car ride nearly kills him. That’s when a strange man appears with a message. Mackie’s suffering is a sign—a sign that it’s time to finally go home.

Beneath a slag heap on the edge of his neighborhood, Mackie discovers the dark world that created him—and the secrets that Gentry has been desperate to hide. And he’s finds himself faced with a choice. He can save his town from the horrible beings who live beneath it—or he can choose to save himself.

Months after I finished The Replacement, I still find myself following Mackie into the underworld beneath Gentry. It’s unlike any land I’ve ever visited, and the creatures Mackie meets there are among the most horrifying ever imagined. I love a good scare (I think most of us do), and The Replacement certainly did not disappoint. But it was the original idea at the core of the novel that impressed me the most. This isn't one of those books that borrows from other novels or tries to ride a trend. This story is completely unique and unpredictable. I can think of no higher praise.

If I'm being a bit vague, you must forgive me. I don't want to give too much away. There are a few characters, for instance, that you should meet on your own. And a few sinister secrets I'd rather not spoil. But I will make you one promise: You’ve never read anything quite like The Replacement before.

If you’re looking for a book to take you somewhere new, The Replacement will do it. Just make sure you pack a good flashlight. It's awfully dark down there.

Check out Brenna's blog here.

The Strange Face in the Mirror

(Above: What do you think she saw?)

Here's a fun experiment. All you need is a mirror and a dimly-lit room. Sit with your face about a foot and a half from the mirror. Stare at your own reflection. In about a minute, you may begin to see something unusual.

Here's what other people have reported seeing:

Strange changes to one's own face
A parent's face
The face of an unknown person
The face of an animal
The face of a monstrous being

Creepy! So try it, and report back! (More information available here!)

Smart Young Adult Books!

The Eternal Ones is #1 on the Daily Beast's list of "Smart Young Adult Books!" I've never been #1 before!

Check out the list here! I need to order eight of these books ASAP. (I've already read Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall, which was amazing.)