Conclusion of the Harry Potter Movie Franchise

Last week I read an article about the conclusion to the Harry Potter films. The story focused on the three leads of the series Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Rupert Grint (Ron) and Emma Watson (Hermione). I truly found the article refreshing. Here are these three young people who have made a name and a good deal of money for themselves off of these films. They've spent half of their lives with many of the people making these films and I'm happy to report that they are insightful enough to be appreciative of it all from the great opportunity of being a part of this franchise to recognizing the people behind the films. In many ways they are going to miss this part of their lives. It's become such a part of them. More than that, they are really going to miss all of these people associated with the films as they go on into their adult lives.

I also enjoyed seeing how the three of them have grown over the years, what their perspectives are now on film and such, and what they have planned for the future. Some of their experiences were so opposite and yet they were working on the same film. I say good for all of them. I've always thought they were a good group and hope to hear that they've overcome the plight of many kid stars (especially those who grew up in Hollywood) to become healthy, happy adults in whatever pursuits they decide upon.

Good luck Daniel, Rupert and Emma!

Part One of the Deathly Hallows releases November 19th.

Outstanding New Review

I just received another review for Struck by Conscience. I have to commend the reviewer. She really wrote a detailed and insightful review. She seemed to really 'get' it and get my characters and most especially she got the point of the story. I loved her words about Charisma (Risa for short): She is definitely one of the best written characters I've seen in a while.

Here is the end of the review:

My favorite thing about this story was the fact that what most teenage girls strive for wasn't what Risa wanted and it made her such a strong character. Torn between life changing moments, confused feelings of love and loss from what she's been so used to, C.K. Green makes Risa feel so real to the reader. The things people might think are important really aren't what defines you as a person. When life takes you to a cross road which road will you take? I think Ms. Green wrote a great heart felt story with little whimsical twists following Risa around. Hopefully, there will be more of Risa and Dahlia to look forward to in the future. It really was an impressive coming-of-age story. It made this reader fall into the story from the moment Risa fell into that pool.

~Forsythia, Aurora--Long and Short of it Reviews

James Franco--Actor & Writer…Umm Excuse Me?

So, I opened my Entertainment Weekly magazine this afternoon and perused an article about James Franco and an exclusive excerpt from his upcoming book release. Who knew James Franco could write?

Now I know this isn’t so very exciting because of late there have been quite a number of celebrities out there who think they can write when in fact they  ^(a) aren’t actually doing the writing or ^(b) the writing is subpar (and I’m being generous here). As an author myself, it infuriates me when these celebrities use their fame to publish without putting in the effort or the talent. It’s just not right.

That’s simply not the case with Franco. This is a project he’s been working on for five years under the tutelage of some noteworthy professors and novelists. Mona Simpson, Amy Hempel, and Michael Cunningham.

The star of the Spiderman trilogy, Tristan + Isolde, the Julia Roberts film Eat, Pray, Love and recently a stint on the soap General Hospital wasn’t just given his writing contract. He actually earned it. According to the article, Franco is currently attending Yale working on his PhD. Looking into his academic record, I see he started at UCLA in creative writing but dropped out after a year to study acting. Eventually, he went back and finished that degree. He wanted his schoolmates to realize his serious intent. In his final quarter at UCLA, he took 62 units instead of the normal cap of 19. He later attended film school at NYU and studied for his graduate degree at Columbia. Seeing all his academic achievement, I can finally forgive him for Pineapple Express.

Good for you James Franco. Though I haven’t had the opportunity to read the book, I applaud his hard work and wish the best for the short story collection release. Palo Alto (incidentally that’s where in California Franco was born and grew up) hits stores October 19^th.

Review: Sucks to Be Me

Sucks To Be Me
by Kimberly Pauley


Blurb: Mina Hamilton's parents want her dead. (Or undead to be precise.) They're vampires, and like it or not, Mina must decide whether to become a vampire herself. But Mina's more interested in hanging out with best friend Serena and trying to catch the eye of the too-hot-for-high-school Nathan Able than in the vampire training classes she's being forced to take. How's a girl supposed to find the perfect prom date and pass third-year French when her mom and dad are breathing down her neck--literally?

Review:
In a word I'd have to say that Sucks to Be Me by Kimberly Pauley was terrific. Absolutely loved it. I've read that the sequel is now out in hardback. I can't wait to 'sink my teeth' into it. Okay I know, bad vampire joke.

The book is cute without being cutsey. (Cutesy? Is it a word?) If you're into the whole vampire genre you'll enjoy it too because it shows the lighthearted side of being a vampire--and I love to laugh. Reading it reminds me of why I really didn't care for Twilight. Ms. Pauley's writing is sharp, fun, active. a great read!

This book is a great example of why I love YA fiction. There are some great lines in the book. Here is an example. At the beginning of each chapter a vampire myth is given and the main character's take on the reality of the statement. I found these to all be really great but this one made me laugh until I couldn't catch my breath.

Myth: a stake through the heart will kill a vampire.
Truth: well duh, it would kill anyone.

I don't know why that hit me as being so funny. It must be the profound simplicity of it. This is just a sample of the humor in this book.


The one thing I would have to complain about  is that the author compares the eyes of a hot guy in the book with Tom Welling's except green. Um, hello Tom's eyes are green! Sorry no disrespect, Ms. Pauley. Loved the book, but I've loved Tom's eyes longer. ;)

Mrs. Pauley's rendition of vampirism is much more controlled and organized. Vampires don't just rip into their prey willy-nilly and you can't turn someone to the other side at whim. There are rules, procedures, a bureaucracy, etc. She makes them less scary. They aren't as animalistic like they are going to attack you at any moment. For me, it was a good version and perfect for the YA reader. I give it an A.

Teen Reviews for Struck

Well, I had a couple teens offer to review my book, Struck by Conscience, and I've already received a couple back.


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C.K. Green did an amazing job with this book. The storyline is flawless. It was cute, and romantic, without being too sappy, and it had a little humor thrown in there. I loved the characters. They were all very relatable, and they had realistic personalities. This book was great, and I would definitely recommend it. ~ Kate

When I first read “Struck by Conscience” I thought it would be just another teen book about a girl trying to decide between two guys she really likes.  But this book surprised me by being more than that. While I read it, it was like I was Charisma saying goodbye to my Dahlia and hello to a whole new stage of life.  This book made me chuckle, cry, and smile so big.  I desperately wanted to be Charisma so I could be with Heath.  That is how real he was for me. Cindy creates characters you fall in love with.  As with a few of the other books I’ve read from Cindy, she always manages to squeeze in references to her love of classic literature.  In this book its Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.  I promise that when you finish reading this book, like me,  you’ll want a sequel! ~ Bluann  

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Thanks for the great reviews, ladies! If anyone else is interested in reviewing, I have a couple more copies I can send out. Also, if you are interesed in contributing articles to this blog just send me an email.

Surgery Update

Well, it's been over four weeks since I had my surgery and I am finally feeling back to my good old, regular self. My recovery has been slower that I had expected. A couple simple complications that brought pain. It kept me from doing a lot of things around my house. I couldn't even drive or sit up for long periods--and forget sitting in front of computer.

Last week things started to get better and I am feeling pretty close to normal now--whatever that it. I can drive, sit at a desk and I even got in the pool this week. I still get worn out pretty easily and have a little discomfort but other than that I'm good. :)

Well, school will be starting again soon which will take up a good portion of my time, but I hope to get some writing & promotional things accomplished before then so stay tuned. Have a good day.

First Review for Struck by Conscience

I'm incredibly excited to share that Struck by Conscience received it's very first review.

Review: 4 Hearts from The Romance Studio

I enjoyed this whimsical short story with the endearingly realistic characters. I felt a solid connection with the heroine. Charisma is someone whom most of her school mates would love to trade places with, but popularity doesn't guarantee happiness. Heath is a fantastic hero, how can you help but fall for a guy who saves a drowning young woman? I admired how complex he was; sensitive and explosive, angry and tender. This was a charming escape from my day. I look forward to seeing what else this author has to offer. I think this is a great addition to any YA lover's bookshelf.  ~ Theresa Joseph

Going in for Surgery

Hello Readers,
Well I never did get my newsletter out during the month of June. Hopefully I’ll have a chance in July.

One of the things that has kept me busy is that I have to go in for surgery. I appreciate the thoughts and prayers that have been coming my way in this respect. I’ll post how it went when I am feeling my chipper self once again.


On a side note, I finished writing my latest book this week. It’s a full novel–Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Romantic Comedy. Yeah, it has it all. I had a goal to finish it before I went in for surgery. Now I can edit and polish while I’m recuperating. More about that later.

Take care All! I’ll be back soon.

Great News!

I just received word from my publisher at Whimsical Publications that my ebook for Struck by Conscience is now available at Amazon in the Kindle format. Remember even if you do not have a Kindle reader you can download the Kindle software to your computer (FOR FREE) and then you can read Kindle books on your computer. Visit Amazon .


I will be a guest over at Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem tomorrow (this Saturday) in the YA Room. Hope you can come by visit.

Struck by Conscience--Released TODAY!!

Struck By Conscience (short novella) Book 1 in the Faery Guardian Series I, Charisma Mansfield, do solemnly swear that... I never asked to be popular. I never asked to be voted Prom Queen. I definitely never asked to have an invisible pixie perched on my shoulder whispering her opinions into my ear 24/7. But of all the things I never asked for, this is the worst one yet—when brooding but gorgeous Heath Ruvelas (my next door neighbor and the guy I used to be best friends with before jr. high) rescued me from drowning in the school pool. My already bizarre life would never be the same. My head had been in a fog since the near drowning episode. It now hit me how very quiet it was—in my head that is. It was never quiet there. Dahlia constantly lambasted me with her fairy-like speech. Oh dear God! Had she drowned in the pool? I couldn’t feel her anymore. She wasn’t perched on my shoulder like usual. She was gone! ₪₪₪ My mom came to get me a half an hour later. She’d brought me some dry clothes and sported an overanxious expression. “Charisma, oh good Lord, are you okay?” Yes, my mother had named me Charisma. Charisma Elaine Mansfield. Was it any wonder that I’d been included as one of the popular trend-setters at school? It’s like I didn’t even have a choice with a name like that. But really, Charisma? Other than the actress who’d starred on that TV show, Angel, have you ever heard of anyone with this unfortunate designation? Perhaps an exotic dancer? The nurse calmed down my mother and then released me into her care. Ironic, right? I convinced Mom to walk down to the pool with me, having made the excuse that I’d left something behind. It was true. I had lost something: Dahlia. She could be a great nuisance at times, but she’d been with me as far back as I could remember. Dahlia is what my mother called my conscience when I was little. At seven years old, I tried to convince her that Dahlia really existed. She didn’t believe me, and I’d never mentioned her since. Over time, I’ve discovered that she’s more of a pixie than a conscience. I’ve never seen her only felt her and heard her. She’s invisible and not able to show herself to mere mortals. The thing about having a pixie with me 24/7 is that I’ve never been able to verbalize all the things I’m thinking and feeling even when I’m alone because, of course, Dahlia will hear. Even then she always seems to know what I’m thinking and at times her thoughts come out of my mouth as if I had no control. After nearly eighteen years, I wish I could get rid of her. But not like this. Not drowned because of my stupidity. We made it to the gate of the pool, and I cautiously walked beside my mother toward the water, my legs still feeling a bit shaky. It’s not like I wanted to land in the drink again. “Over beside that bench, Mom. That’s where I left my book.” It was a lie. I hadn’t left a book. It was Dahlia. I had to find her. Please, please, I prayed silently. Please let her be okay. “Dahlia,” I whispered close to the water. “Please, don’t be dead. I’d give anything if…” “If what?” For a split second, I felt that odd but familiar sensation near my shoulder. She wasn’t dead! “Dahlia, you’re okay.” “Of course, I am. You didn’t think a little water could take me out, did you?” “No, well, yes, I did. I was worried.” “I told you to stay away from the pool, but you didn’t listen.” “I know. You were right…again.” “Yes, but at least Heath came to your rescue. I should have known that gimlet of a boyfriend of yours would be useless in an emergency situation.” “Dahlia…” “Shh! Here comes your mother.” When we couldn’t find my fictitious book, Mom took me to the car and drove me home. On the ride, I wondered what had happened to Brett. Okay, if the truth be told, it was more than likely Dahlia who had whispered the idea into my ear. I didn’t respond to her because Mom would find it entirely suspect if I started talking to myself. I gave that up in second grade. Still, the thought remained. What had happened to Brett? He hadn’t followed me to the nurse’s office as far as I knew. Did he care that I’d nearly died? I did! I nearly died and I would have if it hadn’t been for Heath. Available Now at Whimsical Publications.

Sorry I've Been MIA

Sorry I haven't been here in awhile. Due to some personal issues and a possible surgery, I have not been able to update the blog. After one of our guests wasn't able to attend, I put the YA guest bloggers on hold for awhile but we should get that back on track starting this summer.

But come by when you can because I hope to have more posts in the weeks to come.

Take care,
C.K. Green

Guest Blogger Tomorrow

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for guest blogger, award winning author of urban fantasy and medieval historic romantic suspense for both the Young Adult and Adult--Terry Spear. You can visit Terry's website at http://www.terryspear.com.

See you Tomorrow!

Vote for Your Fav Period Drama

I added a Poll for your Favorite Period Drama to the blog. Yes, I am a self admitted Period Drama fanatic. Don't believe me? Visit my YouTube channel-JaneJunkie--and check out my fan vids and a glimpse of my favorite man in a cravat. Go ahead and vote. The Poll closes at the end of the month. Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Socially Unacceptable

Well, as promised, we have a guest Young Adult author with us today. I hope you will welcome Maryann Miller as she talks to us about being 'Socially Unacceptable.' I know we've all probably 'been there done that'. And be sure to check out her book, Friends Forever.

We all remember those horrible days of middle school and high school when our social standing depended on who we were friends with and what kind of clothes we wore. Other than a change of setting and a change of attire, I’m sure the social posturing started in ancient times when Garthea was kicked out of the clan for inappropriate use of a bear skin and continues unaltered through present time.

When I was in high school, I was in the Outcast group. You remember that group. It was made up of kids who didn’t belong to the Popular group, the Jocks, or the Nerds. Among the many things that made us socially unacceptable was the fact that we were a bit lacking in the looks department. Not that any of us had faces that would make little kids run away screaming, we were just plain, ordinary, and some of us wore glasses. That alone was a severe stigma in high school in the 60s.

I remember meeting a former classmate a year out of high school, and laughing at his reaction. “You’re not THAT Maryann,” he said. “You can’t be. She was… uh… well… You sure have changed.”

We in the Outcasts were also not quite good enough athletically to be on a sport team, and some of us just hid our brain power because we didn’t want to be with the Nerds. In our minds, that group was lower than ours, even though most folks thought otherwise.

One of the things I liked best about belonging to the Outcasts, was I could pretty much do anything I wanted and it wouldn’t affect my standing. Think about it. I was already on the lowest rung of the ladder. So I just clung to it the best I could and looked forward to the day when I would be out of high school and this silliness of social groupings would end.

I hadn’t realized how this social phenomenon repeats itself until one day when my oldest daughter was lamenting the fact that her best friend had suddenly qualified for the Popular group, while she was still relegated to something closer to Outcast. Overnight it had become socially unacceptable for said friend to associate with my daughter. I was in the middle of my Mommy Speech 112, telling her to buck up, that this, too, shall pass, when I realized it wouldn’t.

People may grow up, but they don’t really grow up, and it seems we are destined to play these silly little social games until the day we die. The way we play them just becomes more subtle and harder to figure out.

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Maryann Miller has won numerous writing awards including being a semi-finalist at the Sundance Institute for her screenplay, A Question Of Honor. Her work has appeared in regional and national publications, and the Rosen Publishing Group in New York published her non-fiction books for teens, including the award-winning Coping with Weapons and Violence In School and On Your Streets. Her young adult novel, Friends Forever, which was inspired by her daughter’s experience in school, is available as an e-book from Kindle. You can visit Maryann and see her other books at her Web site at http://www.maryannwrites.com.

Struck by Conscience

I'm so pleased to share more about my YA short novella, Stuck by Conscience. It will release with Whimsical Publications sometime this year. I haven't been given a release date but all good things come to those who wait...and pine...and agonize. ;) I just received the cover and I LOVE IT! It fits the story perfectly. What do you think?

Here is the blurb:

I, Charisma Mansfield, do solemnly swear that... I never asked to be popular. I never asked to be voted Prom Queen. I definitely never asked to have an invisible pixie perched on my shoulder whispering her opinions into my ear 24/7. But of all the things I never asked for, this is the worst one yet—when brooding but gorgeous Heath Ruvelas (my next door neighbor and the guy I used to be best friends with before jr. high) rescued me from drowning in the school pool. My already bizarre life would never be the same.

A New Year and New Goals

Happy New Year!! At least, I hope it will be a good year. I'd hate to think that nothing but disappointment and tragedy awaited me. (Shakes Head) Don't mind me, I've just been watching way too much news today. Okay, I'm better now.

So...a new Year and new Goals. Do any of you make resolutions in January? Yeah, me neither. I am not a resolutions kind of a girl because more than likely I'd break them within the first week. My life is way too chaotic to make year-long resolutions. However, I do make goals for myself.

One of the first things I do as a New Year looms on the horizon is to set reading goals for myself. Yes, the world is falling apart all around me and I'm more concerned about how many books I'll read in a year. (See too much news--must wrestle remote control away from my dh.)

Do you set reading goals? It might be a good idea. Maybe twenty-five books in a year. That would be fabulous and totally do-able. My goal is always fifty books by December 31st. And I might add that this year (as crazy as it was) I read 101 books! That's a lifetime record for me.

I'd love to hear from you. How many books did you read this past year? Have a goal for this year? What's the magic number?

Next time I'll share some of the highlights of my reading year.