Smiling all the Way From A to Z -- R

With being a writer, the letter R will be pretty obvious.

READING

I love me some books. Falling into a maze of fiction lightens any day and brings a smile glittering across my face. Well, sometimes books make me cry, too. Examples: "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak and "These is My Words" by Nancy E. Turner.

I have read a ton of books and plan on reading a hefty load more--they are heavy, I assure you. With having moved 3 times in the last year and a half, I would know. And I'm moving again in just over a week from now.

So you know how yesterday I wrote about quirks? Here is another one about me... I am an extremely active reader. While being captivated by a story, I will talk, scream, growl, and giggle at the book. That's just how much I become twisted within the web of a book's story. It is as if I am really there, experiencing everything that the characters feel, touch, smell, taste, and see. I become the character and it is everything I can do to put the book down to go to sleep.

Reading is priceless, precious to me.

What is your favorite book? What kind of a reader are you? Do you have a favorite genre? Do you talk to a book while you read it? Please tell me I'm not alone. haha

Writing Jewels

PS: Refer to the blurb on the very top of my blogs sidebar to know why I am posting about what makes me smile. Go forward and smile!

Emotional Scenes

Oops, this was supposed to post tomorrow. My human error for not scheduling it. haha Anyway, I'm obsessed with the SYFY show, Warehouse 13. I've watched up to the current episode in the 4th season. So, if you like sci-fi stuff, you'll definitely like this show. One of the closing scenes in an episode sure incited some major emotion in me. For one, I'm way attached to the characters and plot line. Also, the closing scene has a song in it called "Running Up That Hill" performed by Placebo (originally by Kate Bush). Here's a clip from the episode. Beware: If you haven't finished the third season of Warehouse 13, YOU DO NOT WANT TO WATCH THIS!!! *Spoilers*



Anyway, the music at the end of this episode made it an emotional rollor coaster for me. I almost cried. I think I stopped breathing. And the world stopped spinning for a few minutes (at least for me).

Well, here's a list of book scenes that have incited intense emotions in me, be it laughter or crying (Warning: There may be spoilers):

• These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner. One of the end scenes that has to do with Jack. I cried all the moisture out of my body because of it. My nose was dripping snot, too *gross*
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The part where all the toilets are placed on a certain person's front lawn
• Delirium by Lauren Oliver. The super-I-growled-at-the-book-for-at-least-30-minutes cliffhanger ending. Super Grrr!
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: The end of course, but the part where Liesel and Rudy make the food delivery boy's bike slip on the ice and they steal the food. I couldn't stop laughing. At all
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Katniss singing when Rue dies
• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. The troll farting scene in the first book. I was listening to the audio book while driving and almost had to pull over because I was crying so hard from laughing. Almost peed my pants, too. Oh, you know you want to read this book now, huh?
• The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale. When a certain person dies. I'm not going to spoil this one too much
• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. Fred and George making their amazing departure when they decided to leave Hogwarts for good. Hilarious with all the magic tricks and fireworks they conjure up
• And of course, when Harry Potter dies (uh...Dobby, too. Probably more so than Harry)

So, what movie/TV/book scenes have incited intense emotions in you? What's your favorite TV show as of late? Is there a song that's been played in a TV show/movie that has made it all the more amazing for you?

Writing. Jewels.

The Books That Made You Cry

I finished a book last night that made me bawl like a baby. Literally, through the last chapters, I could barely read the words for the tears clouding my eyes. However, I loved the book. I loved it so much that I couldn’t help but cry. I had fallen desperately for the story, the characters, and the strength found in the relationships therein. The book I am referring to is called These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner. Despite the water works that overcame me, I would, with all my being, recommend everyone in this world to partake of the beauty found within its pages. Yes, you may shed many tears, but they well are worth it in the end.

After gaining control of my tear ducts, I began thinking about all the books that have made me unable to control my emotions—the books that made me cry. Here is a list (it may not be exhaustive):

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• Traitor by Sandra Grey
• The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
• The Great and Terrible series by Chris Stewart

Story time: As I read the seventh Harry Potter book, there came a part where one of the characters was killed. Of course, I’m not going to say which character, so I won’t spoil it. But I will say shame on you if you haven’t read the HP books. :)

My old roommate finished the book a couple days before I did, so she was be able to chitchat about it with me as I read. One night, I could not put the book down and read into the wee hours of the morning. Around 12:30 A.M. the said death occurred. My roommate had gone home for the weekend, so she wasn’t readily available to talk to me as I sobbed. I thought she might still be up, so I called her. To my relief, she answered the phone.

She thought someone real had died and was about to hop in her car to drive home.

Then I said, “***** died!”

She started laughing at my emphatic declaration of sorrow for the lost character. He was given a sock at one point in the series. Spoiler!

I came to find out later that she was not quite sure how to console someone who was crying over the death of a fictional character. Anyway, at least I made her laugh.

So, I pose the question, which books have made you cry?

PS: Don't forget to enter to win a free book called Minder by Kate Kaynak. Go here to enter on my blog! Contest closes tomorrow.