tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65081616269796732062024-03-05T00:14:43.441-07:00Things Liz LovesA collection of all the things that I love (and that you should too!). Includes book, tv and movie reviews, entertainment news updates, contest links and links to the best websites out there for books, tv and movie news and info. Follow this blog to be up to date on everything awesome!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.comBlogger182125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-26956600303149008082012-05-02T14:40:00.003-06:002012-05-02T14:40:36.299-06:00Apologies...I have been the worst blogger ever. Truth is, my life has been so busy that I simply can't keep up with all of it and a book blog. This blog has been a lot of fun, and I miss the chatter and relationships with all my readers, but I just can't do it justice anymore. So, after much agonizing, I have decided to end the blog. I will leave the existing posts up, but I will not be posting anymore book reviews. I may occasionally post craft tutorials, but posts will generally be few and far between for the time being. I want to thank all of you for having stuck around for so long, you are very much appreciated and I will miss you all. Thank you for making this blog one of the things I am most proud of in my life.mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-64317486149602450522012-03-16T07:20:00.000-06:002012-03-16T07:20:28.511-06:00The New Dark Shadows Trailer, AKA Losing Faith in All HumanityThe trailer for the upcoming Dark Shadows remake has been released. Did you hear that? That was the sound of every horror fan in the world throwing up simultaneously. This film, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, is a travesty. They took the original gothic horror soap opera of the 60's and 70's and turned it into a freaking slapstick comedy. I'm not kidding. Take a look for yourself:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cTjD3rV27Go" width="560"></iframe><br />
Now, I really wanted to like this. I was really excited for the potential that a Dark Shadows reboot had. And I love Helena Bonham Carter, Michelle Pfiffer and Chloe Moretz. I really do. But holy mother of crap. This looks like someone crossed Scooby Doo with Willy Wonka and the bad years of Saturday Night Live. I'm heartbroken by this, to be honest. Compare this to the original Dark Shadows:<br />
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Sure, it's a little cheesy, it's a soap opera. But it is not, by any means, a comedy. I'm a huge genre fan, as we all know. I can't stand to see perfectly good horror material ripped to shreds by the hit and miss (mostly miss) work of Tim Burton. I can't help but wonder what the hell his thought process was when he was gearing up for this film. I imagine it went something like this:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">*flips on the Netflix Instant, sees "Dark Shadows" in the Recently Added section* Hmmm. It's been a while since I watched this old show. I remember it being pretty good, let's check it out.<br />
*36 hour "Dark Shadows" marathon commences* WOW! That was amazing! But I bet, if I add some horrible make-up, ridiculous dialogue and Three Stooges style slapstick, I could make BILLIONS! *calls up Johnny Depp* Hey, J-Dawg. You feel like ripping off all our fans by putting out a piece of garbage remake of Dark Shadows? Yeah, the vampire show. Well, I was thinking I'd dress you like a pedophile and borrow the script from a few episodes of Scooby Doo. Yeah, we'll make out like bandits on this one. I'll go vomit on some paper and send that in as the script, I'm sure the studios will fight to the death to get it. I mean, I'm Tim friggin' Burton, I could film my pinky toe for 2 hours and sell it. I'll get back to you, J-Dizzle. *hangs up*</blockquote>Yep. That's exactly what went down.<br />
I often use this blog to express my distaste with the state of things in the movie business, and this is no different. If film makers would just *try* to come up with something original instead of ripping off every movie, TV show and book that has ever been made, the movies that are released wouldn't be near as bad. So my message to Hollywood is, once again, STOP RUINING GOOD MATERIAL. This is why I don't go to the movies anymore.<br />
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Fin.mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-16151947132238432832012-01-03T14:33:00.001-07:002012-01-03T14:54:04.481-07:00Product Review: Dr. Jekyll ApothecaryOne thing that we're doing a little bit differently at Things Liz Loves in 2012 is that we are going to start including some small business product reviews. This is an effort to help spread the word about some small businesses that are doing amazing things and to help support the handmade movement by promoting businesses that feature handmade products.<br />
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The first business that will be a part of this new feature is <a href="http://drjekyll.storenvy.com/">Dr. Jekyll Apothecary</a>. <a href="http://drjekyll.storenvy.com/">Dr. Jekyll Apothecary</a> specializes in handmade, vegan, paraben- and sulfate-free soaps and body care products. All of the products are hand made by my dear friend Elena, who started <a href="http://drjekyll.storenvy.com/">Dr. Jekyll Apothecary</a> in her spare time between work, motherhood and hardcore gaming. First up, we have an interview with Elena about her amazing products.<br />
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<b>Tell me a little about Dr. Jekyll Apothecary. What got you started?</b><br />
<div>I always wanted to start my own business, and I hate being a paper pusher, but I could never really figure out exactly what I wanted to do. <br />
The internal monologue went something like this...<br />
“Hey there you”<br />
“What's up”<br />
“I really hate this day job crap”<br />
“MEEEE TOOOO”<br />
“And, just in case there's an apocolypse or something, I really need a trade skill too.”<br />
“mkay” some googling a soaping book later.....<br />
“Soap, eh?”<br />
“ MUAHHAHAHAH!! I've done it!”<br />
“Stop talking to yourself. Weirdo.” <br />
So, I made soap for the first time, loved it, then realized theres a multitude of things I can do in the same field. </div><div><br />
</div><b>What sets you apart from other similar businesses?</b>I really wanted to step away from all of the harsh chemicals and toxins that we put inside and all over ourselves every day. We are all-natural, paraben-free, sulfate free, and 100% vegan. We dont even use beeswax. All-natural is a marketing term loosley used and there is no actual enforcment of who gets to use it. When I say all natural I mean it. I don't even use most pigments because although they are “natural” they are now only produced in laboratories. <br />
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I also strive to produce products and packaging that are eco-friendly. Everything is glass, metal, or recycled paper and I have a container return program. Return your empty containers and I will give you a $1 credit, per container, towards your next purchase.<br />
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</div><div><b>What kind of ideas and products can we expect to see from you in the future?</b>The next thing I'lll be rolling out is my Legendary Locks Shampoo Bars. The bars are formulated specifically to work with your hair color. These are super gentle, effective, good for the environment, and most of all good for your hair. I'll also be offering a line of massage oils, and some new soaps should be out by the end of January. I have many planned additions to my product line, so these are just the near future, keep and eye out for LOTS more to come. Salves and pet sprays and bath bombs, Oh My!</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Of all your products, which one do you like to use the most and why?</b>I can't even convey how much I LOVE the body butter bars. They moisturize really well but still absorb into the skin and they last SO LONG. They just make me feel decadent and fabulous. I personally love to use them on my feet and legs after shaving. I also dont need lotions, cuticle oils, or anything like that. Those bottles take up space. Now its just one bar, one tin. Awesome.</div><div><br />
</div><div>This interview sums up why I freaking adore Elena. Isn't she great? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/373917_285184994860717_276733932372490_804788_1549767788_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/373917_285184994860717_276733932372490_804788_1549767788_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>And now, the product review. <a href="http://drjekyll.storenvy.com/">Dr. Jekyll Apothecary</a> supplied us with 2 bars of their amazing vegan soap in Ambrosia Lemon Tea and Ocean Rose scents, as well as a Bewildering Body Butter Bar in Rose. I did a side by side comparison of the Ocean Rose soap with my regular soap, and the difference was truly astounding. The first and most noticeable difference between this soap and the standard Caress body wash I had been using was how clean the Ocean Rose rinsed away. Compared to the Ocean Rose, the Caress made me feel like there was a filmy layer on my skin, and the Ocean Rose made my skin feel incredibly soft and clean. The scent of both soap bars is incredible, and the herbs in the bar add a bit of exfoliation to the mix. The bars take a little more work to create a lather because of the lack of sulfates, but the delicious scent and wonderfully soft skin are totally worth it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/394661_285184891527394_276733932372490_804783_1379335808_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/394661_285184891527394_276733932372490_804783_1379335808_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Bewildering Body Butter Bar is a personal favorite of mine as well. I have chronically dry skin here in Utah, especially around my heels and elbows, and this bar totally fixed that. The rose scent is lovely and mellow, not overpowering. The bar smooths onto the skin easily because of the low melting point of the oils used in the bar, and the moisturizing properties of this bar leave other lotions in the dust. My skin has dramatically improved since I started using these products, and I'm definitely going to continue to use them as long as <a href="http://drjekyll.storenvy.com/">Dr. Jekyll Apothecary</a> is making them! And with prices as low as $2.50 per bar of soap and $5 per body butter bar plus shipping, switching to these incredible products is easy on the wallet. You can get a basket with all of <a href="http://drjekyll.storenvy.com/">Dr. Jekyll Apothecary</a>'s incredible products for $25 plus shipping, which is an incredible value!<br />
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Head over and <a href="http://drjekyll.storenvy.com/">check out the selection</a>, which includes bath salts, lip balm and a clay mask that will wow you. Visit the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-Jekyll-Apothecary/276733932372490">Dr. Jekyll Apothecary Facebook page</a> to show your support for this awesome business and get a coupon code for 10% off of your purchase!</div></div>mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-7087292274610702092011-12-13T08:12:00.000-07:002011-12-13T08:12:38.404-07:00Time Travel Tuesday: ScroogedIn honor of the impending Christmas holiday, I'm doing today's Time Travel Tuesday on one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time. Not the old standby's, like <i>It's a Wonderful Life</i> or <i>A Miracle on 34th Street</i>, but the Bill Murray classic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6305609764/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=6305609764">Scrooged</a>. This movie is late 80's take on the classic story <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, following Ebenezer Scrooge and his life changing journey through time to find his Christmas spirit. The film is hilarious and complete with all of the glorious 80's decadence and fashion you can stand. I try to watch this movie every year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahh, the eye poke gag. A classic.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This film was packed with hilarious actors. I am a firm believer in Bill Murray's comedic genius, in spite of Ghostbusters 2. With a supporting cast like Bobcat Goldthwaite, David Johansen and Carol Kane, it was a sure bet that this film would have the people in stitches. Here's a few of my favorite things about the movie:<br />
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<b><u>Carol Kane's Ghost of Christmas Present</u></b><br />
Carol Kane rocks this movie. Her Ghost of Christmas Present's "tough love" approach to showing Frank Cross the error of his ways is a throwback to the slapstick awesomeness of The Three Stooges. She kicks him, jabs him in the eyes and decks him with a toaster to get her point across. Because sometimes you have to slap them in the face to get their attention.<br />
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<b><u>Ahh, the Christmas Spirit</u></b><br />
The funny of this movie is not the focus. After all, it is A Christmas Carol: 80's Style. There's such a wonderful speech at the end of the film that I can't really put into words, so I'll just post the video.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3kX6rf9uw7w" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Tell me that doesn't warm your heart.<br />
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Watch <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6305609764/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=6305609764">Scrooged</a> with your family this Christmas and get into the comedic 80's Christmas spirit. Happy holidays everyone!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=thin086-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=6305609764" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-58584193313333162222011-12-05T07:32:00.000-07:002011-12-05T07:32:13.867-07:00Winnah!We have a winner for the big random giveaway! Out of 56 entries, the winner was chosen using a random number generator. The random number was 28, which was...Stephanie Fields!!! Stephanie is being notified by email and will have 48 hours to claim her prize. If she does not respond in that time, her entries will be discarded a new winner will be chosen from the remaining entries. Thanks so much to everyone who entered, and stay tuned for more giveaways!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-2066336969470497162011-12-02T11:55:00.000-07:002011-12-02T11:55:54.227-07:00If you haven't entered yet...What are you waiting for! Entries in the current fantabulous giveaway are still pretty low, so everyone has pretty good odds for winning! Hurry and get your entries in <a href="http://thingslizloves.blogspot.com/2011/11/its-beginning-to-look-lot-like-giveaway.html">here</a>. The winner will be chosen and announced on Monday, so you have the weekend to spread the word and max out your entries!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-24980640927054435342011-11-23T23:15:00.000-07:002011-11-23T23:15:24.719-07:00Happy Turkey Day, Folks!Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And for my international bloggy buddies, Happy Thursday! I hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend!<br />
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Thanksgiving means Black Friday and Cyber Monday are upon us as well, so if you're in the mood for some shopping, hop over to <a href="http://mizzlizzbeck.etsy.com/">Things Liz Makes</a> and take advantage of the big 20% off Thanksgiving week sale! "THANKSGIVING20" is the coupon code you use to get 20% off of everything in the shop, including mini-batts, services and custom orders! The code has been extended to be valid through Monday, so go over and get your holiday shop on!<br />
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Have a wonderful weekend, guys!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-52959044998890177262011-11-20T11:42:00.000-07:002011-11-20T11:42:10.520-07:00Movie Review: The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn Part 1Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Breaking Dawn Part 1 has hit theaters this week. As we approach the final stages of the Twilight saga, fans are excited to see how the events of the final book translated into film. How was the Edward and Bella honeymoon? Did Edward really chew through Bella's uterus? Is Renesmee a creepy teeth baby? How did they pull off the wolf telepathy? Get all these questions answered and all the opinion you can stand in my film review! WARNING: This is JAM PACKED with spoilers for the movie and the book, but chances are you already know what's happening anyway. Review after the jump!<br />
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</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1</span></b></div><div><b>Release Date: Nov. 18, 2011</b></div><div><b>Rating: PG-13</b></div><div><b>Directed by Bill Condon</b></div><div><b>Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Billy Burke, Nikki Reid</b></div><div><br />
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</div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars</span></b></div><div><br />
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</div><div>This may put me in the bad graces of my fellow Twilight fans, but I was thoroughly underwhelmed by Breaking Dawn as a book. I felt like Stephenie Meyer was writing just to bring an end to the series and that her heart wasn't really in the story anymore. There was all this tension and build-up for an ending that really had no real resolution. The whole baby situation in the book felt forced to me, but maybe that's just me. The movie did a good job translating the story elements to film, but there isn't much you can do when the source material is questionable to begin with.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The big wedding was the first thing we saw in the film. It was a truly beautiful wedding, but there were some discrepancies with the book that some fans might be angry about. For one, Bella's dress was not at all vintage. It was beautiful, but totally contemporary and had an open lace panel that ran the entire length of her back, risking crack shots. Also, Bella's line to her father, "Just don't let me fall," had NOT context in the film, as the wedding was outside and there were no stairs in sight. Even the five inch heels she was supposed to be wearing were gone and replaced with fluffy little slippers. Jacob showed up as he was supposed to, but instead of having unkempt hair that was cut with a knife, he was perfectly gelled and just had a scruffy beard. The wedding had more confrontation than it originally did in the book, which kind of helped to ease the dull, and the toasts at the reception were hilarious. Emmett dropped awkward sex jokes, Jessica not-so-subtly hinted that Edward should have fallen for her instead, Charlie dropped some also not-so-subtle threats to Edward's life, and Renee tearfully and badly sang a rendition of a lullaby she sang to Bella as a child. I was in stitches.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I know the big thing that the fans were excited to see was Edward and Bella *finally* having sex. I felt that the love scenes in this movie were very well done and stayed true to the story in a way that will make the fans very happy. The lead up to this was extremely awkward, but I guess that was the plan. The morning after was not quite what I expected. There were feathers all over the room, and the bed frame was in splinters, but Edward wasn't even in the room when Bella woke up. He instead emerged from the hallway fully dressed and depressed about the 2 freaking bruises he left on her. Seriously. I did think the red and white chess set he used to keep Bella busy was a nice touch though.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Now for the pregnancy. Rather than have the already super skinny Kristen Stewart drop weight to achieve the sickly look of a lady pregnant with a half vampire baby, they elected to make her thinner via CG. This effect was pretty unrealistic in some parts, but I guess it's okay. At least we know what KStew would look like if she started doing meth. Taylor Lautner stepped up his acting game for this part of the movie. He was required to be emotional and angry, and it actually seemed real this time, rather than the forced performances we've seen from him in the other Twilight films. He even cried. I was hoping to see more of the banter between Rosalee and Jacob that we saw in the book, so I was a little disappointed there (no Fido mixing bowl), but some of the things left out were better off that way. For one, they didn't have Edward and Jacob offer to let Jacob have sex with Bella to give her a baby that wouldn't kill her. That was just awkward in the book. There was also a lot less of the internal wolf chats, which is a very good thing, because the ones they did have were freaking ridiculous. The best description I can offer is borrowed from a friend on Twitter: "Wolf telepathy makes you sound like a bad guy from Power Rangers." So true.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The delivery was very well done. It was done from Bella's point of view, which gives you all the sounds and tension of the delivery without having to see Edward chomping down on her womb. You do get a nice crunching sound, and then Edward's mouth covered in blood and goop, so they implied the vamp-section very well. Everyone gets covered in blood jello, much like I imagine an at-home vampire cesarean would go. The baby came out cute and kind of chunky, and thankfully, they didn't show her mouth full of creepy teeth. They did CG the poor infant's face for the imprinting scene to make it look like the little girl they cast to be Renesmee in the next film, which was a little scary looking, but it would have been so much worse if she smiled with a mouth full of pearly whites. The way they showed the imprinting happening in Jacob's mind was interesting, like he could see the future.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The Bella vampire transformation kind of went the way of CSI. They showed the venom running through her veins, crystallizing everything it touched. They showed spinal repair and all sorts of gross internal stuff, which let us know that it was working in spite of KStew's dead face. Also, apparently the vampire transformation process works much like magic plastic surgery. You get permanent eye makeup, highlights, fake eyelashes, your body goes from gross to hot in a matter of moments...basically, I need to sign up for this service. The last shot of the film is of Bella's red eyes popping open, which is pretty much exactly where I thought it would end. There's a scene after the credits where Aro announces his less-than-honorable intentions regarding the Cullens to the other Volturi, which is appropriately creepy and well done.</div><div><br />
</div><div>All in all, the film was okay. It will make fans pretty happy, but as far as movies in general go, it's slow-moving with a lackluster story. Not the movie's fault though, blame Stephenie Meyer. I hope the director took some creative license with the second half and makes some actual action happen in the big stand-off, because if not, that film will be rated even lower than this one. Proceed to throw stones now. :)</div>mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-69598512217334083592011-11-18T12:38:00.001-07:002011-11-18T14:07:38.129-07:00It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like a Giveaway...We are officially into the season of giving. It's getting chilly outside, leaves are on the ground, Christmas music is already on the radio...it's time to get into the spirit of the season. Since I haven't been the most active blogger lately, and I haven't done much in the way of giveaways, I figured the beginning of this holiday season is as good a time as any to do a <b>SUPER HUMONGOUS GIVEAWAY!!!</b> <i>*cue the confetti*</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.newstimes.com/mediaManager/?controllerName=image&action=get&id=65896&width=628&height=471" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://www.newstimes.com/mediaManager/?controllerName=image&action=get&id=65896&width=628&height=471" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Things Liz Loves is doing a giveaway?! YES!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Get excited, because someone is going to get a <b>MONSTER SIZED prize pack</b> just in time for the holidays! You don't even have to be a follower of the blog to have a chance at winning! (<i>Full disclosure, you get extra points for following, but it's not required, and there are plenty of ways to get extra points</i>.) This blog is open to <b>anyone ages 13 and older</b>, even international readers! Want to know what you're going to get if you win? Brace yourselves, folks.<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li><b>TWO Books</b>, courtesy of Pyr Books! Not ARCs, actual finished copies, one a hardcover! The books are: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616145390/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1616145390">Lightbringer</a> by K.D. McEntire (review pending, hardcover) and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616145234/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1616145234">Vampire Empire: The Rift Walker</a> by Clay and Susan Griffith (review <a href="http://thingslizloves.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-rift-walker-vampire-empire-book.html">here</a>, paperback). Both books are in brand new, pristine condition and will be a delightful read!</li>
<li><b>One hand crocheted Softy Booky Bag</b>, courtesy of Things Liz Makes, in deep red. This bag is made of 100% acrylic yarn, which is machine washable and will not aggravate allergies. The bag is large enough to carry the two books in this prize pack plus some.</li>
<li><b>Super fun stationary!</b> Brightly colored paisley print thank-you cards with envelopes and a large notepad with green polkadots on the top right and bottom left corners, both new in the packages. Just in time to write thank you notes for all your awesome holiday gifts!</li>
<li><b>One surprise Things Liz Makes sample!</b> You can choose between a spinning/felting fiber sample (1/4+ ounce), handspun yarn (20+ yards) or a Never Lose Your Bookmark (wool or acrylic, your choice).</li>
<li><b>Autographed author swag!</b> One <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316084190/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0316084190">JANE</a> poster, signed by author April Lindner, and one <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058M5TSI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B0058M5TSI">Bloodthirsty</a> bookmark, signed by author Flynn Meaney!</li>
</ul>
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That is one super sized prize pack! Now for the points breakdown. Everyone gets 1 point for entering using the entry form, which I will link to below. Followers of the blog get an extra point just for following, and you can score extra points for sharing and supporting Things Liz Loves!<br />
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<b>+1 for completing the entry form</b><br />
<b>+1 for following the blog</b><br />
<b>+1 for "liking" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Things-Liz-Loves/145692932121835">Things Liz Loves on Facebook</a></b><br />
<b>+1 for "liking" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Things-Liz-Makes/213280628740868">Things Liz Makes on Facebook</a></b><br />
<b>+1 for following Liz on <a href="http://twitter.com/mizzlizzbeck">Twitter</a></b><br />
<b>+1 for joining the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/things-liz-makes">Things Liz Makes Ravelry group</a></b><br />
<b>+1 for Tweeting the contest</b><br />
<b>+1 for Facebooking the contest</b><br />
<b>+1 for Plurking the contest</b><br />
<b>+1 for blogging about the contest</b><br />
<b>+3 for signing up for <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/mizzlizzbeck">Swagbucks</a> through the referral link (plus you get 30 free Swagbucks for signing up!)</b><br />
<b>+5 for any purchase made through the <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/thin086-20">Things Liz Loves Amazon store</a></b><br />
<b>+5 for any purchase made at the <a href="http://mizzlizzbeck.etsy.com/">Things Liz Makes Etsy shop</a> or <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ladder-line-mitten-covers">Ravelry Pattern Store</a></b><br />
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All the links you will need are provided above. That's a total of<b> 23 possible entries</b> per person! So not only am I giving you a <b>super incredible humongous prize pack</b>, I'm making it really easy to have a ton of chances! Just fill out the form below (or follow <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGEwWWZYX1dvSnRSUHc5RXg0Y3poQ2c6MQ">this link</a> if the embedded form doesn't show up) and I will credit your entries! The winner will be chosen and announced on Monday, December 5th, 2011. Thanks so much for participating, I can't wait to see who wins!<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="1391" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dGEwWWZYX1dvSnRSUHc5RXg0Y3poQ2c6MQ" width="760">&lt;p&gt;Loading...&lt;/p&gt;</iframe>mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-66635241746054649642011-10-25T12:41:00.001-06:002011-10-25T12:41:22.498-06:00Things Liz Loves Halloween Haunted ReviewThis Halloween season has been an exciting one for me. I've been working extra hard on my shop, adding inventory, doing advertising and expanding my offerings. I've been working on my house, fixing up a few things in preparation for the coming winter. And most of all, I've been getting scared out of my wits. I've been on a visit to at least one haunted attraction per weekend since the beginning of October, visiting some of the most renowned haunts in Utah. While these haunts boast that they are some of the scariest in the US, I needed to know for myself, and I figure maybe some of you want to know too. So here's a review of two of the most well-known haunts in the state of Utah. Keep a lookout for more to come!<br />
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<a href="http://www.nightmareon13th.com/">Nightmare on 13th</a><br />
Nightmare on 13th is the most popular haunted attraction in Utah, and thanks to the national exposure it has received from being featured on the Discovery Channel, people from all over visit in hopes of a horrifying good time. The attraction features some of the latest in haunted house technology, a huge venue with three different themed sections and a giant cast of some of the only paid haunted house actors in the state. The lines for this place are insane, so people who buy their tickets online get a free VIP upgrade to skip the line and head straight in (people who pay at the haunt have to spend an extra $10 per ticket to skip the line, but with a 45 minute minimum wait time, it may be worth it). All this information coupled with a steep $20 per person ticket price led me to believe that this would be the most incredible haunted experience of the year.<br />
Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed with my trip to Nightmare on 13th. The long wait times didn't bother me as much as they might bother others, but the fact that we were pushed through the haunt crammed right next to a hundred other people, mostly rude teenagers, basically ruined the whole thing. It is impossible to get scared when you just saw that zombie jump out at the person in front of you. It was like being packed into an 800 degree pressure cooker of teenage snark. It was hot, sticky and not fun. I personally would not have minded a longer wait time if it meant that I could go through with just my group and not be stuck into a steady stream of people. I don't think anyone else that has attended that attraction would have minded spending a few more minutes in line to feel like the $20 wasn't wasted on a crappy experience. In the future, Nightmare on 13th will not be getting my business, at least until they work on their timing.<br />
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<a href="http://castleofchaos.com/">The Castle of Chaos</a><br />
The other big name in Utah haunts is Castle of Chaos. Castle of Chaos has been named one of the scariest haunts in the US by the Travel Channel and has three different locations of terror to keep you quaking in fear. They offer a deal where you can get access to all three locations for $25, which saves you about $33 off the price of going to each one individually. I paid a visit to each haunt and even got to chat with the owner of the Castles. He told me that he takes pride in his haunts and wants to scare the pants off of everyone who enters one of his attractions, which is why the people working the doors at each attraction are required to have a 3-5 minute gap between groups. That way, you get to go through the attraction alone and really get lost in the experience. This is the difference that put the Castles ahead of the gargantuan Nightmare on 13th.<br />
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<a href="http://castleofchaos.com/original/">The Original Castle of Chaos</a><br />
The original home of the Castle of Chaos is on 33rd South in Salt Lake City. The haunt has several rooms of terror, including a meat packing plant, a toy factory and a net maze with wandering, hungry zombies. The coolest feature this location offers is the Hands On Terror experience, where you can sign a waiver and wear a glow stick that allows the actors to touch and grab you while you wander through the haunt. The upgrade is absolutely worth the extra couple of dollars, as the actors separate you from your group, snatch you into dark and creepy corners and go all out to scare the crap out of you. This location is moving to Orem next year, but if they keep up with the quality of this year, it will be worth the trip.<br />
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<a href="http://castleofchaos.com/redwood/">The Castle of Chaos Redwood Road</a><br />
The Redwood Road Castle of Chaos is in what used to be the Nightmare Mansion and has four levels of fear that are guaranteed to terrify. This location has a very similar feel to Nightmare on 13th, only you actually get to go through in small groups and get scared for real. They have a 3D level that tricks your vision, a mental hospital level that puts you into a seemingly dead end padded cell, and the actors are top-notch at this location. I actually screamed when one of the "mental patients" snuck up on me, and I pretty much never scream. The Hands On experience will be added to this location next year, and I will be one of the first in line to get scared.<br />
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<a href="http://castleofchaos.com/riverdale/">The Carnival of Chaos</a><br />
The newest Castle of Chaos location is in Riverdale and is the most family-friendly of the three Castle haunts. The Carnival of Chaos has three sections: the Haunted Midway, which is free to all and has face painting, tarot readings, aerial performers, an all-ages music show and a coffin ride; the Seven Deadly Sins section was a staple at the original location that has new life in Riverdale; the Carnival of Chaos 3D Maze is a trippy visual experience that is totally creepy but still fun for younger visitors. I hit this location twice, once with my kids and once without. Both were a great time and we will be visiting them for years to come. This haunt will get bigger each year, so expect new things to pop up!<br />
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Things Liz Loves isn't done with the Utah haunt scene yet! I have plans to pay a visit to at least 2 more haunts this year, so check back for more reviews. Ticket information can be found at the links provided. Happy Haunting!!!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-61689569177662442562011-10-17T10:54:00.000-06:002011-10-17T10:54:57.985-06:00Brand New Listings at Things Liz MakesI have finally listed all of my full-sized Hocus Pocus spinning fibers, so hop over to the Things Liz Makes shop to check them out! I also have some Supernatural themed batts and Psych-inspired fiber and yarn listed, all of which are pretty awesome! Take a look at some of the lovelies that are currently for sale!<br />
<br />
<script src="http://www.etsy.com/assets/js/etsy_mini_shop.js" type="text/javascript">
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new Etsy.Mini(6139800,'gallery',3,3,1,'http://www.etsy.com');
</script>mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-76121325868347267352011-10-10T12:18:00.000-06:002011-10-10T12:18:25.699-06:00Review: The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire, Book 2) by Clay and Susan Griffith<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rift-Walker-Vampire-Empire-Book/dp/1616145234?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire, Book 2)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1616145234&tag=thin086-20" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rift-Walker-Vampire-Empire-Book/dp/1616145234?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616145234" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The Rift Walker</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616145234" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">(Vampire Empire, Book 2)</span></b><br />
<b>Written by Clay and Susan Griffith</b><br />
<b>Release Date: September 6, 2011</b><br />
<b>Publisher: Pyr (a division of Prometheus Books)</b><br />
<b>ARC provided by the publisher for a fair and honest review. THANK YOU!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyv5oR1uokZp8je6DZjCPvnx6EghytIJEtOEBNaDodCs6TW-lrszxpB2_Z3dVk29OjJVMgXen96QqzmbrfBiITFvH5XKeqfvYUgX_bWgJSVmdmJEq5RvGwkGr9umOZ64W2nZFkUkM57o/s1600/5stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyv5oR1uokZp8je6DZjCPvnx6EghytIJEtOEBNaDodCs6TW-lrszxpB2_Z3dVk29OjJVMgXen96QqzmbrfBiITFvH5XKeqfvYUgX_bWgJSVmdmJEq5RvGwkGr9umOZ64W2nZFkUkM57o/s200/5stars.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Rating: 5 out of 5 stars</b><br />
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<b>Summary (courtesy of Barnes and Noble):</b><br />
<blockquote>
Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic allies stand on the brink of war against the vampire clans of the north. However, the alliance's horrific strategy for total victory drives Adele to abandon her duty and embark on a desperate quest to keep her nation from staining its hands with genocide. Reunited with her great love, the mysterious adventurer known to the world as the Greyfriar, Adele is pursued by her own people as well as her vengeful husband, senator Clark. With the human alliance in disarrray, Prince Cesare, lord of the British vampire clan, seizes the initiative and strikes at the very heart of Equatoria.<br />
As Adele labors to bring order to her world, she learns more about the strange powers she exhibited in the north. Her teacher, Mamoru, leads a secret cabal of geomancers who believe Adele is the one who can touch the vast power of the Earth that surges through ley lines and wells up at the rifts where the lines meet. These energies are the key to defeating the enemy of mankind, and if Princess Adele could ever bring this power under her command, she could be death to vampires. But such a victory will also cost the life of Adele's beloved Greyfriar.<br />
The Rift Walker is the second book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternative history. Combining rousing pulp action with steampunk style, the Vampire Empire series brings epic politcal themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.</blockquote>
I absolutely LOVED The Greyfriar, the first book from this series, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rift-Walker-Vampire-Empire-Book/dp/1616145234?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">The Rift Walker</a> is an amazing follow-up that doesn't disappoint. Full review after the jump!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>When this book arrived on my doorstep, I did a happy dance that I would be shamed to have you guys see. I was so excited to have a chance to review this title! The first book was totally awesome, so the chance to read this one was a big deal for me. Lucky for Prince Gareth and Princess Adele, this book stood up nicely to the awesomeness of the first.<br />
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This book was a lot more involved in the political aspect of Princess Adele's life, including her arranged marriage to an American war lord. This was pretty interesting to see, especially how Adele handled things while maintaining an appearance of "proper behavior" while trying to stop the war from within the Equatorian government. I was a bit frustrated with the male chauvinism and the fact that Adele couldn't really express her opinion with anyone, including her father, but that's more a reflection of how accurate the writers reflected the culture. The fact that they did such a fantastic job recreating some benchmarks of old school middle eastern and European culture and relationship dynamics made it possible for me to be angry with the male characters that were oppressing the strong minded Adele. It also made it that much more impressive when Adele rebelled against that oppression.<br />
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Princess Adele really is the kind of heroine I like to see in young adult writing. She's free thinking, she has no problem speaking her mind, and she's excited about the prospect of being the powerful force that can stop the human-vampire war. A common theme in YA literature, especially fantasy YA, is the damsel in distress, lilting female lead that no real teen girl should ever take as a role model. It's so refreshing to have a continually strong female lead that keeps her gumption throughout the course of the series.<br />
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The one thing I would have liked to see more of was interaction between Adele and the Greyfriar, Prince Gareth. There was a lot of romantic tension from the first book that was sort of left hanging for a large portion of the second book. I understand why, don't get me wrong, but it kind of made the connection between the two of them take a back seat, so much so that it was almost forgotten. This is a better alternative than having the entire book be sappy pining romance, though, so it's not a big deal.<br />
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Bottom line, this book is really great, just like it's predecessor. I would definitely suggest picking it up at your earliest convenience, along with The Greyfriar. You could also hold out for the audio books, which will be recorded by one of my hugest TV crushes of all time, James Marsters. (!!!) Pick the books up from Amazon at the links below. Enjoy!<br />
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mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-39262725206236049302011-09-30T11:23:00.000-06:002011-09-30T11:23:16.126-06:00Things Liz Makes October Fiber FeatureOctober is just around the corner, which means it's time to give you all a sneak peak at the awesome fibers I'll be stocking in the <a href="http://mizzlizzbeck.etsy.com/">Things Liz Makes shop</a>. This is the first month that the shop is contributing to the Phat Fiber Sampler box, so the October fibers go along with the Phat theme for October: The Witching Hour. I plucked my inspiration from the most fabulous witches I know, the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnDYu4aG4fi3PGwC5eovl1NmhWbGovERe__rN5gWNJtkXj-utfRTReLUQVTHxJZQ3MUvpeAHYCop2fz-TsRCuAD6bKw8Rz2RlYdEqdc-kswbS3a7b8NFtGXwnpNdRjS8nuWmsgbJXTRc/s1600/tumblr_lhtm8cJJhu1qg900bo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnDYu4aG4fi3PGwC5eovl1NmhWbGovERe__rN5gWNJtkXj-utfRTReLUQVTHxJZQ3MUvpeAHYCop2fz-TsRCuAD6bKw8Rz2RlYdEqdc-kswbS3a7b8NFtGXwnpNdRjS8nuWmsgbJXTRc/s320/tumblr_lhtm8cJJhu1qg900bo1_500.jpg" width="152" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This animated version of the Hocus Pocus sisters is where I got my inspiration.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Have a look at the samples I'm sending to Phat HQ today:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110930_092248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110930_092248.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Amok, Amok, Amok!" - Sarah Sanderson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sarah Sanderson is a silky little minx, and her fiber is too. The Sarah inspired colorway is a blend of fuscia Targhee wool, maroon Merino and nylon blend, pale yellow Tussah silk and a strip of black Merino wool to tie it all up. The full sized batts have the black blended right in, so it spins up together with pops of color, shine and darkness.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110930_092317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110930_092317.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I Smell Children..." - Mary Sanderson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mary Sanderson is a soft, simple, no-frills kind of gal. The Mary inspired colorway keeps in line with this by being a no-sparkle workhorse sock blend of maroon Merino and nylon blend, natural chocolate brown BFL wool, streaks of vibrant purple nylon and black Merino to pull it all together. The black will also be blended into the batts for the full sized version of the colorway. This blend is super soft and resilient enough for sock yarn.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110930_092307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110930_092307.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I Put a Spell on You" - Winifred Sanderson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Winifred Sanderson needs no introduction. After all, of all the witches working, she is the worst. The colorway inspired by the black-hearted Winifred is high contrast and sparkly, perfect for an art yarn. The blend includes bright green Targhee wool, soft blue baby alpaca, fiery orange Firestar and a strip of black Merino wool, because you can't have Winifred without some deep dark evil inside. As with the other colorways, the black Merino will be blended right into the full sized batts.<br />
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I had a ton of fun making these colorways, and I can't wait to get the full sized batts finished up and posted in the shop. If you love the colors and fibers but don't spin, there will also be a spinning service listing that you can snag at a discount with these batts to have your own custom Hocus Pocus yarn. If you want to get your hands on a sample sized Sanderson Sister, swing by <a href="http://www.phatfiber.com/">Phat Fiber</a> and get on the list to be emailed with the box drop date. You'll also get your hands on samples from a ton of other awesome fiber artists, all with the fun Witching Hour theme. Full sized batts will be listed in <a href="http://mizzlizzbeck.etsy.com/">the shop</a> right around the time of the box drop, so look out for them!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-76070431955972152482011-09-01T13:08:00.002-06:002011-09-01T13:08:46.294-06:00Shameless Plug - Vote for Me!Hi guys! Just a quick post to ask you to pop over to Ravelry and cast a vote for my yarn to win the Firefly themed Spin-Along contest in the Dyet Yarns group. My entry is the Earth That Was colorway, which is a lovely deep green with blue and cream accents You have to have a Ravelry account to vote, but accounts are free to sign up and the community is a lot of fun. So <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/dyet-yarns/1808934/1-25#2">hop over to the contest thread</a> and vote for Liz! The voting closes on September 9th, and that's my 6th anniversary, so it would be an injustice for me to not win. I'm just saying. Thanks bloggy friends!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-48751168695908725442011-08-30T10:31:00.000-06:002011-08-30T10:31:45.442-06:00Time Travel Tuesday: Hocus PocusWhat's this? A new Time Travel Tuesday? That's right, we're back, and with some serious awesomeness. This week, we're going to take a look back at one of the most fun, cheesy and entertaining Halloween-themed movies of my childhood, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hocus-Pocus-Bette-Midler/dp/6305428042?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hocus Pocus</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6305428042" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />.<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thin086-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=6305428042&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hocus-Pocus-Bette-Midler/dp/6305428042?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hocus Pocus</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6305428042" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b></span><br />
<b>Released in 1993</b><br />
<b>Rated PG</b><br />
<b>Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz, Thora Birch and Vinessa Shaw</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1c09gR7M6vI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>My adoration for this movie was recently revived when I started looking for inspiration for my October contribution to the Phat Fiber Sampler. The theme is "The Witching Hour," and in true Things Liz Loves style, I wanted to pull my inspiration from either a movie, TV show, book or song. Then I remembered this little gem, and it was perfect. The over-the-top colors, the silly dialogue, the family-friendly yet interesting storyline...everything in this movie is an ingredient for awesomesauce. Bette Midler even sings! You can't beat that.<br />
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A little bit of "Where are they now" info...Bette Midler retired after her last run in Vegas in 2010 after decades of Hollywood success. Sarah Jessica Parker went on to become wildly successful in Sex and the City. Kathy Najimy does a lot of TV now, including a run on the law comedy Franklin and Bash. Thora Birch went on to star in some film fixtures like American Beauty and Now and Then, and currently has 3 films in production. Vinessa Shaw has been busy since Hocus Pocus, acting in films like The Hills Have Eyes and 3:10 to Yuma. Omri Katz left acting in 2002 to pursue hairdressing in LA, and later moved to Israel with his family. And another character from Hocus Pocus found success later in life as well. Remember the boy turned immortal cat that helped the kids fight the Sanderson Sisters, Thackery Binx? That boy, Sean Murray, currently stars in the successful CBS series NCIS as Special Agent Timothy McGee.<br />
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If you're feeling nostalgic or you're looking for a Halloween movie that you can watch with your kids, Hocus Pocus is a good one to pick up. Put it on your Netflix DVD queue or pick it up from Amazon.mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-38572871995600809272011-08-24T14:50:00.000-06:002011-08-24T14:50:54.580-06:00Things Liz Makes: New Phat Fiber Contributor!Hi guys! Just posting to let you all know that my shop, Things Liz Makes, has been approved to be a contributor to the Phat Fiber Sampler Box! I will be contributing fiber, yarn and patterns for your spinning and knitting pleasure. Check out the <a href="http://www.phatfiber.com/">Phat Fiber website</a> and look for my samples in the October sampler box!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-31343254849937913002011-08-12T11:43:00.000-06:002011-08-12T11:43:28.467-06:00News from the Vampire Empire Series and Dragon-Con!Just got an email from the publisher of the Vampire Empire series that was full of awesome! If you remember a few months back, we reviewed the first book in the Vampire Empire series, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greyfriar-Vampire-Empire-Book/dp/1616142472?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Greyfriar</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616142472" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I totally dug that book in a big way, and I'm excited to be reading the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rift-Walker-Vampire-Empire-Book/dp/1616145234?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">second installment</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616145234" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for review as we speak.<br />
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The publisher of the series, Pyr, has some big things in the works for the Vampire Empire, including a series of audio books narrated by the amazing James Marsters. *insert fangirl squee* You remember James Marsters. The hot piece of man candy that played Spike on the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Buffy-Vampire-Slayer-Nicholas-Brendon/dp/B0046XG48O?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Buffy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0046XG48O" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Complete-David-Boreanaz/dp/B003YF9Q08?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Angel</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003YF9Q08" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> TV series.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You are hypnotized by my eyes of awesome blueness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I adore James Marsters, so I'm ridiculously excited about the next tidbit of news I'll be giving you guys. This year, at Dragon-Con, there will be a special Vampire Empire ticketed event featuring the authors of the series and Mr. Marsters.<br />
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Attendees will be able to hear all about the Vampire Empire series from the authors, Clay and Susan Griffith. Then, James Marsters will read from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greyfriar-Vampire-Empire-Book/dp/1616142472?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Greyfriar</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616142472" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and women everywhere will melt. The event will be followed up by a book signing, where you can get your copies of both <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greyfriar-Vampire-Empire-Book/dp/1616142472?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Greyfriar</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616142472" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and it's follow-up, The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rift-Walker-Vampire-Empire-Book/dp/1616145234?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rift Walker</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616145234" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />. Since the event takes place on September 4th, you'll have a chance to get The Rift Walker before it hits shelves on September 6th!<br />
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<a href="http://www.dragoncon.org/index.php">Information about DragonCon and tickets can be found at the convention's official website.</a> There's going to be a whole lot of awesome stuff going on at DragonCon, so if you can get down to Atlanta, do it! Also, look for the review of The Rift Walker to be posted here very soon.<br />
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Big thanks to Pyr and Prometheus Books for providing the info and the awesome books to review.mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-48580734747992793182011-07-10T17:31:00.000-06:002011-07-10T17:31:42.552-06:00A Things Liz Makes Tutorial: Crochet Staghorn CablesCables are like a foreign language to many crocheters. Most people think cables = knitting, and that's simply not the case. I've worked out crocheted cables before, and I was presented with a challenge to do a Staghorn Cable pattern in crochet. I did a quick search on Ravelry's pattern database, and there are no crochet patterns that feature Staghorn Cables. Not one! So I looked at photographs of knitted Staghorn Cables and the experimentation that happened over at <a href="http://knotrune.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/crochet-cables/">Knotrune's blog</a>. Armed with this information, I came up with a written Staghorn Cables pattern that can be adjusted to work with pretty much any crocheted project. I'm going to go ahead and link this up to the Ravelry pattern database for free, so you can all feel free to work the technique into your patterns. Of course, I'd appreciate a nod in any pattern that uses the technique. :) Happy Crafting!<br />
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Crocheted Staghorn Cables</span></u></b><br />
<b>By Liz Beckwith</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Written July 10, 2011</span><br />
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This pattern swatch is written with one set of staghorn cables that is two three-stitch cable sections positioned together. The swatch is 20 stitches wide. This can be altered to include more than one set of staghorns, to make larger or smaller cable sections or to be worked with smaller stitches. Can be used with any yarn weight, hook size and gauge. This sample of the swatch is worked in worsted weight acrylic yarn and with a size H hook.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110710_172219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110710_172219.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocheted test swatch.</td></tr>
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<b><u>Stitch abbreviations:</u></b><br />
<b>fdc</b>: foundation double crochet<br />
<b>ch</b>: chain<br />
<b>dc</b>: double crochet<br />
<b>tc</b>: triple crochet<br />
<b>fpdc</b>: front post double crochet<br />
<b>bpdc</b>: back post double crochet<br />
<b>fptc</b>: front post triple crochet<br />
<b>bptc</b>: back post triple crochet<br />
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<b>Row 1</b>: Work 20 fdc. <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">For help with the chainless foundation, see the Crochet Cabana article on them <a href="http://www.crochetcabana.com/tutorials/chainless-foundation.htm">here</a>.</span></i><br />
<b>Row 2</b>: Turn, ch 1, dc in first stitch. 3 dc, 12 fpdc, 4 dc.<br />
<b>Row 3</b>: Turn, ch 1, dc in first stitch, 3 dc. <u>Skip the next 3 stitches</u>, then work 3 bptc. Cross back and work 1 fptc in each of the skipped stitches. This creates the cables. Skip the next 3 stitches, then work 3 fptc. Cross back and work 1 bptc in each of the skipped stitches, then work 4 dc to end the row.<br />
<b>Row 4</b>: Turn, ch 1, dc in first stitch, 3 dc, 12 fpdc, 4 dc.<br />
<b>Row 5</b>: Turn, ch 1, dc in first stitch, 3 dc, 12 bpdc, 4 dc.<br />
<b>Row 6</b>: Turn, ch 1, dc in first stitch, 3 dc. Skip the next 3 stitches, then work 3 fptc. Cross back and work 1 bptc in each of the skipped stitches. Skip the next 3 stitches, then work 3 bptc. Cross back and work 1 fptc in each of the skipped stitches, then work 4 dc to end the row.<br />
<b>Row 7</b>: Turn, ch 1, dc in first stitch, 3 dc, 12 bpdc, 4 dc.<br />
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To continue the pattern, <b>start again at Row 2</b>. Fasten off when the fabric reaches the desired length.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110710_172226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110710_172226.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of the Staghorn Cable detail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Staghorn Cables are a great adornment for any crochet project. Thank you for checking out this tutorial and check back for more in the future!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-14132961187870517042011-07-08T11:15:00.000-06:002011-07-08T11:15:01.536-06:00Upcoming Reviews...Who Knew?So I know you guys that still follow this blog are aware that I have been the world's worst blogger over the past couple of months. I had some personal issues that kind of made things fall apart on here, and it's been much harder than I thought it would be to get back into the swing of things with posting. Lucky for me, the great people at some of the publishers I've reviewed for will not let me go quietly into the night. Prometheus Books deserves a public thank-you from me for helping me keep kicking in the blogging world. They've sent me another title to review, so I will be reading and reviewing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Fire-Sea-Chaos-Knight/dp/1616143738?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Sword of Fire and Sea by Erin Hoffman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616143738" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> very soon. I also have copies of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Matched-Ally-Condie/dp/0525423648?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Matched by Ally Condie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0525423648" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teeth-Vampire-Tales-Ellen-Datlow/dp/006193514X?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Teeth: Tales of Vampires</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=006193514X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> waiting to be read, so there will certainly be more to come from Things Liz Loves.<br />
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Another thing that has kept me from being all over the Blogosphere is the extra work I've been putting into my store, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/mizzlizzbeck?ref=pr_shop">Things Liz Makes</a>. I have a supply of handspun yarn for sale for any other crafters, as well as finished objects, both crochet and knit. If you have a minute, head over to <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/mizzlizzbeck?ref=pr_shop">Etsy</a> and check it out.mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-4980710914485210842011-05-24T16:47:00.000-06:002011-05-24T16:47:04.670-06:00Hunger Games Movie Casting: Why Everyone Should Just Shut Up About ItI am a <b><u>HUGE</u></b> fan of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=The%20Hunger%20Games" target="_blank">The Hunger Games</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, like many of you are. I am one of the many people that are eagerly anticipating the film and all of the casting announcements. I, however, am not like many of the series fans that I've seen trolling the Hunger Games Facebook fan page. Many of these fans are insanely critical of every casting decision. I've seen at least six comments on each casting decision that sum up to "the series is ruined because of this actor," especially in response to the casting of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. This is one of the reasons that people can't stand and make fun of fandoms. <b>Obsessive intolerance</b>.<br />
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I am not a casting director, screen writer, movie director or anything related to the movie making process. My guess is that neither are any of the Facebook trolls, blog writers/commenters or general fans of the series. So why, without any prior experience in film casting, would any of us profess to know what is best for the casting of a movie? How can any of us think we know who should be cast in any role when we haven't seen any of the actor's auditions, or even the list of the people who were trying to get the role? Chances are, the actor you envisioned to play Haymitch Abernathy never even expressed interest in the role (this is probably the case with my beloved Robert Downey Jr.), or the actress you wanted to play Katniss could have bombed her audition (I don't know how the fan faves Kaya Scoledario or Malese Jow did on their auditions, but it obviously wasn't good enough to win the roll), or any combination of things.<br />
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What really gets me is when fans say things like "Her hair is the wrong color! This movie is going to suck!" Think about it, folks. Do you think that the casting department would pick an actor for a role based on their <i>hair color</i>?! If they did, then the movie would totally suck. <b>Casting is based on the talent of the actors and the chemistry between the characters that interact with each other</b>. Jennifer Lawrence is an Oscar nominated actress who obviously has the chops to play Katniss. Woody Harrelson is an awesome actor who has proven himself in several films and is more than capable of playing Haymitch. Even Lenny Kravitz, who has limited acting experience, had to have shown something in his audition that made them think he was the best choice to play Cinna. They don't just cast people in movies willy-nilly and hope it sticks. These things are thought out and planned far more than what 13 year old fan girls do when they make a photo manip.<br />
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The point is, none of us are qualified to decide who is the best person to play a roll in a movie. None of us are qualified to decide whether or not the movie is ruined based on any of the casting. <b>News flash: the movie isn't out yet.</b> No one knows if it's good or bad because they aren't even finished making it. How about we let the casting people do their jobs and wait to see what happens? The same thing happened when they were casting Twilight, Harry Potter and all the other book-to-movie adaptations that have a solid fan base. Guess what? Those movies came out just fine, in spite of the fact that people thought the casting would ruin the movie. Remember the Replace Robert Pattinson online campaign? Now look at the Twilight franchise.<br />
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Fans of The Hunger Games, do us all a favor. <b>Get over yourselves</b>. You can't have your dream cast in a movie and have it be good. Let the professionals do their job and make your judgments when the film is finished.<br />
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I'll step off my soapbox now.mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-4807971637451440412011-05-23T13:41:00.000-06:002011-05-23T13:41:20.753-06:00Pics from the Lamb and Wool Festival!This Saturday's Lamb and Wool Festival at Thanksgiving Point was so fun! I was there showing off drop spindle spinning for the festival visitors and selling some Things Liz Makes yarns, fibers and crocheted items. There was all kinds of fun stuff for people to see and do, including watching a sheep shearing, checking out all kinds of farm animals, and learning to dye wool with Kool-Aid. I thought it was awesome that they were doing that, since I use Kool-Aid for a lot of my own wool dyeing.<br />
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Here's a shot of my table at the festival:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110521_095111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110521_095111.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My husband is that blur with the soda.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>And here's a shot of me spinning some lace-weight yarn on a drop spindle:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110521_104522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn186/lizbeckwith/IMG_20110521_104522.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
It was a pretty awesome day, and I can't wait to do it again next year!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-68422278913973459452011-05-18T09:40:00.000-06:002011-05-18T09:40:24.045-06:00Review: Trial of Blood and Steel Series<div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Haven-Trial-Blood-Steel-Book/dp/1616143630?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Haven (Trial of Blood & Steel, Book 4)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1616143630&tag=thin086-20" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=Trial%20of%20Blood%20and%20Steel" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616143630" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />Trial of Blood and Steel Series</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Written by Joel Shepherd</span></b><br />
<b>Book 1: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sasha-Trial-Blood-Steel-Book/dp/159102787X?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sasha</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=159102787X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, </b><b>Book 2: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Petrodor-Trial-Blood-Steel-Book/dp/161614193X?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Petrodor</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=161614193X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, </b><b>Book 3: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tracato-Trial-Blood-Steel-Book/dp/1616142448?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Tracato</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616142448" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, </b><b>Book 4: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Haven-Trial-Blood-Steel-Book/dp/1616143630?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Haven</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1616143630" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b><br />
<b>Publisher: Pyr</b><br />
<b>Release Dates: Oct. 2009 to Apr. 2011</b><br />
<b>ARCs provided by publisher for fair and honest review...Thank You!</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrhDrIcU-iPpkPEsrqlkdi7-VoqthZvQuhL8-1txI1XgDQlHQ5G_ChvIsjWTSd_JVI7CVEbsil-IPDd59nR1MGRkTHotb_qJFHHW_4-9jH6mvqjJjRNpmul-lTwCLxSRNQ4AwZZh5eU8/s1600/2.5stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrhDrIcU-iPpkPEsrqlkdi7-VoqthZvQuhL8-1txI1XgDQlHQ5G_ChvIsjWTSd_JVI7CVEbsil-IPDd59nR1MGRkTHotb_qJFHHW_4-9jH6mvqjJjRNpmul-lTwCLxSRNQ4AwZZh5eU8/s200/2.5stars.png" width="200" /></a></div><b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars</span></b><br />
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A fantasy series that proves hard to get into. Kind of unrelatable main character, inconsistent pacing and tough-to-follow POV changes make this series difficult to swallow. A good read for fans of the genre, but not really our cup of tea here at Things Liz Loves. Full review after the jump. <b>WARNING: SPOILERS!</b><br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
The Trial of Blood and Steel novels follow Sashandra, a former princess of Lenayin who gave up her title and place in the line of succession to be a warrior. It begins, in Sasha, with the killing of Lord Rashyd of Telgar by Lord Krayliss of Taneryn. Rashyd's son, Usyn, has declared war on Krayliss as a result. Sasha rides with her mentor, Kessligh, and members of the Falcon Guard the Halleryn in an effort to resolve the matter. Then there are rumors of war and Sasha has to decide where her loyalty lies.</div><br />
<div>The story continues in Petrodor, where Sasha has moved in an attempt to prevent war with the Bacosh. She works with Kessligh in order to enlist the aid of the serrin. They will be very important to her cause. But can they be trusted?</div><br />
<div>In Tracato, the serrin have made a home for themselves on human land. However, having failed to destroy the feudal families, they have a very dangerous threat to face from within. Sasha and Kessligh try to help strengthen the Nasi-Keth in the city, but, once again, Sasha finds her loyalties split between her people and her life apart from them.</div><br />
<div>The epic concludes with Haven, after the Larosa have claimed victory over Enora and Rhodaan. The Lenayin army is distraut over the loss of their king and ashamed at the horrible acts of Regent Balthaar Arosh against his enemies. Sasha makes the decision to stand with the serrin against the regent. All roads lead to Jahnd, a city that is home to humankind in Saalshen. In order to win this battle, the armies of Ilduur are needed. Their leaders are not eager to assist in this war, as it is not their own. It becomes increasingly difficult for Sasha to beat the overwhelming odds and bring peace to her beloved home.</div><br />
<div>The whole series reads like an extremely political D&D campaign without the other races and on a massive scale. The character point of view changes without warning. The pacing is all over the place, at times going into far too much detail, and other times glossing over things the way a film adaptation might. Also, the author seems to have difficulty writing female characters. There is improvement through the series, as he gets more comfortable with their development, but they never really ring true. To his credit, the saga did have a good ending. He didn't kill off all of his characters (just half) but still managed to bring a sense of closure to the whole thing.</div><br />
<div>Over all, the Trials of Blood and Steel quadrilogy had its moments, but they were bogged down by overly wordy descriptions. It wasn't really my type of book, but I believe it is well suited for people who love period fantasy. People that enjoy books like Lord of the Rings and Fablehaven should like this series.<br />
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Pick up the series below in the Things Liz Loves Amazon store:<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thin086-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=159102787X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thin086-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=161614193X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thin086-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1616142448&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thin086-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1616143630&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></div>Stephiethebunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000359807571976711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-36222594899814184382011-05-17T10:10:00.000-06:002011-05-17T10:10:52.768-06:00The Things Liz Makes Shop Update and Blog UpdateThe Things Liz Makes shop has a new look! Well, really, it's just a new banner. But it's a nice banner with pretty fonts.<br />
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There will be a full-blown shop update, complete with new items for sale, next week. I've extended the blog followers coupon code for 20% off (code "TLLBLOGFRIENDS") through June 30th, so hop by the shop and pick up some one-of-a-kind yarn, bags or bookmarks! And for all you spinners out there, I'll be stocking hand-prepped and dyed spinning fibers, which are a joy to work with.<br />
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Look forward to some big reviews in the next couple of weeks. Stephanie has been hard at work reading a series for a full four book review, and I've been preparing reviews for some of this year's biggest titles. I will also be dropping more movie and DVD reviews for you guys once I get past this weekend's festival.<br />
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See you guys soon!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-67664606093094963572011-05-16T10:14:00.000-06:002011-05-16T10:14:25.185-06:00Things Liz Makes at the Lamb and Wool FestivalHey everyone! My fiber arts company, Things Liz Makes, is going to be representing at the Lamb and Wool Festival at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, UT on Saturday May 21st! I'll be displaying yarns, fibers and finished projects, as well as demonstrating crocheting and spindle spinning. Anyone in the area, feel free to stop by and check it out! The festival is going to be full of fun woolly things, including sheep herding and shearing demonstrations, felting and spinning demos and fun projects! I'm personally pretty excited for the festival, but I'm a fiber addict and need exposure to as much wool as possible.<br />
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<b>Here's the info about the Lamb and Wool Festival:</b><br />
Each spring, Farm Country demonstrates the centuries-old tradition of sheep shearing. This process, done by a craftsman called a “shearer” is traditionally done in the spring over several days. The Lamb and Wool Festival is an annual event to entertain and enlighten families. Sheep dog demonstrations, duck herding, wool sheering, waulking, storytelling, wool crafts & activities, entertainment, pony and wagon rides, food, and more.<br />
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES<br />
* Hacky sacks (10 am- 6 pm)<br />
* Wool soap (10 am - 6 pm)<br />
* Solar wool dyeing (10 am- 6 pm)<br />
* Wool bracelets (10 am- 6 pm)<br />
* Spinning & weaving demonstrations (10 am- 6 pm)<br />
* Food Vendors (10 am- 6 pm)<br />
* Pony & wagon rides (10 am- 6 pm)<br />
* Wool shearing (10 am- 2 pm) <br />
* Sheep dog demonstrations (12 noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, & 3 pm) <br />
* Duck herding demonstrations at (12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, and 2:30 pm) <br />
* Storytelling at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm<br />
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The fun all starts at 10am. Admission is $5 per person, ages 3 and up. Thanksgiving Point Club Members and children under 3 are admitted free. For more information and a map to the event, check out the <a href="http://www.thanksgivingpoint.com/calendar/events/lamb_wool/LambWool.html">Thanksgiving Point Website</a> and the <a href="http://www.utahvalley.com/events/details.aspx?ID=77">Utah Valley Weekend Planner</a>.<br />
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Hope to see a few of you there!mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508161626979673206.post-40751319729307564042011-05-04T08:00:00.001-06:002011-05-04T08:00:09.787-06:00PLAYING HURT Blog Tour Interview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2vVO0beoxgBm9lieGzIvqXxBQbBhLxwagG4faJKLX9dYJtl2MwMEMot4SdNoV1a_F-aDWrbfX16ZOU0II_vMT1DE3vPLddlw0pm7-hddJG7uCPQjMOAkmnLHS05LXQAV8FmvJOpiawzt/s220/HPIM3356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2vVO0beoxgBm9lieGzIvqXxBQbBhLxwagG4faJKLX9dYJtl2MwMEMot4SdNoV1a_F-aDWrbfX16ZOU0II_vMT1DE3vPLddlw0pm7-hddJG7uCPQjMOAkmnLHS05LXQAV8FmvJOpiawzt/s220/HPIM3356.JPG" /></a></div>The big day is here! The Things Liz Loves stop on Holly Schindler's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">Playing Hurt</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" /> blog tour! Today we have an interview with Holly all about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">Playing Hurt</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" />, and it's an awesome interview! Check it out after the jump!<br />
<a name='more'></a><b><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">PLAYING HURT</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" /> is your second novel. How does this one differ from A BLUE SO DARK<img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00462R3V2" />? Did you have a different process for writing this one?</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Playing Hurt" height="200" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0738722871&tag=thin086-20" width="130" /></a><b></b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">PLAYING HURT</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"> is quite a bit lighter than </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/A-Blue-So-Dark-ebook/dp/B00462R3V2?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">A BLUE SO DARK</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00462R3V2" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">, dealing with matters of the heart rather than <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />the possible link between mental illness and creativity. </span><br />
The process of writing went much faster for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/A-Blue-So-Dark-ebook/dp/B00462R3V2?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">A BLUE SO DARK</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00462R3V2" />—I drafted, edited, and began to submit that book in just about two months! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">PLAYING HURT</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" /> wrote much slower. Both books did require multiple revisions, but the rewrites for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/A-Blue-So-Dark-ebook/dp/B00462R3V2?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">BLUE</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00462R3V2" /> went much faster, too…Still, I really enjoyed getting a chance to slowly peel back the layers of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">PLAYING HURT</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" />, learning more and more about my characters with each new rewrite.<br />
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<b>2. How many projects do you have going right now?</b><br />
A what-if brain can be a bit of a curse, because you get halfway through one project and want to start something new—I’ve also tried to split my time writing multiple books at once, but it really doesn’t work as well. You really do need to write one book at a time. You make much better headway.<br />
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I do have one book in development at Dial—my first middle grade! And as far as new work goes, I’m drafting an adult book right now—and have three additional books outlined to write one after another: a new middle grade, a YA, an adult.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/A-Blue-So-Dark-ebook/dp/B00462R3V2?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="A Blue So Dark" height="200" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B00462R3V2&tag=thin086-20" width="130" /></a><br />
<b>3. What is your favorite part of the publishing process?</b><br />
Finalizing the title and seeing the cover art or “skin” are both really, really exciting. I love getting to reveal those tidbits online…<br />
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<b>4. If you could be any of your characters for a week, who would you be and why?<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00462R3V2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b><br />
I’d either be Nell (from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/A-Blue-So-Dark-ebook/dp/B00462R3V2?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">A BLUE SO DARK</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00462R3V2" />) or Brandon (from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">PLAYING HURT</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" />), for the same reason: they just are who they are, no reservations, no holding back. I love the way Brandon dances exuberantly, love the way Nell says everything on her mind.<br />
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<a href="http://l.yimg.com/eb/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/paramount_pictures/how_to_lose_a_guy_in_10_days/_group_photos/kate_hudson2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://l.yimg.com/eb/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/paramount_pictures/how_to_lose_a_guy_in_10_days/_group_photos/kate_hudson2.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">PLAYING HURT</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" /> gets optioned for a movie. Who is your dream cast?</b><br />
Honestly, for Chelsea ? I want to travel back in time and get the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Almost-Famous-Billy-Crudup/dp/B00003CXMG?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">ALMOST FAMOUS</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXMG" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />-era Kate Hudson. And for Clint? I’ve always really loved the chemistry between Hudson and McConaughey…but I’d need to time-travel to get a younger McConaughey, too. <br />
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(What do you guys think? Any present-day late-teen, early-twenty-something actors you think would be perfect for the parts?)<br />
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<i>Note from Liz: I totally saw Chase Crawford in my mind for Clint. And my Chelsea was Alexandria Daddario from Percy Jackson...except blonde. Like she should have been for Percy Jackson. But I digress.</i><br />
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Reader Questions:</span></u></b><br />
<b>1. <u>From Stacy:</u> I would be interested to know about your writing techniques—how extensively you outline / plan out your books and what your writing schedule is like.</b><br />
<div><br />
<div>I outline quite a bit—I also repeatedly retype my manuscripts when I’m faced with global revisions.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I did film a short post on a drafting technique that some of my readers have found to be really helpful:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="325" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3SqcPD8DvMw" title="YouTube video player" width="359"></iframe></span><br />
<br />
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<b>2. <u>From Cici:</u> Do you feel any deep personal connection to any of your characters? If so, what connects you to the character?</b><br />
<br />
I’ve consistently written books about characters whose experiences are completely unlike my own: a girl with a schizophrenic mother, a couple of athletes. My empathy level has to be really high, in order to write stories about experiences unlike my own. In some ways, I feel like I really have walked a mile in another’s shoes by the time I get through with my books, and have a really strong connection to all my protagonists.<br />
<br />
<b>3. <u>From Jacque:</u> Are you planning on staying in the YA genre or branch out into the adult list?</b><br />
My next book will actually be a middle grade, due out from Dial in 2012. And, yes, right now, I’m drafting an adult novel.<br />
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<b>4. <u>From Vivien:</u> Did you have to do any research for your books?</b><br />
<br />
I did for both of my books: I read everything I could on schizophrenia before drafting <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-So-Dark-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738719269?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A BLUE SO DARK</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738719269" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, even all the non-fiction books I could find in the YA section of my library (I wanted to know how the illness had been presented to the YA readership in a factual way). I also had to do some research on what would be the most logical injury to have destroyed Chelsea ’s basketball career.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bestest-Ramadan-Ever-Medeia-Sharif/dp/0738723231?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Bestest. Ramadan. Ever." height="200" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0738723231&tag=thin086-20" width="130" /></a>But in both cases, I have to put the research aside the minute I start writing—I want the characters to drive the novels, rather than a bunch of dry facts.<br />
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Quick Picks:</span></u></b><br />
<b>1. Book you’re most looking forward to?<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738723231" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bestest-Ramadan-Ever-Medeia-Sharif/dp/0738723231?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738723231" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Medeia Sharif, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Without-You-Brian-Farrey/dp/1442406992?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">WITH OR WITHOUT YOU</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1442406992" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Brian Farrey.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://filmsaddiction.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/mildred-pierce-538217.jpg?w=202&h=300" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://filmsaddiction.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/mildred-pierce-538217.jpg?w=202&h=300" width="135" /></a><b>2. Best movie you’ve seen this year?</b><br />
I did enjoy the MILDRED PIERCE mini-series on HBO.<br />
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<b>3. Favorite place you’ve traveled to recently?</b><br />
My traveling’s pretty limited right now…I actually haven’t taken a vacation—a get-in-the-car-and-leave-town vacation since the summer of ’99. I work all the time. Every day. So a day off might be nice—even if it’s just to go down to Lake Springfield for an afternoon.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://southoftheborder.secretrecipeworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/assmexican_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://southoftheborder.secretrecipeworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/assmexican_1.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>4. Best new food you’ve tried?</b><br />
I’m pretty big on Mexican food—if it came off a Mexican menu, I’m always sure I’ll like it, even if I haven’t tried it before…<br />
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<b>5. Last thing you made with your hands? (Besides the books you’ve written of course!)</b><br />
A birthday card for my mom.<br />
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<b>6. Biggest risk you’ve taken this year?</b><br />
I can’t say too much about it yet, only that it involves a new genre of writing…(Stay tuned!)</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where to find Holly:</b></div><div><a href="http://hollyschindler.blogspot.com/">Holly Schindler's Blog</a></div><div><a href="http://hollyschindler.com/">Holly Schindler.com</a></div><div><a href="http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com/">YA Outside The Lines</a></div><div><a href="http://smack-dab-in-the-middle.blogspot.com/">Smack Dab In The Middle</a></div><div><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/holly_schindler">Holly Schindler on Twitter</a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>Thanks so much to Holly for the amazing interview! If you haven't yet, check out the <a href="http://thingslizloves.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-playing-hurt-by-holly-schindler.html">Things Liz Loves review</a> of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">PLAYING HURT</a><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" /> and pick up both of Holly's books from the TLL Amazon store using the links below!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Hurt-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738722871?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thin086-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0738722871&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><b>PLAYING HURT</b></a><b><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738722871" />:</b><br />
Star basketball player Chelsea “Nitro” Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone’s admiration in her hometown. But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.<br />
<br />
As a graduation present, Chelsea ’s dad springs for a three-week summer “boot camp” program at a northern Minnesota lake resort. There, she’s immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who’s haunted by his own traumatic past. As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home. Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain—or finally heal their heartbreak?<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-So-Dark-Holly-Schindler/dp/0738719269?ie=UTF8&tag=thin086-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thin086-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0738719269&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><b>A BLUE SO DARK</b></a><b><img border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thin086-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0738719269" />:</b><br />
Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura’s dad left them. Convinced that “creative” equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.</div></div>mizzlizzbeckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12570910836820021722noreply@blogger.com0