For You, Lurlene

I had to read a Lurlene McDaniel book for my Adolescent Lit class. We've got to survey the good, the bad, and the ugly, people.

As restitution for my suffering, I'd just like to take a moment to openly mock Lurlene McDaniel.

Actually, it's the easiest thing I will do today. I will reproduce here, verbatim, her "You'll Want to Read These Other Inspiring Novels by Lurlene McDaniel" list. The mockery will then be perfectly self-inflicted.

Ahem.

One Last Wish novels

Mourning Song

A Time to Die

Mother, Help Me Live

Someone Dies, Someone Lives

Sixteen and Dying

Let Him Live

The Legacy: Making Wishes Come True

Please Don't Die

She Died Too Young

All the Days of Her Life

A Season for Goodbye

Reach for Tomorrow

The Dawn Rochelle novels

I Want to Live

So Much to Live For

No Time to Cry

To Live Again

Other fiction by Lurlene McDaniel

Angel's in Pink: Kathleen's Story

The Time Capsule

Garden of Angels

A Rose for Melinda

Telling Christina Goodbye

How Do I Love Thee: Three Stories

Angel of Mercy

Angel of Hope

Starry, Starry Night: Three Holiday Stories

The Girl Death Left Behind

Angels Watching Over Me

Lifted Up by Angels

Until Angels Close My Eyes

Till Death Do Us Part

For Better, for Worse, Forever

I'll Be Seeing You

Saving Jessica

Don't Die, My Love

Too Young to Die (didn't we already have this one???)

Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever

Somewhere Between Life and Death

Time to Let Go

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

When Happily Ever After Ends

and my all time favorite,

drum roll please...

BABY ALICIA IS DYING.

Excerpts from Angels in Pink: Raina's Story forthcoming.

Hilary's Rules for Completing Long Reading Assignments

First, the Qualifications for Long Reading Assignment Status:

1. Longer than 5 textbook pages OR longer than 2 academic publication pages, the latter of which intimidate me inexplicably.

2. Regardless of length, beastly philosophical approach OR intense word choice OR both.

Second, the Rules:

1. You must read the equivalent of one page from an academic publication before being rewarded.

2. You do not have to perfectly understand each page, but you must get the overall gist before being rewarded.

3. If you cheat, you have to read two horrible pages in a row. No exceptions.

Third, the Rewards:

1. Paint two finger nails (one coat limit, please).

2. Watch one episode of Vlogbrothers.

3. Go to the bathroom and read one chapter of Elsewhere. To prevent cheating, the bathroom is conveniently claustrophobic and dank.

4. Go upstairs and say hello to Simini. 5 minute limit.

5. Only one reward per page read.

In an Emergency:

HUMONGOUS SWIG

It's going to be a long semester. Photo credits: Simini.

The End.

I spent all day Saturday with my mom and her family in Beaver, Minersville, and Adamsville, Utah, learning more about my Gillins line (maternal grandfathers family. I photographed over 100 grave sites to put on findagrave.com, but I also caught some neat shots of my early family's Adamsville stomping grounds. Some photos for your enlightenment:

The old family own. My fifth-great grandfather built this home after immigrating from England, living in Philadelphia for several years, and then crossing the plains to join the saints in Utah. This home is amazing, there are four large rooms on the main floor, each with a fireplace. I was so impressed with the beautiful brick, the simple layout. It was a very large home for the 19th century. Heck, it's still a big home! Wish I had a good chunk of cash, I'd pay to move this house and restore it...

What. The. ...

I stole this from Cakewrecks, but it was just too horrifying to not share with all y'all... all.

An iPad wedding.

Eck, I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.

Darn you, iPad! Imma take you down, foo!

Sometimes a girl needs a little work done...

Okay, I disagree intensely with this post title. However, the blog was a little blah. Thank you Simini for addicting me even more deeply to the internet.

So, will be door 1, 2, 3, or 4?