Avatars and Carrots-on-Sticks

A few distractions. I went to see The Bourne Ultimatum this weekend. I think I’m officially over my prejudice against Matt Damon. I may even watch Good Will Hunting now. Unfortunately, I don’t think it was the best of the Bournes. The actual camera work left much to be desired. I couldn’t even follow what was happening on the screen half the time, which is unfortunate, because I thought the way the action was filmed in the last two movies was one of their strongest suits. I wish filmmakers would realize that super shaky extreme close-ups actually don’t put us in the scene at all, but quite the opposite. I can’t follow the action, and I begin not to care. I hate going, “Ho hum, another car chase where I won’t be able to tell what’s going on, another shot of Julia Stiles’s pores.”

All that being said, Jason Bourne is rather outstanding.

Moving on, I was playing around on Yahoo today, and look what I found: Avatars! Oh, this was too good to resist. I promptly made myself an Amy (in the left sidebar) for Rites of Spring (Break) and then, because one Avatar is never enough, I made one of Astrid, the heroine of Rampant.

Unfortunately, with Astrid, the templates Yahoo provides failed me (though props to having the “old Roman house” and the “unicorn”). Though with some hairstyles, they have a light, white-blonde option, they don’t with waist length hair, so I’m stuck with this darker blonde. Also, they don’t have any crossbows, not even in the “outdoor sports accessories” so she has nothing to shoot the unicorn with. Finally, I had her in the traditional costume of a hunter, but then the whole thing looked too historical, so I chucked it in favor of street clothes. Otherwise, yeah, that’s my girl.

Speaking of YA, I got the most amazing package today! A box of books from my new editor at Harper Children’s, Kristin. Ooh! Books! All books I’ve not yet read (and in the case of Repossessed, not a title I’m familiar with, but it looks great!) Woo! Can you say “incentive?” The new Cabot! I’m so excited!

Actually, the note from Kristin even says “for your post ROSB-deadline reading pleasure.” Thanks, Kristin!

And, what is that on the left? Indeed, it’s Rites of Spring (Break) itself, all printed out and covered in sticky notes as I work my way through revisions. (Get all excited if you want, but the page shown in the picture is the same as the excerpt in the back of Under the Rose, so I’m not spoiling anything for you here.) I’m so making Post-It earn their 3m licensing, I’m telling you. I should buy stock in that company. Embarrassing confession: I actually went out and bought new Post-its because I didn’t like the color options in the first pack that I bought. The greens looked too much like the yellows. This is important stuff, people. Vital, really.

Because who can write a book without the perfect color of green Post-It?