Alexis Read a Book

New review up at Witty Title Here! {Fake Mustache: Or, How Jodie O'Rodeo and Her Wonder Horse (and Some Nerdy Kid) Saved The U.S. Presidential Election From a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind by Tom Angleberger}

Guest Reader Interview: Twelve Questions with Melissa Garrison

Welcome to the reader interview roundtable. I’ve accosted and bribed several people I know, pressuring them into answering a list of questions that I could then turn into Reader Interviews for your (my imaginary readers) joyful consumption. I hope you enjoy the journey. I certainly have.
 
First on the roster is Melissa Garrison. She and I have been friends and fellow book nuzzlers for almost twenty years.

M: What kind of a reader do you consider yourself?

Melissa: I consider myself to be a “non-academic/eclectic” reader. I don’t read for the edification of my intellect but the delight of my soul. I read for the mere ability to be transported into a different time and place. I read to gain a different view of the world. I read to adventure. I read to travel on wings of fancy… literally to indulge in a few minutes of gleeful escape from reality.
 
M: What kinds of books do you read and why?
 
Melissa: I read all kinds of books but most specifically I find myself reading Young Adult Fiction and Paranormal Romance. These kinds of books engage the reader in a different sort of adventure. YA books are generally written for the ADHD person in us all. They generally have suspenseful plots and move quickly. They suck you in from the first line of the book and you are riveted to the storyline. They also reveal a little of us all in their characters. YA books expose what being a young adult is and all of us see something of ourselves in the characters they present. They give word to the unique struggles of adolescence and vindicate our own experiences. Paranormal Romance is a category of writing that is so far out of reality it allows the reader to take a little vacation without leaving the living room. It puts words to the indescribable joy of falling in love with a guilty pleasure… sometimes it’s literally falling in love with a different species. It pushes the boundaries of conventional thinking. It makes you wonder: what if shape-shifters really exist? What if vampires really do live next door? It gives the mind more to ponder than, "Who killed the butler?"

M: As a reader, what do you expect out of the author and the story you are reading?

Melissa: Entertainment and adventure! I expect them to take me for a ride -- give me many different possibilities. But I don’t want the eventuality revealed until I’m on pins and needles. I guess I want the thrill ride of not knowing how it all will end.

M: How has the eBook revolution changed the way you read and how you buy books?

 
Melissa: It hasn’t. I still like the feel of a book. I like the way they smell, look, and I like that I can open one and immediately have a story. I don’t have to wait for it to “boot up” or download. A trip to the library or bookstore is an absolute thrill for me. Decorating with books is my main form of interior design for my house and office!

M: What makes you pick up a book or author you've never read before?

 
Melissa: The first line. I want to write more here but that is ultimately what hooks me. The front cover may get me to pick the book up but the first line will tell me if I want to read that book or not. What will keep me reading is the advancement of the plot and the changes to the characters. There is a fine balance between adventure and plodding along with no particular direction.

M: With so many books to read, why do you choose the books you do?

Melissa: I like an adventure, an escape from reality! My job is extremely stressful and an immediate break from the stresses of the day is provided for me in these kinds of books. I also, guiltily, think of these kinds of books as candy because they are not overly verbose or hard to read. They don’t make you guess what characters are thinking but tell you up front.

M: List the five books that stick with you and tell why they do.

 
Melissa:

1. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins -- Not one single word is wasted. This book is a thrill ride from the title page to the last word of the book. I literally read the entire book in one sitting. It made me realize what an impact a good, suspenseful, interesting book could make on a young child. I am currently making the sixth graders at my school read all three of these books...they are so excited about it! 90 percent of all the students in that grade are making progress toward their reading goals…that is impressive!
2. The Secret Garden Helped me realize others long for a secret place of retreat a spot that only a few know about. This was the first book that helped me "see" things in my head... my imagination was sparked by the copious amounts of detail and things a child would notice. The dialect of the dialogue made it difficult to read but it helped to paint the picture of the setting.
3. The Princess Bride “As you wish!” This book was the most non-traditional book! It started with a narrator telling me what was going on and there was a sick boy whose grandfather was telling him a fabulous tale. During the “story” part of the book the boy would often interrupt and ask questions about the plot. It was most “non-traditional” and it really stuck with me. This was also the first time I realized that reading a book could be a funny experience!
4. Ring of Endless Light by Madeline L’Engle This is a beautiful book about a teenager finding love, experiencing loss and discovering a psychic power to communicate with dolphins. L’Engle blends several subplots brilliantly while keeping the girl’s experience in the forefront. The reason this book sticks with me is the feelings and emotions that she describes are feelings that I have felt; emotions I have experienced. My favorite scene is of all the children in the attic of their grandfather’s house (an old barn converted into a home) and they are all on their cots watching the lighthouse light illuminate the wall, they hear the waves crashing on the beach and soft conversation of their parents… yet they each feel emptiness. It is a beautiful book.
5. The Giver and Number the Stars by Lois Lowry both stuck with me because I couldn’t believe that there were people so cruel and villainous. These books presented a very real evil facing the characters and it has stuck with me because I would hope to have the courage that they did to take a stand for what is right.
6. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko was a brilliant book about the children (yes, children) that lived on Alcatraz. The main character’s sister was autistic. Without giving away the plot, this book made me stop and think about how people with special needs are often left out of books or painted in a way that isn’t complimentary. The author did a beautiful job of creating a character that had special needs but was made to feel like part of the community.

M: Some people read, some people don't -- why do you think you ended up becoming a reader?

Melissa: I am curious. Curiosity killed the cat but it made me a reader…what other way do you find information out? I love to know little tidbits of trivia. I love to know what makes things work. I love to know stuff. More than just knowing “stuff” I love to be taken on an adventure. I was not a reader until I read The Secret Garden. I identified with the characters but at the same time I began to picture what the characters saw. This made a world of difference!

M: What makes a book disappointing to you? And have you ever read a book that surprised you, one you didn't expect to like but did?

 
Melissa: Long, wordy, overly descriptive books are disappointing. Books with movement in the plot for no reason (e.g. Iron Daughter has a lot of movement but for no apparent reason. I am on page 132 and I still don’t know why the girl had to go to Faery). The Boy with the Striped Pajamas was a very surprising book to me. It was simple but poignant. I knew that the potential for a plot twist like the one in the book existed but I never thought it would end the way it did. Since I read for “non-academic” purposes I sometimes blow past clues to things like that. I think it also bothered me that the plausibility of the plot was surprisingly feasible. A little boy is common sense’s worse enemy. I could really see that happening. That in itself was so surprising.

M: Do you judge a book by its cover?

 
Melissa: I try not to but I admit there are some covers that I seem to like more than others. I’m drawn to covers that are simple or unique in their design. I don’t particularly like covers that have people dressed in current fashions. I like covers that have a timeless feel. I like covers that tell a story in their design… they kind of hint seductively at what is between their pages (e.g. Hunger Games).

M: Do author blurbs, cover jackets, and awards seals matter to you when choosing a book to read?

 
Melissa: Not really. A friend telling me to “read this book” speaks much louder than anything else. I do like to see authors that I read on the cover of a book saying, “read this book” but the seals don’t matter to me at all. Often those seals are for the academic appropriateness or for breaking new ground in literature. I couldn’t care less about those things. When they come out with a seal for “action-packed adventure with a twist of romance, sarcasm and wit” then I’ll start paying attention to the seals.

M: Have there been books you didn't finish reading? Explain yourself.

 
Melissa: Yes. If a book has a great beginning but then the plot doesn’t move OR if it constantly moves it doesn’t make a good story to read! I have been trying to read a book titled Iron Daughter about the faery courts in which the book constantly moves but doesn’t really tell a story. The characters move from place to place in this book without enough backstory… I understand starting the first few chapters of a book that way for the purpose of gaining interest. However, fifteen chapters into a book you need to reveal something of the plot to your readers!

There you have it: Twelve Questions with Melissa Garrison. To learn more about this reader, check out her bio below. Next Friday… I’ll have a new victim in my clutches.

Born thirty-something years ago to two avid readers, Melissa Garrison grew up to be a fanatical reader. She loved reading so much she became a teacher in 2000 so she could teach children her love of reading. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration in 2008 so she could get children, parents, AND teachers excited about books! Somewhere along the way she got married and had a beautiful daughter named Jenna Grace. She lives in Gulfport, Mississippi with her husband, daughter, and an adorably dim-witted dog named Pretzel. She works as an Instructional Literacy Coach at Lyman Elementary School and longs for the day when her dream of being a writer can be fulfilled. She loves to garden, read, teach and cook.

What I Miss Most

One of the things I miss most about being in a university setting is the accessibility to like minded people. It's really an amazing experience and, in a way, intellectually utopic. It's been almost three years since I graduated with my BA and I miss school. Not because I particularly miss writing papers (or the hour long one-way drive) but because I miss the hallway and coffee shop conversations with my classmates and professors. I miss my peers. I miss having access to all those writers and readers I engaged with daily. 

Developing Pea Swag--Bookmarks Anyone?

I think that's why I like the idea of the blog. But also why I failed at it several times when I'd tried to do one on my own. I like to talk about writing and reading more than anything. And a blog is a venue in which I'm able to engage in that dialog frequently from my home. Without the blog I have to rely on infrequent and quite expensive writers conferences. But I get bored with just my own thoughts and debates. Of course I have my Peas. That's not always enough. And it's not that my Peas aren't terrific smart ladies. But having access to intellectual and cognitive diversity is a wondrous thing. Which is why I've made a push to pull other voices into our blog. Not just so you, our imaginary readers, don't get bored with us. But, because I, your M Pea in the pod, am already bored with myself.

Along with the launch of my three part blog project with friend and award-winning screenwriter Kristall Burke, I plan to engage with others in interviews and blog prompts, as I can, to keep myself (and hopefully you) entertained. We, of course, have the occasional visit from Honorary Pea J.G. Walker but I hope to introduce you to many more of the writers and readers in a Pea's life. We hope to have Kristall come back, also tap into conversations with other writers we know, and introduce you to the many wonderful readers in our lives. 

Which brings me to a series I will launch week after next and the upcoming Friday blog post next week. I have a few writer blogs in the works and several posts that will involve a twelve (or more) question interview with several readers from many walks of life.

So stay tuned on Fridays for the next few weeks and we will see how this goes. I hope you enjoy the peek into other's thoughts and ideas as much as I do. Until then…

Peas to you. 

Daddy's Girl Weekend 2012

That's right! This past weekend was the Carolyn Haines Annual Daddy's Girls' Weekend Writer and Reader Party...er...I mean...Conference. This year the gathering was at the Malaga Inn in historic Mobile, AL. A beautiful venue shared with a lot of wonderful people. And the Peas were in attendance.

On the roster was, of course, our own Carolyn and the wonderful Sarah Bewley--cohorts in crime. In addition, Urban Fantasy Author Anton Strout, Penguin Group Editor Michelle Vega, Agent Marian Young, Tyrus Editor and Publisher Ben Leroy, and authors T.R. Pearson, Dean James, Will Irby, as well as, some other Urban Fantasy author named Jeannie Holmes (wink) and many, many others.

As usual, it was great fun and Big Daddy was in the house. Dean James graciously passed the baton to John Hafner as this year's Big Daddy and I'm quite sure Anton Strout was scandalized by a lap-dancing belly dancer. There are no rules of engagement when it comes to Big Daddy or winning prizes from them for the outrageous Jitty costumes people wore. Yep... that's how Carolyn rolls. Aren't you upset you missed it? I'm so glad I didn't!

The laughs and stories were many. For accounts and photographic proof of all the shenanigans check out the D. g. Weekend Facebook Page and Katie Wood Ruffin's Blog post. And I'm sure You Tube videos will surface whether people want them to or not.

In short, there were some great workshops and panels on process, screenwriting, and the industry. What's more--there were even better conversations to be had in the courtyard as we caught up with old friends and made new connections. Until next year! We can't wait.

Peas Out.

YA Day

SM Anthony, me, and Katie

I'm a little behind the eight ball. It's been a few of weekends since the Biloxi, MS Books-A-Million YA Day I participated in with Katie Wood Ruffin. But I wanted to share a brief update of the event with you. I guess, in a way, it was my first public appearance.

The event was a fabulous experience and a fair success. Katie and I hung out in the bookstore from noon until four in the afternoon  handing out goodie bags with bookmarks, candy, and suggested reading lists drafted by each of us. We met some wonderful and excited readers and had a great time talking about our favorite books to anyone who would listen. The staff was amazing and lots of fun. I like to think I made some new friends in them as well as learned some tips to overcome my shyness.

We had awesome swag from the likes of Brodi Ashton, Kami Garcia, Jeri Smith-Ready, Sophie Littlefield, and Bekka Black (and a few more I'm sure I'm forgetting--but Katie can set me straight if I've missed anyone). Sophie and Bekka were gracious enough to send along signed copies of their books, making the door prizes that much more awesome, desirable, and exciting. We had some grateful and enthused young winners. I even included some Ninja Pea bookmarks into the swag bags which got a lot of oohs and ahhs. In all, we made contact and handed out one-hundred bags. (One-hundred readers and families that now know who our favorite authors and books are--a wondrous thing). We talked to so many preteens and teens who were readers. It's hard to believe statistics that claim young people don't read when you chat with so many who do. 

The best part was talking with so many young at heart readers like myself. Moms, college students, teachers, and even a thirty-something man and his wife who were huge Cassandra Clare fans. It's fantastic to know that YA books touch and are loved by so many others in the same way that they inform and engage me. It goes to show that it is a market that resonants with many -- one I love to write, read, and discuss.

And, of course, both of my peas dropped by the support me (and the bookstore) which I'm so grateful for. It was terrific fun and I enjoyed the experience. Many thanks to Katie for inviting me to join her in our YA Day adventure. And  a special shout out to the staff at the Biloxi Books-A-Million...you guys were awesome!

Peas Out.

One Pea Short of a Pod: Part Two

A Weekend at Oak Alley with J and M… continued

Day Two:

The mansion and oaks -- stunning.

There’s a certain kind of quiet one will experience whilst sleeping in an old quarter-house situated alongside the pastoral landscape of the Mississippi River Road. And at its heart, Oak Alley A.K.A. Bon Séjour -- even in all her glorious grandeur -- is merely a not-so-small country home. I’d forgotten how eerily quiet a country home could be.

I woke with a start in the middle of the night to a mysterious creak coming from the next room. The living eyes of the child’s portrait -- dusted in the sick yellow glow of a nearby security light -- hung over my bed and glared down on me. I shivered. The fractured images of the dozens of people that must’ve died on the grounds over the estate’s long life flickered through my mind. I heard another creak. My palms sweated. My heart raced against an inexplicable mounting fear.

The child's photo over my bed.

Then, with a hiss of breath whispering from the next room, I remembered the mysterious voodoo dolls J had acquired the day before. I felt my body grow cold, rigid.

Not really.

The truth? J’s bed was incredibly squeaky and it caused me to giggle like a child at a sleepover every time she adjusted herself under the covers. And… it was crazy cold! I think our first night in Cottage 6 might’ve been the coldest January night in Valcherie, LA (sound familiar). As you may recall, we did have central heat and air, but M wasn’t getting out of bed to crank up the thermostat at 3am. Brr.

A few hours later, as daylight broke, I heard another creak, a frantic rustle of fabric, and a low groan. I peered around the door to spy J, shuffling off to the kitchen with a sheet over her head and mumbling something that sounded a bit like, “Goffeeeee...”

That was my only undead sighting of the Pea-treat.
J wakes early for a voodoo-doll-wielding-vampire.

We followed through with our plans to tour the mansion. Off to breakfast we ambled -- knowing more coffee (ie: liquid life) awaited us at the cafe. We were seated near a few tables of excited travelers, snowbirds from the north, and J and I did what we do best. We eavesdropped while noshing on our eggs and crispy bacon

Old typewriting in Cottage 6 -- fitting

After breakfast, we toured the house. With the clang of the bell, the doors opened and a period dressed lady met us. We went room by room, learning the history of the former residents since 1839 – the Romans, the Stewarts, and what little is known of those that came in between. Afterward, standing on the portico of the mansion, we sipped our icy lemonades as the winter wind whipped around us. We said to one another, “I don’t know about reclaiming our Mojo but this iced drink thing was a pretty ridiculous plan.” So we bundled our frostbite phalanges into the pockets of our coats and headed to the cottage for hot tea, lunch, and an afternoon of writing.

Having consumed a lovely broccoli cheese soup and sandwiches, which we cobbled together in our cottage kitchen, J set up her voodoo dolls and laptop at the bar. I settled onto the couch where I promptly emailed J -- formally requesting her participation in an interview for Court Street Literary Collective. (grin) “Really?” she said to me, unamused.

By late afternoon we’d consumed liters of tea and coffee, and were in need of an outing. Out the door we went -- but this time I had my fancy camera in tow. We wandering the grounds until after the tours closed for the night, snapping dozens of photos. Only the two of us and one other passive-aggressive photographer -- who we couldn’t decide whether he followed us because he wanted us to leave or he was frightened to be alone but too shy to say as much. Either way, the miraculous method in which he juggled his large camera whilst talking on his mobile will forever be remembered and may, or may not, be recorded for all time as a character trait in some future story.

Sunset reflections in a sugar kettle at Oak Alley

By dark, we were hungry and we headed back to the cottage where I offered to cook and promptly tried to burn the building to the ground. (Perhaps, a mild exaggeration?) Well, see… what had happened was… I left the Panko crusted fish under the broiler for a tad bit longer than intended. As I tried to rectify my folly, J entered the kitchen and said, “Um… Chel. It’s kinda smoky in here.” Not bothering to look at her, because I was fiercely scraping the burned bits off the top of the fish, I replied, “Yeah, I know. I know. The fish was a tad over broiled-” Silence. Then J said with a sternness that I’d not ever experienced before, “No! You don’t understand. It’s smoky in here…look!” So I did. As I looked above me, into the fifteen-foot ceilings of our quarter-house, I saw thick black smoke blotting out the ceiling light like an eclipse. Then, I watched it roil under the door casings into the adjacent dining and living areas like an evil Louisiana swamp fog. We looked at one another and promptly darted in opposite direction to open all the windows and doors before the fire alarm went off.

It was a crisis averted, until I sat down with my fish and inhaled its Panko crust into my lungs. The sting of fresh burnt Japanese breadcrumbs raked against my organ walls with each breath I took and I realized it was time to lick my wounds, curl under the covers, and call it a night. The fish was determined to get me one-way or another. I was convinced. Before the lights switched off, J said to me, “Maybe we need to go back to the gift shop and buy you one of those health warding voodoo dolls...”

One of the newer oaks by twilight.

Touché.

Tomorrow, one final installment of One Pea short of a Pod and my love affair with old trees exposed. I promise... it's almost over. I've fallen into a mire of gluttonous overwriting. It can't possibly last much longer. Better here than my manuscript. (grin)

Then, on our next featured Tuesday, Alexis will be a Pea in the Pages with some suggested reading and perhaps a review or two. She's been mad reading these days and I can't wait to see what books she's had her nose tucked into.

One Pea Short of a Pod: Part One

A Weekend at Oak Alley Plantation with J & M

Jan. 29th, 2012 -- 9pm

The trees did not disappoint.

This isn’t the first pseudo writing and inspirational retreat the Ninja Peas have undertaken. It is, however, the first one with central heating and wifi. Last year, I had the hair-brained idea to gather the Peas for a night in an Escatawpa River fishing cabin on what might’ve been the coldest February night in South Mississippi. We managed to keep warm by the fire, played word games, plotted, schemed, and laughed until we cried. But the best bit? We truly reinforced our friendship through a shared passion of writing (and a heartfelt desire to survive the night as armies of woodland mice took up arms against us). It was an unforgettable thirty-six hours and we vowed to do it again.

A bug's eye view of the mansion.

Sadly, this particular weekend at Oak Alley, we are one pea short of a pod. This Pea-treat was truly meant as a retreat. Both J and I were desperate to reclaim our mojo after a hectic holiday season and some productivity stumbling blocks. Plus, with one husband home sick and another just home all the time, it was time to remember why we’d taken our marriage vows many years ago. Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder -- and a Pea-treat is the first defense against too much “quality time” with one’s significant other. So, J and I planned a spontaneous (in the span of four text messages) trip to reclaim our sanity. We were booked and ready to go to the haunted plantation of our dreams before either of us thought twice about whether it was actually a good idea (or really cleared it with our husbands…oops). Thus was the origination of a Pea-treat at Oak Alley.

Since our third pea is not so flexible with impulse trips, she will be missed and will be here with us in spirit. But worry not! We have a three-pea adventure brewing for the spring (and we promise to share the madness with you).


Day One:

We left Saturday morning with excitement roiling through our veins. Nothing could stop us! J and I had always dreamed of visiting Oak Alley (rumored to be haunted and film home of Louis from Interview with a Vampire). J was thrilled by the promise of a plantation estate filled with southern gothic flare and dark storytelling inspiration. Me? It was big, big trees and a chance to walk on the same ground as Brad Pitt’s stunt horse. Of course I was excited! Alas, this feverish anticipation was quickly subdued when we’d driven all of four minutes and I said, “Sh*t! I forgot my camera.”

Around we turned then tried again.

I'm so glad we didn't leave my camera behind.

Finally on our way, we rolled west on Interstate 10 toward the Mississippi River. It quickly became clear that the GPS my husband insisted we take (note: I just wanted to bring a map) was confused and bewildered by our decision to retrieve the camera. As I drove eighty miles an hour down the interstate, screaming at the tiny box suction-cupped to my windshield, I tried to reprogram the (cocky) taunting box. Meanwhile, J sat in the passenger seat, giggling, because my interaction with the box went a little something like this: “Yes! That destination. No, wait, that’s wrong. Yes! No. Yes? No! Wait... Yes! No. Yes!” and so on. What I learned from this experience? GPS… no. Map… yes.

After the argument with the tiny (cocky) box was settled, we had a relatively uneventful two and a half hour morning drive with great weather and light traffic. We had plenty of time to chat about what we both needed to accomplish on our pending projects, our hopes for new projects, and how we intended to divvy our time between work and play until our Tuesday morning departure. Ten miles from our exit traffic came to a standstill (as is typical of any drive on a several-mile long bridge over Louisiana swampland). After imagining and talking through several really, really horrible scenarios, we determined vampire alligators would be too sleepy this time of year to scale the bridge. So we were safe… for now. We did learn (if you can call wild speculation “learning”) our near one-hour delay was merely a little old lady and her purse puppy peeing on the side of the road (we can’t be sure who was doing the peeing).

Bridge over the mighty Mississippi.

Finally, we exited and headed toward our destination. We squeed with more excitement than any mere mortal should experience. So much so, I maniacally squeed and snapped photos whilst driving over the Mississippi River Bridge. J took a moment to cover her eyes and pray -- the river’s awesomeness just too much to bear. In retrospect, J’s reaction probably had more to do with my hands not being on the steering wheel and her water phobia than the greatness of the Mighty Mississippi. But, either way, it was pretty awesome.

We drove for the longest seven miles EVER… then we squeed! Again.

Our first impression of the plantation was one of elation (and copious amounts of squeeing). We jumped out of the car at the bottom of the levee and stood, gazing down the alley of oaks from the roadside. Mouths gaping, we stood in the middle of the road, tour buses driving around us, and J said to me, “Oh, yeah. We are so coming back here with Alexis next year.”

I agreed, diving out of the way of a fast-moving vehicle and into the gravel.

Cottage 6 was perfect.

We had lunch at the plantation’s restaurant then moved into our cottage -- but not before J did what she touted was the first and most important thing of the trip. She bought a small collection of voodoo dolls from the gift shop. (Should I be frightened?) After entering the cottage with the B&B attendant (as a murder of crows crept up from the sugar cane fields and flanked the cottage… seriously…) we were each handed a flashlight and told, quite seriously, “You must have these with you if you walk the grounds after dark.”

J’s response: (maniacal laugh) “S-weet!”

M’s response: (eyes J suspiciously, eyes voodoo dolls, eyes flashlight helplessly, and scans room for anything that could be used as a wooden stake)

Perusing the cottage, we found creepy dolls and an even creepier old portrait. But, all in all, the space was wonderful and had plenty of outlets. As J said to me after dinner (stroking the heads of her voodoo dolls and shuffling to her bedroom), “This is gonna be perfect!”

Sunset over the road our first night.

Our first night at Oak Alley ended with a sunset walk around the grounds, a quiet dinner in our lovely cottage, and inspiration teeming all around us. Mojo? I think we’ve stirred it with a single mouse dropping found in the back of the cabinet by the saucepan. It wouldn’t be a Pea-treat without at least one. After all, we’re staying in an old quarter house in the middle of a sugar cane field.

Next time? The conclusion to One Pea Short of A Pod: Weekend in Oak Alley with J and M. I know, I know. The anticipation might just be too much.

Free Range Peas: Holiday Word Association

Due to the holiday week, we're doing something a little wild, a little random, a little non-committal, but mostly we're feeling the freedom of Pea-dom. Enjoy the little word association we passed around during a recent critique group meeting and behold the first installment of Free Range Peas. Can you guess the order we went in?

tea, cookies, monster, mash, potatoes, gravy, train, thought, memory, board, game, sport, bottle, blonde, hair, band, mate, sex, hair, razor, sharp, thing, animal, magnetism, earth, shaker, salt, Angelia Jolie, lips, Rocky Horror Picture Show, fishnet stockings, A Christmas Story, BB gun, ouch, Band-Aid, hospital, gown, ball, bounce, dryer sheet, laundry, work, book, ninja peas

Happy Holidays to all! And have a terrific New Year. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming in January.