Switched at Birth 3X09 Recap

320.16x9

This week we were blessed with awkward moments, a couple fight, love triangle drama, and pent up aggression. All in all I think this week made up for the hot mess dance episode we were given last week.

Let’s start with Bay and Tank. Mary Beth is still not digging this relationship ever since the whole “dog fight” party thing. Though I completely understand why Mary Beth would be upset about that she shouldn’t take it out on Tank and his relationship with Bay. Tank is a good guy and she should at least give him a chance. I mean just look at how cute they are:

tumblr_n2afx9kKPO1tuw6pfo1_500

Even so, Mary Beth is totally not on board so when Bay and Tank come up with the “brilliant” idea to set Mary Beth up so she has to hang out with Tank, Mary Beth isn’t having it and storms out leading to her finally telling Bay the truth: Ty didn’t cheat.

48569325_omg_reaction_gif

Talk about a bombshell. Needless to say Bay didn’t take this very well leading her to run to her other ex, Emmett, asking for some much needed advice. After talking everything through Bay finally goes to talk to Tank who’s not at all happy that he came in third place (after her two ex’s) before she finally thought to even talk to him about it.

To be fair I can see why Tank would be angry. The chemistry between Bay and Emmett is still there (and probably always will be) so of course Tank is not going to be 100 percent comfortable with their friendship. Even so, Tank loses it, feeling like Bay will never forgive him for the “dog fight” thing and keep judging him for being in a frat.

Of course that’s when one of his frat brothers walks in talking about how he’s dating two girls and Bay says, “Maybe one day these girls are all going to get together and host their own dog fight.”

Oh dear!

giphy

Yeah not good. Bay and Tank try to cover up the slip but it’s too late. Now Tank might get blackballed by his frat and he’s pissed at Bay, not even sitting next to her in art class. Seems like this ship is going down fast. Will Bay be able to convince Tank to give them another try or will she not even try to mend the relationship at all?

Speaking of relationships, Daphne is still juggling her two guys and honestly she’s getting on my last nerve. Campbell and Jorge are friends and they’re both being really nice about it but how long is she going to string them both along? And she’s obviously enjoying the attention as she flirts with both guys.

Other than her “boy problems” Daphne is struggling with having Angelo around and him always talking about his baby.

tumblr_n2ah1fhIty1rmg21ho1_500

Daphne hates it that Angelo is so in love with his new daughter, Abby, because he left when she was a kid and although she claimed to have forgiven him for it, it obviously still bothers her and rightfully so. Having your father walk out on you is not something you get over easily. Especially when you’re certain it’s because you went deaf.

After going off on Angelo because she missed her opportunity to talk to a Doctor about summer opportunities Daphne breaks down with Mama Regina and releases all her pent up anger. I think this was a great step for Daphne and although I still can’t stand her I’m glad she finally said what was bothering her and hopefully this will lead to a better relationship between her and Angelo.

Toby, or the other Kennish as I like to call him since he’s constantly overshadowed by his sisters’ drama, is missing his wife who’s still doing service in some country which is awesome but kind of cut into their honeymoon time. Also, now she wants him to join her but Toby’s not going for it. He likes his job as the field hockey coach at Carlton and after tutoring Sharee I think he may even give teaching a try. Only time will tell.

The Kennish parents are now trying to work together to keep the marriage in tact and this leads John to come up with a brilliant idea to bring adventure to Katherine’s life: group sex!

Yay-kyli

 

Okay, I don’t think this was John’s original plan but he did invite his friends over with the idea to get wild. It was his friends idea to have the group sex. Although at first it seems that Katherine and John are going to go for it they both decide it’s not for them.

This is when John’s friend let’s it slip that they used to do “triple plays” back in the day leaving Katherine to wonder what exactly does that mean? But not in an accusatory way. Instead she wants knowledge for her book and John begrudgingly obeys. Telling her everything she wants to know, this sharing session actually brings this closer. You go Kennishs!

Thumbsup-alec

 

Sadly, this season (or first half of the season? I really never understand the ABC Family schedule) is coming to an end. Even so, things seem to be picking up and I’m all too excited to see what happens next. Below is the promo for the next episode. Enjoy!

 

Book Review: Opal

13362536

If you haven’t noticed by now I am 100% obsessed with the Lux series. I just can’t stop. It’s a serious problem, especially for my bank account. That being said, this book was much better than the first two and I couldn’t put it down.

A lot happened in the last book so let me give you a quick recap. If you haven’t read the first two books of the Lux series (Obsidian and Onyx) then you should stop reading right now. For those of you who have reached the point I’m at, here we go:

  1. Adam FREAKING died. Seriously, for why? I mean I get how it happened but why? I loved him and so did Dee.
  2. Dawson is back and he’s (acting) weird.
  3. Daemon and Katy are in love despite everything that occurred (and technically Daemon still hasn’t said it out loud).
  4. Katy’s officially okay with killing people.
  5. Blake left?
  6. Will sucks and is actually evil
  7. He might be connected to Daemon and Katy now since Daemon was forced to heal him to save Katy.

I think that about sums up all the OMG moments of the last book. Now on to this bad boy.

We jump back in right where we left off. Everyone is stressed and there’s a lot of tension as there should be since it’s getting really difficult for everyone to know who they can and cannot trust. After the whole Blake fiasco it’s evident that Katy shouldn’t trust anyone.

When the novel begins Katy’s in the dog house with Dee (and Ash and Andrew but they never really liked her to begin with). Daemon and Dee are trying to get reacquainted with their long lost brother which is proving to be difficult since all he wants to do is save his love, Beth, which is understandable since he risked everything for her in the first place. Plus, Daemon and Katy would be lying if they said they wouldn’t do the same thing if they were in his shoes.

Therefore Katy decides that they have to help Dawson get Beth back because it wouldn’t be fair if they didn’t try to help. Honestly, though how in the world were they going to do that with no leads to go on? Enter their old friend, Blake, who decided he wasn’t really the “run and get gone” type. Nope, this kid is bold. So bold that in spite of Daemon (and everyone else’s death threats) he still returns and with a plan to save Beth and his alien buddy Chris from wherever the Department of Defense is holding them.

Of course no one really trusts Blake (and with good reason) but honestly this rag tag team of aliens and hybrids don’t have a lot of options, which leads them to make a deal with the devil. Blake claims he’ll leave once he gets Chris and all will be good but it’s still risk, one Katy and Daemon (along with everyone else) are still willing to take.

Besides everyone’s life being on the line and having no one they can truly trust except each other, Daemon and Katy also grow closer, making their love stronger as they stand together against every obstacle that comes their way.

Opal has been my favorite book in the series thus far. With so much anger, sadness, distrust, sexual tension, and drama I never knew what to expect. This book kept me on my toes to the very end and I’m excited (and scared) to see what happens next.

Stars: 5 out of 5. I had my doubts about this series but I’m completely hooked now. There were so many times I was glad I was reading by myself because I found myself screaming and freaking out often.

Borrow or Buy: BUY!!! Honestly I have no money to be buying these books but I have because they’re just so good and I have to know what happens next. Definitely one to put on the shelf.

 

Book Review: Onyx

13047090

In answer to my question in my review for the first book of this series, I’m not sure if this series is going downhill or not but maybe I’ll figure it out by the end of this review. Let us begin.

First, my feelings about Katy were very up and down throughout the novel. This is the second book in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Lux series and last time we left off Daemon told Katy he was going to make her fall for him and of course she said that’s ridiculous and he said:

tumblr_lmmtg07eGR1qdvriwo1_500

And as we see early on, he means business. Flowering Katy with gifts and attention Katy has to force herself to not believe he has feelings for her which is ridiculous because he clearly does. However, she is in thorough denial blaming their new alien connection for his feelings. In conclusion, she’s crazy.

Needless to say when a new, human guy comes in the picture Katy is all too happy to jump on that train in hopes that she can forget all about Daemon and aliens and just be normal. Sadly, for Katy this guy, Blake, is anything but normal. Rather he might just turn out to be her worst nightmare.

Despite Katy’s annoying disbelief in her clearly budding relationship with Daemon, I still like her as a character. She can be very sassy when she wants to be and definitely doesn’t stand for Daemon’s crap which is great.

Even so, I really love Daemon. He’s so flirty, snarky, protective, and attractive and it’s heartbreaking to watch him put his heart on the line and Katy still not believe it’s real. Daemon is what really kept me reading. And Katy when she wasn’t discussing her blog so much which is ironic since I have my own blog and know exactly what she’s talking about when she says she’s going to write four book reviews in one sitting. I feel for you girl. However, I’d rather hear about your alien drama rather than  all the books you read.

What’s also great about this novel is Katy get’s her own powers. For the first time she’s not completely defenseless (although she could handle her own in the first book as well). Learning how to control these powers, however, causes Katy and Daemon issues, especially since they’re keeping her powers and their new alien connection a secret from everyone, including Dee, putting a strain on their friendship.

Overall, I’d have to say that I did enjoy this novel more than the first in the series. There’s way more sexual tension between the two main characters, Dee gets some action as well, and the alien drama gets even more crazy as the Department of Defense (DOD) makes a big appearance in this novel. With so many threats, secrets, and romance around, this novel was an exciting book to read. Yes, there were still some parts that I could do without (mostly Katy’s inner monologues about her feelings about Daemon and her books) but overall this book was good enough for me to buy the third.

Stars: 4out of 5. Good but not OMG amazing.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow. This one isn’t as cheap as the first one and although I’ll definitely be rereading some parts at some point, I don’t think it’s something I needed in my Kindle library.

Book Review: Obsidian

12578077-1

I am a creature of habit so when I find an author I love I read all their books until there’s no more left and I don’t stray. I’m also pretty stuck up about the books I read. Not to say I only read classics and NY Times Bestsellers but I only read novels that I deem to be “worthy”. That being said, rarely do I ever take a chance on an author I’ve never read/heard of before. But this time since it was only $2.99 on my Kindle and I was desperate to read something new I had to take a chance and I’m very glad that I did.

I don’t know where Jennifer L. Armentrout has been hiding this whole time but I am now officially hooked on her Lux series. The series focuses on Katy Swartz, a 17 year old girl, who moves to a small town in West Virginia with her mom a few years after her dad died. Both her mom and herself are looking for a fresh start and although Katy is not at all thrilled with her mom’s choice of location she attempts to take it in stride for the sake of her mom.

That is until she meets her next door neighbor, Daemon Black, who seems to hate her from the moment she meets him, and Katy has no idea why. All she knows is he’s a douche bag that she hates but is also kind of attracted to. Talk about awkward. Daemon’s sister, Dee, is his opposite however, as she quickly befriends Katy, despite her brother’s warning. The more Katy spends time with the Blacks the more she realizes that there’s something strange about the Blacks that she can’t quite put her finger on. It’s not until Daemon saves her life that she learns the truth: they’re aliens.

By saving Katy’s life Daemon leaves an alien trace on her that puts her in danger of being found by other aliens that won’t hesitate to kill her. This forces the two to spend more time together than either of them bargained for as Daemon feels obligated to protect her and get rid of the trace that also puts himself and sister in danger. This of course leads to multiple fights, a lot of sexual tension, and the learning that they may have more in common than they originally thought.

I’ll admit the beginning started pretty slow with Katy constantly talking about how much she missed writing on her blog and me thinking, “Nobody cares; get to the good stuff!” However, the novel then quickly picks up once she meets Daemon and starts hanging out with the Blacks on a more regular basis.

What makes this novel great is although it relies on the classic “girl meets guy who turns out to not be a human” trope it differs because although we all know they’re probably going to end up falling for each other it doesn’t start off that way. Katy knows she wants Daemon sexually but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a dick to her and what’s great about Katy is she doesn’t stand for it, not even when she finds out the truth about him and what he could do. Armentrout produces a character that’s not afraid to say what she’s thinking and is willing to stand up for herself no matter how attractive and mysterious a guy is. That’s awesome.

Additionally, Armentrout is a saint and adds two chapters in Daemon’s point of view at the end of the book so we can know exactly what he was thinking in those moments. While you’re reading you’ll understand why this is such a God send. Daemon is such a hard character to read and always leaves us wondering, “Does he like her or not?” It’s frustrating but so fun to read as well.

I plan to read the whole series over my spring break so I’ll have many reviews to let you know whether the series get’s better or worse from here but I’ve read the first two chapters of the next book and I’m very excited to see what happens next.

Stars: 4 out 5. Though I think the novel is great over all, the beginning was too slow for me.

Borrow or Buy: Buy. It’s so cheap, why not? Plus it’s really good and you’ll definitely want to reread it at some point.

Iggy Azalea – Fancy (feat. Charli XCX) [Video Review]

musicandleisure's avatarthefirethistime

Iggy Azalea, a relatively newcomer to the Hip-Hop/Rap game, released the music video to her newest single, “Fancy” featuring another newcomer, Charli XCX, who’s most well known for featuring on Icona Pop’s song, “I Love It”.

Iggy draws from the classic 1995 film, Clueless, where Iggy plays the main character, Cher. The video is heavily focused around this theme, starting the video with the same type of opening credits and basing all the costume designs on costumes worn in the film, including Cher’s well known yellow, all-plaid outfit. However, the video still keeps it modern, including the use of iPads (where Iggy picks out her Cher-like outfit) and the use of iPhones rather than the classic flip phones used in the film.

The idea to use to Clueless as inspiration for the video is a good one since the song is focused on one being “Fancy”. Iggy makes it…

View original post 286 more words

The 10 Disney Remixes You Never Knew You Needed

If you haven’t heard a remix of your favorite Disney song before you haven’t been looking hard enough. There are thousands of remixes to all different kinds of Disney songs and they fall in different categories from hip hop to dub step. Some of these are really catchy and some are just hilarious to listen to. Here are my top 10.

1. Circle of Life (District 78 Remix)

There are a bunch of Circle of Life remixes online. This one is my favorite.

2. Circle of Life (Dubstep Remix)

Again, I truthfully think the first one is better but I still enjoyed this one. I’ll let you choose which version you like best.

3. Circle of Life (King of Africa Mix)

Okay, this is my last Lion King one I swear. This one is also one of my faves. When the beat drops it is everything you need in a Disney remix. It’s like, “Go time!”

4. Disney Aladdin – Electro House Remix

The Electro House and Dubstep mixes are actually some of the best mixes surprisingly.

5. Spirits (Disney Remix)

Mixing in a little bit of the other Disney princesses in this Dup Step mix, this one’s a keeper (maybe not for your iTunes but possibly on a random Spotify playlist).

6. Snow White (Bollywood Remix)

This one comes straight from Disney India and it’s personally one of my faves.

7. Cinderella (Bollywood Mashup)

Totally feeling the international mixes.

8. Under the Sea – Hot Sauce Booty Mix

If the name of the mix wasn’t enough to draw you in this is a basic hip hop remix in that there’s no rap or anything and the beat is decent enough to make you bop your head.

9. Kiss the Girl (Rock Version)

I take it back. Rock versions of songs are also amazing. They killed it with this one.

10. Wishery – Pogo

Pogo has a bunch of Disney remixes that you should definitely check out. This one is my fave.

10 Successful People Who Were English Majors

As an English major I am often asked either, “What are you going to do with that,” or, “So you want to be a teacher?” Many people either assume that if you’re studying English you plan to teach or they think you’re crazy, which is fair, considering if you look at the news lately English majors are not the most successful people and are usually ranked as the least.

Even so, I don’t appreciate when people try to make me doubt myself or my education choices. I want to be an English major and I believe in myself enough to trust that I will be able to do something profitable with what I learn. Plus, truthfully many people don’t end up doing what they thought they would be doing in college so relax.

That being said, there are bunch of people who have been successful after they studied English as an undergrad. Here’s 10, just to name a few.

1. Conan O’Brien

conan-o-brien

Many people don’t know this but before Conan O’Brien went into the show biz he attended Harvard University where he was a double major in history and English. And look at him now.

2. Barbara Walters

walters__130328170730

This boss lady who now co-hosts The View got her Bachelor of Arts in English from Sarah Lawrence College. Clearly English majors are destined to be talk show hosts. Just saying.

3. Steven Spielberg

???????????????????????????

Before he became famous (and an amazing) director Steven Spielberg got his English degree from California State University. English majors are good on screen and behind the scenes.

4. Diane Sawyer

MV5BMTMzNjIwNzU4Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDY0MzY1Mw@@._V1_SY317_CR11,0,214,317_

This well-known news anchor learned how to master the English language at Wellesley College and now has been on multiple TV shows and continues to report the news in a flawless manner. Sawyer also puts her degree to good use as she writes for these shows as well.

5. Toni Morrison

ab-Toni-Morrison

Toni Morrison got her B.A. in English from Howard University and then went on to get her M.A. in English from Cornell University. It’s obvious she put both of these degrees to good use as she has written multiple best-selling and award winning novels.

6. Joan Cusack

Joan-Cusack-9542605-1-402

Joan Cusack got her B.A. in English from University of Wisconsin-Madison and has since become an Academy Award nominated actress. Obviously we’re also learning how to act in our English classes. Get on our level.

7. Jodie Foster

Jodie-Foster-9299556-1-402

I wasn’t kidding about those acting classes. Jodie Foster studied English at Yale University and has become a global star, acting in various memorable roles, most notably, Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs (a role she won an Oscar for by the way).

8. James Franco

james-franco-movies

Not only are English majors successful but they’re also very attractive. To be fair that’s probably something we learn outside of the classroom but it’s worth noting. James Franco received his B.A. in English from UCLA. Ohhhhh kill ’em!

9. Jon Hamm

jon-hamm

The good-looking English majors continue. Jon Hamm earned his B.A. in English from the University of Missouri and is now best known for his role as Donald Draper on the hit AMC show, Mad Men.

10. Martin Scorsee

img-martin-scorsese_14532014334

Last but certainly not least is Academy Award winning director, Martin Scorsee. Besides his Oscar win he has been Oscar-nominated multiple times and has been nominated this year as well. Scorsee is not only a director however, but also writes screenplays and acts. Go English majors!

I say this all to say that don’t let anyone scare you away from doing what you really want. You can study whatever you want to study and then later decide to do something else. It’s your life. Live it.

Thumbs_Up!

Switched at Birth 3X07 Recap

Source: ABCFamily

Last night, Switched at Birth had a lot of drama, dealing with some tough issues. As always there will be spoilers; you’ve been warned.

First, Daphne tries to help Sharee deal with her mom who is clearly struggling with her mental health. Daphne is finally able to convince Daphne to take her mother to see a psychologist at the clinic but they get her there under false pretenses, telling her that Sharee needs a flu shot.

Of course, Daphne and Sharee’s plan doesn’t go smoothly as the psychologist is late and Sharee’s mom quickly realizes what she’s really there for and storms out taking Sharee with her. It’s not until Daphne goes into the room to check on the doctor that she realizes that Sharee’s mom didn’t just leave but stabbed the doctor on the way out. This leaves Daphne in a difficult situation as she has to puncture a needle into the doctor’s chest to help him breath and survive.

03069-nervous

Working through her fear Daphne is able to save the day. Sharee’s mom is of course arrested and though Daphne would love to take Sharee in, Regina let’s her know it’s not possible. Even so, Sharee’s great-aunt is coming to stay with her as they work everything out. Hopefully everything works out for Sharee and her mom will now get the help she needs.

Last night, we finally got to see some characters that were missing from the show last week. Emmett and Travis have interviews for Galludet but Travis misses his, and tells Melody it was because he was helping Mary Beth with her car so she could get to work on time (lies!). Melody quickly learns the truth at dinner when Mary Beth admits she works on campus, only a few blocks from her dorm. This leads to a fight between Melody and Travis in which Travis tells Melody she’s not his mom. Ouch!

ouch

However, later, Mary Beth makes a good point to Melody, reminding her that Travis has never lived in a household with people who love him and understand him and he probably doesn’t feel ready to leave that nest just yet. This leads Melody to tell Travis that she will help him every step of the way while he applies to and goes to school and that even when he goes away he’ll still have a home to come back to. Awwww!

tumblr_luxe4yc8aa1r6aoq4o1_250

Also, Melody was getting her flirt on with her ex-husband’s audiologist, Gabe, who by the end of the episode she makes plans to go on a date with. You go Melody. Get it girl!

Thumbs_Up!

The Kennish’s are still having their issues. Though Kathryn kicked John out of the house, he somehow still believes that she’s “overreacting” and just needs to accept their apology and move on. Silly John!

bunk-the-wire

Meanwhile he’s still living in Toby’s apartment, driving Toby crazy with his messiness. Kathryn, on the other hand, is making head way on her book and doesn’t seem particularly inclined to let John back in the house anytime soon (and rightly so).

The fear of their parent’s impending divorce (maybe?) leads Bay and Toby to think of a plan to get them back together. Using trickery and lies they’re able to get Kathryn and John to an old restaurant they all used to go to as a family.

As could be expected this plan did not turn out the way the kids expected and instead leads to a fight between Kathryn and John in which Kathryn asks if they even have anything in common anymore. It’s then that she realizes she’s changed and she’s not happy with the life they’ve made for themselves anymore.

keanu2

Yeah that was a serious realization for Kathryn to make and I’m glad she finally said what she was feeling. While they’re dealing with their issues Bay’s hand starts acting up and they have to take her to the doctor where it’s revealed that there’s ripped tendons in her hand and she’s going to need surgery. The doctor doesn’t guarantee that she’ll be able to do art ever again. Poor Bay.

Glee1

Here’s to hoping it works out for her.

Lastly, Regina and Wes are starting their East River side project, and they have a town hall meeting where, Regina’s mom, Adriana, shows up and raises some serious questions about what this development is going to mean for East River side residents. Wes doesn’t approve of this and tells Regina to get her mother under control (say what?). Regina actually does it but Adriana accuses Wes of using her for “the color of her skin”.

After Regina thinks about this she asks Wes if this is true and he admits that it is beneficial that she’s a Latina but claims that’s not why he originally hired her. Regina says she’s going to quit but Wes makes it clear that it’ll cost her a lot to get of their contract, basically challenging her to do so. In conclusion, Wes is evil but I think we all knew that from the start.

Next week’s episode looks like it’ll have a lot less drama and instead a whole lot of dancing. Also, it looks as if this episode will have some Bank and Bemmett in it. Sounds like there’s another love triangle in the works (but let’s face it we all knew that was going to happen).

I’m excited to see exactly what this episode will entail and can’t wait to see everyone’s dancing skills (or lack thereof). Check out the preview below and let me know your thoughts.

Key moment:

tumblr_n1j5w5wA8l1qf822ao1_r1_250 tumblr_n1j5w5wA8l1qf822ao2_r1_250

tumblr_n1j5w5wA8l1qf822ao3_r1_250 tumblr_n1j5w5wA8l1qf822ao4_r1_250

Adorable!

Photos and Gifs from ABCFamily and Tumblr

Maria V. Snyder: From Meteorologist to Novelist

Source: www.mariavsnyder.com
Source: http://www.mariavsnyder.com

If you told Maria V. Snyder 20 years ago, that she would be a New York Times best-selling author, she probably wouldn’t have believed you. Snyder’s dream was never to become an author but instead to be a storm chaser. It wasn’t until she got her degree in meteorology and became an environmental meteorologist that she began writing. It was then that she realized she loved writing more than studying meteorology and went back to school to get her Masters of Arts degree in fiction writing from Seton Hill University, where she now teaches.

I recently had the opportunity to get to know Snyder, learning more about the start of her career, love for writing, hobbies, and what she’s got planned next.

Zakiya N. Jamal (ZJ): How did you first get interested in writing?

Maria V. Snyder (MS): Boredom! I was working as an environmental meteorologist for a consulting firm and I was either crazy busy or bored. During the slow times, I jotted down story ideas and possible plots.

ZJ: When did you write your first novel?

MS: I started my first novel in 1996. I wrote about a chapter a month and submitted the pages to my critique group for feedback then made revisions. It was a slow process, but I finished the novel in 2001.

ZJ: What was the transition from being a meteorologist to novelist like?

MS: It was a slow transition. When my son was born, I went from working full time to part time, then, when my daughter was born two years later, I quit working as a meteorologist. Writing at that time was more a hobby – something to do that was creative and fun. When I finished Poison Study [my first novel], I thought the book was pretty good so I submitted it to agents and publishers. After 57 rejections, I received an acceptance! [In total] the transition spanned eight years and instead of going back to work, I kept writing.

ZJ: Where do you get the concepts for your novels?

MS: Everywhere! I get story ideas from books, magazine articles, TV shows, movies, the theater, from something my kids say, from my travels, or from the people I meet. Life is [a] fodder for my stories.

ZJ: Almost all of your series are trilogies except the Outside In/Inside Out pair. Is there a reason why you write your series in the form of trilogies? Can readers expect a third Outside In novel?

MS: I don’t really consider my books trilogies. What happens is, after I write three books about the same characters, I’ve had enough. I want to move on to new characters and new worlds with a whole new set of problems. In my opinion, trilogies are just one huge story broken into three parts. As for another Insider book, there are no plans for a third book at this time.

ZJ: Are you working on any new projects currently?

MS: I’m working on a new set of Study books with Yelena and Valek. There has been enough time from the original three books for me to be excited about the characters again and I [came up with] a new idea. The first of them is tentatively scheduled for January 2015 release.

ZJ: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

MS: Lots! I have a number of writing advice articles on my website that they can read but my biggest piece of advice is always persistence! I’d been writing for 10 years and submitting for eight before I sold anything. [You should] learn the craft of writing as well as the business of writing and attend writer’s conferences and classes if you can; consider that time an apprenticeship. Get feedback on your stories from fellow writers before submitting. Joining a critique group is very helpful. I also find that if I let a story sit on my desk for a few weeks I can pick out all the problems, typos, and inconsistencies easier. I agree whole heartily with Stephen King’s advice: ‘If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.’ And don’t give up!

ZJ: The worlds of the Study and Glass series and the Healers series seem to be similar. Is there a connection between the two worlds at all or is that just a coincidence?

MS: There isn’t a connection; they are two separate worlds. However, I will admit there are many similarities between them. In both worlds there is magic and a lack of technology – no electricity or modern machines. I just think it’s more fun and challenging to have characters [that] ride horses, fight with swords, and don’t have instant communication. Many fantasies are set in medieval times, but with my worlds I didn’t want to be restricted to what words I could or couldn’t use and those times were not the best for women and my ladies are strong, smart, and independent.

ZJ: What is your writing process like? Do you start writing as soon as you come up with an idea or do you do a lot of research first?

MS: I don’t do that much research before writing. I’m a “seat-of-the-pants” writer; I discover the story’s events as I write so I never know what I’m going to need as far as research is concerned. As I’m writing, I’ll encounter things I need to research so I’ll make a list as I go and just put a comment in my story and move on. However, that doesn’t work for things that propel the story and are integral to the plot. For example, in my Glass books, the main character, Opal, is a glass artist and I needed to take a number of glass blowing classes while working on those stories.

ZJ: What do you do when you’re not writing?

MS: I enjoy playing volleyball and I love to ski. I also dabble with photography and make jewelry plus I read and love to travel.

ZJ: Who are some of your favorite authors?

MS: This is always a hard question to answer and I’m glad you [only] asked for ‘some’. Some are Rachel Caine, Illona Andrews, Mindy Klasky, Jeri Smith-Ready, Kate Elliott, Gail Carriger, Harlan Coben, Sebastian Junger, and Dick Francis.

ZJ: If you didn’t choose to be an author what do you think you would be doing?

MS: Before I started writing seriously, I always thought it would be fun to work in a bookstore or be a librarian. Now if I had to change careers, I would become a criminal psychologist – I find the criminal mind fascinating!

ZJ: What has been your greatest accomplishment/experience as an author?

MS: This one is easy to answer. A teen girl who was contemplating suicide was inspired by the actions and courage of Yelena (my protagonist from the Study books) that she decided to keep living. That is without a doubt my greatest accomplishment as a writer – better than any award or being on a bestseller list.

Snyder would like to thank her fans for their loyalty and support and for inspiring her to be a better writer. She hopes that you continue to support her as she continues with her writing. If you’re interesting in learning more about Snyder’s works you can read the first chapter of all her books on her website and read a few of her short stories there, as well.

Switched at Birth 3X06 Recap

Source: ABCFamily
Source: ABCFamily

(Warning: This post will contain spoilers. Read at your own risk)

This week on Switched at Birth Bank shippers got what they’ve been all waiting for: the kiss! Yes Bay finally recognized that she does in fact have feelings for Tank and we all know Tank had feelings for her, that was a given from the get go.

However, what was a surprise is Tank’s fraternity’s “dog fight”. Bay learns about the party from Mary Beth who was invited to attend by one of the guys in Tank’s frat, which leads Bay (in classic Bay fashion) to ask why she wasn’t invited.

The truth then comes out that the fraternity (Omega Psi) has planned this “dog fight” in which each guy is supposed to bring an ugly girl. This is of course ridiculous because Mary Beth is gorgeous, which Bay points out. This leads to a fight between Bay and Tank because although Tank disagrees with the frat’s idea he still wants to be a part of it. Bay then storms out, not knowing if she can date a guy in a frat like that.

Although Tank tells her not to, Bay of course tells Mary Beth which she has every right to do (sisters before misters always). Later, Tank goes back to the Kennish house and apologizes to Bay and tells her that he anonymously told the Inter-Fraternity Council about the “dog fight”. Though Bay is hesitant she decides to give Tank a chance.

Source: Tumblr
Source: Tumblr

Even though I am still a die hard Bemmett fan I have to say I’m glad this Bank ship finally set sail. I think Tank is a really sweet guy and as Bay said herself, that’s what she needs right now.

Meanwhile, Daphne is dealing with her love-triangle. Though she is technically dating Jorge she clearly still has feelings for Campbell and everyone knows it, including Jorge. This becomes especially evident when Daphne decides to throw Campbell a surprise 21st birthday party and invites all his snow boarding buddies; even Campbell’s (hateful) ex-girlfriend comes.

Daphne’s feelings for Campbell become explicitly clear when Campbell wants to go snowboarding with his body that could lead him to have a irrevocable brain injury if he gets hurt. Campbell and Daphne have a fight (in front of Jorge) in which Daphne says, “I care about you!”. Campbell initially chooses to go but then quickly comes back realizing it’s probably not the best idea. Daphne is ecstatic which finally leads Jorge to ask if she has feelings for Campbell. Thankfully, Daphne is honest and says she has feelings for both of them and she needs to make a choice. Which led Jorge to leave, telling her to let him know when she came to a decision. Basically:

bye-b

 

Daphne better figure it out soon before she loses both guys. I, for one, am on team Jorge but that’s just my personal opinion.

Jill-shrugs

 

In parent world, this one was all about the Kennishs as both parents were keeping secrets. Kathryn was hiding the truth about what her novel was really about and John was neglecting to mention that Janice, Toby’s mother-in-law, kissed him. Talk about awkward.

justin-timerlake

 

Of course as it goes with all secrets, both of these secrets are revealed, leading to John being kicked out of the house and staying with Toby who’s not happy about it at all. Though we all know it was Janice that initiated the kiss I think we can all agree that John has been acting like a dick (more than usual) lately and hopefully this time away will teach him a lesson like his heart attack did with Regina. Only time will tell.

Next week’s episode looks like it’s going to be major. Bay might lose her ability to do art (at least with her right hand – possible story line?) which would be a huge bummer considering she wants to go Pratt and art is her life. Also the drama between the Kennish parents will continue and Regina might have to figure out what’s more important: her morals or her job. Also, Daphne seems to be in a pickle that could lead to someone’s death? Watch the preview below and comment your thoughts. (Side note: Why do these previews always have to be so overly dramatic? Or is it just me?)