Just yesterday I saw a girl waving a stick and yelling for the Conte Duke to submit to her sword.

A new Tamora Pierce book is being published in September: Trickster's Choice: Daughter of the Lioness. I am ridiculously squeed about this. =)

I also didn't realize that this year makes twenty years since Alanna went to print. TWENTY YEARS!! For anyone who doesn't know the author, she writes YA fantasy fiction. Her first series, Song of the Lioness, was about a girl who pretends to be a boy in order to become a knight. I love these books in ways I can't even describe. I first read them during the depths of middle school, when I was just beginning to realize how much of a freak people thought I was, and not in that geek-cool way we try to cultivate 'round these parts. They helped me bury some deep emotional pain, or at least the 7th grade approximation of such.

Anywho, it amazes me that these books that really meant a lot to me during my adolescence are still being read by girls (and hopefully some boys) all over the place. I always loved how none of her characters were perfect. They all made mistakes and bad decisions, had stupid fights and great friendships. I went to an online forum on Pierce's books, and found all kinds of little pre-teen debates going on. The net speak was horrible, but the spirit was there. =)

As an added bonus smiley, I'm copy/pasting this directly from her FAQ:

( Tamora Pierce on fanfiction. )

This woman knows where it's at, IMHO.

I will take my squee and dance quietly in the corner now.

Have a little faith in me.

I have a job interview at 4 today at Barnes and Noble. Eep! I really think I would mesh well with this job, and even though it won't be a ton of hours per week, it'll help me take some of the strain off my student loans. Those loans I'll be paying off until I'm in retirement, most likely. *sigh*

I know most of you Snarry folks will have gotten this message already, but in case you didn't, go to Inkstained Fingers and read thisveryinstant's Truth. At last, the well-crafted OotP-compliant fiction starts to peer gingerly into the fandom. =) It's beautifully angry and confused, and definitely of the good.

Must go try to tidy up the apartment and calm nerves. I hope I don't make an utter ass of msyelf. =)

Let's all stroke together, like the Princeton crew.

Oh, I am so employed. =)

They hired me on the spot and my first day is this Friday. It looks like a good place to be. The pay is marginal ($6.50/hr) and it's early morning work, but it's steady, convenient, and useful to my career, so I'm really very pleased.

As a celebratory gesture, I got the Chicago DVD, and found a lamp on sale. Go me!