Breaking News: Sam Claflin Cast As Finnick in CATCHING FIRE

Per The Hollywood Reporter:

The Snow White and the Huntsman actor is the latest to join the follow-up, to be directed by Francis Lawrence. Described as "charismatic" and "clever," Finnick -- from District 4 -- won the Hunger Games when he was 14.

Claflin had been widely speculated to join the sequel, which is set to hit theaters Nov. 22, 2013. He joins new castmembers Jena Malone as Johanna Mason and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee.

Claflin starred in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and as Prince William in Huntsman. He recently finished The Quiet Ones opposite Mad Men alum Jared Harris and Mary & Martha with two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank.

Personally, Finnick is one of my favorite characters from Catching Fire, and the trilogy as a whole. While Sam isn't exactly the Finnick I had in mind, I know he's talented and was chosen for a super good reason. *crosses fingers*

How about you? Excited about Sam playing Finnick? Not so much? Sound off in the comments!

Guest Post: Movie Vamps and YA with Lisa Gail Green!

*originally posted on September 15, 2011 @ Reel YA*

For Reel YA's first guest post, I'd like to introduce you to the fabulous Lisa Gail Green! Not only does she have an awesome blog, she's also a HUGE fan of YA paranormal stories. And today, she's here to talk about one of her fave paranormal creatures: vampires. 

Take it away, Lisa!

Amparo asked me to write a guest blog in answer to the following question: Which movie vampire should have their own YA novel?

It’s a fun question! So many possibilities, really. I mean, Lost Boys seems far too obvious. Blade is awesome, but he has his comics. And well, Edward is clearly taken. But in my opinion, there’s only one real answer here.

Bela Lugosi’s Dracula.

Before you cry foul, let me explain. See, I know Dracula is actually a book by Bram Stoker. I get it. And I know there have been countless movies made since the 1931 classic. But seriously – picture it – Dracula, the YA novel.

Brooding and mysterious, locked in his sixteen-year-old skin forever, Vladimir Dracula is cursed to feed on the life-blood of innocent humans. When he meets Mina, he falls fang over heels, but how can she ever love a monster?

It’s got the love triangle, the handsome immortal, the misunderstood monster, and the horror.

I can picture it now, a scene with Mina being lured outside to find Dracula, who fights against his instincts, knowing they will only lead to her death. Talk about teen themes to explore. Fighting against those intense emotions and urges isn’t always easy. Come to think of it, injecting raging hormones into any bloodsucker would be a fun ride. It almost writes itself…

Van Helsing would certainly be an interesting teenager, too. I could picture him being a modern day honors student with secret kick-butt abilities.

Mina would be the confused and smitten girl. Of course we’d make her a bit stronger and more independent than the typical female heroine. The same with her friend Lucy.

And of course we can’t forget Renfield. I’d make him a popular jock, who under the mind control of Dracula, becomes his unwilling servant and loses his grip on reality.

Forget the movie, now I really want to read this book.

Which movie vampire would you give his/her own YA book to?

Happy Book Birthday to SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY by Susan Dennard!!!

So there's this book I'm DYING to read. It's called Something Strange and Deadly by the uber-awesome Susan Dennard. Not only do I think Susan is one of the nicest, most giving bloggers out there, she writes about ZOMBIES and STEAMPUNK WORLDS and PARASOLS. 

Here's the blurb:

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

You can understand why I'm stoked for this book.

Especially when it COMES OUT TODAY. *fist pump*

So go do the right thing, folks. Pick up your copy of Something Strange and Deadly, available in bookstores now! :)

On Death, Difficult Things, And Writing

Confession: I did not want to write this post. But since I am talking about difficult things, and this post proved to be among those things, I chose to write it anyway.

Last Tuesday night, I had a nightmare. Usually, I have trouble remembering what I dream about, but on this occasion, the nightmare was so intense that it stuck with me. I was on campus, heading for one of the department buildings, when a man dressed in black shot me. For some reason, the bullet didn't hurt me at all, and I managed to run away from the shooter. But he, along with a group of armed people clad in black, followed me to my classroom. They held the entire class hostage as they gossiped about their lives. Then they walked out, harming no one, and I woke up. 

Last Friday, as you may know, a man went to an Aurora, Colorado screening of The Dark Knight Rises and opened fire on the audience. Twelve people were killed. Many more were injured.

That same Friday, I had scheduled to write a funeral scene in my WIP. 

I did not want to write it. I felt too useless, too sad, to do anything but follow the updates on the Aurora shooting. There was nothing I could do to change these victims' fate, but I felt like just by knowing how they were doing, I was cheering them on to get better. To survive. 

I convinced myself writing the funeral scene would break me. Even looking at the laptop made me cry. Why did I have to force myself to face more sadness when I was already facing enough of it? Why was my nightmare so vivid and memorable? Why did it happen that week, of all weeks?

Those are some of the difficult things I can't answer. All I can do is accept the fact that they're there, existing just as I am, and push through. Later that Friday night, I sat down, turned on my laptop, and wrote that funeral scene. I cried some more. Nearly quit halfway through the scene. But I didn't. 

I pushed through.

Especially because I didn't want to.

Most difficult things in life are unwanted. Death is certainly not something I want, neither for myself nor for anyone else. But for some reason, I had to embrace it last week. I had to grapple with questions without answers, and even though I don't fully understand their purpose, I found my way out of them. 

Whether it's in your writing or in your life, keep going. Difficult things look much, much better when they're behind you.

An Open Letter To Princess Merida

Dear Princess Merida,

You are not a boy.

I know, I know. You figured that out already. Especially now in your teen years, right? Puberty, nature's ultimate enlightenment tool...

But I'm not here to discuss your body. Sure, it's solid evidence that, in fact, you are not a boy, but it's not the driving point of this letter. No, the driving point comes from a different place. A place where you are deemed a wannabe. A place where you are not allowed to know how to defend yourself and cry at the same time. A place where someone like you is scrutinized over and over and over. 

Why? Because according to some people in this world, you have to be one thing. The minute you step away from that one thing, you are either WEIRD or AWESOME. You can be weird because you're not interested in falling in love. You can be weird because you'd rather climb mountains than practice your curtsy. Or you can be awesome for the very same reasons. Depends on who you ask, really. 

And if you ask me, all I have to say is this: you are a girl.

Which means you are a human being (an animated one, but who's discriminating?).

Which also means that, similar to boys, you are complex. No one thing should define you. Like boys, you have every right to want and not want whatever you like. Like boys, you can love something today and hate it tomorrow, or vice versa. But unlike boys, you get judged by those very similarities. Sucks, doesn't it? Maybe we should get together sometime and shoot some arrows in the name of equality?? I'd totes shoot for that. 

So go ahead, my dearest Merida, be a complex girl. Wave your multilayered flag high. And above all, always stay brave. 

Sincerely,

An Unbearably Complex, Multilayered, Not So Brave Female Person Who Wishes She Could Climb Mountains And Ride Horses And Shoot Arrows Without Fracturing Her Skull In The Process.

P. S. I WANT YOUR HAIR.

BEA Envy And What I'm Doing To Ignore It

So. BEA is in full swing over at NYC this week. Sadly, I am not in NYC. *sobs*

BUT I am doing lots to pretend nothing exciting and super awesome is happening anywhere. Which things, you ask? 

These:

1) FINALLY working on my first draft after a two month brainstorming hiatus. It's going really well so far. Hope to have a finished (and gloriously crappy) draft by September. *cracks knuckles*

2) Buying new music like a maniac. No, seriously. I am on a ROLL. This past weekend, I bought three albums. Last weekend, I bought FOUR. All WIP inspiration. So yeah. Music. It's awesome. 

Here's an example of what I bought:

Sigur Rós, "Ekki Múkk"

3) I've seen SO. MANY. MOVIES. Both at the cinema and rented/recorded flicks. I also bought the first season of the animated Batman series. YES I DID. BECAUSE WHY WOULDN'T I? *fangirls*

4) Last but certainly not least, I've Googled endless pictures of Chris Hemsworth. The Hems trumps BEA envy, folks. I promise you.

Now tell me: are you suffering from BEA envy like me? Or are you at BEA having the time of your life?? 

Movie Trailer Monday: BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

So. For today's Movie Trailer Monday, I bring you a sneak peek at something I can't really describe.

If I could, though, my words would come out something like this:

OMFGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATHISLOOKSBEYONDAWESOMESAUCEOMFG

And that isn't very eloquent, IS IT??

So. Because of my inability to express any coherent thoughts, I'll just settle for showing you the trailer for Beasts of the Southern Wild:

I'll be checking this one out when it hits theaters on June 27th!!