"Have we met?"
Here's a moment from the first time Buffy's mother, Joyce, officially meets Buffy's vampire nemesis, Spike:Joyce [pleasantly]: Have we met?
Spike: Um, you hit me with an axe one time.
[Joyce looks confused]
Spike: Remember? [helpfully brandishes imaginary axe] "Get the hell away from my daughter! Rawr!!!"
So, now and then I like to ask my readers to take a minute to introduce themselves. I expect I have a lot of regular readers who don't comment; I'm sure I have readers who're just passing through for the day; doubtless I have readers who got here by accident, having misspelled "Kristin Chenowith," and wish they'd never ended up here at all. :o)
Anyway, no pressure. But today I extend an invitation to all of you -- even the lurkers and the shy -- to tell me a little bit about yourself in a comment. You don't have to tell me your real name. But maybe you'd like to tell me where you are? What you do? What you feel like eating today? What TV show you like to watch? If you could be magically transported anywhere this moment, where would you choose?
Everyone is welcome! (Um, except for spammers.) Two friendly reminders. First, please be kind to other readers -- NO PLOT SPOILERS! Second, I'll only see your comment if you post it on my Blog Actual; I do not see comments posted on LJ, Amazon, etc.
The floor is yours!
Comments
Nearly done reading Fire, hopefully this week. Enjoying it immensely.
I am 23, and a former avid reader. I had been on reading hiatus since the birth of my daughter 18 months ago, and due to my impending 2nd child's birth in 10 weeks, I am trying to soak up all new fiction I can find before I end up in newborn land again. You have been my greatest discovery as an author in this time.
I'm 31, live in Melbourne, Australia. I've been following your blog for about 6 weeks now (AND ENJOYING IT IMMENSELY!) - since I read Graceling and then Fire and wanted to find out more.
I work full time in a senior management role with a lot of dogs (no really, the 4-legged kind that help people!) and study a PhD by research part time (trying to improve the lot of those dogs).
Keep up the great work - and thanks for asking about us.
:)
MC
I am Linda from Giessen/Germany. I am 26 years old and since yesterday I am a registered Maternity and Family Nurse. I also have an M.A. in Theological Studies. I’ve been following your blog since I first read and fell in love with “Graceling” in April this year.
I like reading (mostly American YA), knitting, cooking (my spinach-quiche is in the oven right now), having friends over and singing.
We don’t own a TV, but I follow some American TV shows over the internet like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “How I met Your Mother”.
If I could be transported magically anywhere right now I would choose Ada/Oklahoma in September 2010. I spent my sophomore-year of high school in Ada and would love to see my host-family again. And September 2010 would be perfect, because I could swing by a bookstore and get the third book of the Hunger Games Trilogy.
Thank you for your beautiful books, Kristin. They truly make me “Die Beschenkte”.
I'm Caroline and I'm 13. I love reading and my favorite authors are Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, and Suzanne Collins. My favorite movie is The Phantom of the Opera. I live in Maryland, and have to catch the bus in about twenty minutes! If I could magically be transported somewhere, anywhere in Europe would me great. Kristin, your an awesome writer! Wow, that felt like circle time in kindergarten!
Bye Bye Now, time for school : (
Carolinne
Have a great day.
~ Liane
Let's see....I am craving fajitas and subway sandwiches like crazy the past few days and I'm not even pregnant. :0) Great blog, I enjoy your posts.
I'm also a ninja, which is probably why I like Katsa so much.
But Hi! I'm Frankie, a 26 yr old writer and blogger with two blogs, one of my own and one I share with my critique group. We're all fans of yours:-)
I found your blog through the NANO site, which I just completed! Thank you for the support letter to NANO writers. Your mustard seed description appealed to my lapsed Catholic ways.
I just finished NANO and am very excited by my first rough draft and equally terrified of doing the second draft! I think I have a story but am still struggling with the whole thing. Any advice on rough drafts- would be great!
All the best to you,
Daria
I'm Caitlín. Not Caitlin; Caitlín. The accented second "I" with a long sound makes a big difference. It's who I am--ordinary at first appearance, but unique enough to make observant people look again, and Celtic (sort of).
I'm a 19-year-old Virginian who loves YA books and has almost no interest in the majority of adult books. I know what sorts of things I want to do with my life, but I'm waiting for the right time. I don't know yet if the plans include college.
Pushing Daisies is my recent favorite show, with its whimsical fairytale-feel, wacky murder plots, and in-depth character examination.
As for magically being transported somewhere, I prefer traveling there myself. Think how disconcerting it would be to appear somewhere else, especially when right now I'm comfortable right here.
and im gonna go by asai for a while.
I am Caroline, 24, living in Glasgow, Scotland. I found Graceling by accident one day when I ran into Borders Bookstore to get out of the rain. By the time I left the book was bought and paid for and safely wrapped in my bag. I love it! I have been assured that Fire is one of my xmas gifts. ^_^
I work at the Glasgow Science Centre as a science communicator. I love photography, camping, cycling, cooking and LOVE role play gaming. So far those of us who are RPGamers have agreed your world would make a most excellent game setting. Have you read Artesia by Mark Smylie?
If I could be transported anywhere I would be transported back home about 5 years ago. That was a really good time. I'd take my dog out a long walk along the estuary in the cold blue air.
Continued success in your writing Kristin. All the best - Lynne
Today I feel like eating...well nothing at this point. It's 6:30am and I'm not a breakfast person. But I'm thinking tacos for dinner sounds just about right.
Favorite current TV shows: Bones, House, Lost, The Office.
Favorite old TV shows: Friends, Home Improvement, MASH.
If I could be magically transported anywhere right now, it would be to Friday. This is basically my finals week so I have hardly room to breathe...or read. Sad times. But Friday I get to work at a booksale to raise money for a Children's Literature Conference that takes place on my university campus! And I get paid for my work hours in books! How great is that?
Kristin...I read thousands of YA books and you are on my top list. It makes me so happy to know that other people love YA lit just as much as I do =) And might I say that the worlds you create in Graceling and Fire are some of the most creative and interesting worlds I have encountered? Thank you so much for your wonderful writing!
I'm Faye :D I've met you (twice!) once at Sirens and once at the Books of Wonder panel. I'm 21, finishing my bachelor's degree in anthropology at Columbia, and going a bit mad working on my thesis right now. It's about the sociality and reading practices of children. It sounds more eloquent in my head.
I'd like to go into publishing eventually. Right now I'm an editorial intern at a children's press, and not getting paid yet. I'd like to work in children's/YA, preferably sci-fi and fantasy. I don't write much and I see myself as a better editor, but I do like RPing. I also love a good book, especially yours. Really excited about Bitterblue!
I write fantasy and YA, and just had my YA ms requested by a prospective agent for the first time (!!! even if it doesn't work out)
For right now the only TV show I'm watching with gusto is White Collar, which I think is ridiculously fun, although I get slightly irked at Elizabeth sometimes... I would marry Neal, but he's not up for grabs, which is why I love him so much...
Caroline: I ADORE the Phantom of the Opera. I assume that you're talking about the most recent version with Gerard Butler as the Phantom. If you're into the story as well as just that movie version, look for a version that came out in the early 90's starring Charles Dance as the Phantom. It's my absolute favorite of the movies. I think that Charles Dance gives a very fleshed out, deep performance as the Phantom.
I'm twenty-three. I actually met you at BEA earlier this year, where you signed a FIRE galley for me (and half of the expo - it was one of THE galleys to get). I was working for a NY publishing house at the time, but now I'm living in Charlotte, NC. In two days, I will move out to Montana to write middle grade novels for spunky girls, and I'm looking forward to sitting in a warm log cabin and getting a lot done.
I've been following your blog since I read GRACELING late last fall, and I actually re-read both of your novels last week. So good! I was amazed by the way you balance the action, the romance, and the GORGEOUS description. It's such a relief to read novels with strong, likeable girl protagonists.
Thank you so much for writing such fantastic books. I can't wait for BITTERBLUE! :-)
I am 36, and a mother of a five year old and a two year old. I live in the American Deep South, but I'll tell anyone who asks that I'm really FROM Orlando. I spent five years working at the Disney studios and feel the same affection for that company that many sports nuts do for their Alma Maters.
I enjoy cooking, and sing first soprano in a truly wonderful choir, but when push comes to shove I'm first and foremost a bookaholic. I've been following you here since late last summer when Graceling was the word of mouth among many librarians and authors whose reccomendations I respect. As usually they were right!
I also adore Spike! From the moment he appeared on screen I think he became my favorite character on the show.
My name's Louise, I'm sixteen (seventeen in one week and three days!) and I live in the Southeast of the US of A. I was at a beachside bookstore last summer when I found a copy of 'Graceling' -- autographed, no less! -- and decided it would be worth a shot. I absolutely loved it and was overjoyed when, a few weeks ago, I found 'Fire' in my pre-Thanksgiving break book shopping. One of the bookstore associates saw me reading the inside cover and highly recommended it; she was in awe when I told her I had found an autographed copy of 'Graceling.' (:
Anyways, I finished 'Fire' yesterday and LOVED it. I can tell a great book when it has me reacting out loud and staying up late to "get to the next chapter." You really are amazingly talented, and this recent book just blew me away.
There's not a whole lot interesting to say about me; I'm an actress who would love to major in theater one day (or biology -- biology works just as well), and my favorite TV show is Bones with House and The Office tagging close behind.
Love your books, love your talent, love your ideas! Hope your Monday is awesome. (:
Thanks for asking about us. I think it is great that this kind of networking can be done between writers and readers now. It adds such a nifty dimension to something that to me is as vital as breathing. :)
I am Aubrey on my blog but Stacey in real life.
As Aubrey I love reading books and reviewing them. I feel priveledged every time I read a book (even if I don't enjoy it, which I loved Graceling, and look forward to when I can read Fire finally!) because I know how much work went into getting that book to me!
As Stacey I am a stay at home mom with my beautiful 20 month old daughter (I can't belieeve she will be 2 soon!). She is the light of my life.
Today, I am going to eat anything but turkey.
I think that's it. I love reading your blog posts (and your books of course)--you always keep it interesting!
I'm 35 and live in rural Ohio. I work part-time at a minute public library and am writing my first YA novel. Mostly I'm a mom of five-year-old and a turns-three-tomorrow-year-old.
I don't watch TV much, but I'm loving Battlestar Gallactica on DVD. Generally I don't enjoy science fiction, especially if it's set in outer space, but the characters are compelling and it raises so many intriguing questions about what it means to be human. My husband is very proud that he got me sucked into watching it.
Also, I must say that I was inspired by your blog to start watching Buffy to finally see what all the hype was about,and now I am completely hooked. I am about halfway through season 3 right now, and I can't believe I waited so long to start! Also, I'm excited because I just watched that episode you quoted last week, so now I feel like I'm part of the club. :)
I love your books - there's something truly special about them. Keep doing what you're doing; take it from someone who pores over the young adult shelves trying to find the Good Stuff- you're one of a kind!!
I am Trine, I am 35 and I live in a small town in Denmark. My job is really irrelevant, but what I love to do outside that hole that swallows up most of my time is READ, being with my family and friends and I just spent November NaNoWriMo'ing. And WON!! Woohooo! Too bad my story is not finished yet.
I love to watch crime shows. CSI (Las Vegas) Criminal Minds are among my favorite american ones, but I also love the british ones like Waking the Dead.
And if I could be transported magically anywhere, I would be screwed, because there are so many many places on the earth I'd like to see. But it would be great if I could spend a day or two in my favorite book universes.
Well I am off to cook a danish winter/christmas food. Christmas eve is just too far away!
Love your books btw :) But I guess that goes without saying.
Trine
I'm 25, and I live in the tiny, north Louisiana town of Farmerville. It's odd, quirky and beautiful. I'm the mother of a beautiful nine month old boy, and married to a wonderful man who shares my enthusiasm for your beautiful worlds, compelling stories and strong female characters. Favorite shows: SYTYCD and Glee.
I've been reading your blog for several months and just got around to reading Graceling. Hooray for strong female leads!
I'm a former middle school teacher and write picture books and mid-grade.
In the meantime, I am working on my 3rd novel (the first 100,000 words of which were cranked out during NaNoWriMo) which has a ways to go before it is a finished rough draft let alone an edited and submittable manuscript.
I consider myself a writer even though I have yet to have a novel published (though that is my ultimate goal) but I have had some luck with a few short stories and continue to submit for publication. I have gotten a few (very small) paychecks for my writing so I consider that something. My goal is to make this a full time gig though currently my bread and butter is through teaching.
Let's see, if I haven't already put you to sleep... My first name is Virginia and I am currently teaching ESL in Japan, though I spent the last 5 years teaching Spanish in the US... I am beginning to think that I should never have written about my aspirations towards writing in the earlier part of this post, so I'm going to go ahead and submit now before I change my mind.
You should know that I really enjoy your blog and am very much looking forward to reading your books. Thank you for writing.
~Virginia/Lee (long story)
Kristin, yours is one of a number of authors' blogs that I read, and is one of my recent discoveries. I've only recently discovered your blog, but I really enjoy reading what you post!
I actually read your first book this past summer and instantly feel in love with it along with Fire. So, much in fact, that they are both in my top five favorite books ever and I tell all my friends constantly that they just have to read both. :) Anyway, my favorite TV shows would have to be Glee and Friends which always put a smile on my face no matter what. My favorite authors besides you, of course, are Sarah Dessen, Meg Cabot, Bree Despain, and many others.
Nice to meet you and thanks for caring enough about your readers to ask about us all. :)
If I could be transported anywhere at this moment... I would have to say Hogwarts, 1973.
Possibly somewhere I could meet Katsa. She's my new hero. :D
I actually don't have a TV. (GASP.) So that one's out.
At the moment I really, really want some ice-cream. Any flavor but coconut.
It's nice to know that some authors are interested in their readers. Please keep writing and blogging and, well, distracting me from real life. :)
I found you thru NaNoWriMo too, and enjoyed your letter of encouragement a lot. I can now say I am a NaNo winner! The day before you sent out the letter I saw your book in B&N and was attracted to the colors on the cover so it stuck in my mind. Then I clicked on your blog and saw the same cover in there so started following your blog. Great stuff!
As for me, I am a reporter for a veterinary association, am 30-something, and live near Denver. My NaNo project is a YA novel as well, so I plan to read some of your books for inspiration.
Thanks!
-Ben
I can't wait to read Fire, but it will have to wait, alas, until Christmas break. I'm a third year law school student, looking for a post-grad job, and am recently engaged--all of which combine to make me a very busy person. I write, too (like everyone else in this corner of the internet :) ), in those five minute increments in which I am not doing 8 other things or... umm... when I'm in class.
It's sweet of you to do a post like this.
Cheers,
London
I'm 17, my name is Leigh. I just finished Graceling a few days ago and it was awesome, I can't wait to read Fire. I live in Florida. I started reading your Blog right after I finished Graceling. some of My favorite things to do are read, write and surf the internet.
If I could be anywhere right now it would be at College, I can't wait to get there. My favorite TV show of the moment is House.
Thank you asking about us and happy writing.
I bought Graceling on a whim after my friend Renay, who runs YA Fabulous!, had recommended it repeatedly. I ripped through it in less than two hours and was thoroughly delighted. Also I find your blog really entertaining, and so I stick around. Especially for the BtVS commentary. (Oh, Spike.)
I'm 22, live in Indiana, and am about to graduate with a Bachelor's of Social Work and go to grad school for my Master's in Social Work. This past November was the fasted month in my life.
I love NCIS (not L.A.) and BBC Robin Hood. And you should check out the Muppet version of Bohemian Rhapsody on youtube if you like the song/Queen/the Muppets at all.
I'm 31, and came across your blog and novels via the fantastic pep talk you wrote for Nanowrimo participants. This was my first time doing Nano, but I have already learned so much more about myself and the joys of writing than I ever thought would be possible in thirty days. I was truly inspired by your heartfelt advice on writing and that you are so willing to give it. I've read the pep talk at least five times already because it's just that good.
So, I immediately went out and bought Graceling and Fire, and am very glad I did. Although I'm still in the middle of Graceling, I am really enjoying it! Keep up the amazing work.
I caught the Buffy and Angel bug in my late twenties, but once I did I was hooked. I've watched both series at least twice and don't think I could ever get tired of them. If you haven't already seen Firefly and Serenity, I highly recommend those, too.
Best wishes,
Alexandra
I'm Christy. I am 18, and I go to Purdue and am throughly undecided. I've never watch Buffy, but I have always wanted to. I love reading, and I loved Graceling and Fire. I've gotten all my friends hooked on them and that's what they are getting for Christmas, your books.
I'm 46 and in a book club of women who read YA fantasy. We all loved Graceling! I write children's books, mostly pbs, but I do have a tween novel I'm subbing at the moment (with fingers crossed) I live in Asheville, NC, a lovely town in Western NC with a great indie bookstore: Malaprops and a great kids bookstore: Spellbound. And I hope one day you'll stop by for an author visit... Thanks for asking. Your blog is great!
Hi! I'm Donna, 23, writing my first YA novel. I'm almost finished, and I don't think I would be past chapter 4 if not for my amazing crit group. (Frankie's a member - she commented above.) We call ourselves the First Novels Club and have a blog together, which takes up a good chunk of time, but I love it. In my full-time day job, I work as office manager of a university newspaper, which I thankfully enjoy a lot!
Erin
I'm a 16 years old girl from Norway, and I simply adore both of your books. I love to read, I love to draw and I do mountain climbing, good combination or what?
Anyways, if I was to be transpoted to somewhere I think it would have been to Atlantis, or perhaps the top of Mount Everest (:
And I love your blogg btw, been reading it for a while, and doubt I'll ever get bored by one of your posts.
PS. I've got 20 pages left of Fire, and I love it! Can't wait for "Bitterblue" if that's what you're gonna call it!
Dina
I love TV for the zoning out it allows me to accomplish, but the only show I really change my schedule for is Project Runway.
If I could be transported anywhere, I would say pretty much anywhere in Italy, where I would just spend the day sipping cappuccino on the piazza. Or New Jersey, where my sister and I would stuff our faces with pizza. It's a toss up.
--Susan.
I'm 39 and home sick with the flu (have been for over a week). I live in Wayland, MA, with my husband of 10 years and our 4-year-old. I'm the Director of Training & Development for a company in Lexington and truly love my work. I'm not a tv watcher, just a voracious reader and today unfortunately I don't feel like eating much of anything. If I could go anywhere in the world it would either be to one of the Asian countries like Tiawan or back to Sydney, Australia (one of the most romantic cities I've ever experienced).
I read Graceling earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very much looking forward to Fire under our X-mas tree this year. Thank you for continuing to write - your gift is our delight.
Warm regards,
Kristina
I am doing National Novel Writing Month and your letter really encourged me (which was good because I NEEDED encouraging right then!). I LOVED Graceling - it was awesome! I also like Buffy (though I like Angel more). Right now though Heroes is my favorite TV show! Keep writing!!
EE
I'll be back to read 5 more comments once I've gotten some work done. I love savoring them one at a time!
I have a dog.
I eat candy corn all year round.
Currently reading is my escape from transitioning my father from living in his own home to an independent living community and coping with Parkinson's. I read A LOT. Really loving my young adult groove right now, but also enjoy an intelligent thriller (the Stieg Larsson books rock) and classics (hello, Jane Austen) as well as contemporary literature (Khaled Hosseini, Michael Dorris).
How about we just say I'm over 30. I live in the mountains in Park City, Utah. We have three ski resorts within fifteen minutes of my house. (The PC stands for Park City not politically correct).
I used to be a lawyer but then I adopted four children from China. So now, I stay home to manage them. I took many classes undergraduate in writing and then decided I couldn't make a career of it but now I am exploring that option. I am revising a YA fantasy right now.
I found your website after reading and loving Graceling. One of my daughters reminds me of Katsa. For Halloween, she was a knight complete with sword and fake chain mail. No princess dresses for that one.
I'm Kim Johnson, mother of four, stepmother of four (thankfully not all of them live with us full time, which sounds awful but it's the truth). I live in Wyoming with my hubs and three of the eight kiddos. I'm an aspiring writer and longtime book nerd.
I'm 35 live in the SF Bay area and loved Fire and Graceling. I recommend both to pretty much everyone! I try to read as much as life, and my 4 year-old daughter, will allow.
Please, magic teleporter, take me Paris, right now!
Oh, and there is no doubt that Spike is awesome! : )
I live in Brooklyn, NY, but if I could be anywhere right now it would be the moon - I would like to try hopping around in lower gravity, and I'm especially intrigued now that we know there's water there :)
I am a science writer - I write about black holes and galaxies and quasars and things.
I'm such a big fan of yours, Kristin - thanks for your beautiful books, and your lovely blog!
I was one of those who accidently stumbled on to your webpage; I saw a picture of you with your bathtub telephone and just had to read your blog…turns out your kind of quaky, which is pretty great! You started me watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I love it too, I’m on season 4 and season 5 is just waiting patiently for me to get to it, but it’s coming up on finals week so I am a bit busy…actually I should be right a paper right now, but wanted to stop and read your Monday blog. I am 22 years old and an aspiring artist and author, I want to write fictional fantasy novels with a bit of everything in them and I want to illustrate my own books ^_^ yup that’s the master plan. I really like how your career has turned to the ups, it was fun to watch, and hope someday I will make it too. Thank you.
I'm Rose, I comment from time to time, have read Graceling through twice, and your newsletters brighten my day ^_^
I'm still waiting for Fire (I think my parents keep telling me not to get it because they already got it for me for Christmas). I'm 18, will be 19 in Jan. and want to be an Interior Designer.
I have an idea for a book, and if it does get published I'll send you a copy.
im someone, im, uhh, young comparing to all the others. i bought and read fire the day it came out. then i let my friends borrow it(duh). and we cant wait till bitterblue hits the stores!
so, when's it coming out?
loooove katsa!
To the writers among you -- I'm embarking today on an overhaul of Bitterblue -- have some things I need to work out before I continue onward. I am AMAZED at (and horrified by) the MESS I've created. I am feeling discouraged, but also full of faith and determination that I WILL FIND THE WAY THROUGH THIS MESS. I'm taking it Bird by Bird, and you should too. :o)
We know some people in common--aroraborealis has mentioned you on her blog.
I bought Fire the first week it came out. I saw you speak at the Harvard Bookstore last week. I was excited because you mentioned having a question about medieval bread, because I am an amateur baker and I use old-school recipes.
I'm Kristen, and I'm a stay-at-home, homeschool mom to a six-year-old and a three-year-old, living in San Francisco. I wrote a YA novel for NaNoWriMo two years ago and a friend let me borrow a bunch of YA books to help me immerse myself in the huge genre that is YA. One of those books was a hardcover with no dust jacket, titled "Graceling."
I fell in love with the book and read it in two days. My husband came home from work one day to find me at the kitchen table crying. He immediately got really worried and asked what was wrong. Weeping, I told him, "I finished the book." I had so fallen in love with your characters that I was broken-hearted when the story ended.
I bought my own copy and pre-ordered "Fire." Loved it, as well, and am looking forward to more.
If I could be magically transported anywhere right now, it would be across NaNoWriMo's 50,000 word line. I'm just past 46,100 and am determined to win this year. Also, thanks for your NaNo pep talk. The middle is HARD.
I want chocolate, and that's okay cause we just made a mess of cookies this weekend. I don't watch much TV...but House is on tonight, and the Monk series finale is on Friday!
If I could be magically transported, I would want to go...somewhere where I wouldn't have a History essay due tomorrow. I'll be very happy when I'm finally done with school.
After reading Graceling, I happened upon this blog after doing some research and have enjoyed it SO MUCH. Thanks for being so personable and actually caring about what your readers have to say. By the way, the entry with the umbrellas made me laugh out loud. My roommate thought I was insane.
All the best!
I'm a YA librarian from Long Island. The hubby and I are slowly making our way through all the seasons of Buffy and Angel. (He's a huge fan and I'm the newer convert.)
I loved Graceling and just finished Fire. I'm not sure which I liked better, safe to say they were both brilliant. Looking forward to reading the next one. And my teens love them as well. -faith
I'm 23 and a Legal Assistant (probably the most boring job on the planet)...but I'm also a sort of aspiring author (one romance and one YA) with my best friend. She is the one who turned me onto your books, and I'm just so jealous of your style, it's absolutely fantastic.
I love following your blog. I will be starting Buffy soon, since I never watched it when it was on either, so I'm excited to get caught up!
Can't wait for your next book!!
-S.H.
I am 22 my name is Mary. I am not good at writing but I'm very good a reading! I love your books along with many others (my mums a librarian! I am currently going to graduate school for Social Work in Pittsburgh but I'm really from Connecticut New York Vermont and England! I love SYTYCD and Bones and Glee and reruns of Gilmore Girls! And if I could transport anywhere right now it would be to CT with my mum because I didn't get to go home for Thanksgiving and I miss her!
-Mary
ps I also love your blog!
I'm 13 and I've been following your blog since.....January 2009? Or sometime in that general area--I saw you in Palo Alto at the event hosted by "Not Your Mother's Book Club" and loved it! I have read Graceling and Fire and am looking forward to Bitterblue. Good luck with your messy notebook!!
~Andrea
Name: Heather Zundel
Rank: Ordinary girl extraordinaire
Serial Number: Writer, lover of life, aspiring author, and author of the Secret Adventures of WriterGirl blog.
Pleased to finally make your acquaintance. :)
My question is, what did Buffy's mother say after that?
I'd just like to say that I love how connected you are with your readers. And I love Buffy! My husband and I recently relocated to Tennessee and had to have a garage sale in the process. Unfortunately, my entire collection of Buffy and Angel DVDs (and I mean every episode, sad I know) was sold in the sale. For much less than they were worth might I add.
On another note... I loved Graceling and Fire and ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT for Bitterblue. Keep up the good work, and I love to read your blog.
I am a book blogger who fell in love with your book when I read it! I was so intrigued by your book that I looked you up! Thanks so much for the fun stories you tell!
I responded the last time you asked for introductions, but I'll chime in again so you know I'm still here. ;)
I'm here from the livejournal feed, 31, half-hour south of Pittsburgh, mother of 2 little ones, very part time reference librarian (so part time that I came in this evening and saw they'd put up a "Staff Picks" display with everyone's name up there EXCEPT MINE), youth services librarian at heart and in training, wannabe novelist (as in, I wish I was writing, but mostly I do everything but). Started following you because you looked like a kindred spirit the moment I saw the back jacket flap of Graceling.
I would love to eat anything today. Probably something I am unable or unwilling to cook for myself-- that's always a treat-- and also it's nice if it's free.
I haven't watched TV that is not a PBS kids show in a long long time. Reading blogs is my TV. But speaking of PBS kids shows, my son is 2 so mostly watches the toddler ones, but I've occasionally caught an older-kids' show called Word Girl which CRACKS ME UP every time I see it, so maybe that counts.
If I could be magically teleported AT THIS MOMENT, I would go somewhere where I could get some of that tasty free food. I could get cheap food if I went home now, but I'd also end up having to put the kids to bed and making sure everyone gets vegetables, so I'll skip that while I can.
My name is Abby and I live in Costa Rica even though I am Canadian. People always think I am a tourist and talk to me in English - even though I can speak spanish (a little) - becasue i am as white as a snowman. Hehe. my birthday is Dec. 27th, two days after christmas. It is kind of sad, really. I get birthmas presents! how exciting. anyways, for my present this year i want to be at one of you appearences or signings. I realllllllly hope i make it. By the way i am turning 13 and not like 60 or something. My two all time faveorite authors are yourself and suzanne collins. Fire amazed me and i wanted to read more. mmy favorite tv shows are Vampire Diaries, Glee and Satuday night live. I myself am writing a book and i think it is coming along very well. I am on the 30th page and write long hand. I enjoy it thoroughly. It is called 'Allure' and if you were ever interested in that it is about you can go to www.abbynicoleskaug.blogspot.com it is on the top post! talk to you later!
I loved Graceling. Once I was done reading, I saw the address to your blog written in really tiny font, and I went to it, of course! It makes me laugh often!
I love to read and write, and I love to play violin! I'm pretty boring, actually. I don't have much to say about myself! And, I would love to magically transport myself to France at the moment! I want to visit there sometime in my life.
I hope to see more blog posts soon! ~Misaku
I'm a special education process coordinator - fancy title for: hold a lot of meetings, test a lot of kids, and support teachers as best I can. I LOVE my job and I'm so proud to have been in education this long.
My favorite TV shows of this season are Glee and Modern Family. Although I'll always be a fan of Buffy, Angel, and Battlestar Galactica.
Right now I'd love a cup of decaf chocolate caramel brownie coffee with vanilla creamer.
If I could transport anywhere, I'd like to be on a beach, under an umbrella, digging in the sand with my son as the tide rolls in.
I blame you for the disappointment I feel in every new book I've read since Fire! LOL Thank you for writing such amazing and beautiful books.
Wow! You have received a whole lot of responses... You probably won't read this, but if you do, thank you! Now I know that you are a dedicated author. ;)
Me.... My name is Alexa. I live in the states. I love to read (bet you could have never guessed!) and I also love to write. My goal to become a New York Times bestseller. This goal is on hold for a while though... Why? Well, I'm only 16 and I feel that a huge part of writing books is well, the romance. And, never having experienced that myself and all those emotions, I'm not too sure I'm very well equipped to write something based off of assumptions and research. After all, it's a very important part of most stories!
I also love fairies. I make fairy furniture. Out of twigs, glue, moss, wood, flowers, bark, clothe, and anything else I find. I also make houses and dolls. :)
Most of my time is taken up by my animals though... I have 3 dogs, 5 cats, and 2 horses. I love them all dearly!
Other than all of that (which, keeps me quite busy!) I am a photographer. I am going to be launching my business this spring! I will be doing Pet Photography only. In the mean time, I'm sharing my photos with the world on Flickr. Which, is EXTREMELY addicting! It's great for feedback. I'm afraid everyone only follows my photos for my dog though... miss Topaz and her gorgeous markings and lovely blue and brown eyes is who people love. :)
Whoo! That was long! Enough about me, I want to tell you something that I loved about your book! Except... I'm pretty sure it'd be a spoiler. Sooo, I guess I can't. But, it IS in your FAQ... Kind of.
I just loved Graceling completely and totally though! You have an amazing talent!!
I have a question for you that I'm hoping you'll answer:
How do you feel about ideas? What I mean is, do you need to come up with an idea for your book or for a book to like it and want to write about it, or can you take someone else's idea and run with it? I'm just curious. Besides the fact I have a whole bunch of things I would love for you to write. Well, let me say that again, I have a bunch of things I would love for you to get excited about. ;) Then write. ;) Just basic concepts really. Nothing in depth.
I love that you take the time to write to your readers- and listen to what they have to say! Many writers do not do that... And, to be honest, it bothers me. So, thank you.
My name is Laura and I am 33 year old public elementary school librarian. I have just finished "Fire" and enjoy your blog (as well as the "Buffy" comments). I have turned my mom who is a retired old school librarian onto the "Graceling" and I'm trying to win more converts. My sister is also a teacher who is a tough sell on fantasy but I'm trying. I belong to a group of library workers who book talk over dinner once a month and your books give us much to ponder. I love how edgy your novels are and how you craft such fine examples of strong women for girls to look up to.
I'm a 33 year-old lawyer living in northern California with my husband, 2 year old terror (ahem) son, and the cutest fox-like Shiba Inu who thinks it's his world and we (humans) just live in it to serve him.
I'm a big fan of YA books but have not read that many fantasy books. I picked up Fire at the local library on a whim and several sleepless nights later I finished that and Graceling (I read it out of order...). Your writing is very beautiful and expressive and you have a knack for dialog. What’s sometimes missing in novels is the development of relationships. We’re often “told” how characters feel about one another rather than “shown” through descriptive means. But you develop the relationship between your characters through meaningful conversations and interactions. Conversations between certain characters (no spoilers here) in Fire, though brief, are powerful and emotional and convey the depth of their relationship. I am (like every other person) really looking forward to your third book.
I would love to eat a good pastrami sandwich on rye… but I live in Northern California so I will just have to wait until my next visit to LA or NY.
On occasion I’ll catch episodes of Glee, 30 Rock, Bones and Chuck but I’ve not been vigilant about TV watching since Joss left TV the first time around (finale of Angel). Why he must pick Dollhouse for a comeback escapes me. If I could be anywhere at this moment… hmmm… I’d probably be anywhere but here (at work doing very boring legal stuff).
--Danielle
I'm 25, from California but currently living in North Carolina. I'll be moving back to CA in a few months (yay!)and I agree with Kristi Faith...if I could be transported anywhere it would be CA. I miss everything about CA but most of all my family because they have to love me no matter how crazy I am...and they do.
I read Graceling shortly after it was released. I noticed it on the shelf at the bookstore and it eyed me every time I went back. I finally bought it and then beat myself up with it for not giving in sooner. I love Katsa for her strength and independence. When Fire was released, I almost didn't want to read it because I knew I would devour it and then it would be over...but I have no self-control.
I came across your blog a few months ago and have been an avid follower ever since. It is incredible to me that you stay so connected to your readers. Thank you for being interested in us too.
I love that when I give Graceling and Fire for Christmas presents I can say "the book is amazing but the author is also awesome. No seriously, I kinda sort of almost know her...I mean I read her blog...and I've left comments...and she has responded!!! So it is almost like we have met. Basically, we shook cyber hands, which definitely counts nowadays."
Can't wait for Bitter Blue!
I live in Utah. I'm a technical writer, but I want to go back to school and get a degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing and a minor in editing. I'd love to become an editor for new authors.
I feel like eating everything everyday because I'm on a low-calorie, low-fat diet right now. But, I've already lost 40 lbs and I'm down two pant sizes.
I like to watch 24, Bones, Fringe, Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, White Collar, and V.
I would be magically transported to Japan. I've always wanted to go to Japan.
My name is Tabitha and I am from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. (Go ahead and laugh...lots of people think its a funny city name...made famous by John Candy in Home Alone). Congratulations on your journey as a writer. I really enjoyed Graceling and Fire. I came across Graceling after it was recommend at Seven Clown Circus earlier this year (http://angiescircus.blogspot.com/2008/12/graceling-twisted-silver-winner.html). Please write more about Po! :-) Keep the books coming! And thanks for keeping a blog to interact with your readers.
Cheers!
Tabitha
I am a 17 year old high school student, and I'm taking quite a few classes to help me when I go to a Nursing College. Mostly, though, I read fantasy, Sci-fi, and fiction books whenever I can get my hands on them (every Friday or Sunday, except around holidays :( and spare time in the school library). I came across your book a while ago and kinda became obsessive (that's a compliment.... really) and came and found your blog. So, that's that. By the way, Ms.Cashore, your books are beautiful and two of the best I have read in my long career of reading.
I really like the TV shows The Big Bang Theory(hilarious!), Dirty Jobs(supper funny), NCIS(so witty and cute), and Supernatural (cool). Otherwise, I don't watch TV.
Where would I go if I could be magically transported there? Could I have, like, a machine that brought me back and forth once a week so I could visit my family in Indiana then come back, no 5/6 hour drive to there from WI to them then another round back? OH! That would be lovely.
Well, that's enough about me I guess. SO! Thanks for the opportunity to say something!
-Ashes of Knowledge
my name is jj. i have a boring job but i would really like to be a writer. i do alright with writing things i know but seem to be having trouble letting my mind go with fiction. you are so creative with your stories. 'fire' is the 1st i have read but i already have 'graceling' and cant wait to start it next from all the comments i read. never thought i would like fantasy but it is quite intriguing. i will be a fan for life i am sure. i think reading your books will help develop my creativity for telling stories.
time will tell...
As far as what i feel like eating? i seem to have developed a passion for coffee..lately... which is good since i am currently on a mission to be back to my former 'thin' self... which is always a process to achieve...but i am making great strides in success, but it will require time, which makes me grateful for all of your books to read :-)! what do i feel like eating when i reach my goal? tiramisu...in an italiam cafe...
i dont watch too much tv anymore but 'seinfeld' always cracks me up-all time classic in my book:-), i admit to being in love with grey's anatomy (but have missed last and this years seasons), not too much into reality tv but SYTYCD is really cool to watch once the talent really gets showcased towards the middle to end of season.
If i could be magically transported anywhere at this moment... such a wonderful thought to entertain... anywhere with deep blue waters just right for sailing... while i am rather novice at sailing... it is truly my passion... kinda like a golfer who for some reason has a passion for the game and just happened to be gifted with a naturally 'sweet' swing as they say...
people, in general, seem to enjoy things that are just innately a part of them.
i love your blogs! and i love your writing... you are very talented and challenging with making your fans think...
thanks
jj :-)!
I don't really watch much TV, except for the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and if I could be anywhere in the world, it would be somewhere warm, preferably by the ocean!
Keep writing Kristen, you inspire me to try harder in my writing through how wonderful yours is!
im a youngster who finds life in your books. i have read all your books so far(graceling&fire) and well ofcourse loved it. and i would like to know if its true that bitterblue is coming out in 2011. cause thats what i heard..so, um, is it coming out in 2011, if not, when?
l8r
-Bet you're sorry you asked to hear about me :P
Best of luck, and take your time! I'm sure that as much as people are dying to read your next book (and I'm sure I'll join their ranks as soon as I've read the other two) they will be much happier if that next book is all that you want it to be and not a rushed job (even if they don't realize it right now). Ganbatte! (Japanese for 'do your best'/good luck)
I found Graceling wayyy back in the day (I don't even remember WHEN). I was buying The Hunger Games online and saw Graceling in the "Customers who viewed this..." section. I read the description and decided to buy it. Needless to say, it was a great decision! I love both Katsa and Fire, and I adore your ability to create strong female characters who are able to both feel love and retain their powerful independence. You have changed the way I read YA literature. I follow your blog quite faithfully, and I always enjoy all you have to say.
I love to read YA literature, follow football (I am such a hysterical Nebraska Huskers fan, it should be illegal), and spend time with my sorority sisters. I am also currently addicted to "Glee" on Fox. Call me cliche, but it makes me smile. :)
Sorry that was so long. I try not to blab on, but it happens.
I'm Sasha, I'm living in Boston right now, and get the MA from Simmons (where I saw you this summer and thought you were fantastic. I gave you chocolate?) I read Graceling last semester-and in fact, it has been on a syllabus both semesters I've been at Simmons and in the summer class. I also read and loved Fire, and wrote a paper on Graceling and recommended it all over the place.
I feel like eating pie, and I will.
I love Buffy, and One Tree Hill, Soap, Sports Night, How I Met Your Mother and many other shows. I tend to have a lot of favorites.
Thank you for the blog, and the books =)
I'm 15 and 11 months to the date. (woo!) I have read Graceling and Fire at least twice and i LOVE them! I think you may have encouraged me to pursue my dreams of becoming a writer. I've got stories in my head.. just no time to write them with all the homework i have to do :(. but eventually, i will find time (I hope). I cannot WAIT for Bitterblue to come out, and i hope you will continue writing more amazing stories. You are in my top five favorite authors list, along with J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, Stephenie Meyer, and Khaled Housseini. If I could be transported magically to any point in time, it would be three weeks from now, when break starts! Or, possibly, to the the many realms of my many favorite books.
Thank you for writing! And thank you for this website, and for shedding light on your writing techniques so we may learn from them and compare them with our own.
-Becca
I'm 19, and I live and go to college in Topeka, Kansas, which is considered a city but still small enough to be considered "the middle of nowhere". Currently I'm trying to decide what type of English major I'm going to declare myself as. Graceling was the book that got me interested but Fire is by far the best book I've read since Tamora Pierce's Lioness Quartet! I've read Fire about 4 times and still LOVE IT!
I like food, all food, any food. And my favorite show is Bones. If I could be transported it would be to Germany or the Vatican, I hear the castles are amazing and the Vatican has so much history! :)
Your a fantastic writer and your books have the most amazing imagery!Thank you so much, and PLEASE keep up the awesome books!
RBH
I am 17, almost 18 and legal... lame woot. Well I have always loved reading, I've actually been grounded for reading under the covers after I was supposed to have gone to bed. I love watching Heroes, Glee, Ghost Whisperer, Medium... too many to list really. But I love Friends and Charmed as well.
I also really love Tamora Pierce's Tortall books; Po is right next to Numair in my line of lovers.
I am a complete math nerd, I want to major in math next year, maybe I'll be a teacher, maybe I'll be some expert on math at some company... I dunno right now. But I also love writing poetry and short stories. Odd for a math person I know...
I'm "Poopie," I'm sure the only Poopie you've ever personalized a book to. My crazy best friends, Chin and Paula met you at Sirens, thanks for accomodating their oddness.
I'm a 27 yr old Bostinian/New Yorker, with a masters degree in biochemisty from Oxford, utilizing none of it, working as a general manager at a restaurant in Copenhagen. Yes, random, I know.
In my spare time, I write journals on bioethics, cook/eat (currently craving a juicy sasauge from Fenway) and watch Glee, Fringe and SYTYCD, damn the FOX man.
Loved your books & am addicted to your blog...been following for about a year. Felt compelled to comment because of all of the brave souls who ousted themselves (we lurkers must stick together).
I'm 6'3, single, enjoy long walks on the beach...would it be highly inappropriate to ask you out on your blog?? (Thought so.)
On a serious note, I'm commenting to say thanks. You and your blog have managed to bring a few smiles to a guy very far from home.
Daniel
One of the best parts of working with books is that I am much more aware of when new books come out. I searched out Fire for days, trying to find a store that had it when it released, and finally ordered it online. However, this story seems a little extreme when I admit that I had already tracked down an ARC of the story about a month and a half before it was released, read it in about two and a half days, and fell in love with it.
Now, I recommend it along with a collection of many other books to my students and my friends, passed it on to my mom, who just finished it and also loved it.
Still, I didn't follow your blog regularly until you started talking about Buffy - that had me hooked here as well as to your published writing!
I have been following your blog since April this year. I read Graceling in one sitting and looked on the internet for more information about you the very next day.
I also enjoyed Fire immensely!!
I started reading fantasy at age 16and really enjoyed your fresh approach to the genre, I hope there are many books still to come!
Favourite tv shows: Greys Anatomy, Ghost Whisperer, So You Think You Can Dance US version.
Thank you for inspriring me to continue my dream of one day writing down the stories in my head!
:)
AC
I found your blog after your NaNoWriMo pep talk (awesomeness incarnate). I thank you for that,(especially since I just "won" in the nick of time.) Which was achieved with massive amounts of caffeine waaaaaay too late at night. I am 28, and a wildlife ecologist, except I can't find work in my field so I'm working as a housekeeper in a large resort in the mountains of Washington instead for now. If I could magically be transported somewhere instantly I'd go to the Indonesian rainforest... oh yeah I'm Leah (pronounced like the princess from star wars)
I'm 18 yrs, n i absolutely adore all of your books.
I like readin, swimmin, writing (though i suck at it), watchin t.v, myths n literature. My fav shows are buffy n supernatural. Lets see if i could magically teleport myself...i would probably go to vampire academy (fictional-book by richelle mead).
Btw u r awesum writer (like dat wasnt obvious) n i realli love ur books especially graceling....ok gtg nw n study (have my exam in 5 days nw!!!)
I´m twenty and from Hamburg, Germany ... I´m one of the shy ones here.
I´m often lurking around blogs from different authors to sneak some tipps about becoming one myself ...
I´m studying literature and something else, I´m too lazy to google in english now^^
Unfortunately I´ve been having some sort of writer´s block for the last month now ... but at least I can still read the work of others :)
so thanks for that!
:D
Me, myself and I
My name's Samantha, I'm from Wales and at the moment I'm studying for the 2nd year of my English Lit degree. There's a lot of reading to be done but I always make sure that I get to read one of my own (non-course) books somewhere amongst the classics.
I discovered your blog after reading Graceling. I loved it so much that my boyfriend barely got a word out of me while I was in the process of reading it; I couldn't put it down.
Thank you for your books (and your pep-talk you posted a link to the other day). You inspired me to reignite my dream of writing and I've just started taking creative writing modules within my course.
Sam xx
I'm 36, live in London and love reading and writing. I also love Buffy, Angel and Supernatural and although my family believe I'm going to outgrow vampires, I seriously doubt it.
I'm 17 and a home-schooler finishing my senior year in Upstate New York. I'm also in the middle of writing a novel, and in December I'm beginning my career as an art major at a private Christian school outside of Rochester. Reading is my all-time favorite thing to do, though I've never yet found a book that evokes the emotions in me that Graceling does :).
As for magical transportation, I'd choose Narnia (CS Lewis, obviously. :P Required reading for all fantasy novelists!) or Redwall (Brian Jacques). Better yet, I'd love to travel to the world I've created in my head inspired by the upcoming movie Avatar... only my version's way cooler :P. It's another planet discovered by humans. They send a peace corps to make contact with the inhabitants, a couple naturalists, and a journalist. Throughout the course of their time on the planet, they discover it's an unfallen world (no Adam and Eve to screw things up, in other words). I haven't found out what happens next, but I'll let you know when I do :).
<3
So - I'm a 31 year old actuary from Vienna on the doorstep to your fantasy world :)
I'm a full-time English teacher and I found Graceling on the shelving cart in our high school library right after it had been coded and was ready to put on the shelf. After reading the back, I grabbed it and I couldn't put it down. I haven't been able to finish Fire yet because I, too, participated in NaNoWriMo this month (by the way, I loved your pep talk!) and my nights were somewhat consumed by that 50,000 words.
As I said, I'm a full-time English teacher, a full-time mother, a part-time writer, and a part-time artist. I'm not sure how I can have 4 different jobs and still find time to eat, but I do it. I am dreaming of a new day when I'll be a full time writer, a full-time artist, a much better mother, and a former full-time English teacher.
Thank you so much for keeping this blog. I will continue to lurk and enjoy your posts.
Andria
Right now I really want some brie with a fruit topping. Maybe fig jam...
24 yrs old. in NWArkansas. its cold. but im sure its much colder where you are.
loved graceling but havent started Fire yet. you know how TBR piles build up but its in there lol.
im craving apple juice at the moment but only because im at work sick and all there is is water to drink. typical
im almost finished writing my second book. but im not getting far today as you can tell.
love buffy, own them all. glad youre enjoying them! husband and i are Monk, Cougar Town, Simpsons, and just this morning started watching Law and Order.(were behind a bit i think.)
were big stray cat rescuers(my husband not by choice) raised more litters than i can remember due to abandonment or illness this past year alone.
love your blogs, just always read, never commented. but you guilted me ^_-
thanks for all your writing!
Right now I have a rather strange craving for Jelly Babies - I had forgotten how awesome they were til a couple days ago. Love love love The Mentalist, Gilmore Girls, CSI/CSI:NY, Grey's Anatomy, House, Heroes and Doctor Who. And if I could be anywhere right now...somewhere sunny and warm 'cos the weather where I am is just plain rubbish and isn't likely to get any better any time soon.
Can't wait to read more of your books!
MH
I'm a librarian at Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School in Kingston, PA who has two autographed posters for Graceling and Fire (by you of course!) courtesy of my awesome Lower School teachers who met you at a literature conference in Boston this summer. They raved about how great you are and I was so excited to hear that you weren't a beast :-) and that you were originally from northeast PA!
Anyhoo, I adored Graceling when it came out and loved, loved, loved Fire (so much so that I did a big post about it on my blog http://thesassylibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/11/kristen-cashore-hits-another-home-run.html). I subscribe to your blog in my Google Reader and always enjoy the thought you put behind your writing.
Thank you for keeping so in touch with your readers!!
I love Buffy, I used to watch it when it was still new on TV. I also love Flight of the Conchords, they're pretty awesome.
"Fire" is so beautiful; it's one of my favorite books. I know I'm late, but right now I'm reading "Catching Fire," after reading "The Hunger Games" in six hours. I love all types of literature, but I think there's a special magic to YA.
I also wanted to mention that some of my favorite things are: drinking a huge mug of minty green tea; orchids and violets; fuzzy socks; having a wonderfully productive writing-spell; green beans; big trees (and generally being outside); and when a certain cow gets out of the pasture across the street, and is peering in my bedroom window (so hilarious).
My comment is so long! I enjoyed reading everyone else's comments so far. Thanks!
I only watch the good shows, like Glee and Lie To Me. And about a half dozen others. :]
Oh! And I love reading your blogs.
I also recently finished (nope, didn't win) NaNo, for the second year in a row. Hopefully next year I'll get to 50k.
I came along a little late for Buffy, although I've heard a lot about it recently, I'll have to check it out.
Thanks for your blog and your books, I enjoy both!
-M.
I'm Amy. I'm 27, I'm a Children's (Sometimes Teen) Librarian, and I live in Chapel Hill, NC. I stumbled upon Graceling while reading a teen-lit blog that suggested that fans of The Hunger Games would like Graceling (Boy did I). After reading Fire I decided to check out your blog, in hopes that it would tide me over till your next book.
My favorite show is Buffy (I was happy to discover the frequent references on your posts), I knit, I draw comics, and I play cello, I try (and fail) to bellydance, and talk about my cats way too much.
Right now I am so hungry I am just craving food as a catagory. Nothing specific.
I stumbled upon "die Beschenkte" in my cosy bookshop in Bremen and wanted to know who wrote it. soooo and now I follow your blog :)
I am 21, a german dreamdancer who trys to become a musicteacher. Reading, painting and music: the greatest time-killers. My secret is a half finished novel... but I realised with the music, that it is not only positive when you need to earn mony with your hobby. so i stick to reading the blog of a real author and making happy squeaking noises whenever i find happymaking entrys :)
and now i transport myself magicaly to ireland and dance until i find a sweet cinnamonroll ;)
take care
greets from germany
Simone
To Kristina: feel better! To Dina: be careful drawing while rock climbing! :D
Hmm. To anyone who doesn't realize I'm responding to comments I've just read, this reads like an EXTREMELY random comment.
Well, I comment on your blog often so, of course I'll comment today!
My name is Jennifer and I live in North Carolina. I'm a sophmore at my high school and I felt like eating japanese today, but I had baked spaghetti instead. When I do watch TV, which isn't very often, I love to watch NCIS, Ghost Whisperer, Cold Case, Numbers, and Phineas and Ferb of course,lol. If I could be transported anywhere in this moment I would go to live in the 1920s OR I would want to go to modern day Africa.
I would like to mention that I FINALLY had time to finish Fire and it was AMAZING!!! I'm going to be honest with you...I STRAIGHT UP CRIED! Ha, it was wonderful and it exceeded all of my expectations. I just want to thank you sooo much for being a wonderful writer and always being different by adding all the little twists! I can't wait to read Bitterblue! Good luck with your writing, though I know you'll do fantastic!
Awesome job with Graceling, by the way. I'm 13, living in the middle of the New Mexico desert, and have read Graceling though Fire is still on my list to read. So...what can I say about it? It was wicked and was the turning point of my fantasy interest. I'm now eagerly waiting for the library to have a copy of Fire :)
I love to read. I mean, it feels so long ago when I used to groan when we had reading assignments (wasn't so long ago!) but now I actually enjoy visits to the library. When I walk out those air-conditioned book kingdoms it feels like I'm carrying pure magic.
If I could magically teleport anywhere, I would choose right in the middle of the serene winter mountains. Sunlight beating against my back, eyes closed, silence warping around me...maybe Katsa will appear, fighting in the far away distance. So beautiful and something really different from the desert.
Silent Melody
My name is Jaki and I'm 28 years old. I come from Adelaide, Australia, but split my time between home and Park City, Utah as I work in a ski resort for half the year.
I found Graceling one day when I was spending a blissful couple of hours in Barnes & Noble with a bunch of other good books. Then on the Twilight Series Theories podcast it was the book of the month and so I thought I'd jump it to the top of the pile to be read (it's a really big pile). Loved it so much that I got through it in 2 days. Then came the excruciating wait for Fire.
The Buffy quotes are fantastic and I remember each episode you talk about as if I were just watching them myself. My favourite Buffy episodes are "Hush" Season 4 Episode 10, "The gift" Season 5 Episode 22, and "Once more, with feeling" Season 6 Episode 7. Hope you enjoy them when you get up to them.
Love your style and can't wait for more stuff from you.
my name is Kelsey, and im 17. i live in massachusetts and i really love your books. my friend who lives in new york is my reading buddy, and we often give eachother book recomendations. she came up to visit me on my birthday and gave me graceling as a present. i read it and absolutely fell in love haha
my favorite tv show is the colbert report, just because i think it's hilarious(and maaaaybe because i feel smart when i get the political humor. i just finished nanowrimo and saw your peptalk on there. it was a good one :D
-kelsey
I'm Lee and I'm 17 going on 18 pretty soon! nice to meet you! and yes I am a girl :D Thanks for writing two great novels that have touched my heart and made my brains go crazy! I first picked up your book "Graceling" in my local library in Minnesota. Of course I just happen to find it and was attracted to it's wonderful cover but I had to read the summery to find out whether or not it was what I was looking for and TA-DA! It was! I was like wow! But as for "Fire" this was different, my friend who also read "Graceling" told me that you had another book coming out and I was PSYCHED! I wanted to read it so bad! but was sadly stuck on the waiting list number six in line T^T, but when I finally got it, I started right away! :D I finished "Fire" a couple of minutes ago and was truly satisfied. I can't wait for what you have in store for us next! Thanks for writing such great stories about Strong minded Female leads! :D And Thanks for being another great author for me to look up to.
~Seeker LEE ^w^
My name is Marco Blanco, im 18, from Oaxaca, Mexico. I bought Graceling some months ago as a present for my girlfriend, she didnt enjoyed it as much as i did, i really loved the book and i got addicted to it XD, then i visited your blog and i saw that Fire was going to be relased on October, luckily my girlfriend was on Canada the launch date and she got one for me, so now i think that im owner of the first and only Fire book on Oaxaca :D.
Greetings from Oax. Marco
My name's Amity and I live in Tasmania, Australia. We're a little island that always seems to get forgotten about, not that I mind. It means that most of our natural wonders have been preserved.
I'm 25 years of age, and have just just graduated from a postgraduate Bachelor of Teaching degree. My previous degree was an Arts degree with a double major in History and Ancient Civs.
I dabble in writing, but struggle with commitment to a story and also the silly notion that my writing just isn't good enough.
I love to read absolutely anything. There's something magical about stories. It always amazes me just how close you can get to characters in books. For a while at least, it's almost like they're a friend, or an enemy, family, or associates.
I used to be involved in the Tamora Pierce fandom. I guess I still am. And, I play lawn bowls. This year I've been lucky enough to make and represent the Tasmanian Squad and the Southern Tasmanian Team.
I'd most likely chose to be magically transported to Medieval England. Either that, or to Ancient Rome.
All the best
Amity
I am a 29 year old woman from Holland
and I read your book graceling.
It made me order Fire right away!
I have read my share of fantasy and it is not very common to discover a new fantasy writer that I like this much.
Just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your book very much and hope I will enjoy the next one(s) as much as this one.
I have the entire buffy series on DVD so good one there :-)
As for your questions:
I am a implementation consultant for SAP (ISH) and Soarian which are both hospital electronic health records. I don't realy feel like eating anything, just had some sort of breakfast :-)
I like watching Buffy, Charmed, Ghost whisperer, Merlin and that sort of things. And if I could be transported anywhere it would prolly be to NY since I would love to see the lights, the huge christmas tree and the ice skating rink in the park :-P
Well good luck on the new book, I am realy curiouse to know how the lives of bitterblue, Katsa and Po will continue!
Greets Tessa
I'm 24 and currently unemployed, but I find that the time passes quickly when I am
a) writing,
b) reading,
c) sewing,
d) applying for jobs!
I am currently reading your wonderful Fire and The Waves by Virginia Woolf. I think the Dells and the Seven Kingdoms must be very colourful places (even without the Monsters), because they always feel colourful to me when I am reading about them. Also, I love how many mountains and trees you put in your landscapes.
I love anything created by Joss Whedon - so Buffy, Firefly (<3) and Dollhouse are definite favourites. And any sci-fi/action/fantasy film created in the 80s, pretty much. :)
If I could go anywhere right now, I'd probably choose America with an all-access Visa so I could visit all my American friends who I haven't seen in a long time. :)
Keep up the great work Kristin!
Best wishes,
Rosanna
I love Buffy. I didn't watch it when it was on the air but was introduced to it by my daughter last year. Am addicted to it now and own all the seasons. I've even got my husband hooked. He's a big Spike fan.
We met at Sirens, I introduced the authors for the Bedtime Stories evening. I'm the lunatic that rode Greyhound for 50 hours each way to be there that weekend.
I picked up Fire that weekend and am hoarding it for reading over the holidays when working retail is frantic. It's also my motivation for getting through a pile of chick lit that my sister passed on to me. I promised myself I would get through enough of it so that I could freecycle a bag of books before I treated myself to a nice, quiet reading of fire in front of the Christmas tree. Am nearly there. You have no idea how much of a motivator it is to have Fire waiting for me. :D
I'm Ellie, I'm 15, am eating M&M's, and I live in Ireland!I go to the local secondary school and am i am 3rd yr.- i don't know the american equivalent =P
i have read "Graceling" but unable to find fire in my local bookshops - i will eventually though! i cant wait to read Fire (Graceling made it to my top shelf =D!! )
I only stumbled upon your site the other weekend when i was spending a day wrapped up in blankets with my laptop. I ended spending hours just sitting there reading your blogs (thank you for the great entertainment!) and i have been coming back *nearly* every day just reading through your site.
So i guess i just stopped by to say hi and i'll be off again . . . Bye bye!
Ellie
I'm a 23 year old living in Boston, and one of my roommates works at Houghton Mifflin in the children's department. We're always passing around good new children's and YA books and she was the one who brought home an ARC of Graceling and told us all that we had to read it because it was so fantastic. I've since passed it around to all my friends and now all we can talk about is how Po is perhaps the hottest literary charcter we know.
I loved Fire as well. It's so exciting to know that there is a young writer out there who is writing such good fantasy with such strong female characters. That's maybe what I love most about your books. And I was so pleased by the way you wrote about sex in Fire. It was such a refreshingly realistic portrayal of human relationships and is the antithesis of the dangerous trend in a popular culture that tries to give a model to teenagers that they'll only sleep with their "one true love."
Anyway, I'm starting to ramble, but I love your books and I'm glad I found your blog. I can't wait to check out future book recommendations from you. You've just given me the push I need to go read The Tricksters. I read The Changeover and loved it, but I'd convinced myself The Tricksters wouldn't be as good. Now I'm bumping it up to the top of my list.
Thanks for writing such excellent books!
Elizabeth
P.S. Have you read The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rhys Brennan? If not, you should!
I am 28 and I am a book addict and will read about anything. I never post on your blog, but check it out quite often, mostly to find out more about you, where your ideas about relationships you portray in your books come from, and of course about your future projects. My friends and I are very curious when your next book will come out.
Thanks for your writing and good luck with your future projects!
T.
I found your blog this fall after reading Graceling (completely agree with the comment about Po being the "hottest literary character"). You've actually inspired me to write and read more. I've picked up The Book Thief, The Thief, and The Tricksters from your recommendations.
Thanks for asking about us:)
I'm Shari and I'm 34. I met you at the BOW signing in NYC. I dragged my husband and young kids along and before we headed back to CT we got Pinkberry. Wish I could have some right about now! Graceling is one of the few books I read and then immediately wanted to read again.
Right now my YA novel is out on submission and every day is torture for me. To distract myself I've started working on book 2.
I'm a huge Buffy fan. One of my fav's is the singing episode. Thanks for the blog! And the chance to introduce myself!
I have enjoyed your blog. My favorite pasttimes are reading and writing. I liked Graceling and can't wait to read Fire. I live in Connecticut.
Don't watch much TV. Have a Great Pyrenees who likes stealing toast off the counter. Two kids and a persnickety cat.
My job is editing and marketing for an antiques paper and website.
yt,
Carol
My mother and I watch all our tv shows together when they come out on dvd (including Buffy), and we've just started Legend of the Seeker, which is a kind of awesome and definitely entertaining (if somewhat derivative) fantasy series based on the Terry Goodkind books.
And I think Bitterblue might be my favorite character from both books, even though all your heroines are wonderful. She's got so much grace. I hope you get through your draft tangle!
I am 25 years old and I am currently in school while working at the same time. I love reading and must always have a book because reading is my stress reliever. If I could be magically transported anywhere right now it would be a beach where I could enjoy the nice weather while getting a tan and off course reading a book.
IR
-Yen in NYC
Yay for Tortall! Having gone to high school in Scranton, I am highly unlikely ever to tease someone for living in Sheboygan. Kate, your "anonymous meeting" comment cracked me up. And to answer a good question: other people's ideas for things they want me to write are pretty much useless to me, I'm afraid. Ideas just don't work that way, and a book is such an ordeal that you need an idea that comes from somewhere very deep inside yourself if you're going to stick it out. But I think that might be why fanfic was invented!
I'm definitely feeling like some quinoa salad and grapes for dinner. I also love Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, SYTYCD, and Friends.. Magical destination: Italy (the country I must make it to before I die). Which means: I'M TAKING ITALIAN NEXT SEMESTER!! I'm currently taking spanish, modern dance and african dance among others and loving them to buttons. Am staring Fire soon--- winter break can't get here fast enough!!!
--candelion
I'm not employed... disabled. However, I created an online support group for those with my particular kind of cancer and now I know why I survived; to help others on the same rocky path.
I'm a tea and toast person. One teabag of decaf, one of Earl Grey, lace it with ginger, lemon and splenda. Toast medium, heavy on the slather of margarine. Serve hot.
I don't watch much TV. Since they changed over to digital I got one of those antenna thingies and watched the same 3 channels, so I'd turn it off and read instead. Thinking I was missing something I signed up for cable. Now I've got more than 100 channels. Generally, I watch the same 3 I did before. I'm a channel flipper. Commercial time? flip. more commercial? flip more. Then turn the danged thing off and listen to classical and read, or write.
If I could be magically transported anywhere, I would have all these questions first. Like... May I bring my cats? How about my comfortable bed? Wait, and of course, my computer? and I just happened to have a room full of books. Can we possibly bring those along?
With all that settled, I would like to be transported to Rainbow's End...(Vernor Vinge) Oh... I wouldn't need my computer there, would I? And maybe not the books, unless we could get them in the right hands to be guarded first. I'd just love to live where I could google and wiki anything I like through a blink of my eyelid, and be rejuvenated to feel human (young) again.
I haven't read your books yet, I'm sorry to say. But, they are on my list.
I first heard of you, Kristin, through your email to me from NaNoWriMo. Encouragement helps! I finished! Now to chew it all up into tiny pieces and reassemble into something presentable.
I've been following your blog since.
I just wanted to let you know that I've loved Graceling and Fire, so I've added Fire to the WILLA (Women in Letters and Literary Arts) wiki for best books of 2009 :).
Hi Kristin! I'm Marcy, and I blog over at www.quettandil.blogspot.com, although I'm not sure why I bother to mention it -- you have quite enough to do with reading all these comments, without going to blogs, too! Nonetheless. ::shrug:: You've replied to a few comments I've left before and that always makes me happy.
I follow your blog off and on -- not because your blog bores me or isn't good enough for me to check it regularly or something, but because I'm like that. Very distractable.
I first commented on your blog about a year ago now -- I had finished NaNoWriMo and my husband was reading my first draft and I was very nervous. You were very encouraging. Now, a year later, I haven't made as much progress on editing as I'd like, but I'm on the 3rd draft (I didn't exactly finish the 2nd draft, but there was a scene which changed everything drastically, so I figured I might as well just start it again and call it the 3rd) and maybe one of these days I'll finish adding all the scenes it needs and really polish. And then when it's done I plan on looking for an agent. I participated in NaNo again this year, although I didn't win. Just 28,000 words. =) I'm hoping to finish that story this month. I loved your pep talk, and was very excited to have *an email from Kristin Cashore* (!) show up in my inbox, since I had the pep talks set up to be sent to me. =) My little sister did NaNo this year too (and won, yay, go Melanie!) and she loved your pep talk, too. We were looking forward to it -- we've both read Graceling, and I've read Fire and informed her that it's out. I'm sure she'll be reading it soon, whether she gets it for Christmas or not.
Um. So, I'm 27, I'm married, no kids yet, I was born and raised in California near LA, and I still live near LA, although more east of it than south now. I would be transported to Ireland. I love rain, so why I live in a desert is beyond me. I can get pretty defensive about California too, though. It *does* have seasons, they're just different seasons than other places, and a little more subtle, and if all you're doing is judging by your irrigated lawn, no, you're not going to see them.
I majored in Intercultural Studies with an emphasis in Applied Linguistics. Right now I work at an independent bookstore which sells new and used books, but it's going out of business at the end of December. I don't think I need to tell any of the avid readers here how sad I am about that, even if it didn't mean I'm losing my job... I'm sad I can't just be a full-time writer yet, that I still have a lot of hard work and prayer and finger-crossing ahead of me. Most writers may not make enough to live on, but hey, I don't make enough to live on right now, either! =} I think I'm going to get my adult education teacher's credential and try to get a job teaching ESL, but it scares me. I love languages and linguistics, but I have zero training in teaching, and I don't like speaking in front of people. But *maybe* it would be okay, teaching English...
I love all things Joss Whedon (even Dollhouse, sorry guys, although I think it'd be much better if it weren't for stupid stupid stupid stupid Fox, who made him make it more episodic and all that crap). I finished watching Battlestar Galactica on DVD recently and it's my favorite show right now. Dark, but not cynical, and so well-written!
Earlier today I finished reading Patricia Briggs' Iron Kissed, and am very very impressed. And sad that I can't talk about it, the part I want to discuss is way at the end.
Um, enough answers for you? =) I'm pretty wordy, and as Tolkien said in a letter, "I am afraid this is becoming a dreadful bore, and going on too long... But it is difficult to stop once roused on such an absorbing topic to oneself as oneself."
I'm 16,nick name is erina.I live in Lamesa,San Diego.I've just finish reading "graceling" and "fire". i love them and wanted to see if you had wrote any other book and come across this website.[don't worry i didn't spell your name into K. Chenowith xP]
I'm listening to "above and beyond" by trish thuy trang.i don't watch alot of tv so i don't really have a favorite. if i could magically transported anywhere this moment i would choose to go to a magical and most beautiful kingdom,where the people live peacefully together.
thanks for asking about me.
i think that you are an extremely good writer,i love your stories(especialy graceling)keep up the great work and please hurry and publish more 'cause your books became my favorite and i can't wait to read more book that's written by you.
here's a favor i don't know if you can help me with,but if u can't it's fine i appreciate it.really thank you very much.
I want to write a book/novel for my senior year project but i need a person who is experience with writing novel to be my sponsor.but i don't know where to find such a person.who exactly do i need?(an editor? a real author? or just any english teacher? if an author where do i need to go to meet with and ask for help?(um if you are willing and is not busy that would be awsome)if not please introduce me to someone where i can reach.
The Office, Glee, Castle, and Mythbusters are a few of my current favorite TV shows, while former favorites include Roswell, Buffy, Firefly, The West Wing, Law & Order, and Junkyard Wars. I'm excited to see so many Joss Whedon & Robin Hood fans among your followers. Fun! :)
P.S. Hi, Jenni Elyse! *waves* I love that you follow Kristin's blog too! What a small (and completely awesome) world! :)
So, here goes.
Hi, I'm Jan. I am 59 (and those who tell me that I am enjoying my 60th year on this green earth may get their shins kicked.)
I am a children's librarian in a small cow town in the thumb of Michigan. I discovered Graceling from a review in Library Journal and had to interlibrary loan it, insisted that the YA librarian order Fire as soon as I heard it was coming out. I enjoyed them both past immensely and waiting for MORE PLEASE,
I'm a 31-year-old mother of two in Arizona. I'm a former English teacher and current stay-at-home mom. I read Graceling (library copy) earlier this year after I read a rave review on the blog bookshelves of doom. I bought Fire a couple of weeks after it came out. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! I just bought both Graceling and Fire for my sister for Christmas. Needless to say, I love them.
You create such good sexual tension (you really do!) So many books and movies are, "blah, blah, blah, oh, they're in love now . . . . WHAT? how did that happen?" But your novels have GREAT build-up. Love it!
Like someone else said, keep up the good work!
I was shy the other day, but I'll introduce myself now.
I'm 28 and live in a small town in Mid-Missouri with my husband and our 2 cats. I am the Web Manager and a Graphic Designer at a private University, I also teach a couple of computer science courses.
I really enjoyed both of your books and can't wait for the next one. I've been a bookworm since I was old enough to read. I really enjoy YA and fantasy.
Have a wonderful day!
I live in Utah and enjoy hiking, running, quilting and, of course, reading!
A friend suggested I read Graceling because she knew I was a Buffy fan and loved strong, kick butt female characters. It took me months to get around to reading it because I had so many other books on my reading list. When I finally did - I was hooked!
I bought Graceling and Fire(the highest honor I can give an author is purchase their material instead of borrowing it.) I am looking forward to more works from you. Keep up the wonderful reads!
I live in Virginia Beach and work in the public library here. I first heard of your work when one of our staff posted a review of Graceling on our library blog.
I was also taking part in Nanowrimo and found your words epecially encouraging. Thanks for that! Right now I am listening to Graceling and love the world and characters you have created.
I love to read and write. Currently, my fave authors would be Maggie Stiefvater and you (and I really mean that, not just sucking up ;) I'm pretty sure I already told you I think you are a book writing rock star, haha).
I am working on my first YA urban fantasy novel...have been for about a year and a half now. It's harder than I thought it would be - or maybe I am just too much of a perfectionist. I am also working on some ideas for 2 children's series.
I love red wine and art - including tattoos. Hope to be getting my arm worked on in the Spring! I love animals better than most people and if I was rich would have acres and acres for an animal resuce sanctuary. I just recently lost my kitty of 15yrs. That's half my life (which makes me 30, ugh)! So I am still pretty devastated about that. I have another kitty and 2 dogs (a husky and a weimaraner). My Nana is my favorite person ever. I am addicted to several tv shows much more than I should be: Curb Your Enthusiasm, It's Always Sunny in Philadephia, Glee, SYTYCD, True Blood and several others...
If I could be magically transported, it would be to Italy or Ireland, I think. Europe is pretty amazing (so I've heard), so I'm not too picky where I end up :)
I was introduced to an awesome band over Thanksgiving called The XX and I love their music!
And...let's see...I think that's enough! :)
I'm 22 and live in Uralsk, Kazakhstan, but studying in Edinburgh, UK. So if I could be transported to anywhere in the world right now, it would be home. :)
Ah, I've finished Fire and have no more excuses to postpone exam revision :) So I will go back to that! Thanks for writing these great books!
One question before I go - Are you working on anything else apart from Bitterblue? (if it's not a secret)
Inzhuna
I'm 13, live in the USA and ABSOLUTLY LOVE LOVE LOVE your books.
I loved Graceling and Fire, and I can't wait for Bitterblue! Write fast!
Keep up the great work. I couldn't believe Graceling was your first novel; it was so good!
(I think I've read about 110 comments at this point?)
If you comment is missing from the mix, readers, it certainly could be some sort of cyberspace snafu, but I have also had to remove a very few for spoilers. I confess that I am quite heartless about this! I cannot help it; I was born with a severe spoiler allergy.
So anyway, now you all know that I've actually at least skimmed every single comment; it's just that I want to read each one carefully, too, which is why it's Friday and I'm claiming only to have read just over half!
Happy Friday, everyone!
and
"your", not "you"....
morning typing is not my friend.
I'm 39, live in Seattle, and love reading YA, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and comic books. I read Graceling last weekend and fell in love with it immediately. I started Fire a couple days ago and I'm trying to read it slowly. I normally get so caught up in books that I end up speed reading them to the end in a day. So, with Fire, I'm trying to take my time.
This morning on my bus ride in to work, I was so into Fire's story that I missed my stop. Only by one stop but still, I could not believe it! All of a sudden I looked up and I'd passed my stop and had to walk back. Fire is that great!
So, thank you for Graceling. Thank you for Fire. And, thank you for writing and inviting everyone into your world. It is a beautiful place that I would love to live.
Kristie
I'm 39, live in Seattle, and love reading. I read Graceling last weekend and fell in love with it. The world you created is one I'd love to be in.
I'm reading Fire, now, and today missed my bus stop on the way in to work. I was so engrossed with the story that I completely tuned out everything else around me.
Thank you for Graceling, thank you for Fire, and thank you for writing and creating a wonderful world.
Kristie
My DVR captures (in no particular order):
30 Rock
The Office
TruBlood
Dirty Jobs
Man vs. Wild
In my real life, I'm a 35 yo mother of 3 and a physician living happily in PA.
Right now, I would like to be sitting in a rocking chair (alone) on a cozy front porch of a log cabin in the Smokey Mountains with a warm caffeinated beverage in my hands. (With many books nearby.)
Please keep blogging I enjoy it immensely!
Ann
Ann