Two Things: "Perks" and "The Casual Vacancy"

I know I haven't mentioned it in awhile, but I've been obsessively awaiting the Perks of Being a Wallflower movie. According to the official FB page, the movie opens in wide release on October 5, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be at the local theater. I was asked to write a blog post over on WORDY by Nature, the Sigma Tau Delta blog, about the movie. The first part is up, and I gush a whole bunch about it. The second part will be a review, once I've had the chance to see it. Check it out if you're interested. The Sigma blog is awesome, so at least poke around to see what's on the website.

The second thing I should have mentioned at some point earlier--and, frankly, haven't really had a chance to since things have been so crazy--is that J.K. Rowling's new book came out today.* I am SO FREAKING EXCITED to read it; I feel like I've been waiting for many, many years for another Rowling novel,** and it's so surreal that it has finally been released. I don't have my copy yet; I ordered it a few weeks ago, and it should be coming in the mail in the next week.

This is the first time I've ordered one of her books via Amazon, and it's KILLING ME because all I wanted to do today (as I was dealing with a fridge malfunction, writing a yay/nay post over last week's Glee, running errands, and doing other little things around the apartment) was sit and read The Casual Vacancy straight through. My roomie went to the bookstore this morning to pick up her copy, and so the first thing I saw when I entered the living room this morning was the red and yellow cover with that looming X. Needless to say, I felt very much like I did when I was awaiting my copy of The Fault In Our Stars back in January and she'd gotten hers first: I was impatient. And a little sad.

Honestly, I don't think I will ever not be excited for a J.K. Rowling release. This one was a different experience; it was weird getting a synopsis back a few months ago, because details were kept so secret before each HP release. I definitely miss the book release parties, though. I'm really thrilled to hear the positive reviews that have been released so far (though I haven't read any yet because I don't want to be spoiled too much), and I'm so intrigued by the few tidbits of information about the book that I've allowed myself to read up on. And I absolutely LOVED watching this interview. There's a reason she's one of my favorite authors of all time. J.K. Rowling is AWESOME.

And so, I go back to waiting for the book's arrival, as well as Perks. I feel like I've been waiting a LOT lately.


*As I write this, it's still officially September 27 in this time zone.

**Deathly Hallows came out 5 years ago. I can't believe it's been five years. I mean, there was Tales of Beedle the Bard in between, but...you know what I mean.

A Brief Note about Wizard Rock

I have a lot of things I'd like to write about regarding my trip to the SigmaTD convention last week (New Orleans!! Amazing!!), but I have been trying to keep up with various BFA and classwork things since my return on Sunday. Plus, I have class in twenty minutes, so I need to be really, really quick about this.

Saturday is the fifth wizard rock concert here at K-State. It's this great evening full of book nerdiness and celebrating reading and Harry Potter and His Dark Materials and Hunger Games and other such awesomeness. It has become one of my favorite things about the spring semester, and there's just something really wonderful and special about being around people who love reading as much as you do and listening to really quality music celebrating the power of story and the books you love. 

For time's sake, I'll save more gushing about this until I have a moment or two. But for now, I leave you with Ministry of Magic's "Don't Leave". Happy Thursday! (And see you Saturday at the Alumni Center!)

New Perks Promotional Pictures

Emma-Watson.net has posted a couple new promos from "Perks". And I really hope that a trailer is released soon, because the more we see from the movie, the more excited I get.

So a few quick thoughts/gushing about all the details I love in this picture:

• THAT TYPEWRITER. (I can't read what it says on the paper, and it makes me really sad.)
• I love the little robot drawing posted on the wall.
• The cameras on the shelf!! 
• The worn quality of Sam's desk and dresser thing. 
• If the stereo on the shelf above the desk is indeed a cassette player like I think it is, I will faint. Probably. So freakin' cool. 
• Though it's rather hard to see, that picture on the wall looks like it's Sam, Patrick (?), and someone else. 
• I love the stack of books that's been bound together. Also, I can't read the spines...
• All of the pictures, ticket stubs, school supplies, and that floral hat box...everything just seems so perfect, you know? And perfect in the sense that I believe that this is Sam's room (I'm pretty sure it's Sam's room, if my memory isn't too shoddy), and it feels organic and lived in and so much like a place that Sam could live. Does that make sense? 
• This scene.... <3

I'm such a sucker for detail. (How cool would it be to to be a set decorator?!) And, of course, all I want to do now is read the book again. 

Many thanks to Emma-Watson.net!

For those interested....

... I recently had the very wonderful honor of guest-blogging over at The Hype. Check it out if you have a spare moment or two. And even if you aren't necessarily interested in my post, please check out the site, which will definitely be worth it because The Hype website is off-the-hook amazing and highly entertaining. You won't be disappointed.

Many, many thanks to The Hype for their invitation. It was a blast. :)

More Star Wars Goodness

Heidi sent me a link to this amazing thing that happened in conjunction with the release of Star Wars on Blu-ray. Severe geeking out ensued (and not just because it took place in London, which in itself is enough to make me all warm and fuzzy inside). Be sure to keep an eye out for Boba Fett and R2. Because, you know, they're awesome. 

There is a very special place in my heart that is reserved for Star Wars. It's one of the first things I fell passionately in love with. 

Let the Records Show

...that tonight, hours away from the very last Potter release, I still have no clue what to wear to the midnight showing.

Seriously. This is why I'm in this mindstate. What with:

1. The recent confirmation that Kurt's last season on Glee is Season 3 (NOOOOOOOOOO!!) 
2. My work schedule for next week being utterly crazy-cakes (i.e. ANNOYING)
3. Work itself (I want back at the Derb ASAP)
4. I haven't spent more than four days at home since Christmas.
5. Packing and moving over the next three weeks or so, complete with all its confusion, annoyances, and stress-inducing situations, and
6. Oh yeah, and the fact that after the credits start rolling tonight, my childhood, my adolescence, will have come to a close. I will wake up tomorrow morning and things will feel different. They will BE different. 

Too much emotion right now. With the distress and stress and excitement and every other emotion coursing through my veins right now, I am surprised I haven't imploded yet.

But even with all this, I am so very excited. I will cheer, I will cry when appropriate. Bring it on, Seth Childs. Now to figure out what to wear....

The Great Pottermore Announcement Day

More on this later, partly because I work in less than an hour, but also because I'm still processing what this all means, but...

Linkage:

JK Rowling's Announcement

and a collection of information from Leaky regarding her announcement, what Pottermore is, press conference info, general information of awesome....

I'm still putting the pieces together. But it feels like it's going to be awesome. :D

Something's going on in Potter World....

And honestly, it's been a long time since I've felt this oh so special right-before-a-Jo-Rowling-Announcement-of-Awesome. You know, the ones right before a title or release date was announced, or even the W.O.M.B.A.T.s, behind the door on her website. The hint of mystery, the theories, the act of just trying to figure out the puzzle, all seemed to fit into this place I cannot fully describe to you with the justice it deserves.

Cue Pottermore, which evidently won't be released for another 6 days (!!!). And then there is this interesting development. Leaky, too, has gathered bits o' speculation/facts that sum up the general feeling of excitement/intrigue.

It is almost like we've used a Time Turner to go back to when we were dissecting possible meanings of character names and titles and whatever other bits of information we knew. I say "almost," because while this is a huge thing, it won't ever be able to replicate the feeling of not knowing the end of the series. The feeling of being on the verge of knowing.

It will, and is already, however, creating a very different feeling of anticipation and excitement. It's a new world for the fandom. Whatever Pottermore is, it's going to be huge. And we're ready to dive right back in.

Jo Rowling, you are amazing. I, and the rest of the world, cannot wait to see what's next. :)

Also: Go to the YouTube page and just wave your mouse over the tree and the owls. Seriously. *is awed, amazed, excited, and lasdfjalsglaskdgj*

General Thoughts, etc. Related to BEA 2011

One of my favorite sites, Forever Young Adult, has posted part one of their BEA 2011 report. Not only do I love the site even more than I did--is that even possible?--but I now am convinced that going to BEA is something I really, really need to add to my bucket list.

Also related: This wonderful talk given by my favorite author in the history of the universe, Sarah Dessen. (Who, incidentally, was within driving distance two weeks ago on a stop of her book tour for What Happened To Goodbye, and I was unable to go see her because she was there on a weekday and I had class. *sniffles*)