Once Upon A Time meets Frozen

Here's my review of Once Upon A Time so far. What did you think? 

Comic Con Week. That's a Wrap!

Last week was absolutely crazy! It started out with my cat eating rat poison, getting pulled over while running errands, planning and preparing for a baby blessing event, and signing and speaking at Comic Con. It's safe to say that by the end of the week I was exhausted. But even with the madness of it all, I got to meet incredible writers, artists, and fans at Comic Con and speak about subjects that I love. 

I'm sorry if I missed you! Everything right now is a balancing act, but I had a great time on panels talking about writing, Disney sidekicks, Disney villains, Harry Potter, and The Muppets. Yes, The Muppets--that was such a zany, fun, and energetic panel. I could not stop smiling. I think my favorite part was when these colorful aliens above came shuffling down the aisle mid-panel. Afterwards we took a picture together and I'm guessing my arm was pretty tasty!

I have loved being a part of Salt Lake Comic Con, and I'm so appreciative of all the hard work that goes into planning. It's  incredible to be able to experience such talent and join together to celebrate some of our favorite things.

Here's till next year!  

What were some of your favorite parts of Salt Lake Comic Con? 

(P.S. My Cat is okay! He's a happy kitty and is completely better now).

Salt Lake Comic Con 2014

Salt Lake Comic Con is this week! I am so excited to be a panelist and discuss writing, Disney villains and sidekicks, and Harry Potter. If you're there, come check out these fun panels!

Thursday September 4, 7:00 pm
Disney Silent Sidekicks
Room 251A

Friday September 5, 5:00 pm
Muppets
Room 255B

Saturday September 6, 2:00 pm
Your Own Visit to Hogwarts: Real- World Potter Magic in Florida and England
Room 255F

Saturday September 6, 6:00 pm
My Favorite Disney Princess Villain
Room 251A

SaltlakeComicCon.com

I Put a Spell on You...

I'm working on my newest novel. It's a spooky middle grade story about a girl who's obsessed with Halloween. It's so strange to be finished with my shapeshifting series, but it's a lot of fun starting new projects. As I look for fresh inspiration, I keep thinking of some of my favorite kid-friendly scary movies and books.

All of these stories left a lasting impressing on me when I was younger. I love a good spooky tale!



Ah, yes, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. One of Disney's creepiest cartoons and definitely a classic. Bing Crosby narrates the tale of superstitious Ichabod Crane and the headless horseman in Sleepy Hollow. I love how Disney stayed true to Washington Irving's story, but still added enough humor to make sure it wasn't too scary for kiddos.



You've got to love Hocus Pocus. The Sanderson sisters come back to Salem for one night only and create havoc for high school student Max Dennison. This movie is full of Halloween music and fun (see the end of this post for reference *grins*). I still watch it every fall.



I'm not sure how well known this series is, but I loved them in elementary. The Bailey School kids books are packed with stories about every kind of mythical character and creature a kid could think of. They're really lighthearted and perfect for getting kids reading. My favorite was Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots.



I read And Then There Were None for the first time in seventh grade and really enjoyed the mystery. Ten strangers vacation at an island resort after receiving a mysterious invitation. Once there, they discover a nursery rhyme about ten little Indians that predicts their deaths on the island, one by one. If you haven't read this classic, try it out this Halloween. The black and white movie is super creepy too!



Speaking of mystery novels, The Westing Game is one of the best whodunit books with plenty of memorable characters and clever wit. It's a Newbery medal book and a fantastic novel for younger readers.

Those are some of the most memorable spooky stories for me growing up, what are yours?

Mystical Mermaids

I've loved mermaids ever since I was a little girl, so it's no surprise that in The Shapeshifter's Secret Series there are several sirens, water nymphs, and mermaids. It's probably why I love taking underwater pictures.

It's also why I decided to post about some of my favorite mermaid appearances.  

In the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie there are a lot of mermaids. Most of them were malevolent, but the movie did focus on one who was kind and loving. I became so enthralled with the mermaid, Serena, and her story, that I stopped caring about Jack Sparrow and the other pirates. (P.s. are they are making another one? Because they really ended Serena's story with a cliffhanger). 

When the Submarine ride first opened at Disneyland in 1959, they hired women to dress up as mermaids and sit out on the rocks of the lagoon. My mom still remembers seeing those mermaids when she was little and how mesmerizing they were.



Also at Disneyland, the mermaids on the Peter Pan ride. Did you know the front one is Ariel?



How cool is that?



I have a lot of fun memories about dressing up like a mermaid when I was younger. Recently I found this necklace with a mermaid on the front and I couldn't help but get it. It reminded me of all my mermaid adventures when I as younger. Also it was sparkly, I can’t pass up things that are sparkly...

What are your mermaid memories? Do you have a favorite mermaid book or movie? 

The Yes Man Theory

A couple of years ago a movie came out called Yes Man starring Jim Carrey. In the beginning of the movie his character Carl shuts everyone out of his life. He doesn't like his job, his relationships, or really anything about himself. Then he sees an old friend who invites him to try a new theory. You say yes to EVERYTHING. No matter what anyone asks you, no matter what opportunity presents itself, you have to say yes.

Skeptically, Carl begins to practice this theory. At first it goes terrible and puts him in a lot of uncomfortable situations, including giving a ride to a homeless person who asks if he can have his wallet and use his cell phone. All of which he says yes to.

Very soon, however, Carl realizes that fantastic opportunities arise when he begins to say yes. He makes new friends, becomes successful at work, and starts finding talents and skills he never knew he had. His whole life turns around for the better.

Obviously it's not smart to say yes to everything, and sure enough Carl learns this as more sticky situations arise. By the end of the film he realizes that he doesn't necessarily have to say yes to everything. The inventor of the yes theory explains that by just being positive and open to new opportunities he can come out of his comfort zone and find new adventures and happiness in everyday life.

I love this idea, and I've tried to apply to my life. To clarify, I don't say yes to everything, that would be silly. But I've tried to to come out of my comfort zone and try to new things, even if it seems scary at first.

One opportunity may lead to ten more. Meeting new people may lead to lifelong friendships, relationships, and networking possibilities. You may even discover a new talent or skill by simply trying it out. (Carl learns to speak Korean, takes guitar lessons, and learns to fly).

Here are a few of the things I've said yes to in the past year:

Being interviewed on television.
Speaking at writing conventions, camps, and classes.
Traveling to the Middle East.
Setting up a book tour throughout California and Utah.
Signing at Authorpalooza and Comic Con.
Throwing a book launch party at Barnes and Noble.

I'm so glad that I said yes to these opportunities. Each one seemed terrifying at first, but they all lead to other amazing adventures.

It doesn't have to be something huge like traveling to a different country or skydiving. Everyday life is exciting and wonderful. Sometimes simple things like public speaking, being social, or reaching out to someone can get you out of your comfort zone and make a big difference in the future. By being positive and open to new experiences you can find great opportunities and adventures in life!

Visiting Petra, Jordan. 

Helping at the New Student Orientation at UVU. 

Talking about The Siren's Secret on ABC. 

Signing at Costco.  

Teaching at a BYU creative writing camp. 

Visiting Istanbul, Turkey. 

Speaking on a panel at Salt Lake Comic Con. 

Finding a hidden waterfall on Oahu. 

Stopping by Orlando, Florida. 

Salt Lake Comic Con Schedule

Salt Lake Comic Con FanXperience starts tomorrow!

Here’s my schedule of panels and signings.

Thursday April 17th

12:00 pm: What Inspires Writers?

3:00-4:00 pm: Book Signing

Friday April 18th

11:00 am-12:00 pm: Book Signing

6:00 pm: The Power of Imagination: Writing for Kids and Kid at Heart in Today’s Market

8:00 pm: The Hero’s Shadow: Writing Great Villains

Saturday April 19th

7:00 pm: Why is Disney Still Relevant to Adults?

See you there, hopefully in costume! 

Disneyland's Haunted Mansion

At LTUE I went to a presentation called "Disney's Haunted House." I am a DIE hard--no pun intended--Haunted Mansion fan, so naturally I had to go, and IT WAS AWESOME. I mean, anything to do with The Haunted Mansion always is.

I'm the kind of person who scours the internet looking for interesting facts about the Haunted Mansion so that I can tell my husband and he'll think I'm cool (yep, he's obsessed with it too).

This is the gift I gave him for Christmas. 

Seriously, I would love to move into the Haunted Mansion and be the 1,000th happy haunt. 

So I decided to compile a list of *some of the coolest, creepiest, and strangest things I've learned about The Haunted Mansion. Here you go! 

• The organ in the ballroom is from Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. 
• The knight in the hallway used to be an actual cast member. He was later replaced with an animatronic knight because too many problems arose from having a live cast member scare people. 
• The Haunted Mansion is the only place in Disneyland where the cast members do not smile. 
• Madame Leota's voice is also Maleficent's voice from Sleeping Beauty, and the wicked stepmother in Cinderella. 
• The air conditioner is so effective in the Haunted Mansion that every year employees go through and re-scatter dust.  
• Master Gracey (pictured below) was a character named after the imagineer Yale Gracey who worked on the ride for years. 
• Many of the ghosts share the same face as pirates in Pirates of The Carribean (example: the ghost woman blowing out the candles on the birthday cake has the same face as the whistling pirate in jail). 
• A mother once spread her son's ashes throughout the ride because he had loved The Haunted Mansion so much. 
• All of the gravestones are tributes to imagineers who worked on the ride.
• The Haunted Mansion is narrated by Paul Frees. He also voices most of the pirates in Pirates of the Carribean. 
• The Haunted Mansion was originally going to be a walk through attraction.
• The Hidden Mickey made of plates on the dining room table is not an "official" Hidden Mickey. It was made by cast members. 

*I have more fun facts to share, but I might have to save them for another blog post. I'll do a part II. MWAHAHA!

P.S. My obsession may have started when I was younger and my mom played this movie called Disneyland Fun. I watched the Haunted Mansion "Grim Grinning Ghosts" sing a long part over and over. Which is funny because my husband watched it when he was younger too! We are creepy soul mates. 

Anyone else watch this growing up?

An evening of Disney

Every year for my mom’s birthday we put on a celebration show for her. We’ve done a variety of themed shows that include High School Musical, 80’s night, talent show night, and a “So you think you can dance" show. 

Even though it’s just my siblings and I, we always go ALL OUT. This year was our biggest, craziest, most musical show yet featuring all things DISNEY. We put on a full Disney production that started out with Fantasmic, moved on to each character’s individual scene, and then ended with an Electrical Light Parade finale.

We put more planning into this birthday show than any other. It was a little nuts, but (get ready for the cheesy part) I loved  how magical it was. When the fantasmic music started, everyone got jittery and excited. My sister said, “I feel like we’re in Disneyland!”

My husband and I dressed up as Jasmine and Aladdin. Little side note: I made his costume, and it looked great--before he jumped into the water (he performed the scene from Aladdin where the soldiers chase him. In part of the song it says: "I'll I gotta do is--JUMP!" He, of course, jumped into the water for his dramatic exit). 

My Cute sister Holly and her Fiance as Snow White and Prince Charming.

I also dressed up as Rapunzel from Tangled and got to lip-sync "When will my life begin." Which was awesome. I LOVE Tangled. Okay, just had to say it. 

 My Brother Nate as Captain Hook and brother-in-law as Peter Pan. 

My adorable nephew made a very convincing lost boy. 

 On our magic carpet singing "A whole New World." Don't mind Snow White and King Triton in the background! 

 All of my beautiful sisters in the roles of Cinderella, Snow White, and Belle. 

It really was an amazing night. I’ve always loved Disney, Fairy tales, anything princess, and happy endings. I'll admit that it was hard to convince all the boys in the family to dress up, but in the end everyone had a great time, and my mom was absolutely thrilled with her birthday show. 

A little background music. 

Space Mountain

So I was in Disney World last Tuesday and something crazy happened. We went through Space Mountain with the lights on! This might not sound too exciting for you, but as a Disney fan who's always wondered what rides look like behind the scenes, this was fascinating! We filmed what the track looked like when all the lights were on, and I snapped a couple pictures on my phone. I posted the short video and the picture with this post. Enjoy.