Happy Turkey Day!

So, I'm doing Thanksgiving early. Gotta work on Thursday. And with that thought, I also decided to post some of my absolute FAVORITE recipes! So, here goes:

Cheesy Potato Casserole (made with cheesy, potato-y goodness)

32 oz bag frozen hash brown potatoes

1/2 cup melted butter/margarine

1 can dream of chicken soup

10 oz grated cheddar cheese

8 oz sour cream

dash of salt

1 small onion, grated

TOPPING:

2 cups corn flakes

1/4 cup margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

TIP: Try to warm the hash browns a little to prevent the melted butter from hardening and becoming difficult to mix.

Mix all ingredients (except those for the topping) in large bowl. Place in large casserole dish. Top with cornflakes and remaining melted butter (1/4 cup under TOPPING).

Place in oven for 45 minutes. If dish is deeper, cook a little longer.

One of my other favorites is the infamous green bean casserole! Now, the recipe can be found on the back of a box/can of French's fried onions. It's really easy to do, but a tip to drain the green beans, if you got the easy-to-open cans with the little tab? Pop the tab, but don't pull it back yet. Hold the fan sideways so that the tiny slit is vertical and drain into the sink. Then open the can fully. It's easy, mess free, and quick. Also, use the 2/3 cup of French's onions in the main part of the dish, like the recipe says, but then pour what's left over all of the casserole for the topping (after having cooked for 30 minutes as instructed). More onions? More flavor!

My last favorite bit of Thanksgiving (and Christmas at my house) is the frozen, chocolate pie! Mmm. It's really easy and the recipe is inside the box of Baker's German Chocolate. I think it's the bittersweet or semi-sweet box. Here is the recipe copied and pasted from the website.

What You Need

1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER'S GERMAN'S Sweet Chocolate

1/3 cup milk, divided

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)

Make It!

Microwave chocolate and 2 Tbsp. of the milk in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after each min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add cream cheese, sugar and remaining milk; beat with wire whisk until well blended. Refrigerate 10 min. to cool.

Add whipped topping; stir gently until well blended. Spoon into crust.

Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Let stand at room temperature or in refrigerator about 15 min. or until pie can be cut easily. Store leftover pie in freezer.

What I'll tell you from my experience is this: All you really need is the chocolate, the cream cheese, the Cool Whip and the pie crust. It's sweet enough without adding sugar and the milk isn't enough to do anything.

Next, soften the cream cheese... A LOT. This is the only reason I could see the milk helping. If you add the melted chocolate to cold cream cheese or even slightly cold cream cheese, it'll harden up again and become grainy. Doesn't affect the flavor, just the look of the finished product.

Last, but not least, I like the chocolate graham cracker crust, rather than Oreo (which is still tasty) or regular graham cracker. Regular graham cracker doesn't stick together well when you're trying to smooth out the filling. Trust me. I just ran into this problem today because that was the only kind of crust at the store yesterday.

I think that's it, though. Yep, that's it. Now go enjoy these on Turkey Day!

This is Kate Brown, signing off.

Stay random!!!

VACAY!

OK, so not really vacation time, but sort of... I'm planning for one. A year and a half from now, give or take a month or two. My friend and I are planning a trip to Europe. Backpacking and doing things I may have already done, but need to explore further. Not to plug my book, but the profits I get will help to go toward the trip. The trip where I will further research TRL (The Rose Legends) destinations/locations and find little nuances that, perhaps, my characters will find too.

Remember things like the Eliminator or the football game from Book One? I'm trying to insert those into the second book right now. Things I've seen or done that will make the characters and the places they visit more relatable. It's what makes reading a book that much better. Sure a character could be nice or somewhat interesting, but seeing them in a real place that you know the author has seen or that you've seen yourself? Well that's even better.

Also, I'll be taking suggestions. Remember, I'll be on a budget, but if you have tips or ideas for places (even specific restaurants, etc) to visit, please post them here!

This is Kate Brown, signing off!

Never Forget

Remember 9/11/01 and what happened that day.

Remember those who died.

Remember the heroes who gave their lives.

Remember where you were and what you were doing.

Never forget the flag flying, no matter where it is; in your front yard, in your school, high over the memorial fountains. Keep the families of those lost in your prayers and in your hearts. This is a day we will never repeat. Because we are stronger now. We have come together as a nation to show those responsible for this tragedy that we can only come together during an attack like this. We cannot be divided.

The cowards who caused these attacks; the ones who took not only their own lives, but the lives of nearly 3,000 people. They tried to bring down this nation by tearing us apart. Did they think we would not retaliate? Did they think we were so weak? We are the longest surviving republic of our kind and we will continue to be strong.

In the New York City skyline, there is something missing. We all know it when we see it. Those two towers, which never really stood out to most of us before, are gone. And in their destruction, in the place where they once stood, we see twin fountains, around which the names of the victims and heroes have been etched into the black stone. We are going to soon see the memorial building which is currently under construction. And every time we see that building along the NYC skyline, whether in person, picture, or film, we will remember the strength of the city that lost so much ten years ago. We will remember the families of those we lost; of those who gave their lives for others. We will remember.

Never forget. This is Kate Brown, signing off.

Spicy Pico de Gallo Chicken Pasta

Ready for my first recipe post? Y'all didn't know I could cook, huh? Yeah, I didn't think so. Well, I can!

First off, let me just say that I bought the ingredients at Wal-Mart yesterday and didn't know what I was going to do with it all. A handful of parsley, a yellow onion, some tomatoes and frozen chicken. How does that turn into a fantabulous, spicy pasta? Like this!

Ingredients:
2 frozen chicken breasts
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1-1 1/2 TBSP fresh, chopped cilantro
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1-2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP olive oil
Crushed red pepper
Salt
Black pepper
Dried parsley
Garlic powder
1-1 1/2 cups pasta (any type, though spaghetti and fettuccine are not recommended)
Shredded cheese for garnish (mozzarella is what I used, but you can choose)

Directions:

Thaw frozen chicken breasts.

Heat water for pasta on the stove.

In skillet on medium high heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Try not to caramelize, though it's certainly an option if you like. When onions are softened, add olive oil and thawed chicken breasts. While chicken breasts are cooking, add a few shakes of salt, pepper, and garlic powder to uncooked side. Add a pinch of dried parsley, pinch (or more if you like) of crushed red pepper and all of the chopped cilantro. You can leave a bit of the cilantro for a garnish or simply chop a little extra. Add the diced tomatoes at this stage. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes and then turn. Add the same seasoning to the other side. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.

THIS STEP OPTIONAL
BEFORE the chicken is thoroughly cooked, take both pieces out and cut them on the cutting board. Place back in the skillet to continue cooking.

When chicken is cooked, throw in the pasta and tossed thoroughly. Garnish with cheese, possibly cilantro and any other Mexican-style flavors you can think of!

Serves 2-3 people

BEFORE

AFTER

I've got to say that my taste buds were very happy with this dish. It was spicy and flavorful and filling. Mmm... Well, that's all for now!

This is Kate Brown, signing off. Remember...

Stay random!

The Update To End All Updates! But Not Really

I know I've been absent for a while, but I have had so many other things with which I've been occupied. First of all, many of you may know I have an internship which I am completing. Working on that until January and then we'll see where I go from there. Also, you may not know my goal for Book Two, working title Brand. I'm attempting to finish it (without forcing it) in time for a release summer of 2012. Again, that's just a goal, but it's the first I've set. I'm well on my way, though, with about half of the length I want already achieved!
When I say that, what I mean is that, while the story was complete and finished, I feel Book One just wasn't enough for the readers. Not enough material. So I'm trying to put as much detail into Book Two as I possibly can and trust me: it won't be hard. I've done some free writing in which I've added some major twists that I never intended to pop up. I've also done much more character development while keeping the potential readers in the dark from the real goings on. Yes, I'm evil. An evil genius.
For those of you who don't know, I created a new official website for The Rose Legends and it is up and running now! You can join for free by heading on over to http://theroselegends.webs.com/ and register on the right-hand side! It's free and you gain access to things like the forum where you can interact not only with the author (yours truly), but other fans as well! Sounds like fun, doesn't it? I thought so.
Also, don't forget that I'm shoot for 500 fans on the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Rose-Legends/181205465232041) by October 1. If we reach that, I'll send on lucky fan a FREE, SIGNED copy of The Rose Legends, Book One: Found! Awesome, right? That's what I thought.
That's all for now, folks. This is Kate Brown, signing off...

Remember, stay random!

It All Ends Today

Four words which may have changed a lot of people. It All Ends Today. But there are simply two words which changed my life eleven years ago. Harry Potter. Those two words, that name, inevitably changed everything I would be obsessed with in the future. Now, I'm not talking about the kind of obsessed where I draw pictures of the terrific trio and put them on my wall or stalk the actors who play the characters in the films. I mean the kind of obsessed where it literally changes my personality.

Think about it. If I'd never cracked open Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, I probably would not have found the love of reading which I have today. There's something fulfilling about reading a new story about a new group of characters in a new world. Something wonderful and exciting about getting to leave your own world, even if it's just for a few minutes, to visit Hogwarts or Middle Earth or Alagaesia or even just Lawrence, KS (if you've never been there, that is). But what is it about Harry that makes his story so intriguing to children (and now adults) everywhere? The story of Harry Potter transcends generation, gender, and so much more. But why?

Sure, Harry is destined to be a hero and we know that, one day, he will have to stand up to the man who murdered his parents in cold blood. And we follow his story in the meantime when we could choose to read other books. Harry himself is no extraordinary person, if you think about it, is he? He goes to school, he makes a few friends and a few enemies and he goes through the stage which all young adults go through; teenage angst. So why is he so amazing?

The answer is simple: It's not Harry that's amazing. Or rather, it's not just him. It's everyone else with whom he surrounds himself. Hermione Granger, the intelligent, bushy-haired, sometimes overzealous young girl. Ron Weasley, the fiery-haired, loveable friend who's always there for our hero... well most of the time anyway. The rest of the Weasleys who seem to adopt Harry as their own, not because he's famous, but because they know family is the most important thing. They teach us that throughout the books. Without the Weasleys, Harry might have befriended Malfoy and I'm sure we can all imagine how that might have turned out.

But not just Harry's friends. What about his professors? McGonagall, the wise, sometimes funny, stern, but caring professor who was there the night Harry was left with his aunt and uncle. Snape, the man who hates Harry because of Harry's father, but loved Harry's mother so much. We see Snape's true colors in the final installment of the films and the novels. And let's not forget Dumbledore. Dumbledore: the man who, in truth, raised Harry like a pig for slaughter, but who did truly care for the boy nonetheless. A man revered by the wizarding world and loved by his students. It is partly because of Dumbledore that Harry was able to defeat Voldemort in the end.

But not only Dumbledore. As I said earlier, Harry could not have done any of this alone. He needed Hermione and Ron and McGonagall and even Snape. He needed them all. He needed help as all heroes do. As we humans could not, Harry could not have done any of this alone.

It is not Harry himself to whom we relate, but the other characters; Hermione or Ron or even Neville. Those characters make us keep reading the story which we began reading because of Harry and because JK Rowling is such a fabulous author.

Rowling is inspiring and I'm glad that she allowed changes to be made in HP7:2. Yes, I said I'm glad changes were made. If it had been done exactly the same as the books, I may have felt empty because it had been a letdown. But the Battle of Hogwarts took up most of the final film and they changed it just enough to make it exciting while keeping enough to satisfy the true fans. It was well done, well-filmed, and the music was fantastic. I'm not sure why I ever disliked Alexandre Desplat as a composer, but her regained my favor with that score.

I'm getting a little rambly and I apologize, but if you saw the film, you'd understand. There's just so much going on in my head right now. Voldemort is dead. My childhood is over. My mischief is, sadly, managed. What do I obsess over now? I'll tell you what. I'm going to continue writing and taking cues from my favorite authors and hopefully my books will be half as loved as Harry Potter because no author could ever trump JK Rowling.

JK Rowling is my idol. Without her, I would definitely not be where I am today. So I say thank you, Ms. Rowling. Thank you for thinking up Harry Potter on a train without a piece of paper and sticking with the idea long enough to do all you've done. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and, if I ever meet you, I think I'll be too in shock to speak.

That is my post for the day. This is Kate, signing off and remember...

Stay random!

A Technological Revolution

I've had a lot of questions about my book. One of the most popular questions happens to be about whether or not the book will be available in an e-book version. My answer to that is...

YES!

In fact, it is now officially available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites for download! So head on over and get your copy today!

In other news...

I'm in Florida now, but I won't be in Orlando until Sunday night. I move in to my apartment on the Disney property on Monday and then from there I begin my biggest adventure yet!

Stay tuned for the site of a NEW blog made specifically FOR Disney. Until then...

This is Kate Brown (author) signing off! Remember....

Stay random!

To Study or Not To Study...

Right, so it's been almost a month since I've posted and for that, I'm sorry. My randomness has ebbed slightly in recent weeks due to my lack of energy because of finals. The horror!

Here's the deal, though. I have some things I need to rant about.

The first is dealing with certain things in the house. There is a rule during finals week that quiet hours are 24/7, however there is a group that doesn't seem to give a rat's ass if they are disrespectful to their sisters. Their most recent crap is screaming in the halls and playing the piano loud (whilst singing at the same volume). The piano wouldn't be bad if we couldn't hear it all the way up on the third floor. There are also those idiots who blast music when they're getting ready in the bathroom. I can hear it in MY room with the door closed and I'm about as far from the bathrooms as I can get when you talk about the walls in between and all that. Rude. Very, very rude.

OK, so that's really all, but it's the worst. It goes on all year and the person whose job it is to take care of these problems (among others) doesn't seem to be enforcing the rules, which is getting on everyone's nerves, not just mine.

I'm really sorry about the negativity, but I needed it out there. Maybe it'll change, maybe not.

On the bright side, I have less than two hours until my final final! See what I did there? Clever, right? I know. I'm brilliant. I graduate on Saturday!!! Yay me! *clap clap clap clap clap* If anyone else got that reference, just know that you're awesome. Speaking of Disney (and yes it was a Disney reference), I have just 11 days until I begin my adventure in the most magical place on earth! YAY!

Exactly 1 month until The Rose Legends, Book One: Found is officially released!!! But, if you order now, it'll be there in a few weeks/days. I don't know how fast it's shipping, but it'll be there before the release date of June 11, almost guaranteed. Check out http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Rose-Legends/181205465232041 to Like it on Facebook and for the links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other sites where you can order your copy!

If you're interested in a signed copy of my book, e-mail TheRoseLegends@gmail.com and I'll see what I can do!

As always, questions and comments are appreciated!

This is Kate Brown, signing off! Remember...

Stay random!

GRACIOUS JANE MARIE: The Rose Legends by Kate Brown

Check out this mention from a fellow author!

GRACIOUS JANE MARIE: The Rose Legends by Kate Brown: "Kate Brown is writer with a wild, whipping and wicked imagination. Read The Rose Legends , coming soon... Synopsis: Dani Demeco has ..."

So much to do, so little time

Wow, it’s been way too long since I’ve even logged in! Haha. What’s been up with me? Well, I’ll tell ya!

Spring break was awesome. Disney World, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Epic. DW was amazing as always, though there was one thing that disappointed me besides their signage being extremely confusing. Beauty and the Beast at Hollywood Studios? Yeah, it was so not up to par with Disney standards. The woman playing Belle was older. Now, age doesn’t really matter to me, but when you’re casting a Disney princess, the audience shouldn’t be able to tell she’s in her upper 30’s or even lower 40’s. Either that or she just did not take care of her skin. Wrinkles, people. Sun block helps. Otherwise, Disney was awesome as expected.

Now, HP? O. M. G. So cool. The Forbidden Journey ride combined animatronics and an IMAX style enormous screen to bring you into the world of Harry Potter. It’s as close as you can get to the real thing without being a student at Hogwarts. There’s a short show at Olivander’s, and a total of 3 rides, 4 or 5 shops, 2 butterbeer carts, and a snack cart. Remember Dueling Dragons? All they did to make it the Dragon Challenge ride for HP was change the décor. They added “Support Cedric” signs and things of that nature. But the cars on the coaster were even the same! It’s not Disney. Oh and don’t buy a chocolate frog. $10 for a below-average tasting chocolate frog that doesn’t even hop? Not really worth it. Again, it’s not Disney. Not only would Disney make the frogs actually taste good (these tasted like the cheap chocolate you get for half-price because it’s not Nestle or Hershey’s), but they would make these things hop. Yeah, Disney could make them hop.

OK, enough ragging on Universal. HP really was cool and because it’s in Islands of Adventure, you’re paying for the whole park, which is still a fun time. HOWEVER… Do not be fooled by their cool lockers which require a fingerprint to access. Some cost money and some of those are for water rides. Stupid. Now, the ones in HP didn’t cost money and the ones outside the Hulk coaster didn’t either. However, the ones outside the Jurassic Park rides and the Dudley Do-Right ride DID cost money. Ridiculous, but they wouldn’t let you on the ride if you had your bags, but then if you didn’t want to pay, you simply couldn’t ride that ride. I said enough ragging. I lied.

Spring break really was fantabulous. Wow, that’s a word. Spell check didn’t fix that. Anyway, moving on. My book (as I mentioned previously) has since gone to print. Be sure to keep an eye out for The Rose Legends, Book One: Found by Kate Brown. Not due out for over a month, but there you go.

I don’t know if I mentioned, but I also got accepted to the Disney College Program. I’ll be working in Walt Disney World starting in May of this year. I’m SO stoked! 33 days until graduation; 42 days until I’m in Disney World; and only 10 actual class days left, not including finals. I’m almost there.

Remember, you can find The Rose Legends on Facebook or Twitter and there are links to the official website from Facebook. You can also use the site to find your way back here, to this blog.

Oh hey, one last thing. Hygiene. It’s a real problem, don’t ya think? Did you know that 1 in 3 people don’t wash their hands after using the restroom? If you’re thinking to yourself “Well, I use hand sanitizer, so that counts”, you’re wrong. Hand sanitizer may kill germs, but if you’ve got anything other than microscopic bacteria on those hands, it’s not doing a damn bit of good. WASH YOUR HANDS people! It’s disgusting not to and even if you use the hand sanitizer, when other people are in there and they don’t hear the water running, do you know what they’re thinking? Give ya a hint… “GROSS!”

That’s my tidbit for the day. This is Kate Brown, signing off. Remember, wash your hands and…

Stay random!

St. Patrick's Day Update

Happy Everyone-Is-Irish Day! Why do I say that? Well because everyone is 100% Irish today, no matter their heritage. Erin go bragh!

OK, so in honor of my late grandfather, Leo "Papatoe" Harkins, I would like to post a quick toast that he always made when visiting:

I drink to your health when we're together,
I drink to your health when I'm alone.
I've drunk to your health so goddamn often,
I've darn near ruined my own!

When I say 'always', I really mean it. I can't tell you how many times I hear Papatoe say that. The nickname is a long story, to be told at a later date probably. For now, just go with it.

As for the title of the post, yes, I have an update. I'm not doing the St. Patrick's Day feast that I mentioned earlier. Plans fell through. However, I did spend 6 hours at the car dealership today. Nothing wrong, just a routine checkup. Ick.

Oh and there's this little thing about my book. It's in the design stage. Cover picture being generated, etc. Just thought I'd keep you posted. See what I did there? Good, huh?

OK, so there wasn't much to say. I won't post next week (probably). I'll be in DISNEY WORLD!!! It's spring break. Oh, did I mention this little thing about getting accepted into the Disney College Program for the summer and fall of this year? Yeah. I start in May. SCORE!

This is Kate signing off! Remember...

Stay random!

The Rose Legends

The title of this post is also the name of my very first published book. That's right. PUBLISHED. Head on over to the website! It's still a work in progress, but here's the link:
http://www.publishedauthors.net/roselegends/index.html

There are also links to the right of the blog for Twitter and Facebook. Please follow me so I can keep you updated on the publication process! That's all!

This is Kate signing off! Remember...

Stay random!

Life is good.

Yeah, life is good. Why? I'll tell you.

First of all, as I mentioned earlier, Greek Sing is over so there's a little less stress on me. Second, I've applied for graduation so I don't have to worry about that. Third, I applied for the Disney internship and all I have to do now is wait. Fourth, as I said, I signed the contract. Fifth, SPRING BREAK IS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY!!!

Oh, did I mentioned where I'm going for spring break? It's this little place (maybe you've heard of it) called Walt Disney World!!! I'm going with a couple of sorority sisters and it's gonna be a blast!

Right now I'm also planning a St. Patrick's Day Feast with friends. I hope to try out some new recipes and I'll post both the recipes and their pictures here in the next few days after that. If I had my own kitchen, this would be a blog used solely for food. So what am I going to do when I have a kitchen of my own? Well, let me think... COOK!!!!!! I love trying out new recipes.

I'll let you know what we decide to cook on St. Pat's and I may even post pictures of other things I've cooked in the past. For now, though, this is Kate Brown signing off! Remember...

Stay random!

I'm ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!

Yes, I'm alive, as the title (and presence of a post) states. Greek Sing is over and it was so much fun, even though we didn't place. I had a great time getting to know new people and all that jazz.

It's been so long since I posted, but I was so busy with the aforementioned event that I had no time or energy to think of something witty to say that you would even want to read.

Update: I already spoke about Greek Sing. Fun stuff. Did I mention a little thing about this publishing contract? No? Oh... well... I SIGNED!!!!!!!!! I don't know how much better any other information I have really is in comparison to that. Let me try to top that...

Um...

Well...

Nope. Nothin'. BUT... I'm doing NutriSystem. Food's actually pretty good about... 90% of the time and it's already working. SCORE! I haven't checked my actual weight in a couple days, so I'll post that later (because I'm not ashamed to let you know how awesome I'm doing).

I guess I have less to say than I thought. Is it time for randomness??? ALWAYS!

This is Kate Brown, signing off. Remember...

Stay random!

Time to Tie It UP!

If you're wondering about the title, check out how many posts Randomocity has and then how many What's Under the Kilt? has. 21 each as of this post! Of course, if I go back to Scotland, that may change... Anyway...

I didn't post at all last week because of a lot of reasons, number one being that the wireless internet in my sorority house was supposed to be fixed, but instead, it just go SO much worse. Worse as in I haven't had access to the internet for more than 5 minutes at a time in my room for over a week. Worse like that.

That's just ONE of the reasons that last week was the week from Hell. Want to know the others? Here's a full list...

1. No reliable internet
2. Other chairs for the musical competition NOT doing their jobs in any way and therefore making mine that much tougher (I want to shoot something)
3. Napier was not replying to my e-mails, but I finally got that taken care of
4. My iTunes account got hacked and I had to wait until their stupid office hours to report the hack
5. My iTunes account was then disabled
6. Girls in my sorority are A) putting pressure on me to place since we didn't last year and B) asking why I cut the script this way or that and being rude about it
7. I broke the middle finger of my left hand

There are two more personal reasons, but that's the gist. One more and I'd have an even 10. So I'm hoping this week will be better, but considering my luck, I doubt it. Awesome, huh?

Sorry for the negativity, but I barely made it through last week. I think I held about five breakdowns at bay. Still in the process of holding them back. I need to get through this competition and then I think I can breathe. It's really March 1st that I need to get to. Also looking for an internship, preferably in Nashville, preferably in the hospitality industry. But that I can do myself. The competition is the biggest thing because I literally have no control over the cooperation of the other houses and I don't know how to motivate them!

OK, so you want to know what my To-Do list said last week?
Tuesday: rehearsal
Wednesday: rehearsal
Thursday: rehearsal
Friday: go home
Saturday: come back
Sunday: DESTROY WORLD

I don't remember writing Sunday's task, but it didn't happen. Don't worry. The world is not destroyed... yet.

On the plus side, no internet means that I've been writing a LOT. Made it well past 200 pages and almost at 54,000 words!

I really don't have much to say. I apologize for the negativity both here and on Facebook, but sometimes you just need to vent, you know? OK, well here's the random tidbit for the day. Boogers!

Last thing: The competition ends tomorrow! Can you help me?

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150360442630182&set=o.21508152068

This is Kate Brown signing off...

Stay random!

Quick Update

Hey, if y'all want, you can go to the link posted below, Like the page (Topdeck Travel) and then Like the picture that I posted. Please? You'll help me get closer to winning a trip to Australia or New Zealand. The contest ends Jan. 31st.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150360442630182&set=o.21508152068

I need over 350 Likes to win. I was looking through the other entries and the one I saw with the most had 350 Likes. I have 407 friends on Facebook, so you'd think I could beat that, right?

Please help me!

Thanks! Kate Brown, signing off...

Stay random!

We're baaaaaaack!

Somehow, the second word in the title for this post doesn't come across as creepy as it is supposed to. I tried.

Not much has changed. I will say that my dad's lawyer is currently reviewing the contract from the aforementioned publisher (the one from just before New Year's Eve) and we'll see how that goes. So there's still a chance of publication within the next six months or so. Again, I'll try to keep you posted... No pun intended. Or was there?

I'm back to school now. Had my first real day of classes today. My last first day. WOOHOO! Yeah, I'm stoked. I'm still working out the kinks, though. Edinburgh Napier University are still idiots and I've had a problem with a course I'm supposed to be enrolled in, but not. But now it's closed and I have to get an override. Ugh. I don't know how it happened, either. I swear I was enrolled before the break, but now? Nuh-uh.

*Breath*

OK, back to normal, sort of. Got a new room in the house and I took pictures, but I think the layout's gonna change again anyway. I'm not sure I like it. TV is in the wrong place. Pictures on the walls aren't staying well (because of the paint, not the wall). Here are some hastily taken pictures (taken via iPhone!)



OK, so I'm totally having déjà vu in the extreme. I feel like I've seen that Scottish flag on my wall BEFORE I put it up there. This is so weird.

Oh well. Onward! DINNER! Breakfast for dinner. As my friend, Dilan, pointed out, it's BRINNER! I'm stoked. This is Kate Brown signing off. Remember...

Stay random!

New things!!!

OK, so here's an update on my roller coaster of a life.

First, I decided not to go with this agency either. Yes, hopes up and then dashed. Trust me, I hate it too. It's killing me and that's not an exaggeration. HOWEVER, I have submitted to more agencies and am constantly improving the story as we speak (or rather type/read) so even if the current queries get negative replies, that's fine. I'll just resubmit to them again! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Wait... That evil laugh? Ignore it. I swear I'm not some evil mastermind bent on world domination... or am I? *eyebrows waggle suggestively*

Second, as you can see from reading the previous paragraph, I've gone completely insane. Not just the half-insane that any writer needs to be, but full on crazy. No worries, though.

Third, and I have to announce this here because I feel like once it's in writing, I'll actually succeed, I am going to try NutriSystem after a week of being back at school. I'm waiting until then so that I can get settled and into a bit of a routine before starting. Plus it's gonna be a crazy first week back. I'm going to do my best to work out when I can, but because of that damn tendinitis in my knee, I can't do cardio like I want to. So Wii Fit, it is! Among other things.

Fourth, and this is AWESOME, I am chair for my sorority of a competition which involves basically every NPC, IFC, and NPHC house on campus. It's a musical competition and I've busted my butt this winter break to get the script and music cuts ready. I'm so stoked! And we're going to DOMINATE! Not only do we have awesome girls, but we're paired with two awesome fraternities and a great NPHC sorority! WOOHOO!

Fifth, if you happen to talk to Edinburgh Napier University, will you tell them to get my damn transcript to the UofA and NOT to me? Dumbasses won't respond to my freaking e-mails. Bastards. I told them to send the transcripts to Faytown and not to me, but what did they do this summer? You guessed it. Those papers came straight to good ol' Overland Park, KS. Did I mention they're dumbasses? Cuz they are.

Sorry for that rant. I believe that is all for now. Tons to do and little time in which to do it and still take care of the necessities in life. Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities... *whistles the rest of the song*

Oh, sorry. Are you still here? My bad. This is Kate Brown, signing off. And remember...

Stay random!

Still a good new year...

OK, so if you are friends with me on Facebook, you probably already know that I've reconsidered the publisher mentioned in my previous post. In looking at reviews by clients/authors of theirs, I found that this publisher just isn't what I'm looking for. They have many poor reviews and few good ones.

Yes, that's bad, but on the bright side, I received a reply today from an agency, which is different than a publisher. For those of you who don't know, a literary agency is there to help promote your book to publishers. It opens doors that would be closed to an author without an agent. You see, many publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts, which means those doors? Closed to me. But WITH an agent... YAY! More open doors... and windows and trap doors, too. Can't forget those.

So here's the deal: this agency is going to review my manuscript (the full, newer version that I just sent) and they should get back to me within 7 to 10 days. In reading reviews I saw that, if I sign a contract, and they DON'T sell my book within 90 days, there is a part of the contract which states that the contract then becomes null and void. So if it doesn't work out, I'm not obligated to stay with them after 90 days. And their usual percentage is only 10% which doesn't exactly seem steep, right?

Anyway, I know I got my hopes up (and possibly yours), but I feel that this is the way to go and I still have a good feeling going into this. Thoughts? I'm open to opinion!

That's all for now. I'll try to keep everything posted... Twitter, Facebook, and soon... YOUTUBE! I've already done two vlog's, but haven't posted them yet because I kind of think they suck, but once I get more information, I'll start posting them. OK, I'm really done now. Remember...

Stay random!

What a Happy New Year It Is

So first off, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Hope you're all partying safely and having a ton of fun.

Second, I got the BEST phone call of my life yesterday, hands down. A certain publishing company called about a certain manuscript written by a certain aspiring author... I think we all know who that is, right? No? Well, OK... IT'S ME!

Yep, so I still have to look over and sign a contract, etc, but it's basically in the works as we speak. NOW, before you ask, I HAVE looked at the company and have decided that it is my best option currently. So, why have I not signed yet? Cuz mumsy and daddy wish to peruse said sample contract and then we'll discuss it and see if any changes need to be made. While I understand way more than I did before taking Hospitality Law last semester (OK, yes it was helpful in THIS way), I still can't say I would catch or think of everything. Dad's a good person to go to for that sort of thing. He's smart. I think I'll keep him.

Anyway, I'm stoked to really get working on it. Oh, what is it called, you may ask? The Rose Legends: Found (Book One). It's the first in a series! A series of six. Yeah, that's a LOT. I know. And I haven't yet finished all of the other books... So I'm working on them. But book one is my priority.

YAY! Thanks for sharing in my random excitement. Happy New Year once more and enjoy it!

Stay random!