Throwback

Throwback Books on a Thursday

michelleleighwrites Leave a comment

I remember loving to read as a kid.

Even when I got a little older I would go to the library with my mom and take a bunch of books out…goosebumps, Mary-kate and Ashley, the list was endless.

But then assigned reading for school came into my life and I was forced to read things I didn’t want to read, and it was linked to homework. So I feel like that kind of ruined it for me.

As an adult I don’t read much at all. And I know I know, I’m a writer who doesn’t read…what the heck is that? Right?

But the truth is that I don’t think that if a writer doesn’t read that means they can’t be good. I watch television and movies so that’s kind of how I write with that kind of lens on. But I do understand how reading can help you become a better writer and I do want to get back into reading a little more this year.

Last year I bought two books, a poetry book- milk & honey (which I finished last year) and an inspiration book- BIG MAGIC, (which I am currently reading now.)

So as I started thinking about books and how I used to read more when I was a kid, I also started to remember the books that meant so much to me. And the titles started floating through my mind, creating a beautiful sense of nostalgia.

Here are some that I remembered…

Quints- The Cleanup

Corduroy

Good Night Moon

 

Blue Suede Shoes-

I couldn’t find this book online, but basically it was about a little girl who buys a new pair of blue suede shoes and she loves them and wears them all the time. I loved this book so much and I remember always reaching for it as a toddler.

 

 

Bread and Jam for Francis

Strega Nona

Rainbow Fish 

 

 

The Bernstein Bears- And Too Much Junk Food, In The Dark

Green Eggs and Ham, Wacky Wednesday, One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish

-Dr. Seuss 

Amelia Bedelia Series

Are you there god, it’s me Margaret?- Judy Blume

This was a book, every girl was reading at the time. It was kind of a MUST read, because it was all about a young girl getting her period for the first time. It was kind of a lesson in between pages. Judy Blume was known for writing about “taboo” topics. But she was a force for young girls. 

 

Mary-Kate & Ashley books

Man oh man do these books, bring back my childhood, I read so many of their books, I was such a fan! And they really marketed well, books, movies, tv shows, I have such fond memories of the Olsen twins! 

Cinderella 2000

I blame this book for my romantic expectations. I believe I found this book in Junior High School in one of those scholastic book flyers. And I read it and fell in love with it, and when you fall in love with a book, you tell your friends to read it and they all did, and they loved it just as much. It’s a typical story of a young girl who has a crush and dreams of him sweeping her away on a romantic prom date. Of course she thinks he doesn’t know she exists, and yet…somehow magic strikes. It’s perfect for a pre-teen girl. Silver palm trees and all! (haha Til this day I remember that’s what she has painted on her nails.) 

Goosebumps books by R.L. Stine- The Prom Queen, The Girlfriend

And when I didn’t want to read about love…I turned to horror… and at my age R.L. Stine did it best, especially in his Fear Street Series. Prom Queen was another book, that circles through my friends, so much so that it basically fell apart! And can we just check out those little teaser sentences on the cover….so damn good! 

And there you have it, the books that shaped my childhood. I know I’m definitely missing a few. But I can’t seem to remember all of them. I know I have a box backed away in my basement somewhere. One of these days I really want to sift through it and see what other stories shaped my writer’s mind as a kid. Each of these books/series hold such a special place in my heart, and I have such fond nostalgic memories of reading them throughout my life. Some are young and sweet, others are lessons, and others are more mature with love and mystery. It’s super cool to think about what I used to like to read, since I really want to get back into reading in my current life. I guess the genres of Love/Romance/Drama/Mystery/Horror it is!

I’ll keep you posted!

 -<3-  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Tree Hill Fame Resurfaces

michelleleighwrites Leave a comment

It’s been a minute, I know! I was doing good with my post schedule for the most part and then I slacked off the past two post days. Well I didn’t exactly slack off, I was busy babysitting! But today I am back!

I’m no stranger to award show season. I used to live for it! I loved watching the Kids Choice Awards and the Teen Choice awards just to see my favorite stars from my favorite shows win or at least see them walk the “red” carpet. What color was it, orange? green? blue? And the slime, there was always slime. Haha.

As you may know, I was and still am a HUGE One Tree Hill fan girl. I lived that experience of watching that show for 9 years! Even when it drove me crazy, I was always in it for the long haul. Watching and waiting with my best friend.

It was always the little show that could. I can’t even count how many times we would think the show would get cancelled. Season after season we held our breath, and they kept coming back with new stories to tell us.

During the time One Tree Hill was on the air, I don’t ever actually recall the show winning any awards. I was always so disappointed. However, I remember Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush winning awards. Whether it was for their role on OTH or their work on other movies, in true OTH fan girl fashion, we were happy just for them to be recognized. A win was a win. Although um, Bethany Joy deserves all the awards…just saying. Give this girl a GRAMMY! #SheNeedsToReleaseAnALBUMFirst #GETITGURL

*Watch my Vlog of her Concert last summer- HERE

But recently, this year the Teen Choice Awards added a new category- Choice Throwback TV Show. And One Tree Hill was pinned against many other favorites like-

teen choice ot h

choice throwback tv show

DHKYZ-HVYAAiNqI[1]

Netflix Generation you lucky lucky littles, you get to stream it all at once, while we had to wait! But I have to thank you for giving OTH a whole new group of fangirls and for keeping the show alive 13 years since it first premiered and 5 Years since it’s series finale! ONE TREE HILL WON A FREAKING TEEN CHOICE AWARD IN 2017! Yes Yes and More Yes! I definitely foresee an OTH movie, or spinoff, or reunion in the future. The cast still hangs out, still keeps in touch, still supports the show by doing those eyecon events-Return to Tree Hill- Conventions. Speaking of, it is a goal of mine to get to one of those at some point in my life! 😉 Hey I’ve met Danneel Harris, Lee Norris, Tyler Hilton, Sophia Bush, Daphne Zuniga, and Bethany Joy Lenz, so I don’t think I’m doing too bad. Sophia and Joy were like massive bucket list points for me!

I just think it’s super cool that One Tree Hill is still teaching young girls (and boys) lessons and giving them a place to call home. Television is home for me. I see stories and characters that I can relate to or that I aspire to be like or are already like me, or gather inspiration from and it is just such a comfort. One Tree Hill took me from my middle school years through high school and even to college, and I have some of the best most special memories because of that show. So much of my adolescence is linked to that show, and it’s always going to be. So for me, One Tree Hill is the reason why I want to write for television one day. So in a nutshell, I’m really happy to see it still being recognized and loved by so many generations.

Now, I’m 26, so no I didn’t watch the Teen Choice Awards so I don’t know how the category was presented, I don’t know if anyone was there to accept it, or if it was just kind of announced in passing. But either way, it’s still super cool that OTH won. To be honest, I probably would have checked in on the show if I remembered it was actually on, but I didn’t. And yes I saw OTH was nominated and I thought it was so awesome, but no I did not vote, because when I was a teen I did and I’ve done my time. It’s their (the Netflix generation) time now, and I had faith in them, Haha. Although let’s be real that category was full of epic shows too!

For the total list of winners click HERE!

Side Note: I was happy to see Supergirl’s Melissa Benoist won and Riverdale swept the stage with a ton of awards! We all know they were both my most current Netflix binge parties. Can’t wait for the fall so I can watch them both live! 😀

 

*I do not take credit for images used.*

-<3-