I’m so glad to have my computer back, you guys. You have no idea. And all my old files…. pretty pretty files.
Anyway, yesterday, after spending a record four hours in the Apple Store with the awesome Apple Geniuses, I emerged with shiny, shiny Bucephalus all loaded up with Pantalaimon. Yes, Pan now lives inside Bucephalus. How’s that for YA fantasy meta?
Anyway, after all that, I betook myself to Politics & Prose to attend an appearance by the awesome Kristin Cashore, author of Graceling and Fire.
Kristin was on the very, very last stop on her tour, and she seemed very tired, but she rallied enough to show us all kinds of goodies regarding how she writes a book. For instance, she does everything in long hand in big spiral notebooks and she probably crosses out as many if not more pages than she writes. She also carries around a huge stack of loose papers on which she writes down all kinds of notes and binds them together with a big binder clip.
To say I was agog is putting it…. um, mildly. First of all, I would never, ever, ever let y’all see what I write down in my little notebook. It’s way more “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” than Kristin’s neat (tiny) lines of text. I’d look like a candidate for a nice long stay in an asylum.
But hey, to each her own! You can’t argue with the results! I adored Graceling.
I also got to ask her a question that had been bugging me greatly about Fire, which is: are all raptors monsters? And she said yes. You heard it here first, guys.
And — this is the part you’ve been waiting for, I know — I got two signed copies to give away to YOU, darling blog readers! A copy of GRACELING and a copy of FIRE. Signed by Kristin Cashore!
Now, what should I make ya’ll do to win one of these beauties? I could (and yes, I’m talking to you, Angie) make you admit publicly in the comments that Po is the very nicest of nice guys and yet you love him madly. I could also make you tell me what your Grace would be — you know, if you had one — or what color hair you’d have if YOU were a human-shaped monster.
Or, you know, any of the above. Leave it in the comments, enter to win.
October 15th, 2009 at 7:49 am
I *do* think Po is the very nicest of nice guys. And while I love a good bad boy now and again, I definitely prefer nice guys. Evidence: I married one.
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Ideally my grace would be something useful, like being able to design and sew beautiful and comfortable clothes that fit perfectly without a pattern.
But I’m more of a Murphy’s Law kind of girl, and it would probably end up being something less useful to me, like being really good at tasting poison.
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:05 am
I’ll take the hair question! (Since I just got a new dye job last night, blond with red streaks!) If I was a human shapped monster I would have jet black hair with green streaks!!!
I also prefer nice guys, I married an eagle scout!
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:13 am
I think if I had a grace it would be the ability to go hours instead of minutes without taking a breath. This would allow me to save people from drowning, fire, gas leaks, and infant diapers. I also think that if I were a human shaped monster I would have hair that was so shiny black/blue that it almost looks like oil oozing down my back.
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Po actually reminds me of a boy I dated briefly in high school. I seriously crushed on that guy, but he didn’t crush on me. =o(
If I were a human-shaped monster, I’d have green hair. Just cuz.
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Oh I am so sad I missed this! Combination of rain and a very grouchy baby. I didn’t think everyone would appreciate the screaming while Kristen read!
Anyway my Grace would be the ability to go days without sleep but not feel tired, so useful or/and the ability to calm a baby with a single look rather than hours of walking
Oh and Po is the very nicest of nice guys (well maybe Peeta beats him) and I adored him.
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Oh, as a monster I would have bright blue hair, to match my eyes!!!!!!
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:58 am
My Grace would be empathy and making others always feel better.
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October 15th, 2009 at 9:21 am
I will take the hair question, too. I really like the hair of Fray in Joss Whedon’s graphic novel. It is dark blue on top and fades down into purple and then pink at the tips.
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October 15th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Hi Diana
Thanks for sharing, I loved the pictures.
Thanks also for the chance to win.
I’d have a nice blue like Bertie on the cover of Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev.
All the best,
RKCharron
xoxo
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October 15th, 2009 at 9:53 am
My friend got a signed ARC of fire and kept telling me I could borrow it. But I could just not bring myself ARC’s are paperback and are so easily destructible.
I ADORE PO and it is even hard for me to say that he is a nice guy because you know he has that quality that makes him dangerous. Which in my opinion is the best. Didn’t Anne say it best in Anne of the Island when she said “but I think I’d like it if he could be wicked and wouldn’t”. I even adore Po so much I kept asking my friend “so Po is not in Fire, are you sure I should read it?” And lets not forget besides being just the nicest guy he is HOT!
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October 15th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Or you could give it to somebody who’s never read either one and is dying to!
Plus I adore Po, of course.
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October 15th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Po is the very nicest of nice guys I.
Purple, very deep dark purple hair. I looovvvve purple. I have Fire, but I need Graceling. Please please.
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October 15th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
What color hair would *I* have if I were a human-shaped monster? Do I really have to answer that question, Diana? It shouldn’t be that hard to figure out.
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October 15th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
A Monster ! !
Well of course I would have BLOOD RED hair all frizzy like the old Afro styles.
After all I would be a representative of HELL
Carol
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October 15th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
If I were a monster from Fire, I would totally have long, bright, shiny plum purple colored hair. Not plum like the fruit, but like the plum color of Crayola crayons. I love that color…My entire bedroom is painted that color and I have jacket that color and… I think you get the point.
Also, I love Po. From the first time Katsa saw him I loved him! Makes e want to read Graceling again!
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October 15th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Hmm, if I had a Grace it would probably be something boring like, being able to tell time without an instrument because that’s what usually happens to me in these things.
Now, if I was a human-shaped monster I’d have the shiniest silver hair ever known, so shiny it practically glows making me look nice and welcoming (and wise?).
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October 15th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
I admit Po is the very nicest of nice guys. And I love the Anne of the Island quote for this comment!
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October 15th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
LOL!!
You’ve got me there. And I freely admit it. Here in the comments. And over here as well.
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October 15th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I would have red red hair, not natural red CRAYOLA red hair, if I was a human shaped monster. However if I was a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater, I guess I would have purple hair.
P.S. this is an excellent contest.
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October 15th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Haven’t read either of these yet, but would love to! Green would be my hair color of choice, were I bold enough to dye it
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October 15th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
If I were a human monster, I would love to have the same color hair as Fire’s it just sounds so pretty. Oh, and I do think Po is one of the nicest of guys. Probably one of my favorite fictional guys overall. =)
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October 15th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Po IS the very nicest of nice guys and I DO love him madly. It’s not painful for me to admit that.
I bet my Grace would be something really boring… like mad diaper-changing skills or possibly the ability to wipe runny noses blindfolded.
If I were a human shaped monster, my hair would be electric blue. Actually, my hair is going to be this color anyway, just as soon as it starts turning grey.
Great contest, thanks so much!
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
A grace….perhaps the ability to bake. I know. Boring. But my food would be so good it would make people swoon. And somehow not get fat.
Color hair…I can’t imagine anything but my poop brown, but perhaps gold? That could be fun.
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
If I were a monster in Fire, I’d totally have bright orange hair with green and purple streaks. ;D
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Po is like my dream guy (except for the occassional bad boy now and then). I have a thing for nice guys, and he definitely tops the list. (:
Grace… I don’t know. Maybe being able to do some form of magic, a fantasy left over from my childhood times. And, I haven’t read Fire yet but hope to soon, my hair would be raven black with a bluish undertone. Maybe stereotypical, but I love the color.
And thank you for the great contest!
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Po is an ever-so-wonderful nice guy, I love him and he isn’t even a bad boy!
Grace or Hair color? Huhn? Hair would have to be a nice mix of greens and blues since I love water and I think I’d end up as some sort of water monster. Grace? i have absolutely no idea…
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October 15th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Hope it doesn’t sound too bad to say I haven’t read but the first few chapters of Graceling. Picked it up after seeing so many awesome comments about it!
However, my 14 year old daughter did read it and absolutely loved it(she said it was one of her most favorites ever)! I don’t know what color hair she would pick(she’s not home for me to ask), but I’m going to take a wild guess and go with purple!!!
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October 15th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
I would really like to have purple hair! That would be awesome. Hmmm…the grace on the other hand…that one is trickier! I think I would like the Grace of cooking fabulous meals, I love food so that would be excellent!
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October 15th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Yay, congrats on having the computer back its hard to live without.
Po is the best. There is no one that comes close.
For hair I think a light lavender.
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October 15th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Order. I would love the grace of creating order. That’s boring, I guess, but I look at the stacks of stuff I can’t wrap my head around how to organize, and I think ordering would be a wonderful gift.
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October 15th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I would love to have fuschia hair!
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October 15th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Hmm. If I were a human-shaped monster, I’d have….Black hair with purple streaks. Now that’d be awesome
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October 16th, 2009 at 12:38 am
I haven’t read Fire yet, but I want to! My library hasn’t even ordered it, as far as I know (but they have two copes of Graceling, so maybe I’m wrong–I haven’t asked).
I think a useful Grace would be to know what people want before they ask for it (or if they want to ask for it but never would).
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October 16th, 2009 at 1:44 am
I love Po! I haven’t read Fire yet, but I’m dying to!
If I had a Grace … hmm. I think I’d like the ability to inspire people with words (both written and spoken).
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October 16th, 2009 at 4:19 am
If I were a human-shaped monster my hair would be read(like a red Tulip). I would like speed as my Grace, then I could put away all my papers and stuff in a hurry when unannounced visitors dropped by LOL
If this contest is international then I would love to be entered(I live in Norway), if not then at least you know what kind of hair color I would have if I were a monster LOL
Have a great weekend!
Ladybug
ladybug[AT]bluezone[DOT]no
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October 16th, 2009 at 8:24 am
There’s a lot of bold & fun hair color choices…awesome!!!
Checked with my daughter, and she said she would pick maroonish/purple…so I was close. 
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October 16th, 2009 at 9:12 am
It would be cool to have a time-traveling Grace or a Grace would you could just freeze time. I could read all I want then.
And if those are not possible then I would like an essay writing Grace.
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October 16th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Wow. What an awesome give-away. I want to meet Kristin Cashore.
Here’s the superpower (maybe it could be a Grace)that I’ve always wanted: to be able to travel anywhere with the blink of an eye, and it would be really cool if I could take people with me. You may be thinking that this sounds a little like Hiro on Heroes, but I decided in 1997 that this would be my superpower (you know, if I could have one), and I’m sticking to it!
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October 16th, 2009 at 11:22 am
My grace would probably be something terribly useless – you know, like walking in straight lines or not running into things (walls, trees, lampposts). I’d like it to be something like reading all the books I want to in my lifetime. That would be awesome.
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October 16th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Grrr, I’m the only one on the planet who hasn’t read Graceling!
Well, if by Grace, you mean super power, I’d want to stop time. You know, screw around with teachers frozen mid-lecter. Good times would be had by all.
danielleeloko78@aol.com
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October 16th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I think I would like an organizational grace–something that would make it so that when I was picking up the house, I would find all the legos, and not have to make ten trips to the playroom.
And if I were an elemental monster type, I’d go with green hair!
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October 16th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
If I were a human shaped monster, my hair would be cobalt blue, with streaks of all variations as well as black. It would remind you of both Murano cobalt and the pigment. And it would be great!
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October 16th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Poe IS the nicest of nice guys and I love him madly! And if I were a human-shaped monster I’d definately have to go with a vivid purple that gleamed medium blue in the sunlight.
And that’s interesting about her writing everything out by hand first!
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October 16th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
If I had a grace, I’d want to be able to speak every language that exists that way I’d make a bundle being a translator for all the different countries.
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October 16th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
If I were a human shaped monster my hair would be dark purple (eggplant purple!) with beautiful bright purple streaks throughout. My power would be the ability to make myself invisible.
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October 17th, 2009 at 12:23 am
My Grace would be to calm people’s nerves!
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October 17th, 2009 at 1:54 am
Oh she would definately have that dark hair with the red overtones!
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October 17th, 2009 at 2:15 am
I’d love to have flaming red hair. My hair color’s pretty much kaput in terms of change, unless I, like, kill every follicle on my head by bleaching it prior to dyeing it another color, so I think it’d be pretty cool if I could have bright red hair if I were a monster.
Oh, AND Po is super-awesomely wonderful and it’s no hard thing for me to say that!
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October 17th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
I do love Po deeply and madly!
I would have sky blue hair because it is my favorite color. It would match my bedroom walls and my comforter. My grace would be the ability to talk with animals.I would love to talk to my cats.
btw I love how my anti-spam word was grave.Very spooky
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October 18th, 2009 at 12:14 am
Po IS the very nicest guy and I am so crazy about him!
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October 19th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Thanks for the awesome contest!
I’d want dark purple hair with lavendar highlights if I was a human-shaped monster.
*Jen*
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October 19th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Po is the sweetest (why are many of the best men ficticious?). I would love to have good aim if I was graced. If I was a monster, I would love to have blue-green hair.
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October 19th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Hi! Okay, so if I had a Grace it would be Dance, and my hair color would be bright gold!
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October 19th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
How cool meeting Kirsten Cashore!
My Grace would be the Grace of always having the right comeback. I’m sarcastic, but not always quick-witted and I think that would be a fun, non-violent Grace to have
I would definitely want two different eye colors (one blue, one purple!). Hair color black as the night!
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October 19th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
I think i would want purple hair. I think being a monster with like purple hair in differenent shades of purple would be awesome.
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October 20th, 2009 at 11:49 am
definately a teal grey/ocean green color of long sable soft fur! of course! Or a dark chocolate black sable fur
My Grace, hmmm that\’s a lot harder- The ability to see if someone is basically honest or even the ability to stratagize really well in every situation. That has to come in handy in all sorts of ways.
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October 21st, 2009 at 7:20 am
I’d really want to have bright blue hair.
It would probably be funny and cute
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October 23rd, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Oh! Is this contest still open? I’d LOVE to win a copy of GRACELING and FIRE–I’ve been hearing such great things about them both!
Erm, if I had a Grace, it would most definitely be the ability to pause Time. Because that would be just awesome: I could save lives, finish homework, snag a few extra hours of sleep…and play great pranks.
Did I mention great pranks? :p
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October 26th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Hi I’d like to have purple hair if I was a monster. Yes,I would love to read these books. Please count me in. Cheers. polo-puppy-fluffy AT hotmail *dot* com
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October 30th, 2009 at 9:46 am
If I had a Grace it would be an ability to be always optimistic. I find that too often I get frustrated or sad by things I can’t control. But optimism would definitely help me to see past my feelings and find a solution better. And optimism seems to rub off on those people around you.
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November 5th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I think i would want red hair with yellow streaks if i was a monster.
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November 27th, 2009 at 9:16 am
If I had a Grace it would definitely be a gift of tongues. I already speak a lot of languages (without the help of any Grace). So I think I would be the coolest interpreter in the Seven Kingdoms.
Po is truly very much of a nice guy. His knowing smile helps counter that a bit (and none of us know if he’s still that nice once his clothes are off… I’m just saying). I’m more of a bad boy fan, but hey… Po is fantastic.
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