Friday, November 21st, 2008
This story is the very definition of nonfiction masquerading as fiction.
Thursday, November 20th, 2008
Yeah, I’ve been slacking on the (retro)blog lately. But I’ve got two good excuses.
1. I was putting the finishing touches on Perfect Fifths. I’m very happy with the conclusion to the series and hope you are too. That is, on April 14th, 2009 when you finally get to read it.
2. I (and by “I” I really mean “my husband”) was redesigning my website and (retro)blog. We (more accurate) will debut this redesign within the next few weeks. This makeover will also launch the official unveiling of the Perfect Fifths cover for your scrutiny and analysis.
To make up for my slacking, I uncovered what is probably the earliest incarnation of Jessica Darling in the form of this short story I wrote in eighth grade. Subsequent pages to follow…
Sunday, October 12th, 2008
I had to write about this aptly titled Megan at the Mall comic in today’s Sunday Styles because it pretty much sums up every shopping experience I had with my mother between 1986-1991. Except in real life the Snotty Underminer Girl headed straight for the full-priced rack of Outback Red 10-button Shirts (a shout out to all you fine Ladies from the 80s…Frankie Say Wha–?) and bought like, five of them to layer on top each other in a way that all the labels still showed.
The rest of the article doesn’t really reflect my adolescent shopping habits because my mother NEVER* paid full price for my clothes (we shopped at Marshalls and I will be totally up front in saying that I still occasionally do, though I get most of my fancy “bargain” clothes via bluefly) where I could scavenge the racks for misshapen Irregular ESPRIT sweaters in unappealing colors like puce. This was a practice I highly resented at the time but now appreciate because it endowed me with a certain frugality that comes in handy when–oh, I don’t know–capitalism is collapsing.
*This is not totally true. My mother paid full price for an outfit once. ONCE. It was My First Middle School Dance Outfit and because it was the only time my mother paid full price I remember every detail: It was an ESPRIT sweatshirt/leggings combo in a pale yellow. The sweatshirt had a charcoal gray geometric print and a mock turtleneck and was just long enough to cover my butt. The leggings had a seam running down the front and stirrups at the bottoms.
Alas, despite my full-priced sartorial flair, no cute boys asked me to slow dance and I spent most of the night sulking by the refreshments table then crying in the bathroom, thus establishing the pattern of behavior for all future middle school dances until I had the sense to stop going.
Friday, October 10th, 2008
Is it time to finally bring my eighth grade play to its dramatic conclusion?
“That’s like asking David Lee Roth if he likes blondes…”
Come back on Monday for an essay I wrote in ninth grade titled, “A Book That Changed My Life.” (Try to guess what it is. I’ll give you…700 BILLION DOLLARS if you figure it out.)
Monday, October 6th, 2008
If you haven’t read the first six pages of this play I wrote in eighth grade, let me bring you up to speed: It takes place at a slumber party where a bunch of eighth grade girls act like total bitches to each other, with the glaring exception of the character of Jules (played by yours truly) who gets to be all quippy and sarcastic and–in this next scene–bring down the house with her rendition of the Oreo cookie jingle.
Monday, September 29th, 2008
Heather over at A Lifetime of Books blogged about my panel at the Baltimore Book Festival on Friday night. (With pictures and video.) Thanks to Kathleeen McCleary and Norma Jarrett for making it so much fun.
YA for Obama has posted my blog entry today. It involves an essay I wrote in middle school titled, “What I Can Do For My Country.” If you want to read it, please do. If not, then don’t.
And speaking of middle school writings, here is the sixth intallment of my play, Life is Tough which includes the immortal line, “My older brother once put Nair on my cat.”
Wednesday, September 24th, 2008
“…my mother left for Rio and is never coming back!”
In this next installment from my middle school magnum opus, Tempest goes for the Tony award with a heart-wrenching monologue.
© 2009 Megan McCafferty. All rights reserved.