Christa Allan

Since I renamed my blog Fictionary after Natalie Jost designed this site, almost all of my blog tours, author interviews, and book reviews can be found there. A few exceptions-like yesterday’s My Beautiful Mommy (my subtitle: after she’s had her nose fixed, tummy tucked, and boobs lifted) which I presented here as social commentary.
Today, however, [...]

Wait, Christa, isn’t your other blog, FICTIONARY, for book reviews (a bit of shameless self-promotion)?
Yes.
Surely My Beautiful Mommy is a sweet children’s book that you’ll be promoting there, right?
Wrong.
I discovered this book when Tanya Dennis wrote about it on her blog, which I read on High Calling Blogs. I bookmarked this site weeks ago, fully [...]

A dear friend just brought to my attention a rather disturbing problem with the post about subscribing to my blog.
Apparently, if you clicked the button on the post, it brought you to a site with a band name that would be, well, icky.
So, I apologize if you were one of those victims. Button erased.
Lesson learned: [...]

This offer expires at 8:00 pm Eastern time TODAY. 
Go HERE for the link to find the free download of Suze Orman’s new book: Women & Money.

I’ll totally own loving Joe Cocker, probably because I heard him before I’d actually seen him perform.
This is clever and funny. enjoy.

thanks to Fritinancy for this one!

See that box on this page to your right? Fill in your email address, and at the end of this month I’ll pick a name, and you’ll be the winner!!! [Not that you already aren't a winner because, after all, you're reading this.]
And what will you win?
Why, a box of books, of course! And my [...]

more about “Teaser on Vimeo“, posted with vodpod
If you’re a Buffy/Angel/Spike/Firefly fan….here’s Joss Whedon’s latest. Dr. Horrible seems to be his new prescription for laughter.
Thanks to ARGH INK, Jennifer Cruise’s blog for the heads up.

“It’s the story of a low-rent super-villain, the hero who keeps beating him up, and the cute girl from [...]

1-800-GOOG-411: Google’s 411 service

Use your compass directions to find the correct locations for the missing letters of the alphabet. When you have completed the grid, see if you can discover the hidden city, country, river or mountain.
Note:

North or south means any location along the same column.

East or west means any location along the same row.
Directions:
A is south of L: D [...]

Internalizing the Scoring Guide

My first year as an AP Reader, I’d hear this “internalizing” mumbo-jumbo and wonder when I’d evolve into this higher state of consciousness. I think I was mostly unconscious. Year Two, I would’ve been willing to roll the scoring guide into a paper burrito and eat it if it meant I’d expedite [...]

Musing
Last year, the College Board and ETS surveyed Readers asking general questions about the reading experience. Hats off to them for listening because this year they provided a hospitality room in the hotel that provided soft drinks, coffee, water, and assorted munchies like chips, cookies, fruit,  and hot pretzels. Then, Saturday night, we had [...]

Tour of Zoomii Books

Thanks to Angela Maiers and Schools Matter for the heads up on this video.
the Teacher Project Trailer (long version)

Did I mention that one of the students thought Barry’s essay was so simple, even a stay-at-home mother would be able to understand it?  It didn’t appear, from what I read, that s/he was one of those yet.
The Musing Continues:
One of the acronyms I’m fond of teaching is SOAP because it serves two purposes:
1. It [...]

Time outs for birthday shout-outs for my oldest. Tomorrow. . .Rubrics R Us

My oldest son, Michael, is 31 years old today. He’s holding Hannah in this photo; he’s also Emma’s dad.

Now, don’t ask how I can believe I’m a Grammy and not believe I’m the mother of a 31-year-old. Well, ask, but don’t expect a lucid answer.
Michael was the first grandchild for both his father’s parents and [...]

Dove Self Esteem Fund

DAY LAST: DAYTONA LANGUAGE READING

Arriving at my table this morning, I heard rumors that the Question 1 room had been told when they left  yesterday afternoon that they should have reading material for the next day. That always means the room’s dangerously close to finishing. Since that room started out with extra tables, we weren’t [...]

Transform one word into another by changing a single letter in each step, so that each link in the chain is a valid word. For example, to change MORE into LESS with 3 links: MORE, lore, lose, loss, LESS
3 links :
Put MILK into PAIL
WELL  into DONE
Change MICE into RATS
Find CAMP SITE

4 links
Put INK [...]

DAY 5.5  DAYTONA UPDATE: MONDAY
I read 425 essays today.

Things I learned today:
1. Adjectives can be wild. (Note from me: File this factoid away for possible YouTube video for avid grammarians: Adjectives Gone Wild.)
2. Tone wraps itself around my head. (Note: Lately, this happens only when my iPod’s plugged in to my ears.)
3. Ellipsis or dot [...]