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May 31, 2011

TV Tuesday: Eureka… or Yooreka?

Filed under: Eureka/SyFy — Tags: , , , , , — paulayoo @ 8:45 am

Time for TV TUESDAY!

Hi! Welcome to another TV Tuesday! On Tuesdays, I plan to post blogs about my TV writing adventures, advice for aspiring TV writers, and any other industry-related topics.

Today’s blog is rather short because we’re coming off Memorial Day weekend! I decided to post all the links about my latest TV job as Producer on SyFy’s EUREKA series. I know many of you who follow me on Twitter are Eureka/sci fi fans. And for those of you who have not watched EUREKA yet… now’s your chance! Of course, I like to spell our show as “YOOREKA,” but for some reason, SyFy has not made the spelling change! :)

(Keep reading after the jump for some EUREKA info…)

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May 30, 2011

Music Monday: Duran Duran is “Good Enough”!

Filed under: Music — Tags: , , , , — paulayoo @ 9:00 am
Me today with my Fender electric violin! Rock on! :)

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! And welcome to another weekly edition of Music Monday! The first few Music Monday blogs are focusing on the music featured in my YA novel GOOD ENOUGH (HarperCollins ’08). The paperback edition of GOOD ENOUGH comes out this June 7, 2011. So I figured what better way to celebrate than to focus on the music in the book?

The novel is based on my life growing up as a violin geek who eventually learned how to “jam” and become a rock violinist. I have played with everyone from ’60s psychedelic rocker legend Arthur Lee of Love to ska rockers No Doubt! So my Sony Walkman cassette tape player in high school played everything from Mendelssohn to Morrissey and Debussy to …. DURAN DURAN.

Duran Duran today! (Andy, I miss you! Join the band again! Please!)

So what does DURAN DURAN have to do with GOOD ENOUGH? Keep reading after the jump to find out!

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May 27, 2011

Foodie Friday: Mac & Cheese!

Filed under: Food — Tags: , — paulayoo @ 9:00 am

Yum! It's Foodie Friday! As you can see, I heart healthy to guilty pleasure foods!

Welcome to my first FOODIE FRIDAY blog! As some of you know, I am a huge foodie. I love cooking. I love watching THE FOOD NETWORK and THE COOKING CHANNEL. I have seen all the Top Chefs and any other cooking-related competitive reality show out there. I dream one day of hosting my own food show called ARE YOO HUNGRY? :)

Every Friday, I figured I’d just blog about my favorite foods, favorite TV food shows, favorite recipes, and any favorite places I go to eat. (Yes, I’m one of those annoying people who posts pictures of the food she eats on Twitter and Facebook! LOL!) And I will feature the occasional guest foodie blogger, so keep an eye out for that!

So I figured, why not start off the inaugural FOODIE FRIDAY with a tribute to my all-time favorite comfort food… MAC & CHEESE? :)

(Keep reading after the jump for the mac ‘n cheesy details…)

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May 26, 2011

Tuna Thursday: My New House Alarm!

Filed under: Pets — Tags: — paulayoo @ 9:00 am

Happy Tuna Thursday from (L-R): Beethoven, Oreo & Charlotte!

Welcome to my inaugural TUNA THURSDAY blog. In a nutshell, I am a Crazy Cat Lady. I own three wonderful, quirky, loveable cats. There’s Oreo, the oldest cat. He is approximately six years old. He is a stray that I adopted back in 2008. He now has his own Twitter feed (@oreothecatyoo). We then adopted two siblings, Beethoven and Charlotte, who just turned one year old.

Every Thursday, I’m just going to post a really cute picture of my cats or some picture gallery story about their little adventures. For today’s Tuna Thursday, I discovered recently that my cats make for an excellent house alarm system! Behold the evidence below…

(Keep reading after the jump for the photographic evidence of Oreo, Beethoven, and Charlotte protecting our house from an intruder!)

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May 25, 2011

Writer Wednesday: NaPiBoWriWee 2011 Greatest Hits!

Filed under: Writing — Tags: , , — paulayoo @ 9:00 am

Time for another "Writer Wednesday" blog!

Hi! As promised, here is the first of what will be a weekly installment every Wednesday at 9 AM (PST). I will be posting a “Writer Wednesday” blog about writing.

I often teach creative writing at UCLA Extension’s Writers’ Program. I posted a lot of writing craft blogs on my NaPiBoWriWee blog during the annual National Picture Book Writing Week that I host every May 1-7. (You can find out more about that event at the NaPiBoWriWee link on my homepage.) These writing craft blogs were very popular at this year’s event, so I plan to repeat some of them here and keep that going. So every Wednesday, you’ll be seeing a blog focusing on a writing craft issue or I will post some thoughts on any breaking news in the publishing industry/children’s book world. I am also a member of the Society of Children Book Writers & Illustrators, so I’ll be sure to post any writing events and conferences they host that I think you might be interested in! I will also post some writing prompts for those of you who are “blocked” or procastinating on your projects!

My first Writer Wednesday blog is a “greatest hits” blog. During May 1-7, 2011, I hosted National Picture Book Writing Week (AKA “NaPiBoWriWee”). I posted daily blogs about writing craft issues (plot, theme, point of view, hero’s journey, genre) as well as some wonderful guest author and picture book illustrator interviews.

For those of you who missed NaPiBoWriWee, I put together a list of all these blogs for you to pursue at your leisure.

(Keep reading after the jump for the list of writing topics, guest authors, and links!)

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May 24, 2011

TV Tuesday: What is TV Pilot Season?

Filed under: TV Writing — Tags: , , — paulayoo @ 9:00 am

Time for TV TUESDAY!

Welcome to my first TV TUESDAY blog! As many of you know, I have been writing for TV dramas since 2002. My first show was a staff writer on NBC’s THE WEST WING, and I’m currently a Producer on the show EUREKA which airs on SyFy. So every Tuesday, I will post a fun TV TUESDAY blog with links, news, and tips for those of you who are either aspiring TV writers or are TV junkies. :) I also know many of you who follow me on Twitter (@paulayoo) are huge sci fi and Eureka fans, so I promise lots of fun Eureka-related blogs as well.

For my first TV TUESDAY, I thought I’d write about the annual “Pilot Season.” I’m sure many of you have heard the latest breaking news of what shows have been scheduled for the upcoming fall season. I thought I’d explain more about how TV shows are scheduled – it’s a complicated, byzantine process.

(Keep reading after the jump to find out more about TV Pilot season!)

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May 23, 2011

Music Monday: “Is Mendelssohn ‘Good Enough’?”

Filed under: Music — Tags: , , , , , , — paulayoo @ 9:00 am

Me at age 7. Look at that perfect technique! LOL!

Me today with my Fender electric violin! Rock on! :)

Welcome to my first MUSIC MONDAY blog! As many of you know, I’m a huge music fan as well as a musician.  I listen to everything – and I play everything on my violin – from classical to rock to country to prog rock to punk rock. :) I’ve played, recorded, or toured with dozens of bands, including NO DOUBT, SPIRITUALIZED, ARTHUR LEE of LOVE, BIRD YORK, DILLON CAMPBELL, THE DILETTANTES, RANDOM AOK, BUCK MCCOY, EMMA BURGESS, LISTING SHIP, WAIT THINK FAST, BRIGHT BLUE GORILLA, and THE NOW PEOPLE. (For more on my music bio, you can go here: http://paulayoo.com/music.html)

I figured I’d start off each week with a fun music blog. These blogs may be super short, like a link to my favorite Duran Duran guilty pleasure song :) or something more substantial, like my musings on American Idol. :) LOL!

Today’s blog is about some of the music that was referenced in my YA novel GOOD ENOUGH (HarperCollins). This book was published in hardcover in 2008. The paperback edition is out this June 7, 2011! I plan to post several Music Monday blogs about the music featured in this novel as we near the paperback release date! The music ranges from Bach to The Sex Pistols, to give you an idea of the variety of music I love! :) For today’s blog, I’m going to focus on the classical pieces mentioned in this book…

(For more info on my book, go here: http://paulayoo.com/books-good.html)

(Keep reading after the jump for more info on the music in GOOD ENOUGH!)

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May 18, 2011

New Blog Schedule Debuts Next Week!

Filed under: Writing — Tags: , , , , , , — paulayoo @ 10:14 am

Hi! Just a quick blog to let everyone know that I’m putting together a blog schedule where you can stop by on a regular basis to see my new entries. I will post each blog by 9 AM (PST) Monday through Friday. The schedule will look like this:

– MUSIC MONDAYS: As many of you know, I’m a huge music fan as well as a musician. I was thinking of writing a fun music blog every Monday. I listen to everything – and I play everything on my violin – from classical to rock to country to prog rock to punk rock. :) So stay tuned for Monday music blogs!

– TV TUESDAYS: I have been writing for TV dramas since 2002. My first show was a staff writer on NBC’s THE WEST WING, and I’m currently a Producer on the show EUREKA which airs on SyFy. I was thinking of posting a fun TV-writing/industry/Hollywood blog every Tuesday with links, news, and tips for those of you who are either aspiring TV writers or are TV junkies. :) I also know many of you who follow me on Twitter (@paulayoo) are huge sci fi and Eureka fans, so I promise lots of fun Eureka-related blogs as well.

– WRITER WEDNESDAYS: I often teach creative writing at UCLA Extension’s Writers’ Program. I posted a lot of writing craft blogs on my NaPiBoWriWee blog during the annual National Picture Book Writing Week that I host every May 1-7. (You can find out more about that event at the NaPiBoWriWee link on my homepage.) These writing craft blogs were very popular at this year’s event, so I plan to repeat some of them here and keep that going. So every Wednesday, you’ll be seeing a blog focusing on a writing craft issue or I will post some thoughts on any breaking news in the publishing industry/children’s book world. I am also a member of the Society of Children Book Writers & Illustrators, so I’ll be sure to post any writing events and conferences they host that I think you might be interested in! I will also post some writing prompts for those of you who are “blocked” or procastinating on your projects!

– TUNATHURSDAYS: Self-indulent pics of my three cats, Oreo, Beethoven, and Charlotte because I’m such a Crazy Cat Lady. LOL! :)

– FOODIE FRIDAYS: I am a HUGE foodie fanatic. I love to cook and I love to eat! And I am addicted to The Food Network and The Cooking Channel. :) So I will post fun foodie blogs on Friday plus interviews with foodie bloggers.

So please stay tuned for this new blog schedule starting next week on MONDAY MAY 23, 2011. Until then, Happy Writing! WRITE LIKE YOU MEAN IT! :)

May 14, 2011

Music gigs, writing deadlines, and kittens, oh my!

Filed under: Writing — Tags: , , , — paulayoo @ 12:22 pm

My band, the Great Deceivers, is a King Crimson tribute band! (http://myspace.com/tgdkingcrimson)

(EDITED SUNDAY MAY 15, 2011 AT 11:30 AM: MY KING CRIMSON GREAT DECEIVERS GIG TODAY HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS. STAY TUNED FOR FUTURE RESCHEDULED DATE. THANKS! — Paula)

Well, hello! I’m still recovering from a successful – but exhausting – 3rd annual National Picture Book Writing Week (aka “NaPiBoWriWee”) at my secondary blog (http://paulayoo.com/napi). In addition, I had a lot of last minute work deadlines at my job as producer on EUREKA on SyFy, rehearsals for a gig this Sunday with my band The Great Deceivers, AND I had a kitten emergency! Oh noes!

(Keep reading after the jump for this week’s updates and news… and NOTE: For those of you who signed up to comment on my NaPiBoWriWee blog at http://paulayoo.com/napi – if you want to post a comment on this blog, you have to register a separate account. Sorry for the inconvenience!)

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May 3, 2011

Watch This Space… :)

Filed under: Writing — Tags: , — paulayoo @ 10:31 pm

L-R: Beethoven, Oreo, and Charlotte wait patiently for my next blog!

Hi! I wanted to update everyone on this blog site… I’ll be on a brief hiatus from May 1-7, 2011 at THIS blog - http://paulayoo.com/blog – because I’m blogging like crazy at the other site – http://paulayoo.com/napi – for the third annual National Picture Book Writing Week, aka “NaPiBoWriWee.”

National Picture Book Writing Week - NaPiBoWriWee - 2011!

For those of you unfamiliar with NaPiBoWriWee, it’s a fun event I started in 2009 where I challenge both aspiring and published children’s book writers to write 7 picture books in 7 days. I had started this as a lark in 2009 to inspire myself to stop procrastinating on some picture book ideas I had ignored for several months. The event went viral and today hundreds of aspiring and published children’s book writers band together every year from May 1-7 to try and write 7 picture books in a week. It’s a fun yet crazy event.

So at my other blog – http://paulayoo.com/napi – I am posting a daily Good Morning blog (9 AM PST), a Guest Author interview blog (12 PM PST), and a Bedtime Blog (10 PM PST) from May 1st to May 8th.

So I won’t be blogging at my MAIN blog – http://paulayoo.com/blog – until NaPiBoWriWee ends.

Until then, please check out the “NaPiBoWriWee” blog link on my website for my daily blogs and follow me on Twitter @paulayoo.

I’ll be back blogging regularly HERE once NaPiBoWriWee ends. So stay tuned and until then, Happy Writing! WRITE LIKE YOU MEAN IT! :)

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Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story
Good Enough
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
Books by Paula Yoo