Amanda Hocking

When I was an avid Myspace blogger (and before that, an avid Xanga blogger), my titles were always song lyrics. I missed that, so I’m bringing it back. (Today’s lyrics are from People In Planes “If You Talk Too Much.”)

I was just now reading my old Myspace blogs from January of 2009, and I found some interesting facts that pertain to My Blood Approves. Here they are: 

“If you’re wondering what said book is about, I will tell you this: I wrote a book about my favorite things. So here a list of things that are directly referenced or vaguely based on:

-Minneapolis (it’s like magic to me)
–my grandma (she’s pretty fancy)
-Heath Ledger (is subtly referenced about a million times)
-turrets (not tourette’s)
-fancy, fancy cars (I could’ve written a book on just them)
-Laundromats (there’s just something about them)
–Mystery Science Theater 3000 (take it)
–The Lost Boys (twice)
-gay people (they are my people)
-e e cummings (his blood approves)
-big dogs (once tragically… we’ll see how that goes)
–Cherry & Spoonbridge (it’s iconic)
-Mark Hoppus (he’s my muse, right?)
-and lots more!

Also, fun fact: All the characters are named after people, mostly other fictional characters filled with whimsy. Alice (Alice in Wonderland), Peter (Peter Pan), Jack (Jack from the hit film Legend), Milo (Milo & Otis), Mae (my grandma – Patricia May), and Ezra (Ezra Pound). I wanted the book to have a modern fairy tale-ness to it. I don’t think it is. I think it has a… me feel to it, tho. “

All the stuff is true. But I’d like to point out two things: Alice and Jane are also named after Natalie Portman’s character in Closer, and Ezra Pound is not whimsical. I like some of his poetry, but I’m pretty sure he’s antisemitic. And if there’s one thing I know for sure about antisemitism, its that’s not filled with whimsy.