So, what's all this talk about splitting up California into three states? I may sound like some crazy conspiracy theorist here, but we're SURE it's not really a scheme to decrease the amount of sway Democrats hold in federal elections? California holds more electoral votes than any other state due to its population, and has also gone Democratic in every presidential election since 1992. The states would be divided in such a way that much of rural California, the Inland Empire, and Orange County would constitute its own state and be the 4th most populous state in the U.S: larger than the other two proposed states. A quick glance at a California political map by county would reveal that rural California, the Inland Empire, and Orange County generally lean Republican. Possibly an attempt to give those areas more sway? I know, I sound a little crazy. Tim Draper (a billionaire who claims to have collected over 600,000 signatures for getting this proposal on the 2018 ballot) has been trying to get California divided into several states for several years now...

New Blog

I will now be posting book and writing-related things on my new blog, Inkling! However, I will continue to post here about non-literary topics. You can check out my new blog at wannabeinkling.blogspot.com!

We Need Change Now

Another school shooting has happened in Parkland, Florida. 17 people were killed (and the numbers are only going up) and over 30 more injured, but sitting and doing nothing won't change anything. When will this senseless violence end if we don't act? We need change now, and that means doing more than we're doing now. It means doing more than our government is doing now. It means doing more to prevent someone from being able to walk into a school with a gun. It means that more people need to stand up and speak their minds, like Emma Gonzalez did the other day. No matter how young or old you are, the call for change is one that anyone can shout, even though many refuse to hear it. You may not agree with me about gun control, but this isn't only about gun control. It's about speaking out, to "be the change you wish to see in the world," as Gandhi said. Another wise person said, "The pen is mightier than the sword." You could also say that words are mightier than the gun, and you would be right as well. For those of you who have already started doing something, I congratulate you. For those of you who haven't, please do now. A million small shouts can make a deafening noise. #neveragain 

Here's a link to the world's oddest fan fiction. It's Harry Potter-themed, and it's written by a computer:

Four Pages of Weirdness: A Novel Chapter By A Computer

Signs That You're A Total Nerd (don't be offended, I've got most of them!)

1: You counted down the days to the release of The Last Jedi.

2: You get totally bummed out when the movie ends because you have to wait two years to find out what happens next.

3: You know the names of a bunch of Star Wars (and Harry Potter) actors. (Sure, you know who was Luke Skywalker, but who was Rey? Kylo Ren? Finn?...well, you get the idea.)

4: You get excited to find out that a Star Wars/Harry Potter actor/actress will be in some other movie, even if you don't plan to see that movie. Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts' Newt Scamander) is in some stop-motion kid's movie that's coming out soon (he really is, by the way) , and you think that's cool.

5: You dream of getting the autograph of some awesome actor (Harrison Ford for me).

6: You/someone who looks up to you says that their favorite superhero is Rey.

7: You're so upset that you've already read the Harry Potter series (what will you read now?)

8: You thought that the Star Wars prequel trilogy/Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was actually at least halfway decent.

9: You freak out when you hear they're building a Star Wars-themed hotel, or that they've created a Star Wars virtual reality experience.

10: You're constantly referencing Star Wars/Star Trek/Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings/Indiana Jones/whatever your movie or book obsession is (everybody has at least one!)

In this year's presidential election, the best argument people have for the candidate they support is "at least he/she is better than (insert other main candidate's name here)!" 

#realDonaldDuck