Empowering Women - Emma Watson

Welcome to my second new feature for 2017! This one won't be for everyone, but I felt strongly that I should do this. I am highlighting 12 women and discussing the amazing things they do. They are celebrities, but they are empowering!

INTRODUCTION

Feminism - advocating social, political, legal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men.

Unlike popular belief, feminist do not hate men. In fact, we love them! We just want women to have same rights as men. We want to be (treated) equal and have equal opportunities in all things. 

Men, if you want your wives, daughters, and granddaughters to have the same rights as men, then you are indeed a feminist.

Emma Watson is shining light on this issue in the hopes of real change. I am doing my part by discussing one empowering woman a month.

EMMA WATSON

Emma came onto the scene as the legendary Hermione Granger in all of the Harry Potter movies. It’s pretty fitting that she had this role because Hermione was a feminist. She didn’t care what people thought of her or her smarts. She defended the weak and stood up for what was right. Hermione tried to calm Professor Lupin when he turned into a werewolf, she yelled for Professor Moody to stop when Neville was affected by the curse hurting the spider, and she even punched Draco Malfoy!

“Young girls are told you have to be delicate princesses. Hermione taught them that you can be the warrior.” - Emma

Later, Emma played Sam in the Parks of Being a Wallflower and Ila in Noah. In Noah, she sings to her newborn twin girls because she doesn't want them to die crying. It was a moving scene. Her portrayal was flawless. I always thought she deserved an award for it.

But those are characters. In real life, Emma fights for women and the Earth. She was the face for People Tree (eco-friendly clothing) and wears eco-friendly clothing all the time.

Emma is also a U.N. Ambassador, using her celebrity status to spread the word about HeforShe. In 2014, she spoke to the United Nations and gave a stunning speech about the impact this has had on girls and the importance of equal rights for all.

“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do or achieve. Do what you want to do and be who you want to be. Just encourage and include each other. Don’t ostracize the gender in front of you.”

Last year, she even started a group on Goodreads called “Our Shared Shelf.” Do you see the equality in that title? OUR. Isn’t it beautiful? This group reads one book a month under the feminism theme and discusses them. Some of the books were My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, and How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran.

I encourage everyone to watch the video above, listen to Emma’s words, and check out those books to see if you might be interested in reading them. The important thing is to keep an open mind.

QUESTION: Have you seen Noah or read any of the books I mentioned?

Inspiring Song:

Harry Potter Wand Art Project + You.I.Us Blog Tour

You. I. Us. is a collection of vignettes, small scenes which hint at the story beneath. Annalisa Crawford has taken that idea to another level, because she asked 15 bloggers to ask her one question each, creating small insights into her life and writing.

MY QUESTION: If you could be any Harry Potter character (good or bad), who would you be and why?

ANNALISA'S ANSWER: When I first saw your question, Chrys, I knew my answer straight away!

I would be Luna Lovegood.

She’s weird, and everyone gives her a wide berth to begin with, but she—like so many of the other minor characters—steps up when needed and proves her true worth. She has the strength to be herself no matter what everyone else says, and to stick to her beliefs. Over time, the other characters come to appreciate her for who she is.

I think that’s such a great lesson to teach kids, and adults to some extent. I was never that popular at school, but I learned to embrace who I was.

You. I. Us.

Publication date: June 10, 2016

Genre: Short Stories (Single Author)

Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Book Depository // Kobo // iBooks // Nook

In You. I. Us., Annalisa Crawford captures everyday people during  poignant defining moments in their lives: An artist puts his heart into his latest sketch, an elderly couple endures scrutiny by a fellow diner, an ex-student attempts to make amends with a girl she bullied at school, a teenager holds vigil at his friend’s hospital bedside, long distance lovers promise complete devotion, a broken-hearted widow stares into the sea from the edge of a cliff where her husband died, a grieving son contacts the only person he can rely on in a moment of crisis, a group of middle-aged friends inspire each other to live remarkable lives.

Day after day, we make the same choices. But after reading You. I. Us., you’ll ask yourself, “What if we didn’t?”

About the Author:

Annalisa Crawford lives in Cornwall UK, with a good supply of moorland and beaches to keep her inspired. She lives with her husband, two sons, a dog and a cat. Annalisa writes dark contemporary, character-driven stories. She has been winning competitions and publishing short stories in small press journals for many years, and is the author of Cat & The Dreamer and Our Beautiful Child. www.annalisacrawford.com

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Harry Potter Wand Project

By Chrys Fey

During winter break I watched the Harry Potter movies with my nephews for the first time, and they became so crazy in love with the world of Harry Potter that they wanted to play with wands and run around outside shouting spells at each other. Being the cool, clever, child-at-heart auntie that I am, I created a fun art project so we could all play together like real wizards. 

What You Need:

-       A smooth stick

-       Kid-safe paint

-       Paint brushes

-       Glitter

-       Fabric

-       Feathers (not necessary)

-       Elmer’s Glue

-       Newspaper

My youngest nephew's wand is the blue one. Mine is in the middle.
And the black one with the feather is my oldest nephew's wand.

Instructions:

1. Hunt along the side of the road, near the woods, or in your backyard for smooth sticks that are about a foot long. Clean the sticks and lay down newspaper on the surface you want to use.

2. Let the kids paint one side of their stick. Once it’s dried, turn it over, and have them paint the other side. Unless you have a stand so they can paint all around it at once.

3. Paint glue around the tip of the stick, about two inches, and sprinkle it with glitter. This is the magic coming out of their wand. ;)

4. Put glue on the opposite end and fix a piece of fabric around the stick to create a handle. If the fabric is long and wraps around a few times, you’ll need to add more glue. This piece of fabric is mostly for comfort.

5. You can add feathers to the end of the wand where the fabric handle is, or any other decoration you want, such as ribbons.

Our Harry Potter Game:

-          Decide who will be bad and who will be good. There’s usually one bad one among the three of us.  Pick names. I’m Hermione when I’m good, and Bellatrix LeStrange when I’m bad.

-          For a list of spells go to HarryPotter.wikia.com

-          Have the bad witch or wizard count to ten while the good witches/wizards run and hide.

-          For certain spells, create rules. Ex: If someone yells “Expelliarmus,” which is the disarming spell, you have to toss your wand to the ground.

-          If someone says "Reducto," you have to pause for about five seconds (dazed or wounded) before you can start running again.

-          If someone says the killing spell before you can say a spell, you’re done. LOL

Now go out and have fun! This is surprisingly great cardio.

Reader Interview with Kerri Lynn

I have a special reader interview for today. :) I've known Kerri Lynn for MANY years, and since she's the the most-read out of all my friends (outside the blogosphere), I knew I had to ask her to participate in this new feature. If you enjoy reading YA books, and write them, you'll gain a lot from her answers.

1. Who is your favorite author and why?

J.K Rowling is my favorite author. I started reading Harry Potter in 6th grade. I thank her and the series for getting me into reading. I'm sure I would have picked up a few books here and there when I got a little older but nothing like I am now. It opened me up to other authors and series that are like hers.

Kerri Lynn's Photo

2. What book can you read over and over again?

I can read the 50 Shades of Grey series over and over again. I love the idea of getting swept off your feet and brought into a very different world that you are not used to or don't even know exists. I feel like sometimes you have to be put into those situations to find out who you are.

3. Do you judge a book by its cover?

I actually don't judge a book by its cover. I read up a lot of books, and what I would be interested in. I do have to say if I am in Barnes & Noble and see a book with a vibrant and colorful artwork on it, I will pick it up and look at it. For example, the Shatter Me series (by Tahereh Mafi) got my attention and I didn't even know what it was about. 

Image Source

4. Who is your favorite fictional character?

I am really attracted to a strong female lead. Tris in the Divergent series (by Veronica Roth) is a great example. She gives up her life for the greater good of her family, friends, and even neighbors. She doesn't think twice of whether it should be done or not, she is brave and I admire that.

5. Which author do you have a love/hate relationship with?

I have to say the Maze Runner series (by James Dashner). I absolutely loved the books but there were some points where I just couldn't quite understand it. Who was bad, who was good? Ugh so frustrating when you don't know what's going on.

Kerri Lynn's Photo

6. Growing up, what was your favorite children’s book?

The only children's books I remember reading were the Berenstain Bears.

7. Currently, what is your favorite book or series?

I am reading the Vampire Academy series (by Richelle Mead).

8. What would you like to know about the authors you enjoy reading the most?

How they are inspired by to write what they write. For example Gone Girl (by Gillian Flynn) was such a twisted book/movie that it makes me wonder how they create these stories that they write.

Hyper Round:

1. Ebooks or Print books? Print books forever and ever.

2. Movie Adaptations: Yay or Nay? Yes, always curious.

3. Favorite reading spot? Snuggled up in bed.

4. Favorite reading snack? Wine

Kerri Lynn's Photo

Reader Bio: Kerri Lynn is a book lover and cake decorator. She lives in Florida with her husband and their golden retriever, Dolce.

QUESTIONS: What do you think of the Shatter Me cover? Does anyone else have a love/hate relationship with the Maze Runner series?

VOTE: How many Harry Potter fans are here? What about 50 Shades of Grey fans? 

Let's see which series wins!