Which treats of YA authors sharing the Great and Awkward of their teenage years.
Today I’m delighted to have another guest post! Last week we saw C. J. Omololu, goth-girl pioneer, on the cusp of becoming a bass guitarist. Sort of. This week I give you the sweet and sassy Brodi Ashton. She is a fellow Upstart Crow, and Ted person. Her blog is a must-read–so funny–and surely gives a taste of the wit in her books, which are paranormal YA. And speaking of paranormal….
Here’s what Brodi has to say about getting ready for a dance her sophomore year:
Mama always told me, “Brodi, honey, if you wanna catch yourself a great man, you gotta make a great entrance.” Just kidding. She never said anything like that. But that’s what this picture makes me think.
Here, my friend Cherie (in the black) and I are practicing our graceful “walk down the stairs” and nothing says class at these moments like a chandelier with plastic garland hanging off of it. As for my hair, lemme explain.
In my day:
- You could never have enough bangs.
- If your bangs could move of their own volition, you didn’t put enough hairspray on them.
- Puffy sleeves were in. I swear!
Up close, you can see the detail on my Victorian Frock. I can imagine my mom seeing it in the store, and thinking to herself, “With that neck so high and tight, and that hem that hits her ankles, it’s practically it’s own chastity belt. No boy will want her after this.”
In case you’re curious, yes, I did peg my hems. I could peg anything in those days.
Frankly, Brodi, I’m glad our moms didn’t shop together. However, I think we shared the same hairspray fairy back then. And, despite all this, you are still cute as a button. Thanks so much for participating this Sunday! (I will see you on the Scrabble board, lady.)
And remember, if you are a YA author and want to do a guest post here at Sparks and Butterflies (And how could you not?), please contact me at jody.mugele(at)gmail.com. It’s more fun than church.
Jody Sparks Mugele 
My mom convinced me to wear the dress by telling me I’d look like Anne of Green Gables. If Anne had been transported to the 1990’s, I’m convinced she’d never wear a dress like that.
Thanks for the opportunity to do the guest post!
There are few things hotter than big hair and puffy sleeves. Those are styles that hopefully will make a big comeback. And fwiw, Brodi could still pull it off.
Um, that was my husband in the above comment. I don’t know why my picture is showing up under his name. Weird.
Hi Sam.Thanks for stopping by. I hope that when I meet you and Brodi, you will both be wearing big hair and puffy sleeves. We can all go see Karate Kid together. Berk will wear big hair and puffy sleeves too, and I will bring my husband the ER doc so that he can stitch us up when the cobras beat us up. Unless you’re friends with Jackie Chan…in which case, please bring him along. This comment is officially out of hand now. I’m done.
Brodi, you rock the puff sleeves.
Emily-you should be next for self-deprecating Sunday. You’d rock it!
Hi Emily, I don’t know you, but I definitely agree that you should guest post! Thanks for visiting.
Oh my, I remember the big hair. I couldn’t do the bangs, but I was rocking the perm! Nothing said hot than fried, straw-like hair in an unnatural kinky curl that started an inch or three from your scalp!
I think all mothers purposely pick outfits that keep their daughters from being admired…even when they thought they were picking “very becoming” outfits. I celebrated the day when my mom stopped buying me clothes (I think she finally realized they never left the closet).
That hair that resembles hay is so hawtt!!
yes, just what did they think we were becoming, anyway????
Lemme guess, Brodi . . . Jessica McClintock? Only you could pull that off and still look cute.
It wasn’t Jessica McClintock, although I loved her dresses. My mother never let me buy them. They were too revealing, because you could see my elbows.
Brodi, my offer is still available to give you a gravatar. I’ll even not use Smokie. 🙂
I also had bangs like yours. But, I did the half up and half down thing, so I also looked very cowgirl-ish. This was strange because I was never a cowgirl nor was I into country music. Those were the days.
Hopefully, with this 80s comeback that’s happening, some of the more horrid styles will stay back in the 80s/early 90s.
Jenni- Can you make me a gravatar with just my regular picture? Or does “gravatar” mean you have to have something cool, like a cartoon pic?
I don’t think gravatar has a specific meaning. I think you’re regular picture would be great since you’re trying to be professional an all. 🙂 Do you want to e-mail me the picture you want to use? Also, let me know the e-mail address you want linked with it, so I can set you up.
I had perms every year (yeah, they’re supposed to be every six months at least) from elementary school until I left on my mission. Had bangs from elementary school(joined a children’s singing group which had a very strong hair-code) through junior high, when I finally figured out how to grow them out. I’m still resisting cutting any more. When I had the bangs, though, my favorite was the wave. You know, where the more your hair looks like you can surf on it, the better? In land-locked Utah, it made us feel close to the ocean. I guess.
As for the dress, well, I didn’t go to fancy dances. I was awfully unpopular. *snif* Not sure at this point if that’s a blessing or a sad, tragic tale.
Jody–cool blog! Can you define “YA author” for me? Though I’m not sure if it’s more fun than church (I teach Gospel Doctrine, so I MAKE it fun! 🙂 ), you’ve sold me on guest blogging. If only I could qualify. I’ve written over 27,000 words in a YA novel. Does that count?? :):) (I’m kidding–I personally would at least require an agent!)
Robin- I used to try to do the Farrah Fawcett waves, but they ended up looking like sticky hair wings above my ears. Why did we think that was cool?
Worse–what are we doing RIGHT NOW that will be mocked later?
We’re trying to do highlights in our own hair, and turning it orange. At least, that’s what I’m doing RIGHT NOW that will be mocked RIGHT NOW.
Thanks Robin! You are totally a YA author! No agent required. Now, email me a photo of those Utah hair waves! I’d dig it!
Brodi, you’re frickin’ hilarious 😉
Thanks for stopping by, L.T.
nice Brodi.
I knew a girl in my third grade class who got a perm like that. she lives in provo now.
Lily- So, the only conclusion we can draw is this: bad perms lead to living in Provo. Thanks for commenting.
Thanks for having me Jody!
I love the practice down the stairs. By all means you wouldn’t want to go bounding down those steps and trip and fall at your dates feet. Embarrassing! Love the flashback photo.
Even more embarrassing is the fact that it was girl’s choice, and so we were leaving my house to pick up our dates. We were practicing going down the stairs and straight out to the car!
See what we’re doing here is offering hope to high-schoolers everywhere: it doesn’t matter what you wear or how stiff your bangs may be, the boys will still date you!!! (But you may have to take *your* car.)