6 Totally Kickass Female Authors

Today is Women's Equality Day, so let's rightfully celebrate some of the most badass female authors to ever take pen to paper.

Mary Shelley 

The author of one of my favorite novels of all time, Mary Shelley was a pioneer in her time. Her mother was Mary Wollstonecraft, the author of The Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) and is often considered to be the first feminist. Her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, was one of the major English Romantic poets, but Mary totally overshadowed him by writing Frankenstein. She started writing the novel when she was just 19 years old. When I was 19, my greatest accomplishment was marathoning all of The Office in a week. 

Her novel influenced popular culture for at least a hundred years, with several adaptations of Frankenstein such as Tim Burton's Frankenweenie, and the newest adaptation coming to theaters, Victor Frankenstein. It's said that the plot for Frankenstein came to Mary in a dream about a scientist who created a monster, and Shelley is normally credited as writing the very first science fiction novel, so you're welcome Doctor Who fans. 

Gillian Flynn

I wanted to shake it up a little bit with this list because there are just so many worthy women authors from every generation, and Gillian Flynn is one of those ladies. She wrote the uber popular Gone Girl, which tells the story of a crazed, yet brilliant wife who leads her husband on a wild goose chase that only ends in a straight terrifying way. 

Flynn began as an Entertainment Weekly reporter and TV critic before making her way into mystery novels, so she has the haunting ability to delve deep into the media aspect of Gone Girl and Dark Places. I've read both, and had to have a pillow right next to my face throughout the book, just so I could either scream or hide from how beautifully disgusting the writing is. 

Dark Places is officially gracing movie theaters! I personally cannot wait to see how the adaptation into movies goes for that complicated novel. Although I'm not a huge fan of Charlize Theron as the main character, the rest of the cast looks perfect. 

Toni Morrison

This talented woman came into my life in the form of a college literature class. We were assigned to read Beloved, one of her classics. I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but by the end of the book, I was crying. Morrison's ability to strike deep into the hearts of her readers is flawless. Her characters are broken, damaged and gorgeous. 

Morrison herself is a force to be reckoned with. She was the first African-American woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize in Literature in 1993, and attended Cornell University for her Masters. In 1988, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Beloved. 

Anne Rice

I've always been a fangirl of Rice's work, so it's obvious that I would add her to my list of favorite women authors. Ann Rice has written so many powerful novels in the fantasy world. In my humble opinion, she dominates the vampire genre. When I think of vampires, Twilight certainly doesn't come to mind. The Vampire Lestat does though. 

I have a personal love for Rice's work because she actually attended the same college as me, San Francisco State University. Even better, the first publication of Interview with the Vampire was published in SFSU's Fourteen Hills, one of the literary magazines on campus. 

J.K. Rowling

Where do I even start with this magical woman? She started from the bottom and now look where she is. Her story is truly one of inspiration and dedication to the craft of writing. Sometimes it still blows my mind that an entire universe was just hanging out in her mind. Not only is she one of the reasons I truly believe in the magic of writing, she gave so much love to gingers. Weasley family, represent. 

Maya Angelou 

This graceful woman has some of the most quoted, and most lyrical, poetry ever written. She also had quite the wild life. Her real name was Marguerite Johnson. After divorcing her first husband in 1954, she started a nightclub career in San Francisco and dropped her birth name, taking on the name Maya Angelou. Get it, girl. 

She had a rough journey in life, being sexually abused at just eight years old by her mother's boyfriend. The man was arrested, but only spent one day in jail for his crime. Four days after his release, he was found dead. It's rumored that Angelou's uncle sought revenge. 

Angelou went on to drop out of high school in order to work and become San Francisco's first African-American cable car conductor. She later went back to high school and graduated while pregnant. She partnered with Malcolm X in 1964 at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, and helped expand his Organization of Agro-American Unity, moved back to Africa to discover her roots, and was a Calypso singer and dancer. She also wrote Hallmark greeting cards and cookbooks. To put it shortly, she got shit done. Angelou's life story has always been incredibly inspiring to me. She put her full self out into the world, and didn't really care if you liked it or not. 

Well, those are my six totally kickass female authors! Believe me, I know there are so, so many more beautiful book babes that could be on this list, but that would be the longest blog post known to women. Who are your favorite female authors?

5 Elegant Elephants From Your Childhood

Today is World Elephant Day, and what better way to celebrate than to remember all the priceless elephants from our childhood? Whether it be from a book, or a movie, there are so many adorable pachyderms to choose from.

Babar

Who didn't LOVE Babar?! This fictional elephant prince was created by a French children's book author, Jean de Brunhoff, in 1931, and I'll admit, this is the way I'll always remember elephants as a child. Brunhoff wrote about them with such beauty and grace. The actual story of Babar is quite tragic. His mother is shot by a hunter and he flees the jungle only to find himself in the big city. That's when he is befriended by The Old Lady, and the adventures only grow from there. He later goes on to be King of the Elephants and marries his second cousin, Celeste. They're elephants, guys. 

Horton

We know him. we love him. It's Horton, from Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss. Written by Dr. Seuss in 1954, it tells the story of Horton, an honest and overly eager elephant who suddenly hears a small speck of dust speaking to him, Turns out the small speck of dust isn't dust at all, it's a tiny little town called Whoville, and the Mayor of Whoville is the one talking to him. The Mayor asks Horton to protect them from harm, and Horton gladly does so, saying "a person's a person, no matter how small." I always adored Horton's character for his passion and acceptance of his new friends without even being able to see them. This is such a classic, and if you haven't read it, I don't think we can be friends. Kidding, just read it. 

Tantor

Although Tantor is originally from the novel Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs, I'm going to talk about the movie Tantor, because this elephant was my entire childhood. Tantor is technically a generic name for elephants in the fictional language of the great apes in the novel Tarzan. In the book, as well as the movie, this particular Tantor befriends Tarzan in his youth. The neurotic pachyderm spoke to me as a small child, with scenes of him dipping his toe in the water and asking his mom if it was sanitary. This elephant is me as a 24-year-old. Once Tantor grows up, he doesn't quite realize he is a gigantic elephant, which just makes him even better. He lets Terk step all over him, but when Tarzan is in danger, he gets shit done. 

Dumbo

This annoyingly cute elephant is the main character of the Disney movie Dumbo that came out in 1941. The poor guy was born with crazy big ears, and constantly gets picked on because of it. Too bad he can fly. This story tells the always awesome message to kids that it's okay to be different. Good work, Disney. 

Heffalumps

I don't know about you guys, but when I think of elephants, I go straight to heffalumps and woozels. That's normal right? These critters are part of Tigger's stories, which eventually turned into shape-shifting elephant-goblin hybrids that haunted Winnie the Pooh's dreams. Fun stuff. They're super weird and a little bit creepy, but I get real nostalgic when I see them. The cartoon drawings of heffalumps are similar to the Pink Elephants on Parade from Dumbo. 

Those are some of my favorite elephants from literature and movies! What are your favorites? 

What I've Learned in My 20's So Far

It's been awhile since I've posted anything, so I figured I would do something more personal. I've been wanting to do another book review, but I can't seem to get far enough into my current book. Isn't that the worst? Nothing makes me more annoyed.

Since moving out of my mom's house this past April and being thrust directly into the belly of the beast that is adulthood, I've realized I have some wisdom to share. Just in case any of you guys needed some help straightening up the chaos of your lives. Because I'm so put together, HA. Alright, alright, let's get to the nitty gritty.

Now, this is something I've really had to work on. Merely a few years ago, I would not have considered myself a very compassionate person. However, it was getting laid off from my previous job that forced me to realize my life could use a little more sensitivity. At my previous job, I was laid off when I was just starting to feel really confident about my abilities in my position, so it was a real punch in the gut for me. When my bosses brought me in to do the deed, there were some tears, on both sides, and at the time I was only really able to see things from my own perspective. I was really devastated and freaked out about not having a job anymore.

It wasn't until I had a new job that I looked back on the meeting and realized something. I now feel more compassion towards my previous bosses because, let's face it, that's not something people enjoy doing. Also, the company as a whole was experiencing money issues, so it only got worse after I was gone, so it was a blessing in disguise, really. But there was a moment towards the end of the meeting where one of my bosses said, "I'm really so sorry, this is really unfair." And it was then that I thought, I feel for her. Not only did bringing some compassionate for others give me some peace of mind about the whole situation, it forced me to grow into a more sensitive human being. 

I cannot stress this enough. There have been several times, in the career of being in my 20's, that I've based my self-worth on others. If he likes me, then I'll like me better, or if he doesn't text me back, then obviously I'm not good enough. This is a common thing that girls do, and it's just wrong. Yes, I completely understand that texting can be a frustrating, pulling-out-your-hair kind of ordeal, but it doesn't have to tear down your self-worth. When it comes to feeling confident in yourself, it's not something that comes easily, but it's definitely worth the wait. Fall in love with yourself, and don't let anyone tell you you're not good enough. Ever. 

This is something I've learned much more recently. I'm referring to the dating world, boys and girls. Playing games is just a general annoyance of the dating world these days, and quite frankly, I'm not a fan. I never really have been. If you genuinely enjoy another person's company, i.e. their personality, humor, and yes even their looks, then SHOW THEM. It's all fun and dandy to text flirty things to each other, but what's the point when you could possibly have no clue where it's leading? If you know it's just something for fun, that's perfectly fine. At least you are aware of where you stand. There is absolutely nothing wrong with just having a good time until the right person shows up. Mr. Right Now could have a really sexy beard, or a hilariously convincing Sean Connery impression. If you know yourself well enough, and know you won't get too attached, then go for it. I can be a person that gets super attached to people, but I have to feel like it's genuine and goes both ways. So having fun is fine, until Mr. Right takes my hand and pulls me away from the rest of the crowd. That's my image of dating currently, could be wrong. Could be irrational. Who knows. 

This one was tough for me. A few months back, I had a really bad argument with my parents over money, which is just the worst thing to have to talk about with your parents. I won't get into details, but the whole thing really forced me to realize that I still have some growing up to do in the financial category, i.e. getting my own separate bank account, and I needed to realize my parents aren't always going to have the answers. Lastly, I've very much learned that it's crucial to pick your battles. Some things are not worth getting upset over. 

No, I don't have all the money in the world, but yes, it's okay to treat yourself every once in awhile. When the world feels like it's stabbing you in the back, it's perfectly acceptable to go to your favorite bookstore and buy a book, just for you. Or, buy that tote bag you've been eyeing online. It makes you feel a little better, and you can afford it, so go for it. Plus, there are plenty of other ways to treat yourself that don't involve money. Take a walk around your neighborhood, or go on a hike with your dog. Whenever I'm feeling a little down, I like to take my dog, Gussie, on field trips. He's a whiner, but he loves it, and so do I. It's knowing that you are capable of making yourself happy that counts. 

Recently, I've come to realize who is really worth it in my life. Normally, I'm a very intense friend. I come off a little strong, but it's because I just enjoy being in people's lives. But, it has to be mutual. They need to enjoy being in mine, and that's the key element I've discovered lately. I've had some negative experiences where old, close friends have let me down and bailed on the friendship completely, and I tend to think it's something I've done. But, it's not. And that's a huge realization as well. It's not something I did, it's something they are dealing with. If they truly wanted to be in my life, they would be. It's as simple as that. 

When you know who's worth sticking around for, it will be so easy to have a real, genuine friendship. By sticking around, I mean being there for 2am boyfriend drama texts, family issues, venting about work, planning a girl's night out when one of your friends is feeling down. I've always loved being there for other people, and it's definitely an emotional, and wonderful, feeling when they are there for you back. 

Well, those are my nuggets of wisdom from my experiences as a 24 year old so far. I wonder what 25 will bring? I challenge Morgan & Gina to write a blog post telling what they have learned from being in their 20's so far. I know you haven't been in your 20's for very long Morgan, but still, it's a fun idea!