Whitney Boyd's Blog

I have really enjoyed How I Met Your Mother. I shed tears with Lily and Marshall as they experienced life as new parents, held out high hopes for Ted's future with awesome girls like Victoria, loved Barney's ridiculous antics and catchphrases and always looked forward to Robin Sparkles and the over-the-top Canada stereotypes. And when they finally cast the 'Mother', I loved her immediately. She was exactly the sweet, quirky, compassionate and beautiful woman I had imagined her to be... you know, the kind of girl you can become best friends with.

And through it all, I enjoyed seeing the characters grow. Marshall and Lily grew to respect and appreciate each other no matter what. Barney grew into a decent human being. And Ted and Robin grew up enough to see how toxic they really were for each other. That was possibly the only thing that got annoying with the show... the constant Robin/Ted circle, where they fell in and out of love until finally Robin realized that Barney was so much better for her than Ted was. And Ted realized that too. That right there is growth.
SPOILER ALERT.... if you haven't seen the series finale, stop here!

But then they had to ruin all that.

Robin and Barney got divorced. After a season long wedding, they got divorced. And Ted found his soul mate (named Tracy!) and they had two kids... and then she died. Ted and Tracy had a beautiful life together, they were best friends and bam. Dead.  And the whole story of how Ted met her ended up with him telling his kids in order to get their permission to ask out 'Aunt Robin'.

Sigh.

If this had happened a few seasons ago, before Ted and Robin legitimately moved on from one another, before Barney and Robin were shown to be really perfect for each other after all, and before Ted met his soul mate who treated him so well, then it would have been fine. But the last two seasons specifically demonstrated why Ted and Robin were not suited. At this point, them ending up together didn't seem happy for anyone. It was...sad. And not just sad because Tracy the mother had died. Death is part of life and if that's what they needed to show, then fine. But Ted should not have ended up with someone who was always so selfish. Robin didn't want kids, she wanted the career and the travel. Robin didn't want Ted. They wanted very different things in life, at least the entire nine seasons they did.

Not only that, but it seemed kind of icky... Barney and Ted were friends. True, Ted dated Robin first, but dating someone's ex-girlfriend (with his eventual blessing) is different than dating someone's ex-wife. Especially when that someone is one of your closest friends. Barney loved Robin. It seems so wrong that Ted went back to her.

I know, I know, this was the plan all along.  Some people loved the ending, some people hated the mother, blah blah blah. We are all entitled to our own opinions, and I respect that. But for me, I wish the ending had been happier.

Any chance they can re-do it? Tell us it was an April Fool's joke?

No?

Fine.

Let's just call the whole thing How I Met Robin and be done with it.

What did you think of the finale? Was it a let down? Or did you cry tears of happiness over these fictional characters that have somehow become friends?

And for those of you who like a bit more sunshine and flowers in your love stories, check out my three YA romantic comedy novels.  In the Stars - the story of the one who got away and seeing just how far a girl will go to get him back.  Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It - Hollywood star falling for the one boy who doesn't have a clue who she is. And Iced Romance- where fame and escaping your life along with secrets and scandal makes for a fast paced adventure.

Have a great night, everyone!

Happy blisteringly cold spring day!

Seriously. Where is the warm weather that spring promises? Here's hoping it warms up for good pretty soon, because the boys and I are getting pretty sick of being stuck inside!

So in random news, a girl I went to high school with, Carissa Leigh, has begun a promising new country music career in Nashville! Her first single, Bad Boy, has just come out and it's a pretty catchy tune! Watch it from Youtube below:


Carissa looks great and she has a gorgeous voice, so I hope her single (and probably subsequent album) do well. Be sure to listen and spread the word to your country music loving friends!

It's funny how the whole bad boy theme is so prominent nowadays. One of my favourite shows is The Vampire Diaries and one of the main ideas in it is good brother vs bad brother... you know, should the main character end up with the good boy or the bad boy, that whole thing. They call their relationship "toxic" and yet they keep going back to each other. And it's not just this show. There are so many books and songs written about the bad boy and his allure and how girls try to change him and end up falling in love and changing themselves in the process.

Grease is one of those shows... another of my classic favs. The first time I watched it, though, I was so disappointed in Sandy for changing herself out of desperation when Danny was thisclose to changing for the better. And yet we see it in real life too. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, and yet time and time again the girl falls for the bad boy.

I get the magnetism of it... dashing, romantic, the whole "dark knight" thing going on. People compare it to Romeo and Juliet... and yet the thing you don't often realize is that Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy! Shakespeare himself wrote that right at the start... it's not romantic and beautiful... it's kind of sad!

My three YA romantic comedy novels deal with this theme, some in greater detail than others. My favourite of the three, In the Stars, deals with the main character trying to figure out her life, while dealing with this bad boy trap. What do you do when you know going forward will hurt and going back will hurt too? It's a fun book about finding out who you are inside, and you will laugh and love it! So check it out! And if Hollywood is more your speed, you'll love Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It , or Iced Romance , where fame and escaping your life along with secrets and scandal makes for a fast paced adventure.

In other news, yesterday an interview featuring yours truly went live on a writing and wellness website. The link to the website is here and I think you'll really enjoy both my guest feature and the website in general. Lots of tips to healthy living and ideas on writing and getting your books published and out there. Be sure to read it and let me know what you think! And thanks, Colleen, for thinking of me for this feature!

Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts on bad boys... do you fall for them? Do you get the allure of a "toxic relationship"? Or are they simply that... toxic?

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo

The hashtag #CanadaProud was seen a lot during the Olympics... at least around here it was. I think everyone in this country was proud. Proud of winning gold in men's and women's hockey (it's our game) and proud for being considerate and kind even in the midst of competition (like when the ski coach of our cross-country team gave the Russian athlete who broke his ski a replacement ski so he could ski to the finish). Now the games are over and our athletes are home and I'm still proud of my country.

Here are a few random things I've learned over the years that make me love this country even more. :)

1. We have 10% of the total world forest cover.

2. We have the only walled city in North America. Quebec City's historical district has even been made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

3. Our national parks are bigger than some countries.

4. Terry Fox is ours. Is there a more inspirational person than Terry Fox anywhere? I'd like to meet him if there is. The courage and strength it took him to run slash walk as far as he did... incredible.

5. Regina's temperature is -67 degrees Celsius with windchill today. And people somehow survive. Impressed.

6. Canada has the longest street in the world... Yonge Street. It runs almost 2,000 km!

7. The Hotel de Glace in Quebec is built every year (it melts every summer!). It is made of 400 tons of ice and 12,000 tons of snow. Check out pictures of it... it is stunning. (And definitely on my list of things I want to see one day).

8. Canada got it's name from an Iroquois word meaning "village". (Kanata)

9. Winnie The Pooh is Canadian. Kind of. Winnipeg, a bear, was brought to London in 1915 from Canada and there he was seen and loved by a little boy... whose father, AA Milne, wrote the beloved children stories about a bear named Winnie.

Anyway, I'm grateful to live here... even on freezing cold days like today. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. :) What made you proud of Canada during the Olympics? Or what random facts do you know about this country that you'd love to share? Sound off below!

xox

And... check out my women's fiction novels and support a local author! In the Stars , about a girl who, looking back at boyfriends past, decides to search for the one that got away.  Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It , the story of a celebrity caught up in Hollywood life.  Iced Romance , about a highly publicized scandal that sends Kennedy on the run... escaping to a brand new life while trying to hide from her past. 

Okay, I admit, the title of this blog is a little random. These two only have one thing (that I know of) in common... the fact that I am sitting here on a cold, snowy afternoon thinking about them. Let's break it down, shall we?

Justin Bieber... oh Justin. I liked him back a few years ago. I am not a teenage, giddy girl... I am more the Backstreet Boys generation, but I enjoyed his music when he first came out. I also liked that he was a Canadian, that his single mom was so supportive and loving toward him, that he supported other Canadian talent, like Carley Rae Jepson (who is awesome) and he seemed like a sweet kid.

Lately, that sweet kid has seemed a little less sweet. Drugs, partying, racing cars, monkeys that don't get through customs in Europe. It's been a while coming, but it looks like he's in a spiral. We see it so many times in Hollywood... the child star spin out of control, where they get too much, too fast, and it gets to their heads. And sometimes, like Drew Barrymore, they manage to pull themselves out and still keep their career together. Other times, however, they don't land on their feet. Right now I'm not really sure where Justin is going to end up. The news these past few weeks has shown him getting arrested, smirking in mug shots, taking zero accountability for his actions. Now there is a petition for the White House to deport this little Canuck and even though it won't happen, it shows how people are beginning to be fed up with these antics.
O Canada... my home and native land. But, AJ from the Backstreet Boys wants to help Justin. AJ has been there and is willing to offer his advice. (I admit he was my least favourite Boy but now he's moving up a couple spots with this reaching out.) It warms my frostbitten heart to see celebs trying to help those who are struggling, but does lead me to wonder if it ever helps? I know at times in my life when I've struggled, I usually don't enjoy getting unsolicited advice from people. On the other hand, knowing someone cares can go a lot farther than any words. Here's hoping that Justin figures everything out before he gets hurt.

It really does give one a lot to think about... the drive for fame and fortune, the price one pays for popularity. Lorde, the singer of 'Royals' has recently shot to stardom and, apparently, is bothered by it. She recently tweeted "i understand that people of note are supposedly fair game for everyone to photograph and film but that doesn't make it acceptable" (@lordemusic). I've written about this on here before... about celebrities who don't enjoy the celeb life. There is a price, even for this supposed 'perfect' life. If you find the subject interesting, you'd love the fictional novel Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It , so be sure and get your copy. 
[image error]I just want to be left alone with my music!!Moving on, I found a really cute Aussie artist on YouTube today.  I read something on Huffington Post about Lorde's song without auto-tune and was super intrigued but the video in the article wouldn't play on my phone. So I went to YouTube and instead found a parody of the song by Kimmi Smiles. Pretty cute song, girl's got a great voice and in her little interview at the end she seemed super nice. I peeked at her website and it looks like she only does cover songs, but they are very well done. Check her out!

I think that'a all on my mind right now. I've got a smiley baby giggling at me who smells suspiciously like a poopy diaper, so I better get going. Have a great day, everyone, and see you next time!

Cheers!

I started watching The Vampire Diaries a few months ago. I had just finished Gossip Girl on Netflix and loved it and when it was over, I was crushed. It was the perfect escape for afternoons when the boys were napping. Vampire Diaries was a suggestion that popped up on Netflix but I was hesitant to watch it. I am not a Twi-hard. I'm not a Twi-anything. I tolerated the Twilight books, hated the movies and am so sick of hearing about Edward and Bella and all them that I might become a Buffy and go slay me some vampires.

Anyway, one afternoon during the boys' nap, I was bored and decided to click on the show. And from that moment on, I was addicted. Here are a few of the reasons why:

The actors
There was not a single actor on the show that made me angry. A lot of shows have a token annoying actor... like Charley in Revolution  or Peter Florrick in The Good Wife... there is usually someone who is obviously miscast and they make their scenes teeth-gritting awful. But in TVD I genuinely appreciate all the actors. Some are smarmy and some are irritating, but it's because their characters are supposed to be that way (like John Gilbert). And then there are actors, like Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev and Kat Graham, who are just amazing. Have they been nominated for awards other that People's Choice? Because they should be. The actors are talented. Enough said.

[image error] I will eat your neck...(Oh, as a brief aside, I was reading an article where Ian Somerhalder mentioned that he gets a lot of marriage proposals due to TVD being so popular. Ha! That seriously made me laugh. Not because he's getting propositioned, because he is very good looking and talented, so of course women would go after him, but rather because it made me wonder... do women actually think if they propose to an actor signing autographs that he'll say yes? I mean, seriously. Makes you wonder about some people.)

The characters
Damon is one of the most fascinating characters I've seen in years. He is the older brother, a reluctant vampire at the start who was, essentially, forced to transition by his brother Stefan. And yet now he is the vampire who loves being a vampire. I don't know if love is the right word... he revels in it. But then, in the midst of him being a bloodthirsty (literally) creature, he has a heart... like when he compelled Jeremy to forget, or when he gave Rose a beautiful vision of her lost home as she died in his arms, or all the times he did the right thing by Elena, even when it hurt him to do so. Seeing this multi-layered character is probably my favourite aspect of the show... from him lying in the middle of the road at the start, in order to attack the car who stopped to help him, all the way to him risking everything to save his brother.
Stefan is another interesting character because he is so human (not literally). Another vampire but one who feels excruciating guilt about his past... until he can't take the pain anymore, switches it off and becomes the Ripper. I love his ability to go back and forth from saint to sinner... it makes him more real, more flawed and in his imperfection he tries to change and put that behind him again and again.

Nina Dobrev, the actress who plays Katherine and Elena, gets big props here, because the difference between Katherine and Elena is another huge reason to watch the show. Katherine is so spoiled and selfish, only thinking of herself, and Elena is the opposite. Their mannerisms, their tone of voice, even things like the way they walk or the smallest facial expression show how different they are despite looking identical. There hate-hate relationship is another great reason to watch and keep on watching.

Caroline is another favourite. I have a lot of favourites, but Caroline stands out because she is so good without being the perfect Elena-main-character girl. She can be annoying at times, or whiny at times, but her heart is in the right place and her positive attitude and bluntness is endearing.

The flashbacks
I enjoy a flashback well done. Some shows have flashbacks that either give away too much or not enough, or they seem corny and out of place. The flashbacks in this show are perfect. They add a new dimension to the characters and gives a broader picture without resorting to hand holding the audience. (As a side note, as much as I adore the flashbacks, it was apparently debated whether or not the show should even do them. Fascinating article to read if you're interested in some of the debates from the writer's room.)

The plot
OK, liking a plot seems kind of a given for liking a show, but seriously, this plot and all the twists and turns and new ideas and recurring characters and so forth make the show great. Just when one particular stream seems to have run dry of intrigue, a new one opens up. My husband started watching with me after season one, and he loved it too. The actors portray the events and emotions and the story moves along quickly and thoroughly. The mark of a good show is one that makes you think, keeps you guessing and yet also gives clues along the way. This show has it all.

There are probably a few other reasons I could list about why TVD is such a great show... but I'm out of time. But if you haven't watched it yet, I recommend it. Give it a try. You'll enjoy it. And if you watch it for the romance and love triangles (Stefan-Elena-Damon, Klaus-Caroline-Tyler etc), check out my women's fiction novels, all three available on Amazon... they have intrigue and heartbreak and I know you'll enjoy them.

Anyway, sound off below... what do you love about The Vampire Diaries. And... admit it... are you a Damon/Elena fan or do you prefer Stefan?

Have a great day all!

In the Stars , my third women's fiction novel, was released today! You can order it from Amazon or find it at a bookstore near you!

What's it about?

Charlotte ‘Charley’ Southard’s life has hit rock bottom. She is fired from her job at a top law firm in Calgary, she hasn’t had a lasting relationship in years and a recent incident with a declined credit card at the grocery store has just brought her over the edge.

Charley just knows that everything was better when she was with Drew, the popular football player she dated for two years back at university. All her troubles began when they broke up after graduation. So with the help of her best friends, Josh and Heather, Charley sets out to track down the old boyfriend from her past.

But what if Drew is married? What if he doesn’t remember her? And just how far will she have to go to find the love of her life? Not to mention, what if he’s not the Prince Charming she remembers?

In a fast trip to Victoria, British Columbia, Charley Southard discovers the truth about "the one that got away," along with realizing a few unexpected things about herself in the process.  It's a great book, getting awesome reviews so far and I really hope you read it and tell your friends! Here's what some people are saying: "I truly enjoyed this book and hope it does well. Whitney Boyd is a talented writer with a gift of making the unbelievable come to life. She has a confident style and you fall easily into her expert storytelling." - Amy Saia "This was the third book by Whitney Boyd I've read and it is my favourite! So funny, thoughtful and entertaining, it made me laugh out loud and at the end I even cried. This is a romantic comedy I would recommend to everyone! The one that got away is such a relevant theme... every woman out there needs to read this! " - DJK "I'm a huge fan of Boyd's writing. Her style is witty and fun, while possessing a smooth, seamless, quality. Essentially, melted Dove chocolate for the eyes. If you're looking for a fun, light read, that is well-written and laugh-out-loud funny, with a most heartwarming ending, then this is the chick-lit novel for you." - Julie Ford "Love this book!!!! The story was so relateable... fate and destiny and trying to correct the past. I liked how real Charley was, esoecially how she changed and grew. And I absolutely loved the ending. Beautiful and perfect!" - Wendy James Finally, just a small note about this. The kindle version was released a week ago but for some reason there was an issue with the format on Amazon and only about 2/3 of the book downloaded. Amazon has since fixed this problem, but anyone who read this book right when it came out would have found that it cut off abruptly. Please note that this issue is fixed and that Amazon has placed a corrected version on your kindle devices. Sorry for this inconvenience! So... spread the word! Tell a friend, buy a Christmas gift (it gets free shipping on Amazon!) and help me get the word out! Love you all!

I read the most inspiring article today, in a sad way. It was about an 86-year-old woman, Joy Johnson, who died the day after completing her 25th New York marathon. She started running when she was almost 60 and grew to love it. This final marathon she fell around mile 16 but got up and finished the race. The next day she had a nap and never woke up. Her daughter told the reporter in the article that her mom "went out happy. She couldn't have asked for more than that, except maybe a few more years."

How amazing! So many things about Joy Johnson speak to me... how she started running at age 60, a time when most people would never dream of starting a brand new hobby like that.... how she fell and then got back up again and finished another race.... how she died doing what she loved to do, no regrets, no lost time.

I hope all of us can live our lives to the fullest the way this woman did. Rest in peace, Joy Johnson.

It also made me stop and think about my own life. The proverbial "if today was your last day on earth" thing... what am I proud of? What would I do differently if I had but one day left?

And I thought about my bucket list... the things I still want to accomplish. Here are a few of them:
run a marathon (I've done 2 half marathons now, so obviously the next step is a full marathon. Now to get the courage to do it...)get my master's degree (working on my second bachelor's at the moment, but eventually I'll get there!)live in a Spanish speaking country for a while (I still want this so badly... I have my BA in Spanish and yet don't feel fluent simply because I've never lived abroad. I can read and write, but I want to speak fluent Spanish so badly...)paint a picture good enough to hang in my living room (I secretly am an artist... deep, deep down!)I've got more, but those are a few that I didn't mind sharing. :) What things do you want to check off your bucket list?

1. I hate that the bearded hippies have been booted off the Amazing Race. They were some of my favourite contestants in a while... funny, kind, in the race for the travel, laid-back and good-natured. It is a rare combination to have people who seem to genuinely love the experience of being in a race around the world. I don't think they ever mentioned the million-dollar prize money and with them gone I am not really sure who to root for.
Buh-bye. :(Oh, and one more thought about these guys... when they won $5000 last episode they commented that they could live for a year on that. Not gonna lie, I was impressed. When society collapses, these guys will still be happy as larks. :P 2. Do you listen to Patty Shukla music? She is a kid's singer/songwriter and has some of the catchiest, educational songs I've found. Jake absolutely adores her music. Every time I put on her DVD, Jake growls (one of her songs is called 'Roar like a Lion' and has spots for kids to growl) and then gets a huge smile on his face and starts jumping. This morning I am grateful for Patty Shukla because her DVD allows me to exercise without little toddler hands grabbing me. If you haven't heard of Miss Patty, check her out on youtube... She has a beautiful voice, smart songs and even a few apps! Do it.
                  I am amazing. Seriously.
3. I feel like too many people are being Miley Cyrus for Halloween. Way too many friends of mine on Facebook are dressing up as her in her silly slutty-teddy costume from the VMAs. And even Paris Hilton did it.. I don't understand.... 

4. I think Julianne Hough is getting far too much hate for her 'blackface' costume. For Halloween she dressed up as Orange is the New Black's Crazy Eyes character... by wearing a prison jumpsuit and using makeup to make her face darker. She later apologized and said she didn't mean to offend, but by then a lot of people had jumped down her throat and gotten really upset with her costume choice. Now, I understand the issue... back in the day 'white' actors would not act in the same play as a 'black' actor, and so caucasians would paint their faces black and overexaggerate stereotypical facial features to portray themselves as African Americans. This is not cool... at all. All men are created equal, regardless of race, religion etc. However, I don't think that Julianne Hough intended anything of the sort. It was Halloween... and she was paying homage to a favourite television character. Maybe we need to stop freaking out at the first sign of anything not 100% politically correct and start loving others a little more. Thoughts on this?  Is this as big a deal as it's been made into?
5. I am looking forward to How I Met Your Mother tonight... but am seriously hoping that we'll get to see more of the 'mother'. I have really enjoyed the small tidbits we've seen of her so far, and hope that she gets a bigger part... especially since she's listed as a season regular cast member. Also... what do you think about the new format for this season? You know, where every episode is a few hours closer to Robin and Barney's wedding. A lot of people hate it, at least from those I talk to, but I find it is kind of enjoyable. Some episodes are better than others, but overall the format seems to be working. At least, it makes me laugh each week. Just give me more glimpses of the mother and I'll be content!

6. I am ridiculously excited to take Jake and Oli trick-or-treating this year. We are all dressing up as cavepeople... cavebabies, cavemommy and cavedaddy and I am excited. Jake doesn't even know what Halloween is yet... so I am definitely more pumped than he is. Yay, only three more days!

And that's about it for now. What your thoughts on any of the above?

Have a great day!

So the final pre-publication review of IN THE STARS has come in... and this one made me very happy! It is by Angela Trusty, the 'Ask Angela' columnist for Washington Times and Deseret News. You can follow Angela and her hilarious slash heartfelt advice on Twitter or Facebook and you can read her blog here.
And she has cool hair... and facial expressions...
And now... drum roll, please... here is the review!
"Another excellent book by Whitney Boyd. One of the reasons In the Stars is so entertaining is because Boyd captures her main character's plight so well. Who hasn't chased after a guy? Who hasn't thought, "oops...maybe I missed my chance at happiness with this past man? Better go back and get him!" And yet literature never seems to get it quite right! The pain, the desperation the heartache and the self discovery of it all. What story can wrap all of those deep - and sometimes (in hindsight) humorous - feelings into one book?

"Where others have failed In the Stars succeeds. Through every bump in Charley Southards journey I wanted to shout, "I've been there!" or "I've felt this!" she is just such a relatable character and her honesty and vulnerability along with Boyd humor make this such an excellent read! I suggest anyone who has ever sought after true and lasting love read this book. You'll love it!" - Angela Trusty Thank you, Angela! Hopefully you will check out her great advice columns. You will thank me. Anyway, In the Stars  will be released in print on November 12 and is currently available at an ebook pre-release bargain on Amazon. Only costs a couple dollars... so check it out and let me know what you think!  Have a lovely day, all!

Have you read any of the articles on Kim Kardashian lately? Admit it. You have. It seems like Entertainment Weekly and People magazine, my go-to sources of choice for all things Hollywood, have an article about her out every single day... and sometimes multiple ones.

She's divorced! She's pregnant! She's gaining too much weight! She had a baby! She called the baby WHAT!? She has a hot post-baby body! She's engaged! She's planning a huge wedding! What will she wear for wedding number three?

Face it. She's everywhere.
You can't escape me... nor do you want to!Everyone with even a tiny interest in Hollywood is obsessed with Kim, whether it's obsessing about hating her, obsessing with loving her, obsessed with wanting her out of the spotlight yet keeping her in the spotlight by obsessively clicking on every article about her. She is in magazines and books and her name is thrown around all the time. To state the obvious, people talk about her. She even makes a 'fictional' cameo in the novel 'Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It', and is referenced in 'In The Stars' (both great books if you haven't read them yet).

And yet, people always seem angry about her. I admit, in the comments sections of most articles people become rabid wolves and usually pick apart anything they can, but it seems like Kim gets more hate than most people. For example, People magazine lets readers choose an emoticon to express their thoughts about each article (like a heart, or a sad face or a happy face or an angry face) and every article about Kim has the vast majority of people clicking on the angry emoticon.

I don't understand. Why do people who 'hate' someone so much keep reading about that person? It's crazy! Seriously! And yet I think most of us will admit to doing it on occasion...

Why? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Have a great day, everyone! Even you, Kim Kardashian! :)

xox