Carina Adly MacKenzie's Blog

A.
If you do not accomplish the goals
you had when you were sixteen
you will be troubled the rest of your life
and will inevitably replace them with new goals
that are less fun and involve
a fear of failure.

B.
The best conversations
you will ever have
will happen
on a front porch
just before dawn.

You will be wearing your socks
cut off shorts
and wondering if you should
hold out for breakfast.

C.
The two best ways to die
are laughing
and in battle.

A Path by Dallas Clayton

Before I had this website, I had a blog at the genius domain name askmetostay.com. I wish I still had that one. Anyway, I thought it would be appropriate to re-post something that I first wrote on Wednesday, November 5, 2008. I’m posting it in its entirety, complete with BAMF Obama. (And requisite song lyrics, which is how I signed off all of my blog posts in 2008, because I am what I am.)

I wrote this while feeling patriotic, and hopeful, and proud. 2008 was the first time I’d ever voted...

A couple years back, I was asked for advice/thoughts on how I got started in the TV journalism business.

Things have changed a lot for me, since then. Recently I’ve been getting a lot of emails asking for advice on how to get into the TV writing business, so I thought I’d write another post. Please keep in mind… I give bad advice. I hardly take responsibility for my own choices, much less your choices. But, that said… here’s what I’m thinking.

1. Move to LA.

Sorry, in advance.

I know t...

Mindy Kaling used to have this blog, like years ago, called “Things I’ve Bought That I Love.” It was just… things she bought that she loved. It was great. Maybe she still does it? I don’t know. She should be too busy for this kind of nonsense. Anyway, I was just feeling kind of shallow and silly and I thought I’d tell you guys about some dumb material things that make my life better.

1. “Shotgun Lovesongs” by Nikolas Butler. I’ve been recommending this book to everyone this summer. I gave my...

Sorry about my scratchy voice! Just got back from Atlanta, which always destroys my vocal cords because I never stop talking/singing/drinking.

I am currently in the air, flying from NYC to LAX, where I will rush home to hug my dog and then put on eyeliner and find my new sequined purse and head out in time to drink champagne and toast 2015 with my incredible friends.

2014 sucked for the world and I am so freaking ready for it to be over. I know that the turning of the clock is just a metaphorical thing, but it feels monumental this year. It feels like we have to hope 2015 will be better, because if it isn’t, nobody’s getting out of b...

When I was fourteen, I spend an inordinate amount of time imagining what it’d be like to be Katie Holmes (taking limousines to pick up morning coffee, extravagant trailers filled with free gifts, hordes of adoring fans at every corner). I didn’t have any interest in actually being an actor — ever since I (kinda) got over my middle school dream of being a world-famous pop superstar, I pretty much only wanted to be a writer — but I did have a sort of fascination with the idea of celebrity. I th...

In which I discuss Eternal Night, The Originals, Arrow, One Direction, and a few more of my nerdy obsessions.

Have you all downloaded your copy of Eternal Night yet? I’ve been so pleased with the response! I was scared to read any reviews at first, but even the criticism has been really cool to read. It’s like getting to sit in on an honors English class picking apart something that I wrote. (Though I won’t feel like I succeeded until someone writes erotic fan fiction, but whatever. We all have our measures.)

Anyway, I was asked to put together a playlist for Eternal Night. These are songs I listened...