Marcia Mickelson

Review of Famous Family Nights

2010-01-04T20:36:00.000-08:00

It's Monday night, so what does that mean? It's time for family night. Every Monday evening, my family has family night. On the rare occasion that we do miss, Mom and Dad are in trouble. My ten year old son makes sure we have family night or gives us a pretty hefty guilt trip. I was in severe trouble from him when I had a PTA meeting go really long into the night, past bedtime and so we missed family night.

It's a very important event to our family. It doesn't always go perfectly without complaint or tears, but it almost always happens. Some evenings, we have a lesson or a game. There isn't a lot of planning that goes into them, but we are consistent in having them every week, and I think that's the important part.

Famous Family Nights is a compilation of stories written by LDS authors, musicians, professors, and performers and includes my story, "Family Home Evenings in the Car." The story tells of our experience several years ago when we were anticipating the construction of the temple in San Antonio. Many Monday evenings, we spent family night in the car on the way to the temple to check out the progress of the temple.

In reading this book, you find comfort and humor in knowing that many families suffer the same challenges. Many of us have antsy kids that won't sit still during the lesson or don't feel like singing the hymns or won't stop touching each other. This book has great ideas as well as accounts that are both funny and touching. I enjoyed reading the personal stories of so many who share my faith and who see the importance of this weekly event.

LDS Publisher Book Cover Award

2010-01-03T18:23:00.000-08:00

LDS Publisher presented book cover awards on her blog. She posted the finalists in different categories here. My cover for Pickup Games was a finalist in the Romance category and here is my award.

I have to say that I was a little surprised that it was nominated because I have heard some negative feedback about my cover and also it is not my favorite cover. There are some elements of the cover that I like. I like the basketball coming up behind the buildings and the sun rays behind it. I also like the outline of the buildings.

Thank you, LDS Publisher for the nice award and for including my cover in your contest.

A Writing Challenge

2009-12-30T23:02:00.000-08:00

So, I didn't do so well at Nano in November. I should probably take off the button at the side. I think I only wrote 1500 words the whole month. Not a good writing month. I think it had something to do with the fact that I wasn't passionate about what I was writing, and it was kind of forced.

However, in the last month, I've written 10,000 words-- a much better writing month. I've started a new project. I don't really have a title yet, but my idea is pretty solid and I am really getting into it.

So, I am joining Tristi Pinkston's writing challenge. I have had great success with her challenges in the past. My goal is to average 1000 words a day, five days a week for the month of January.

I hope to get about halfway done with the book, at least to the point where I can talk a little about my project. I find that if I talk about my story too early on, I lose the urgency to write and sometimes abandon the story altogether.

Why do you have a picture of Malcolm X in your house?

2009-12-29T22:58:00.000-08:00

Why do you have a picture of Malcolm X in your house?--This is a question that I've been asked several times by people visiting me. I have a framed 8x10 picture of Malcolm X on my writing desk. I guess I'm as curious about their question as they are about my picture. Is it that weird to have a picture of Malcolm X?

So, here's my answer in case you ever come to visit me and wonder why I have a picture of Malcolm X in my house. I read his autobiography (which I highly recommend) when I was in college and was greatly affected by it. It is a moving account and highly inspirational. I became somewhat obsessed with Malcolm X. You can ask my friends and roommates at the time how obsessed I was. That obsession has now tapered down to a deep admiration. I mostly admire his great courage.

He was attached to an important cause and because of his fierce loyalty to that cause, he lived in danger. He knew he was going to die, that he would be killed. Despite that knowledge that he was a marked man, he continued to defend that cause. The cause was greater than himself. So despite the danger to his life, the sacrifice to his family, he never stopped fighting for his people. To me, that is exceedingly brave and exemplifies a kind of courage I don't have. He said, "if you're not ready to die for it, put the word 'freedom' out of your vocabulary.' That level of bravery is beyond my comprehension. It is greater than me, and so I admire it.

But that is not all. We all know he said some harsh things. Of course I don't agree with everything he has said. Some may say he advocated violence, but he said: "We are nonviolent with people who are nonviolent with us." He wasn't talking about violence, he was talking about self-defense. As my kids would say, 'they started it.' We all know the history, we know who started it. The government participated in violence and turned their heads when violence and lynchings were being perpetrated.

I don't advocate violence, I'm a pacifist in every sense of the word. I don't even let my kids play with guns or watch violent movies. I wouldn't even buy my son that Nerf gun he wanted for Christmas. I know, I'm harsh. I rarely think that violence is the answer, but just ask the American Revolutionaries if their freedom could have been obtained without violence. They obtained their freedom 'by any means necessary.'

Lastly, the aspect of Malcolm X that I most admire is his ability to admit that he was wrong in making sweeping indictments of white people. He did say some quite terrible things, that of course, I don't agree with. But how difficult would it be to stand in front of everyone and acknowledge that your words were wrong that you were unfair. That's exactly what he did. After a spiritual experience, Malcolm realized that his hurtful words against whites were wrong, and he stood in front of the whole world and admitted it. He then said he was willing to work with anyone, black or white, who wanted to advance the cause. The cause, itself, was righteous, but the words he used to defend it were not always so. He attempted to make amends for those harsh words against whites. I believe it takes great courage to admit you're wrong, and his admission was huge and public. Unfortunately, he was killed shortly after that and was not given the adequate opportunity to put his words to work. That reminds me of an account in the Book of Mormon. A group of young men attempted to destroy the Church of God, to lead people astray from the Lord. Like Malcolm, they had a spiritual experience which moved them to make amends, and they spent the rest of their lives dedicated to the Lord's work. We now believe that these were great men, missionaries, and true heroes. What if they had been killed shortly after that spiritual experience? What if they hadn't had the rest of their lives to prove their new found beliefs? If they hadn't been given the opportunity to redeem themselves, to build up the Church of God, what would we think of them today? Would we consider them righteous heroes? Would we question those who put up pictures of them in their homes?

So, yes, I have a picture of Malcolm X in my house. To me, it serves as a reminder of bravery, of courage to face death for a righteous cause, of the incredible ability to say: yes, I did wrong, but now let me do right.

Book Signing in San Antonio

2009-12-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

I will be signing copies of my books at:

LDS Scripture Shoppe

15909 US Hwy 281 N

San Antonio, TX 78232

(it is across the street from the LDS temple)

on Saturday, December 5

from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Come by in you're in the area.

My son's Nintendo DS

2009-10-27T06:17:00.000-07:00

My 10 year old son doesn't have a Nintendo DS. Really, he doesn't want one. This GPS is like his Nintendo DS. It's his Asperger's that causes his near-obsession in maps and geography. He'll search the GPS, looking at different cities, learning streets. Right now, he's very interested in Utah and searches the streets, getting excited when he finds the locations of restaurants or stores that he knows.

He'll use the GPS in the car. Sometimes, he'll take the GPS into dentist or doctor appointments to use while we wait in the waiting room. Other kids are playing on the Nintendo DS, and he's playing with the GPS.

His amazing skills with maps has helped me out big time. He helps me get around and find streets when I have no idea where I'm going.

One little piece of paper

2009-10-22T06:17:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to me how important a little piece of paper can be. Yesterday, I went to fill out paperwork for a job, and they had asked me to bring my birth certificate. I don't even think I have my birth certificate; it's tucked away somewhere at my parents' house. My birth certificate doesn't matter so much here. It's my naturalization certificate that makes all the difference. I was born in Guatemala. My parents immigrated to the U.S. when they were in their early twenties, before I was born. They settled in New Jersey, had my sister, and then my mom's homesickness brought her back to Guatemala where I was born.

Eventually, they came back to the U.S. and I was raised here. When I was little, my father became naturalized. At 13, I went with my mother to become naturalized and raised my hand in a pledge to become a citizen of the United States. What a blessing that little piece of paper has made in my life. I will always be grateful for parents who left their home, their family and came to an unknown place in search of better lives for their family.

That little piece of paper is absolutely the difference between surviving and not surviving in this country. Last night, I watched Latinos in America, a documentary on CNN. It's a touching, powerful portrayal of Latinos in this country. We are a diverse group of people with so many different and interesting stories to tell.

There was a story that touched me the most because, in a way, I felt like they were telling my story. However, there is one huge difference-that little piece of paper. A young woman whose family immigrated to the U.S. when she was 7 years old is now in danger of being deported. All of her family is here; she doesn't know anyone in Mexico anymore. Her sister and uncle are citizens; her mother is a resident, her daughter is a citizen because she was born here, but this young woman is undocumented. To me, it's a heartbreaking story because that could easily be me if not for that little piece of paper. I can't imagine being in danger of being sent away from my family, from my children, from my home, the only home I've ever known.

I'm not really interested in starting a debate on immigration here. I'm just sharing a bit of my story. I know there are different opinions to this issue. Debates about immigration can be so divisive and angry. I understand that other people don't have my same beliefs. Those that believe differently don't understand and know my story; they haven't been in my shoes, haven't lived my life. In the same way, I don't understand people on the other side; I haven't been in their shoes or lived their life. I don't know what it's like to be born in the United States and not have to depend and worry about the possession of one little piece of paper.

Part 2 of Latinos in America airs tonight on CNN.

2009-09-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

When I wrote Reasonable Doubt and Pickup Games, these are the people I had in mind for the books. Cara and Mick are from Pickup Games. Reasonable Doubt is Pablo and Julia's story, but they have a cameo in Pickup Games.

Cara Jones- Emma Caulfield

She played Susan Keats on Beverly Hills 90210 years ago when I watched the show. Susan was a won't-take-crap kind of woman, and that's who I had in mind when I wrote Cara.

Mick Webber- Mark Madsen

He's not an actor. He played college basketball for Stanford and then went on to play in the NBA. I went to see him speak several years ago and was very impressed with him. He was my inspiration for Mick (minus the being arrested part). That was all made up; absolutely no truth to that. I think Mark Madsen is as clean as they come.

Julia Harris- Annie Parisse

She played Julia on As the World Turns, back in the day when I watched soap operas. She was the inspiration for my Julia.

Pablo Torres- Mark Consuelos
He is absolutely who I had in mind when I wrote Pablo.

It's fun coming up with who would play my characters in a movie. Throughout my entire writing process of Reasonable Doubt and Pickup Games, these are the people I had in mind. There is a cool website called Storycasting.com where you can cast your favorite books into movies. Check it out. Cast your favorite books!

Catching Up

2009-08-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

It feels like I haven't blogged all summer. The summer just flew by. Here are a few book things that have happened:

1. I received a great review from the Association for Mormon Letters. Click here to read the review for Pickup Games. Here's a small excerpt:

"In Pickup Games, Marcia Mickelson has managed to toss sports, love, and a whole pile of baggage into a perfect blend for pure reading enjoyment. This novel is an easy read. It has a smooth flow that sports lovers and haters alike can enjoy. The love story is an integral enough part of this book to satisfy the most sappy and lovesick among us. At the same time, it is subtle enough to appeal to those who prefer their love story to be served without a side of cheese."

2. My book, Pickup Games, was featured in the Deseret Book catalog. Many friends have told me they've seen it in there. Unfortunately, I still don't have a copy, so I haven't seen it for myself, but I'm just so happy that it was promoted in the catalog.

3. My friend, Anne Bradshaw, has a new release called Famous Family Nights. It is a collection of essays from many Mormon contributors who write about their experiences with family home evening. In the Mormon church, it is encouraged to set aside time every Monday evening for family time. I am one of the contributors to the book ,and you can read my essay entitled, Family Home Evening in the car. The book includes stories about family home evenings from 90 LDS writers; LDS radio, TV, and other artists of every kind; and well-known LDS leaders in sports, business, and the community across the world.

4. I dropped by my favorite independent bookstore in San Antonio and they have my books in stock. Even better, two of them were facing out. In the fiction shelves, there were only 3 books facing out and two of them were mine! I love that store; they're so good to me.

The Sister Pact by Cami Checketts

2009-08-24T19:41:00.001-07:00

The Sister Pact by Cami Checketts is a suspenseful romance. Savannah's sister, Allison, falls into a coma. The detective, Noah, suspects Savannah and she must prove to him that she is innocent. Right away, we see the chemistry between Noah and Savannah. The sparks between these two was my favorite part of the book. Another great theme of the book is the strong relationship the two sisters share. Savannah's devotion to her sister is evident as she helps to take care of Allison's little boy and stays by her side during the coma.

Savannah is a personal trainer and one of her clients, Wes, has something to hide. She is in danger as he attempts to get closer to her. It is a thrilling ride as Savannah and Noah figure out who is the person who hurt Allison. Despite Noah's belief that Savannah is responsible, he really wants to find that someone else is involved. He doesn't want it to be Savannah.

I really liked Noah. He was a strong and likeable character, and I liked his attempt to balance his head and his heart as he conducted the investigation. If you're looking for a suspenseful book with a great romance weaved throughout it, The Sister Pact is a great choice.

Interview with Cami Checketts

2009-07-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

I am happy to present this interview with author, Cami Checketts. Her new book, Sister Pact, will be out soon.

Q: Tell us about your new book.

The Sister Pact is an inspirational suspense novel. Here's a short blurb about it.

Savannah Compton is devastated when her sister and best friend, Allison, falls into a coma after a tragic accident. Or was it an accident? Even with a charming and handsome detective at her side, it seems Savannah may never discover the truth. But if she doesn?t her family could be in even more danger. And Savannah?s past holds its own secrets that could change everything.

Now she must prove her innocence to the one person who is beginning to matter most. Join Savannah as she struggles to summon faith and rely on hope, even in the darkest of circumstances, and learn how the bond between sisters can overcome anything.

Q: Tell us about your journey to publication.

Muddy. But I kept slipping and sliding along the path and eventually found a publisher I'm happy with and a book I'm excited to promote.

Q: Who have been your influences in your writing?
Every author I've ever read. I've devoured books since I was seven. I remember my mom telling me to, "Put down that book and go outside!" I think you carry a piece of all those wonderful stories and it builds your own voice. My favorite book on writing is Noah Lukeman's, "The First Five Pages."

Q: How do you get your inspiration for your books?
Nightmares. If I'm still terrified the next morning I know it'll make a good opening scene.

Q: What are you working on next?

A story about a mom who blogs against television and is rewarded with a visit from a hit man. Yes, it's a bit out there.

Thanks for telling us about yourself, Cami. I'm excited to check out your new book. For more information about Cami's books, check out her website and blog.

http://www.camichecketts.com/

http://camicheckettsbooks.blogspot.com/

http://fitnessformom.blogspot.com/

Why my kids like going to the dentist...

2009-07-23T22:51:00.000-07:00

We haven't let our kids watch Spongebob Squarepants for a few years. The show is hilarious, but our kids just seem to act up more & get really crazy-acting after watching it. So, we just don't let them watch anymore.

Whenever we go to the dentist, it seems that Spongebob is on TV. My kids get excited and are happy they get to watch it. They kind of give me a look that says: there's nothing you can do about it. Then, they sit down and enjoy the forbidden show. I'm certainly not the obnoxious parent that would ask the receptionist to change the channel, so I just sit and laugh at how transfixed they are to the show. A rare, forbidden treat, I guess. Sure makes going to the dentist easier.

Adam--- the movie

2009-07-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

Remember I blogged about all the movies I haven't watched? Well, let me tell you about a movie I am really excited to watch. I'm a romantic kind of gal and love romantic movies. The movie I'm really looking forward to is called Adam. It is about a man with Asperger's Syndrome who becomes interested in his next door neighbor.

It comes out July 29. Click here to watch the trailer. It looks like the sort of movie I love.

Reviews

2009-06-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some reviews for Pickup Games. I just included small excerpts. To read the entire review, click on the link.

Jennie Hansen from Meridian Magazine

"The story is a romance, but with a stronger appeal than to women only. It is a fascinating inside look at sports, sports broadcasting, and healing. It should appeal to a wide range of readers."

Sheila from blog: Why Not? Because I Said So

"I loved the way Marcia wrote the romance between Mick and Cara. It progressed at a real life pace, which was very refreshing for a novel. So many times, writers portray two people, that hate each other, falling in love quickly. You will not find that here. Mick and Cara adjust to each others personalities and grow to care about each other once they let go of their past. Everyone carries baggage in their lives, as did the main characters. As they learn to let go of their past disappointments and fears, the romance begins to blossom."

Danyelle from blog: Queen of the Clan

"All in all, I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves basketball, enjoys humor, and yearns for a good romantic read."

Amanda from blog: The Zen Leaf

"This is a very cute romance book. It's well written and well paced."

Holly from blog: 2 Kids and Tired Book Reviews

"This one is perfect when you want to escape with something entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed it."

I'll post more reviews later.

A Giveaway

2009-06-18T21:40:00.000-07:00

Anne Bradshaw is giving away a copy of my book on her blog, Not Entirely British. Go check it out for a chance to win!

You have until June 24th.

Loads of Free Time

2009-06-17T17:50:00.000-07:00

So, I have a lot of free time lately. All of my shows are off for the summer. I faithfully watched Grey's Anatomy, American Idol, and The Office and didn't miss a single episode of any of these shows.

Now, they're all on reruns, and I have my Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights free. It's kind of nice, and you would think I could get a lot of writing done. But, that's not the case. My kids are out of school, so they have a later bedtime. They have been staying up until 10 pm almost every night and by that time, I'm too tired to write. So, since they've been out of school, I've done very little writing.

So, loads of free time, but too tired to write at nights. I've been reading a lot, watching The Office reruns, and trying to catch some Anderson Cooper on TV.

Now, if only my shows were on during the summer, I'd have something to do and if the reruns were on during the school year, I would have every night free to write.

A New Blog

2009-06-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

I am a contributor to a new blog. It is called Writing Fortress and is comprised of authors who are published by Cedar Fort. Come check out the blog, Writing Fortress, and read my first post.

My Book Signing

2009-06-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I had a book signing at Temple View Books in San Antonio. Here is a picture of me and my amazing and supportive husband, Nolan. He tells everyone he knows about my books. He even walked around the store a little to tell customers about my books. It's so great to see people who don't know me actually buy my books. There were two women who bought all three of them. That's so exciting!

Many great friends came to see me and buy my book. It was good to see all of you! Thanks for coming. I love this store. The manager is so nice and always sets up a lovely table for me. It was a terrific time.

Giveaway

2009-06-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

Go to Shauna's Book Giveaway Blog and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of my book. You only have until June 4th. Good luck.

Young Adult Books

2009-06-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

So, I've been in a huge Young Adult kick the past two months, and that's all I've been reading. Here are the great YA books I've read recently. I highly recommend taking a fun ride into YA territory and read these books!

Savannah was dumped by her boyfriend who started dating her sister. She gets a fairy godmother who gives her three wishes. Chrissy is the not best godmother, just a fair one. She messes up Savannah's wishes and sends her back to the Middle Ages as Cinderella and then Snow White. I loved this book! I enjoyed how modern day was interweaved with the Middle Ages.

Rose and her eleven sisters must dance each night for the King Under Stone. Based on a Grimms fairy tale, Princess of the Midnight ball tells the story of 12 princesses who are under a curse. Worn slippers every night is a mystery to their father, the king. Galen is a young soldier turned gardener who falls for Rose and seeks to find a way to break the spell. I am not familiar with the original tale, but loved this story. Galen is a brave and kind man who knits. With his knitting and a unique source of magic, Galen sets off to fight King Under Stone. I enjoyed how each sister had a unique personality and despite being under a curse and unable to break it, they are feisty and spirited. I have enjoyed this author's novels and highly recommend them.
Annika's brother is very sick and she tells him that a genie gave her three wishes and she's giving him two of those wishes. He wishes to meet the actor who plays Teen Robin Hood. That wasn't the wish she was expecting him to say. In order to help make her brother's wish come true, Annika drives to California to seek out the actor and beg him to come meet her brother. Another wonderful book from Janette Rallison.

Laurel is a teenage girl who's been home-schooled and is now starting high school. David takes an immediate liking to her. As she starts high school, she feels very different than her peers and she soon finds out why. She's a faerie; she begins to sprout wings and little by little learns more of her past.

It was okay. I have no criticisms. I like Harry and his friends. For some reason, I just couldn't get into it. It didn't make me want to devour it. I like princesses, fairies, fairy godmothers, young maidens that bring down evil empires, frogs that have to be kissed, princes who fall in love with the lowly girls, and girls who break evil curses. I devour those books.

Book Signing in San Antonio

2009-05-31T13:25:00.000-07:00

I am doing a book signing on Saturday, June 6th, in San Antonio. Here's the info for anyone in the area who'd like to come:

Saturday June 6 from 11am to 2pm at

Temple View Books

20079 Stone Oak Parkway #104

San Antonio, TX

This is my favorite place to do book signings. Here's a picture of me last year signing copies of my first two books.

Summer Reading Thing

2009-05-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

I'm doing the Summer Reading Thing on LDS Publisher's blog. Here's a list of books I'll be reading this summer:

1. Wings by Aprilynne Pike

2. Agent in Old Lace by Tristi Pinkston

3. Tower of Strength by Annette Lyon

4. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

5. Tribunal by Sandra Grey

6. Lockdown by Traci Hunter Abramson

7. Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack

Interestingly, these are all books that were released this year. I'm making a huge effort to read mostly only 2009 releases this year. It's kind of a fun challenge and great preparation for Whitney Awards reading.

The 3rd annual Whitney Awards will be held next spring. I did some heavy duty reading earlier this year to vote on the finalists. So, to cut down next year's reading, I'm trying to read as many as I can early on. I've already nominated a couple of awesome books.

2009-05-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

Go to Danyelle Ferguson's Queen of the Clan blog for awesome giveaways all summer long. On June 17, she will be giving away a copy of my book, Pickup Games.

Harry Potter and Other Movies I've Never Seen

2009-05-28T19:31:00.000-07:00

In light of my recent Harry Potter post, I decided to come clean and admit all the movies I've never seen. Let me preface this by saying, I'm weird, I know. Here's a list of movies I've never seen:

Harry Potter movies (soon to be rectified)
National Treasure
Lord of the Rings
Star Wars (the new ones. I watched the original 3 when I was a kid)
Bourne Identity series (It doesn't count when it's playing at your cousin's house and the adults are watching, but I'm chasing a one year old around to make sure he doesn't break anything.)
Chronicals of Narnia
Pirates of the Carribean
Star Trek
X Men
Fantastic Four
Matrix
Spiderman (only saw the first one and don't think I'll ever watch the rest)
Men In Black (even though I love Will Smith. It just looks so dumb)
Dark Knight
Shrek
Indiana Jones movies
Davinci Code (or that new one)
The Mummy movies

Chances are, if a movie makes big bucks, I probably won't be watching it. Yes I know, I'm weird.

Harry Potter. . . Finally Part 2

2009-05-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

So, my friend, Amanda, and I made a deal back in November. If she read Twilight, I would read Harry Potter. Amanda's read Twilight and New Moon months ago, and I've very slowly read Harry Potter. The last 30 pages have gone unread for almost a month. Tonight, I finally read those 30 pages and can finally say that I'm done. Sorry it took so long, Amanda. You'll probably never want to make a deal with me again.

Thanks Julie for lending me the book and sorry it took so long. So, the verdict? It was okay. I have no criticisms. I like Harry and his friends. For some reason, I just couldn't get into it. It didn't make me want to devour it. Many people have said that Book 1 is not the best and it gets better with Book 3 and so on. I believe them, but I don't think I'm in it for the long haul.

I've only recently started reading Young Adult. I love it. In the past 4 months, I've read almost only YA. But I like girly Young Adult books. I like princesses, fairies, fairy godmothers, young maidens that bring down evil empires, frogs that have to be kissed, princes who fall in love with the lowly girls, and girls who break evil curses. I devour those books. While I find no fault with Harry, I just couldn't get into it.

My friend, Kira, has lent me the first two movies. I for sure will watch them, and she said I could borrow the rest. So, I don't think I'll read the rest of the books, but I do think I will watch all the movies. Reading the books is just too much time to devote to something that doesn't grab me. I have too many other books I want to read. I know that I'll miss out on a lot of stuff that's in the books and not the movies.

After I watch all the movies, I'll just have to grab Erin, Julie, and Amanda and go to Cold Stone to let them fill me in on what I missed. And anyone else who wants to come. So, this weekend, I'll watch my very first Harry Potter movie. I know, it's weird that I've never even seen any of the movies.