Make Sure Your Vote Counts!

Hey Guys!



So as you know from my last post I am entered in the Pepsi Refresh Everything Grant program and in just five days I moved up from 195 to 142! Thats a huge leap and if I keep moving up I will be in the top 10 by April 13th! If you’ve already voted for me thank you for your amazing support. If not please go to www.refresheverything.com/missmoxie  to cast your vote for my idea.

However I want to make sure your vote counts so when you got to www.refresheverything.com/missmoxie  you will see a grey button that says vote for this idea. When you click that button a pop up window will come up and ask for you to either use your Facebook login information or create a Pepsi account. In order for your vote to count you must enter one of these it doesn’t matter if you enter your Facebook login information or if you create a Pepsi account, you can choose whatever your heart desires but you must enter one in order for your vote to count!

Once you have entered this information it will take you back to www.refresheverything.com/missmoxie  and say something along the lines of Thank you for voting and will ask if you want to share the idea. If you see the thank you for voting statement then your voting counted but if you don’t see it your vote didn’t count!

Then when you go back each day to cast your new vote each day you enter your Facebook or Pepsi account information again in order to make your vote count! Let me know if you have any questions about the voting process and thank you again for your amazing support!

God Bless,

Grace Hatton
www.refresheverything.com/missmoxie

Don't Be the Playdough In Your Relationships

So Valentines Day is just around the corner and as you know my book "The Guys The Roses & The Regrets; The Girl to Girl Dating Guide" is all about dating and realtionships so Valentines Day is a big day of the year for me. I go to conferences, I do interviews and in general I get the word out about me and my book. The other day I was doing an interview and as always I was talking about how important it is to know who you are before you enter into any romantic relationship. Its important to know who you are because when you go into a relationship you are going to be changed. That relationship is going to affect you whether that be a good or bad thing.

So as I was talking something slipped out I said that if you go into a relationship before you know who you are its kinda like being Playdough. Because you're mushy, easy to change and easy to mess up. You go into the relationship as Playdough and the guy messes with you, changes you, then the relationship doesn't work out and you're left as some weird sculpture (like the one in the photo). All because you were mushy Playdough in the first place! Does that make sense? I thought it was a kinda cool comparision for relationships.

The point of the whole Playdough thing is that you shouldn't be Playdough. You should already be a sculpture before you enter any relationship. You should know who you are, what you stand for, what you want to be, what you want from the relationship and what your boundaries are. Knowing all of these things makes you a firm sculpture before you enter the relationship and of course you are going to alter a little but the guy won't be able to make you into whatever kind of sculpture he wants because you're already a strong sculpture.

I hope that made sense and made you think about relationships. It was just a quick interesting realtionship tip I wanted to share with you so remember don't be the Playdough in your relationships. Know exactly what kind of sculpture you are before you get involved in any relationship =]

Look out for lots more posts from me on the run up to Valentines Day like I said its a really busy time for me so I will be posting like those crazy bloggers who never leave their computers :P However if you want to keep up with me every minute of ever day (stalk much :P) you can follow me on Twitter @gracehatton

Well thats it for now so until next time, be blessed, stay strong and remember Don't Be The Playdough!

God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Best Selling Teen Author

http://www.gracehatton.com/

Seriously, Love is All You Need

Hey Everyone

So last week I went on a little movie trip, on the Tuesday I watched a new movie called 'To Save a Life' and the day after I watched Hillsong's United new movie 'We're All in This Together' (the one I told you about in my last post)

First off both movies made me cry and secondly both of their messages we're beyond meaningful. The first movie 'To Save a Life' is all about teen suicide and how suicide is now the second leading cause of death for teens. The second movie 'We're all in this together' is all about the global issues such as poverty that we face every day yet most of the time we choose to look away. Both of these issues are big deals and too often get overlooked but do you know what the answer is to all these problems? The answer is simple, LOVE.


I know we all know the Beatles song 'All You Need is Love' but seriously all you need is love. What if we stopped being so focused on our every day and just for a little while choose to look up and see other people’s needs. If we showed love in a practical way not because we had to or we wanted to do our part but because it was part of our character. What if showing love was as natural as looking out for ourselves. What if instead of walking past the homeless guy on the street corner we took a minute to talk to him and learn his story. What if instead of excluding the weirdo who sits by himself at lunch we expanded our circle of friends to let him in.


Would this world be a better place if we focused on showing love in a practical way every chance we got? I believe if people especially teens could show true love this world would be a better place and I am not the only one who believes in love. Both of the movies I saw are powerful and show you how to show love in a practical way. Check them out at http://www.tosavealifemovie.com// and http://www.theiheartfilm.com/


So I challenge you to go out into your everyday life and look for opportunities to show love even if it’s only what you would consider a small thing. You never know a small act of love can make a big difference in someone's life.

Until next time, be blessed, stay strong and remember all you need is love,

God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Best Selling Teen Author

http://www.gracehatton.com/

Grace Hatton Featured in Magazine Alongside Michelle Obama!

Best Selling Teen Author Grace Hatton Still Receiving National Attention

Orlando, FL - Grace Hatton, Best Selling Teen Author and Teen Entrepreneur was recently featured in the Inaugural July 2009 issue of the Women of Wisdom's Performance Magazine.

The publication’s cover features Michelle Obama and profiles women entrepreneurs who have become successful in their own fields. The magazine features best selling authors, CEO, Image consultants and more. When asked how she feels about being in such a prestigious periodical that features the First Lady Michelle Obama, Grace humbly asserts, “It’s a blessing to be included in such a prestigious magazine. I am honored to be surrounded by these amazing women at such a young age and be able to share what I've learned in my life."

Grace has been featured in numerous online magazines and well as being interviewed by numerous radio shows. Grace has been working closely with the Girl Scouts to inspire younger girls to become the best they can be and give back to their community. Grace also spends time working with younger aspiring writers with a local mentoring program. Grace's article in the WOW Performance Magazine focused on Achieving Your Dreams at Any Age and that's exactly what Grace hopes to inspire others to do.

For more information about Grace Hatton please visit www.gracehatton.com

P.S - Hey Guys its me Grace Hatton, this is a shorter version of a press release I will be sending out in a few days so I wanted to post it on my blogs first, let me know what you think. Love it or Hate it? Let me know =]

God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Best Selling Teen Author

Not Your Average Teen But Thats Okay

So I spent the last week on a cruise to Mexico for a family vacation which was pretty much fantastic but I also learnt something this week. I am not your average teen of course I already knew that but as I spent time with the rest of the teens on the cruise it was all of a sudden apparent to me this week just how different I am.

For example I haven't been drunk or gotten high in any point in my life and I haven't had a major horrible messy break up. I know being a teen is all about having fun but I also think just cause your a teen doesn't give you an excuse to waste the life you've been given. I love having a good time, I love dancing to the wee hours of the morning and I love laughing till it hurts but I don't need drugs or drink to make that happen. Is that so crazy that someone could actually be high off life?

I don't think so I believe every day is a gift and ever moment is worth living to the full and by that I mean take the responsibility to be happy and have fun without using any shortcuts (drink, drugs) along the way.

I've done some pretty amazing things in my life so far i.e write a best selling book, go on mission trips to south africa etc and I plan to do even more so even though I am not normal I am very grateful for that. After all not many seventeen year olds have done the things I've done and I know that every moment of joy I experience is even sweeter because its simply a result of the life I am choosing to live every single day =]

Thats all for now so Thank You for Reading and God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Best Selling Teen Author

100 Days to Achieve Your Dreams & Change Your Life

Are You Up For a Challenge?



It's been a fast, challenging and for some a painful year.

And, if you're tired of struggling with debt, fearful of the current economic crisis, and paralyzed by the pace of change, I've got a great way for you to take control of your future and finish the year off with a bang.

September 23rd is an important date as it marks the 100 day countdown of 2009. With that in mind, I want to thrown down a challenge, I want to provide you with an opportunity to redeem yourself and turn things around for the better and I mean much better.

You see, one thing we all have in common is that we all love a challenge!

For some it could be a goal that puts you to the test, an obstacle that says you can't beat me, a belief system that is begging for a breakthrough, or even a mountain that just dares you to climb it.

Whatever it is, you’re attitude should be BRING IT ON, as there's nothing quite like a good old fashioned challenge to see what you're made, to push the boundaries and tests your limits as it is ONLY when we overcome these trials that we get to reap the sweetest rewards.

My colleague, Gary Ryan Blair, otherwise know as The Goals Guy has put together what I believe to be the most comprehensive approach to goal setting and performance enhancement.

Gary has been working with executives and employees at Coca-Cola, American Express, IBM, Starbucks, Time Warner, Disney, and many more teaching them exactly how set and reach their goals - if he can do it for them, he can do it for you.

Many of the top leaders in just about every field call on Gary when trying to develop and execute on certain goals. It is so much easier when you know HOW to create a workable plan, and can create accountability and that is where he excels.

Back to your goals and the challenge. Gary has created a powerful program that will show you how to make maximum performance gains in the shortest time possible. It is very effective and very affordable.

I think it is a no brainer if are serious about making changes and finishing the year strong than you simply must check out this program.

It's called the 100 Day Finish Strong Challenge and it begins on September 23rd, which just so happens to be the final 100 days of the year.

Learn more here: http://tinyurl.com/mbwptx

It is a downloadable video and audio program where Gary literally coaches you towards achieving your goals -- the RIGHT WAY!

I recommend the program, I recommend that you download the Special Report, and more importantly I recommend Gary.

So make sure to go to:http://tinyurl.com/mbwptx

100 Day Finish Strong Challenge at http://tinyurl.com/mbwptx

And put yourself and your family in the best possible position. Also, make sure to watch his video.

As always thanks for reading and God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Best Selling Teen Author

Ever Wanted to Know How to Set Up and Run a Succesful Blog?

Hey Guys,

So the Orlando Magic didn't win the NBA finals but thats okay we have next season =] Anyhow the reason I am writing this blog is simple, I want to show you how to set up and run a succesful blog. I want to show you how you can get clients, money and regonition all through a FREE blog!

If you live in the Orlando, FL area on July 11th in Downtown Orlando I am running a Blogging 101- Make Your Blog a Success Workshop. Its $75 for a three hour morning session with hands on instructions and then in the afternoon we are running a Social Networks 101 session (extra cost for that session)


Please click the button below to check out the eventbrite page for it where you can get some more info and purchase your tickets!




God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Best Selling Teen Author

www.gracehatton.com

Britains Got Talent Winner, Orlando Magic Through to the Finals and New Moon Trailer. I am so excited!

Hey Guys,

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days, life got kind of crazy but now I have some catching up to do. Okay so on the final of Britains Got Talent, Julian Smith, Susan Boyle and Diversity were the top three acts. Now most of America was expecting Susan to win such she'd had such an amazing following over the last couple of months but the British Public shocked the world when they voted for Diversity to win!

Diversity are an amazing group of talented dancers who perform the most creative dances you've ever seen. You can look them up on YouTube just put in Britains Got Talent Diversity and you'll be able to see their audition, semi final and final performance. Although Susan Boyle was Amazing, I do believe Diversity deserved the win and I truly hope both Susan and Diversity go on to do great things.

Now in more local news (well for me anyway) my home team the Orlando Magic became the NBA Eastern Champs this past week when we beat the Cavillers and LeBron James! It was a crazy night here in Orlando, fans spilled out from the Amway Arena out into the streets of downtown Orlando. The police had to close the streets down because every road was full of crazy happy Orlando Magic fans. So the Orlando Magic and the city of Orlando is on a high as we move towards the finals with the L.A Lakers. Its kinda funny actually because my brother lives in L.A and I am in Orlando so we're both rooting for the two different teams =] But I think Orlando can win and it would be such a boost for the city, I am supporting the Magic all the way and I hope we win the series. GO MAGIC!


The final thing I am going to blog about today is pretty awesome. So just this morning I woke up, grabbed a muffin and orange juice, I sat down at my computer, opened up Myspace and there it was in all its glory. The new official Trailer for New Moon! I am beyond excited for the second movie in the Twilight Saga and now I've seen the trailer I am even more excited! I wanted you guys to see the trailer as well so here it is, enjoy!

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer


May I just say Taylor looks really good (Selena is a lucky girl :P) and the way he morphs into his werewolf self is pretty awesome. They did a really good job on making it look real. So on November 10th at midnight I will be watching New Moon and loving every minute of it. What about you guys any plans to see New Moon?

I hope you guys liked this post, I know its full of random things but I had a lot of catching up to do so please let me know what you think and I will be posting again soon apart from next time, the post will be all about a new project of mine,

Until next time,

God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Best Selling Teen Author

www.gracehatton.com

The Underdog Takes It All!

This week has been a week of the underdog winning no matter what and I love it!

On American Idol everyone was sure Adam Lambert was going to win, I mean he had a cover on Entertainment weekly for heavens sake! It looked like a sealed deal but just at the last moment it wasn't Adam Lambert who was crowned the next American Idol but the kid no one thought could win, Kris Allen!

It was a total suprise but I loved it. American Idol actually was a good show to watch that night because of the suprise win.

In other news on Britians Got Talent (my favourite show by the way) Susan Boyle the internet sensation made it through to the finals. She sang Memories from the play Cats on the Semi Finals and Great Britain voted her through to the finals. So yes this week the underdogs have been winning it all and that makes me very happy.

So that was my random post for today, hope you enjoyed it and I will be posting again soon.

God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Teen Author

www.gracehatton.com

Cute Couple Alert: Selena Gomez and Taylor Lautner

So no one really knows if Selena and Taylor are actually a couple or are just hanging out but either way teenage girls everywhere have accepted them as the new it couple and they already have a name, Taylena,


Isn't that adorable? Of course being a fan of the Twilight series and a huge fan of Jacob Black, I did want Taylor for myself but if I have to give him up for someone I suppose Selena will do lol:P.



No but seriously I saw the photo of them about a week ago and they just looked so cute and happy. Then I read how they'd been hanging out and visiting each other on set and I was like awwwww. If they are dating they will be a total power couple in young hollywood and if they're just friends then thats cool two after all that leaves Taylor for me lol :p but I think they might just have something together.



And that was my random blog post for today, thanks for reading and God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Teen Author

www.gracehatton.com

My Star Trek Review

So yesterday, my sister, my mum and I celebrated Mothers day a day late but it was still so much fun!Anywho at the end of the day we watched the new 'Star Trek' movie and may I just say its beyond awesome.

It makes you cry, it makes you laugh, the action is crazy good and on top of it all the new Captain James T Kirk (A.K.A Chris Pine) is so good looking its ridiculous. I really like the movie I think it paid tribute to the original series yet still made an entirely new movie with an awesome new cast.

I loved the movie and this was my random post for today, so yes if you haven't seen the movie yet you should go see it you won't regret it,

God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Teen Author

www.gracehatton.com

Following My Own Advice

Hey Guys,

So the other day I taught a blog class on how to set up a blog etc and one of the things I told my students to do was blog consistently for the first couple of weeks the blog was up. No huge long posts just quick updates about whatever, so I've decided to follow my own advice. Over the next two weeks or so I will be posting quick blogs about life love and exciting new projects I am working on.

Feel free to read away and follow this blog because that would make me smile =] Also I'd love for you guys to comment on my blogs, if you find one of my blogs interesting please let me know.

Looking forward to hearing from you guys and God Bless,

Grace Hatton - Teen Author

The Crisis in Uganda and How You Can Help Make A Difference!

In today’s modern world, we’re used to things being a certain way, to things being right and fair. We’re used to the underdog winning and justice always being served but unfortunately in some parts of the world, in places we in our everyday lives rarely think about, horrific things are happening to children who have no way of escape.

The reason for the post is simple, I want to tell you guys about a crisis that is happening in a country called Uganda, a crisis that compared to lets say the economy rarely gets as much media coverage simply because what’s happening in Uganda may make you sad, uncomfortable and concerned but the story of the children in Uganda needs to be known.


In Uganda, like any other country there are children who live their lives unconcerned with the problems with adults but in the villages and towns of Uganda, something is happening, War Lords only concerned with their own profit and gain, come through the villages and take the children.

Once the children are taken, they put a gun in their hands and force them to fight. Threatened with dearth and torture, these children as young as seven are forced to do things no grown man in the west would even consider. It’s also almost impossible for these children to escape because if they’re caught they are killed or worse, some of the child armies force siblings to mutilate each other when they tried to escape.

I mean think of it this way, let’s say your safe at home then all of a sudden, men with guns burst into your home, they take you plus your younger siblings. They beat or kill your parents then put a gun in your hands and tell you to do as they say or they will kill you. Imagine if there were armies of children with guns roaming the countryside of America, can you imagine all the riots and protests there would be for those children’s protection?

But this isn’t happening in America, its happening in Uganda a country that seems an entire world away but everyday in Uganda horrific things are happening to these children but you have the chance to make a difference for these children and help them escape the horrors of war.

This summer in June, I will be returning to the Mission Field specifically Uganda, I will be going with Global Expeditions ( the same organization I went to South Africa with) and we will be working in the refugee camps with the few children who were looking enough to escape the child armies. We will be building shelters, providing food, medicine and clothing. We will be showing these children that someone does care about them and wants them to have a better life.

However the cost for this trip is around $5,000 and I do not have the amount, so I am asking you to be a part of my mission trip with me, to send me on your behalf to Uganda to help change the life’s of these children and in turn change the world.

My first deadline for this trip is May 4th when I have to have in half ($2,500) of my amount into my organization (Global Expeditions), if I don’t have half my amount in by May 4th I cannot go. So if you want to change the world through me and are willing to donate my mission fund that is beyond amazing and below are the instructions on how to donate.

Please go to http://cf.globalexpeditions.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=about.donate and click ‘Search by Missionary ID’ then enter my ID # 2450486, this will take you to the form to donate into my account.


Any amount will help even if you can only give $20 that will still make a huge difference in getting me to Uganda.

Let’s say 200 people read this post and they each donate $20 that’s $4,000 right there and most of my trip is covered. So if you can donate then I thank you in advance and also please check out a charity called ‘Invisible Children” they are an amazing ministry who specifically work with ex child soldiers and preventing the abduction of any more children. I believe there website is www.invisiblechildren.com

So if you plan to donate to get me to Uganda then thank you so much and your donation will make a difference in Uganda but please do educate yourself on the crisis in Uganda, please pray for the children in Uganda and know that one day somehow this crisis will be stopped in Uganda but for now we can all do out little part to make a difference =]

God Bless,

Grace Hatton – Teen Author

So Sick of the Bachelor

Hi!

The names Grace Hatton and this a rant all about The Bachelor =]

Okay so another season of Bachelor just wrapped up and can I be the first to say, make it stop. I know we all love reality TV Shows, we all love a good old catfight and in the end we all love the idea of watching two soulmates find each other on national TV but the fact is out of all the Bachelors and the Bachelorettes, only one of the couples have actually got married, stayed together and started a family. That was the first Bachelorette Trista who is now happily married to the winner Ryan and they have a son together.

But almost every other Bachelor or Bachelorette is still single or has moved onto someone else who was never on the show. Now the latest Bachelor Jason has decided not to marry or be with the winner Melissa. Oh and he also decided he still had feelings for the runner up Molly and then decided to make out with Molly on national TV minutes after taking back the engagement ring from Melissa! I am pretty ticked off about the whole Bachelor franchise in general but that was just the icing on top of the cake, I mean seriously at least take Molly back off the air and leave Melissa with a little bit of self respect.

I think its safe to say The Bachelor franchise generally does not help couples find love in truth it breaks more hearts then any other TV show. So yes I am so sick of The Bachelor and the whole process.

There are plenty of other good TV shows out there reality or not that need some airtime, so how about we let The Bachelor take its final bow and get a new show thats actually worth watching.



* P.S - Check Out My Other Posts to Find Out About My New Book on Dating =]

'The Guys The Roses and The Regrets' Officially Released Today! (Valentines Day 2009)

Hey Everyone,

So after a lot of hardwork my new book 'The Guys The Roses and The Regrets'is officially released today! I am so excited and I hope you guys like the book. Its taken a lot of hard work to get to this point but today 'The Guys The Roses and The Regrets' is officially available worldwide!

Here are the links where you can purchase'The Guys The Roses and The Regrets'


Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Guys-Roses-Regrets-Girl-Girl/dp/1440120528/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234542217&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Guys-The-Roses-The-Regrets/Grace-Hatton/e/9781440120527/?itm=2


Books a Million

http://www.booksamillion.com/search?id=4336028493244&query=The+Guys+The+Roses+%26+The+Regrets&where=All

iUniverse

http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000112279



The standard price for the paperback is $14.95 and the standard price for the hardback is $24.95 but I believe Amazon and Barnes and Noble have discounts for members.

'The Guys The Roses and The Regrets' is an awesome self help book all about realtionships and dating, its been endorsed by Mark Victor Hansen, Lisa Nichols and other best selling authors. Its taken me a lot of work to get to this point but I am finally here!

So please go grab a copy of 'The Guys The Roses and The Regrets' it would mean so much to me and I really want to make this a bestseller.

Thank you so much for all of your support and until next time live life to the full!

God Bless,

Grace Hatton -Teen Author

'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' is officially being released on Valentines Day! I am so excited!

Hey Everyone,

After almost three years of trying to get my book 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' out into the world, it finally has a release date! 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' will be officially released on Valentines Day!!!!


I am so excited, it has been a long journey yet by the grace of God I am here at last! 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' will be available worldwide online through amazon and then in the states it will be available in Barnes & Nobles, Books a Million and my publishers website.

I will post another blog closer to Valentines Day with all the links for where you can purchase 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' but until then please watch out for 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' coming out on Valentines Day 2009!

Oh and here is a link to a YouTube Video I made all about it, enjoy and thank you so much for your support!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT9pcHc-peY

Also please take a look at my myspace, my YouTube channel and my new twitter channel

www.myspace.com/gracehatton

www.youtube.com/GraceHatton

www.twitter.com/gracehatton



Once again thank you so much for all of your support and please go get 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' on Valentines Day!

Official Back Copy for my new book 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets'

Hey Everyone,

So in order to help everyone understand what 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' is truly about, I decided to put in my blogs my official back copy for 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets'

I hope it helps and I hope you enjoy it =]

“Grace has created a book that connects with her peers, tackles the tough topics, and offers authentic, heartfelt advice that every young woman agonizing over relationships should hear.”
—Lisa Nichols, Life Coach, Star of The Secret, and Author


The Guys, The Roses & The Regrets offers practical tips and real-life stories that will help teenage girls and young women navigate the crazy world of dating, relationships and break ups.

Sixteen year old Grace Hatton has lived through good and bad relationships and truly believes that every girl is beautiful and confident with or without a boyfriend. In making it her mission to help teenage girls everywhere understand their amazing qualities and experience wonderful, healthy, love filled relationships, Grace provides both spiritual and personal advice on such topics as

Five things every girl needs to know about guys before dating them

Ways to capture a guys attention

Questions to ask yourself before you start dating

Dealing with regrets and healing a broken heart

With the helpful insight provided in this guidebook any young woman dazed and confused by the sometimes overwhelming world of dating can learn to live an independent and regret-free life surrounded by wonderful relationships.

So I hope that gives you a better idea about 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' and please watch out for my next blog because it will contain some pretty big news!

An Update on My New Book 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets'

Hey Everyone,

So its been a while since my last post and life has gotten pretty busy, I got my drivers license, I've been doing a lot of school work, I've been working with my publisher to get my new book 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' out asap, my big brother is moving to california for a while and of course we had christmas so all in all I've been pretty busy but I wanted to give you guys an update about my new book 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets'

Like I said I've been working hard with my publisher and finally all the editing is done! I am very excited about that and so now we have moved onto the cover of the book. We have been busy desigining the cover and making sure the cover is appealing.

As soon as we finish up the cover design (which should be within the next week or so) we will move onto to legal and marketing.

I am hoping to have 'The Guys The Roses & The Regrets' in stores by Valentines Day and I hope when it is released you will go check it out!

Feel free to check out my other sites

www.gracehatton.com

www.youtube.com/GraceHatton

www.myspace.com/gracehatton

Oh and I am now posting regular YouTube videos so feel free to subscribe! Until next time God Bless and Lots of Love,

Grace Hatton,

Teen Author

I am back from South Africa! Read this to find out all the details!

Hello all my faithful readers,

So I am officially back! After one month of life changing experiences in South Africa, I have a renewed passion for life and for my God.
I met the most incredible people in the most dyer circumstances but now that I have seen, I am responsible to be a voice for those people.

In this blog post I will let you know what happened in South Africa and now you will know how many lives we're changed and the passion for life that was ignited within me.
So After 40 hours of travelling, me and my team, which was a group of 68 arrived in Johannesburg or Joberg as I am now used to calling it. We stayed in Joberg one night before we took a very crowded five hour bus ride to a village called Estcourt which is a Zulu township. Estcourt is nestled in the mountains of South Africa thus making it very very cold.

Since South Africa is in the Souther Hemisphere, it was winter when I was there. So yes we slept on the floor of an African church, there we're no showers and our toilets we're holes in the ground. We had some interesting times at those toilets and there are a million stories I could tell but I won't because it might just gross you put two much.

Anywho every morning we got up at 5:15 a.m (it was extremely cold at 5:15a.m) so we could quickly eat breakfast and get to the Zulu high schools. At the schools the youngest was around 9 and the oldest was 20. Small groups of four or five went into individual classes and taught a lesson. My group was teaching a lesson all about history and decisions

At one point during the lesson we asked the kids to get in groups of five and write down three easy decisions and three hard decisions. One girl who was the same age as me wrote down for her hard decision whether or not to kill herself. That broke my heart, she was so young yet already she was willing to give up her life. South African teens have issues facing them that most American adults don't have to deal with. I talked to many of the girls in smaller groups and it made me realize, my life is so easy.

These girls are the same age as me yet their world is so different. However one thing is universal, boys. Me and the other two girls in my group talked about relationships and abstinence almost every day in the Zulu schools. All the South African girls we're curious as to what is was like in the States. We had some very interesting conversations and a few girls told me because of us talking to them they had chosen to save themselves for marriage.

We we're also told we we're an inspiration, we talked about relationships, about businesses, about their dreams and their passions. Every single one of them have such incredible spirits and I am truly blessed to have known them.

The Zulu blessed me truly and I will never forget those teenagers who although they face many so many challenges, never give up. They are determined to live good lives, to make their dreams come true and change their country for the better.

Our second part of the mission trip was back in Joberg in an area called The Squatter Camp or Diepsloot. The Squatter camp is an area just outside of the city where people who are basically homeless are allowed to set up tin shacks to live in, however when the government says move, they must move. The shacks are 10 by 10 with no electricity, no plumbing, no running water and usually no windows.

There is water pumps in the squatter camps but they are in the middle of the camps, so the people have to walk up to five miles to get their water. Diepsloot is a large squatter camp, it has 300,000 people in a very small area. There are no streets simple mud walkways with filth running down the center inbetween the shacks. The filth smelt so bad the first day I was there, I almost threw up and some of the other girls in our group actually did.

At the squatter camps our mission was simple, to help these people in any way we could and love on them. Once again we we're in small groups of four to five with a translator since in the Squatter Camps there we're many different languages spoken.

We spent eight hours in the squatter camps everyday, we built shacks, we cooked, we did a kids program in the middle of the camp, we carried water, we washed dishes, we held babies in our arms, we washed clothes with our hands, we dug holes for toilets, and we prayed for anyone who wanted it.

In that place where almost everyone we talked to had the most dyer circumstances, I found the most incredible people and I found peace. There was one shack we went to, where a single mother had five month old twins, a boy and girl. There names meant Happiness.

So I was holding the girl twin in my arms, another member of my group was holding the boy twin, another was doing laundry with the mother, another was chopping wood and this little baby I was holding was looking into my eyes. She had the biggest most curious brown eyes I had ever seen, a gentle wind washed over us and I felt utter peace. I could have stayed there forever, holding Happiness in my arms.

I worked so hard while we we're in the squatter camps and for a little while nothing was about me. It was all about them, those people in the squatter camps who had been praying for some help to come. Before we went out to work my group leader would always say "Today you have the opportunity to bless people and change the world. Go for broke and hold nothing back."

I held nothing back at the Squatter camps and I know in my own little way, I changed the world.

So I've been a Christian and in church my whole life. So I've always heard "Go on a mission trip, it will change your life'

I never really understood that until now. When you chose to take time out of your schedule to give back to others, when you spend time in the most basic living circumstances, when you don't have the media influencing you for a while, when you see girls with their shoes worn out because they walked two hours to school every morning, when you talk to mothers who have to do the unthinkable to feed their families and when you hold weeping starving children in your arms, you change. You are no longer who you we're

After all 'When you do things you've never done, you become what you never were"

I am a changed person and now that I have seen what I have, I am responsible. I am responsible to let the world know about my journey, to let the world know about the children that I held in my arms and the people I prayed for.

I believe this trip to South Africa was the first of many, I now have a passion to help as many people as I can in as many countries as possible. It may seem like an impossible task but with God nothing is impossible.

I can no longer sit back and wish for the world to change. I have to truly be the change I want to see in the world. I have to get up, get out of my comfortable life and go!


In South Africa, I fell in love with life, people and my God again. I am forever changed, I now have an incredible passion for people, for my God and for life.

The last thing I want to say in this blog is something one of the teenage girls wished upon me, now I am wishing it for you and I hope it blesses you as much as it did me.

"Faith makes all things possible, Hope makes all things work, Love makes all things beautiful. May you have all these things in abundance"

Miley's racy Photos

Okay so usually I am not into celebrity gossip and I am by no means a blogger who focus is on celebs.

However I just saw Miley Cyrus’s new photos for Vanity Fair and I’d thought I’d share my opinion on the whole situation.


First of all the thing we all have to remember is that although Miley Cyrus is living the life of a superstar she is still only fifteen and her fans are even younger.

The controversial photo of Miley wearing nothing more than a sheet is spreading like wildfire and I am sure it won’t take long until all her ten year old fans see it.

These young girls look up to Miley, the respect her and want to be her. So when they see Miley posing like that in a photo, they assume its cool and they’ll want to do it two.

That is the problem with Miley’s photos, she is two young to be posing for a photo like that simple because of the amount of influence she has.

With great power comes great responsibility and celebrities these days have great power, because whether we like to admit it or not, celebs influence a lot of our daily decisions.

Especially if you’re a kid or teen, you want to be like your favorite actress, model or singer. It’s that simple, Miley Cyrus is in a position of great power and great responsibility.


I understand why she took the photos though, after all like I said before she’s living the life of a superstar.

So even though she is fifteen, she probably feels a lot older and wants an older fan base. If she had however waited another two or three years to take these photos it would not have been such a big deal. However she didn’t and now she’s taking the heat for it.

All I can hope is that her fans don’t take to posing like that for photos.

So yeah that’s my opinion on Miley’s photos, keep checking back for my opinion on other things and updates on The Guys, The Roses & The Regrets.