Five for Friday

1. The Raven Boys was fantastic. Seriously can't stop thinking about it. I can't believe I have so much time left until the next one comes out...and then two more years after that! Why?!?!

2. I finally put up Christmas decorations this week and I'm loving it. Scented pine cones are one of my favorite things about this time of year and they're scenting up my kitchen as I type this. The only thing we haven't put up is the tree. We've gotten a real one for the last few years and I don't want it to die before Christmas night. On another Christmas related note- I haven't even started my Christmas shopping for my family yet...NOT GOOD.

3. Today's the last day of NaNo and I was right on my 30,000 mark. I'm 28,991 words in right now, hopefully I'll get to the full 30 after today is over.

4. After a string of good-luck with my reading selection, it seems to have run out. The Raven Boys was one of the few I've enjoyed the last couple of months and it's driving me crazy. I would love some recommendations.

5. My youngest is finally crawling around and it makes me all misty-eyed and proud. She's my last so every milestone is especially sentimental. I can't believe how old my kids are, I kind of don't want them to grow up. But then again, changing diapers isn't exactly fun, so I guess growing up has its perks. Just wish time would slow down so I could enjoy those small moments.

It's Tuesday...

My creative energy feels like its been snuffed out. I went into NaNo quite optimistically with all the enthusiasm of Rowley from Diary of a Wimpy Kid on the first day of school. But alas, the steam has run out and I keep staring at my blinking cursor, waiting for something to happen. It's okay, I made it past the 25,000 words mark. I think I'll get around 30,000 when all's said and done...which isn't bad, but I had hopes of reaching the grand 50,000. Oh well, maybe next year?

Meanwhile I've been busy entertaining out of town guests and then being an out of town guest. Thanksgiving break was awesome and it was great to see family and have delicious food. I even made a pumpkin cheesecake that turned out beyond amazing. I am quite proud of myself, and it was devoured by the masses. Woohoo! All in all it has been a good November...I'm just a little freaked out that December is going to be here in a few short days. I'm so NOT ready for the Christmas madness that takes over all the shopping centers. I am, however, ready for the Christmas music (it always cheers me up, even in the middle of summer when it's 90 degrees outside) and awesome movies, whether they're classics like Meet Me In St. Louis, or those awesome original Lifetime ones. I really hope all of you other NaNoers are having more luck than me, and if not, don't beat yourself up over it, as long as you gave it your all then you have nothing to be ashamed of.

Five for Friday

1. On the NaNo front I'm just over 20,000 words in...I have some catching up to do. Which is going to be next to impossible since we have family coming into town TONIGHT and then next week is Thanksgiving! Ahhh!!! If I just keep repeating 'I think I can, I think I can, I think I can,' it'll all be okay.

2. The library just notified me that The Raven Boys is finally available for me!!! I'm super excited...and this is yet one more distraction keeping me from my NaNo goal...but it's Maggie Stiefvater, you guys!

3. Did I mention that after revisions Fire and Ice was just over 84,500 words?!?! I must remind you that the original draft was over 128,000 words...I'm pretty dang proud of myself for cutting and making the story tighter and stronger. And I've finally admitted to myself that I'm an over-writer. Is there like a therapy group for this?

4. I watched the City of Bones trailer and am freaking out!!! August can't get here soon enough. Oh, and then there's the Warm Bodies trailer which is also making me quite excited. 2013 is setting up to be a good movie year.

5. I'm seriously craving a hot chocolate right now. I love Star Bucks' Godiva hot chocolate, I have to have one every winter...so delicious, it can put you in a chocolate coma.

Have a warm and fun weekend!

This Is How I NaNo

With a bag of chocolate and a side screaming kids. That's how I roll. But so far so good. I'm a bit behind, but plan on catching up this week. Right now I'm 15,500 words in and feeling strong. There have been a few snags, but I'm slowly making my way over them. I'm also trying not to jump around with the plot (like writing a scene ahead of time I really want to) but being a pantser is sort of a part of me. I did a brief outline before I started writing the story, but like I said, it's brief and doesn't help contain the pantsing part of me all that much.

There are definitely benefits to being a pantser, we're always prepared to learn new things about our characters and find that one scene we didn't even know was a part of the story but becomes essential to the plot. Not saying this doesn't happen to plotters, but pantsers find that seed of discovery througout the whole manuscript because we really don't know what's going to happen next. In very few instances I may know what I want the sequence of events to be, but for the most part writing is very much an adventure for me.

How are all you other NaNoers doing? If you aren't NaNoing, how's the writing going? I hope you're pantsing, plotting, revising away.

Five for Friday

1. So far I have just under 12,000 words written for my NaNo project. I would have more but I've been a bit distracted with reading.

2. It's getting cold here...like thick coat cold. I was hoping the mid to high 60s weather would stick around for the rest of winter, but I guess that was asking for too much.

3. I'm sort of obsessed with this song:

If it doesn't work it's Phillip Phillip's song, Home. 

4. I watched the trailer for Les Miserables, and it looks spectacular. I had no idea Anne Hathaway could sing.

5. Okay, I'm getting really hungry...haven't had breakfast yet...so I'm going to go eat, which is VERY important. Have a great weekend!

Best Book of October

It's RTW over at YA Highway and it's that time of the month again...time to choose my favorite read of the month. For me it's a toss up between:
 Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

and Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

 

 

These are two very different books, one a YA contemporary while the other a YA fantasy. I've mentioned it before and I'll say it again, Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors. I read Keeping the Moon sophmore year in HS and haven't stopped reading any of her books since. My senior year I read This Lullaby, my favorite book by Dessen. I think it hit particularly close to home because the MC and I were both ending HS, saying goodbye to our friends, dealing with a lot of changes. And Dexter is an awesome love interest. So when I heard Just Listen had a cameo of my favorite couple, Remy and Dexter, I was shocked I hadn't read it yet. Usually I'm on top of things like that, but somehow I missed this little gem. Just Listen was a sweet story with relatable characters that took on a serious issue and dealt with it in a sensitive matter. (And I loved that Owen was so not what you expected him to be.)

 

I love a good fantasy, in fact I go out of my way to find one, which is why I have been anxiously waiting to read Throne of Glass. Celaena was not what I expected from a character. As an assassin imprisoned for months I figured she'd be a bit more...bitter, but she was actually pretty bubbly. It took me aback, but I appreciated her positive outlook on life. Maas did a great job with description, I could picture the palace as if it were right in front of me. The only issue I had with this book was the love triangle. I definitely prefer one guy over the other and think Celaena had way more chemistry with him than the other love interest, so I'm hoping she'll pick him in the end. That's my only gripe, and I now I'm going out of my mind wondering what's going to hapen in the sequel...yay!

NaNo, Revisions, and Betas, Oh My!

This weekend was full of writing delights, and revision plights. Okay, so I'm done with revisions (for now) but I wanted to rhyme...it's what the cool kids do. I got just over 7,500 words down since Nov. 1st began...not too shabby. I would have more, but I took yesterday off and watched the first season of Homeland after my hubby begged me to (it's one of his favorite shows). So far I'm really enjoying it, but it kind of also freaks me out because of the terrorist aspect...stuff like that hits a little too close to home.

I sent the newest and most polished (not saying I didn't miss a grammatical error here or there) version of Fire and Ice to my CP. I'll be waiting anxiously to see what she thinks (*fingers crossed she doesn't hate it*). But I need more eyes, so I was hoping a few of you might want to Beta for me? Pretty Please? If not, that's totally cool, but if you can, please leave a comment or e-mail me at prernapickett at yahoo dot com. I'm willing to read something of yours in return, if you so choose to volunteer.

Okay, back to NaNo. I'm discovering all sorts of fun things about my NaNo project. I had a somewhat clear idea of what I wanted to do with the plot (I had a beginning and end, that is the extent of my drafting), but other things have popped up that are making it much more interesting than my original plan...isn't that fun? Right now I'm gorging on the words like a starving model at an all you can eat buffet, but I'm not expecting this to last (but wouldn't it be great if it did?). Until then, I'll be happily typing and focusing all of my energy on getting to that 50,000.

Time for me to get off the interwebz and get to writing. Hope all you NaNoers out there are doing great, I'm cheering you on. And don't forget to let me know if you're interested in Beta-ing.

Five for Friday

1. I have just over 2,000 words down for my NaNo novel as of right now. Not too shabby.

2. Halloween was a success, and since my oldest didn't have school the next day we got to trick-or-treat later than we normally would. My kids seriously got loaded up...I might sneak some of their goodies now and then.

3. I'm done with revision! Well, I'm doing another quick round just to make sure I didn't miss anything, but all the major stuff is done. Yay!

4. I just finished Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas and really enjoyed it. There were a couple of things that bothered me...well, mainly the love triangle...I'm so over them. But over all I thought it was a good read and I enjoyed it.

5. Everyone back east who was effected by hurricane Sandy is in my thoughts and prayers. I have family and friends who live in the DC area and I worried over them during this past week. We've been watching all the news updates and the devastation is just beyond what I think anyone really expected. I wish I could fly out and volunteer with clean-up effort, I'd really love nothing more. I'm sending positive vibes your way.