What's Up Wednesday!

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up, put on by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. If you'd like to join click on the links above!

What I'm Reading:

I only brought one book on our camping trip because The Husband would not allow reading time or any sort of technology on our trip. In all honesty there was no way he could have stopped me from piling on five or more books, but I knew it meant a lot to him that I focus on just being with the family. The book I chose was Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. I have to say, and I know this does NOT happen often, but I preferred the sequel to Shadow and Bone. Though I enjoyed the first book in the Grisha series, it didn't completely win me over. So I went in with low expectations with S&S and was blown away. My main issues with both books was Alina, she was a bit too passive for me. There were times I wanted to shake her, that didn't change from the first book to the second. One of my reader pet peeves is when the MC can't stop whining over how unattractive he/she is and Alina is guilty of doing just that, often. What I did appreciate was Bardugo creating a more villainess Darkling. I didn't buy him as evil in the first. Shady, sure, but downright bad, black to the core no conscience evil? Not so much. With the sequel I got a better glimpse at his darkness and manipulation tactics. And for those girls falling all over themselves because of the Darkling. Really? The guy killed thousands of innocent lives in his hunt for power. Yeah, not so attractive. He is not misunderstood, someone who kills without a care for others has no soul. And you know how they say you can tell a lot about a guy by the way he treats his mother? Yup, very true in this instance. I also felt more of a connection in the love department between Mal and Alina. Again, in the first there was no real development, but it was more fleshed out in book two and I look forward to reading the last in the series. Also, I totally fell for Sturmhond, by far my favorite character. 

What I'm Writing:

Man, writing did not get done as much as I wanted it to this week. With the whole camping thing, it was near impossible. But I did get my five pages. I was hoping to get in more, but alas, I guess I'll settle. One of the main things that was holding me back was the beginning. After getting several critiques I knew I had to up the ante and take out all the info dumping I was doing. Thankfully I got it figured out and feel really good about the edits. My goal is to get another 5-10 pages done by next week. It's going to be slow goings because I have A LOT of revisions to make to the first quarter or so of my manuscript. 

What Inspires Me Right Now:
Too many things. Sitting around a campfire while roasting marshmallows and laughing with family, reading a book that keeps you turning the pages in anticipation, writing a scene that takes your breath away. There's a lot of inspiration out there and I'm taking it all in. 

What Else I've Been Up To:

We found these baby pheasants stuck in our window well upon our return from the camping trip. I was getting all the kids cleaned up in the bathroom downstairs when I heard a sound that resembled that of a squeaking wheel. My first thought was "great, now our air conditioning is breaking down on us". Then my oldest said, "That sounds like birds chirping." I thought 'yeah right' but the sound kept bothering me, so I did some investigating and found that it got louder the closer I got to the window. The same window which is painted over so you can't see the outside. Imagine my surprise when I slid it open and came face to face with all these little chicks chirping for help. They were so freaking cute and my kids were super excited. The mom and dad were nearby and weren't going anywhere. I got my husband who got a box and we took all the kids outside and one-by-one got them out. Which was tricky given their ninja escaping skills. Every time my husband got close enough to catch one it would shoot away, they were adorably fast. Eventually we set them free, while their parents waited patiently for them, and they waddled-ran in the cutest way after them. So that myth about adult birds abandoning their young after they come in contact with humans is absolutely false. In fact, we've seen the same family running in our yard a few times since then. 

So, What's Up With You?

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up, put on by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. If you'd like to join click on the links above!

What I'm Reading:
Just finished a really unique YA fantasy City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster. I have to say that the world building was excellent and the premise unexpected. The city itself and the way the society is set up was clear cut and a bit frightening at first. But as you dug deeper into the mystery of the city you realize that maybe it's not as scary as it may seem. The MC Nisha was an interesting narrator. I thought she was bit...I don't know, bland at times, but I didn't dislike her. It was an enjoyable read and I appreciated the thought and care that went into building such a different setting. The funniest part was when I was checking the book out. The librarian immediately got excited and started fangirling about the book. I guess she knows the author. I thought it was awesome to see the support she had for her friend.

What I'm Writing:

Finished this round of revisions! Woohoo! *Lets out a sigh of relief* Now I have to get back in for another round. I finally got back my critique letters from the other participants in Crit Camp and their thoughts and insights were really spot-on and made me realize I still have quite a bit of work to do before this manuscript is ready for beta-reading. I'm excited though because I have a much clearer picture of what's working and what's not. Can't stress enough how important critiques are. Since I'm going to be gone until Sunday I'm not sure what kind of goal I want to set up for next week. Probably something a wee bit more realistic. So maybe fix up the first five pages by next Wednesday? I think I can manage that.

What Inspires Me Right Now:

Have you guys heard this song? It's been out forever and I highly recommend the whole album. My ipod was on shuffle the other day when it came on and it brought back so many memories. I listened to it a lot back when I was working on another manuscript, one of my very first attempts. It made me miss the story, but also helped me to realize how far I've come.

What Else I've Been Up To:
We're going camping! Ah! I'm so freaking excited. We haven't been in so long and I could definitely use the R&R. Although it does seem like as soon as you get back it's all business, getting the kids cleaned up, doing the laundry, getting back into the routine. But I think it's worth it when it comes to stuff like this. It's a tradition that my kids always look forward to and have the fondest of memories. I also think getting away from writing for a while will help. Kind of need to shut my brain off. And since I'll be MIA, I probably won't be able to comment on any blogs or comments until my return, so forgive me in advance!

What have you been up to.

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up, put on by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. If you'd like to join click on the links above!

What I'm Reading:

Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols. I've had in my Kindle for a while, but had so much other reading material to get through that it's just been sitting there. Thoughts of it so far: Cute, romantic, the two MCs definitely have great chemistry. But I have to say the MC, Lori, kind of gets on my nerves at times. All her scheming, I mean, really, how often do teenagers come up with such idiotic ways to get what they want? That's my only complaint. Going Too Far is still, by far, my favorite Jennifer Echols novel. 

What I'm Writing:

I got about twenty pages through revisions. Mostly I've been dealing with my disaster house and getting stuff done for crit camp and so I haven't put as much effort into it as I should. My goal is to get through the last 80 or so pages and be done by next week. 

What Inspires Me Right Now:

We're going on our annual Pickett Family camping trip (the picture above is of the river we float down on our awesome raft). I love being up there in the wild, cooking over a campfire, roasting marshmallows, smelling like the great outdoors. And the great thing about this location is that there's indoor plumbing! I had a very traumatizing outhouse experience as a teenager and would rather use the woods than ever step into one of those again. 

What Else I've Been Up To:

Yes, that would be my feet on my new carpet that got installed just yesterday! I was so excited I did cartwheels all over our new basement floor (I haven't done cartwheels since high school. In other words, I haven't done them since I had 4 freaking kids. Pretty proud of myself for not falling on my butt or spraining my wrist). Almost all of the house is back in order. The only room we haven't finished setting back up is my daughter's, which we will get to later on today. I am so relieved this whole process is over and we can roll over our very soft and plush new carpet.

What have you been up to?

Getting To Know You Blog Hop LV 13

So Rhiann and Kristina, the hosts of the Like A Virgin contest put together this Blog Hop for the participants (whether you got in or not) to get know each other. They posted a few questions about firsts and I thought I would share mine!

How Do You Remember Your First Kiss:
Fondly. Rather fondly. It was pretty magical. Why? Because my first kiss was my husband. I know, very rare. We were sitting there watching George of the Jungle, I believe, and he reached over and started writing on the palm of my hand with his finger and asked if he could hold it. I said yes. One thing lead to another and before I knew it we were kissing. I remember thinking, "No way does he like me back, that does not happen to someone like me!" But I guess he did sort of like me. Well, enough to marry me three years later.

What Was Your First Favorite Love Song:
Ugh. I don't even remember. I tried googling some songs from when I was younger, but the only thing that comes to mind is 'My Heart Will Go On' by Celine Dion. And mainly because of Titanic, and mainly because of Leo DiCaprio.

What's The First Thing You Do When You Start Your Writing Day:
Run. And eat. In that order. I have to get in a good run to clear my head. I know, I'm one of those weird people that functions better after exercise. And food is one of my favorite things in the world so I have to eat a breakfast before I can put together somewhat coherent thoughts.

Who's The First Writer To Truly Inspire You To Become A Writer:
Sarah Dessen. I remember reading a few of her books in High School and thinking "wow, I wish I could do that". I'd written stuff before then, but after reading her work I realized I REALLY wanted to write. Even though I sucked at it. For a while.

Did The Final Revision Of Your First Book Have The Same First Chapter It Started With?
Hah! Yeah right! I'm not sure, but I think I had about thirty or so versions of the first chapter. The whole inciting incident was the same, but the way it occurred changed quite a bit. I think that's normal, though, so I guess I shouldn't feel like a total loser when it comes to my inability to settle on a beginning. They're the hardest part for me.

For Your First Book Which Came First: major characters, plot, or setting?
For me it was the characters. I could picture Kale and Shelly (the two MCs) perfectly, their smiles, their awkward blushes after their initial meeting. I knew right away that they were totally head-over-heels for each other, I just had to figure out why? And how did they even end up together in the first place? Thinking about them makes me nostalgic, almost as if I'm remembering the first time one of my kids walked. I guess in a way they are like my children. Although that would be super gross and weird if they were in fact related.

What's The First Word You Want To Roll Off The Tip Of Someone's Tongue When They Think Of Your Writing?
Hmmm...honest. I want my writing to be honest, for the story to be true to the characters, and for their trials and hardships to be something everyone can relate to. I want to create stories and characters that make people shout and cry. I want my readers invested. I hope I'm always honest with both my characters and readers.

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up, put on by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. If you'd like to join click on the links above!

What I'm Reading:
I have to say since last week I haven't read as much as I would like. I did, however, reread an old favorite The Witch of Blackbird Pond. It brought back so many memories. I first read it in the sixth grade and fell in love with the setting, with Kit, Hannah, and Nat. It is such a sweet story that reminded me of a much simpler time even though the characters are going through some not so simple trials.

What I'm Writing:

I got my fifty pages done! 99 percent of it was yesterday when I finally found time after a very long Fourth of July weekend. There was one scene in particular that I had breakthrough with. I had two versions of this scene, which is also a catalyst for the story, so it was pretty important to get it right. I'd been putting it off for some time because of that very reason and I honestly didn't think I'd get to it until the end. There were things I loved about both versions and combining the two was a harder than I  anticipated. I've been thinking about sharing an excerpt and thought now might be a good time. So here goes nothing:

The man and woman in front of me gasped in disbelief, staring at Dad and I in horror and shame. I was sure our delicate use of the English language was the cause.

            “Watch your tongue!” The man stepped forward and tried to cover my ears. I managed to scramble away, brows furrowed in confusion. “Is this what you have been teaching my granddaughter all these years?”  The man waved a finger at Dad. His voice was deep and thick with his accent, giving away his origins. Well, that and the fact his skin tinged darker than mine.

            But that didn’t erase the fact that I now appeared to have stepped into a Bollywood movie. Standing in front of me were an older couple, gray hair and small wrinkles edging around their faces. The woman was wearing a traditional deep green sari with a red bindi in the middle of her forehead, her dark gray hair pulled back in a bun. The man wore some khaki pants and a white dress shirt tucked in tightly above his waist, much less traditional. Then there were the flip-flops.

            At the bottom of the steps, surrounding their feet were more bags. This was not happening. My mouth parted and then shut again. I never before had a chance to use the word flabbergasted to describe an event in my life, but this was one occasion where it seemed appropriate. I was so shocked I even ignored Dad’s cursing. I hadn’t heard him slip up once in almost six years.

            My Mom’s parents, my Naani and Naana, were standing in front of me, and I was starting to think I had hit my head during the fall. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hands, but when they came away, the two strangers were still there.

It still needs some work, but this scene sets everything in motion when it comes to Casey's relationship with her father and her unresolved feelings from her mother's death. 

What Inspires Me Right Now:

Did you guys notice all the amazing contests going on right now? There's PitchMas, Xmas in July, and Like A Virgin contest to name just a few. It's amazing how we all gather together and support each other in this way, that writers who have achieved their goals are willing to help those of us who are still on that journey. Truly awesome.

What Else I've Been Up To:
I'm taking part in Natalie Parker's crit camp (if you want to learn more about it click on the link) and I've already learned so much about the art of critiquing. I have the opportunity to critique the first 10,000 words of the other participants manuscripts and I am in awe of, not only their skills, but their concepts. All I have to say is that future readers have nothing to worry about, there are still amazing stories coming from the twisted imaginations of writers around the world. I look forward to reading them myself. 
What have you been up to?

Living In Disaster

There should be a policeman directing traffic inside my house right now. Stuff is everywhere, the house smells like paint, and my three oldest are sharing a bedroom which is just asking for one of them end up with a broken bone (they get rather daring when together). It's starting to feel endless even though it's only been a week. In case you were wondering, we ripped out all our carpet to install the new stuff, which won't be here until NEXT week. Over half of our house is carpeted, so...yeah, lots of messes. Then we decided to paint all the rooms while we were at it. But as I sat grumbling about the idiocy involved in me agreeing to all of these things, and in June/July when the weather has been over 100 degrees since last week, and having open windows is like opening the door to the sauna, I remembered that these are the exact conditions (and far worse) that my character lives in in my WIP and it will only help me to understand her that much more. So, I guess at the end of the day it's not ALL bad. (Silver Lining.) I just wish I could get over having two humongous baskets of laundry in my living room since my kids dressers are in the garage and there's nowhere else I can really keep them. What about you guys, how far have you gone to get into you character's head? I feel like there are several ways, music being the first and foremost that comes to mind. I know not all of us want to start taking drugs because our MC is a junkie, or date bad boys/girls, but what steps do you take?

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up, put on by Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. If you'd like to join click on the links above!

What I'm Writing:

Still editing. I didn't meet my revisions goal this week. Life sort of got in the way. I had my mother-in-law in town all last week helping us rip out our old carpet so we could install the new stuff, which made it difficult to find time. But on top of that last Thursday I got into a bit of a fender bender and that drained any of my ambition to do anything, especially because I spent all weekend on the phone with our insurance company, and then had to go to the police station to file an accident report. Thankfully no one was hurt and it was a minor accident, but still, it makes me sick just thinking about all the woulda coulda shouldas. My goal for this upcoming week is to get 50 pages done.

What I'm Reading:

I finished Quintana of Charyn the other night, the last in the Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta and all I have to say is WOW. I've loved every single one of the books and was continually impressed with the world-building, intricate plot lines, and character arcs. You want kick-ass leading ladies? You got them- Isaboe, Quintana, Phaedra, just to name a few. These women were warriors, they experienced grief, pain, joy, hardships, and they weren't perfect. In fact there were times all those ladies drove me nuts with their stubbornness, but they felt real and authentic and my heart broke for each one of them. If you haven't read this fantasy series, what are you waiting for? Get.On.It. The writing is fabulous and I was constantly amazed by how much thought and love went into creating these stories. There were several times I found myself teary eyed because of how much the characters suffered and loved and lost, and the words made me feel those things. By the end there wasn't one plot line left loose, she covered them all. Thanks to Melina Marchetta I don't think I'll ever be able to find another series that quite lives up to this one.

What Inspires Me Right Now:

Writers. I lay there last night, going over all the edits I need to make to my manuscript,  and I was struck by how incredible it is that we, as writers, can create whole new worlds. Our imaginations open portals to places others couldn't even begin to imagine. Places like Narnia, the Shire, Hogwarts. Not only that, but we fall in love with the cast of characters, we get invested in their lives, we feel their pain.  Can you believe that? I think it's incredible, and very humbling as a writer. Honestly, writers are awesome.

What Else I've Been Up To:

The Fourth is tomorrow! Woohoo! I love fireworks and I love having delicious food, and combining the two makes me very happy. I'm looking forward to spending some time with family and watching my kids as they stare up at the sky when the display sparks in front of their eyes. I love all the wonderment of life when you're a kid, and I really miss it. But I think it's awesome that I get to relive those moments and see them through my kids.

What have you been up to?

Switching To Bloglovin

 I'm sure you've heard, the GFC is a thing of the past (seriously, how much faster can things change on the internet because it feels something some major website is always doing something to screw with its users). I've decided to switch everything over to Bloglovin, and I'm sure you've noticed the Follow button on the right hand side, so if you would be so kind as to follow me on there instead, that would be awesome. My feed has already switched there as well so I won't be losing any of the blogs I follow. I went into a wee bit of a panic last week when I first found out about all the changes to blogger, because I am one of those people who is completely out of the loop when it come to these sorts of things until the last minute. But I think we're all going to be okay, at least I hope we will. If we can handle Facebook constantly warping our pages and timelines, I think we can survive this.