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:
A Mad Wicked Folly, which I've wanted to read for quite a while and am so excited to dive into. I'm only a few pages in and loving it.

What I'm Writing:
Still working on my new WIP. I'm sooooo close to the end! I always get a wee bit lazy when I get there because I like to set myself up for failure cuz I'm awesome that way. Actually I'm a horrible procrastinator, but I've definitely gotten better over the years. If this were me last year I'd only have about 15k written so...progress!

What Inspires Me Right Now:

“I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say, ‘Because of you I didn’t give up.’”

—

Unknown

I saw this quote flying around Tumblr and it really got to me. I don't know it actually is anonymous or not, seems like more often than not people give credit to the wrong people for having said something profound and thoughtful. But either way I love it. And this is truly what I aspire to.

What Else I've Been Up To:
Tinkering. I don't know what else I can do while waiting to hear from agents. I got into Cupids Literary Connection Blind Speed Dating and got four more requests! Woohoo! But I also got a couple more rejections, boo! Back to the tinkering thing. I can't help but go back and reread Restoring Casey while waiting for responses. I keep going back and forth. One second I think it's great the way it is, the next I'm questioning every decision I've made in the story and think I suck at ALL THE THINGS. This really is the hardest part. I have to keep reminding myself that it's not the end. If nothing pans out with RC, I'll move on. It'll hurt, but I can do it. I've done it once before and I'll keep doing it until I get it right.

Writer Recharge

 If anyone wants to join in HERE is more information on this awesome bloghop.

Tis the last week of February. How is this even a thing already? I'm at 55k in the new WIP. My goal is to finish the first draft by the 28th! I'm getting REALLY close. Almost to the big showdown at the end. I'm still in love with the story and have worked out a few kinks (in my head, will have to wait til revisions to fix them on paper), which is making me breathe a little easier. This is the fastest I've ever written a first draft! Here's hoping for a great writing week for all of us!

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 FINALLY got my grabby little hands on These Broken Stars! I have to say the writing is beautiful and really captures the mood of the story. Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner are two very talented ladies. My only issue was with pacing. Though the words were pretty, it seemed like there wasn't much happening for about half of the book. I get that Lilac and Tarver are stranded on an unknown planet away light years away from family and help, but there was so much walking. So much. It exhausted even me. I can appreciate the authors wanting to set up the climax and work up the romance, but I do think some of the wandering could have been cut short. Other than that I definitely recommend the book.

What I'm Writing:
I'm up to 53k on my WIP. I'm so frustrated that this manuscript is still unnamed. Figuring out a title is usually the first thing I do when I start a story, and I'm pretty good at choosing them, if I do say so myself. But this one is really driving me nuts. I'v also realized I have some serious revisions to do once the first draft is done. I'm loving this story, but am not looking forward to hauling all the words around because I've changed up the timeline. I'm thinking a much needed break will be in order after the first draft is done and before I get into revisions

What Inspires Me Right Now:
Anyone who is querying. It's so hard to be in the trenches, guys. I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I started sending out queries a couple of weeks back. I haven't heard from most of them...yet. I got a few rejections, but that was to be expected. I did get a request for a full from one of the agents who requested my partial for Sun Vs. Snow. The quiet in in my inbox is deafening, and every time I go to check my e-mail my stomach drops and I hesitate because I'm afraid. So, to anyone else in this boat, I salute you! You are inspiring, you are talented, and you will find your agent. It may take a while, but it'll happen.

What Else I've Been Up To:
Trying to keep on top of all the things in my life. Reading, beta-reading, writing, revisions, family, home etc. There's always something to do, or someone who needs something. Such is life. I'm just glad I'm lucky enough to find time to do much of anything, especially read and write.

Write Recharge: Week 2 Update

It's that time again. If anyone wants to join in HERE is more information on this awesome bloghop.

Okay, on to my update. My goal was to reach 50k by Friday. Which I missed...by one day! I hit 50k on Saturday instead. My day to cram it all in didn't work out and writing time can be incredibly difficult to find with my kids. Thankfully my awesome husband, as a V-Day gift to me, took all four kids out for four hours all by himself so I could have me time. Which I desperately needed. I can't remember the last time I had the house all to myself. I was able to reach my goal and made some great headway in the first draft.

My goal for the rest of this month is to have the first draft finished. I was hoping to start revisions after, but I think I might need a little break after I'm done with the draft. 

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:
An awesome contemporary with two protagsdifferent as night and day, stuck with the same name. Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill is quite entertaining. I've loved the whole switching places story line since watching The Parent Trap (the original) when I was ten. It's a fun book with cute boys, ice skating, hockey, rivalries, and family drama. Loving it so far.

What I'm Writing:
I'm still sitting at 43k. Haven't done much writing in the last couple of days. I've been busy with kids, house work, surviving while the husband is out of town, and also beta reading for a CP. I'm going to try and make a big push tomorrow. Right now I just want to relax a bit and keep reading!

What Inspires Me Right Now:
I can't pinpoint one particular thing, but what comes to mind right now is just being alive. Partaking in the day to day mundane activities is even inspiring. Sometimes I take for granted how great life is. Even when it's difficult, and it seems like everything is getting worse not better, the fact that I can be here and enjoy my family, read amazing books, write (hopefully) amazing books, that's inspiring.

What Else I've Been Up To:
Watching some kick-butt movies. On Friday I dragged The Husband to see Vampire Academy, which I LOVED (him not so much). Then last night I rented Austenland and it was perfect. Ugh, gave me the feels and had me laughing from start to finish. I highly recommend both.

What Have You Been Up To?

Writer Recharge: Week 1 Update

It's the first update to #WriterRecharge! If you want to know how you can join the awesomeness CLICK HERE!

Thus far I am at 43k into my manuscript. I'm still hoping to get to 50k by Friday. Eeep! I did the bulk of my writing during the weekend since we had guests in town pretty much the whole week. Then there was a snow day on Friday which sort of threw everything else that wasn't already crazy out of whack. But I persevered and hit my stride yesterday. Writing a kissing scene definitely helped in the motivation department.

Meanwhile I would also like to finish beta-ing a manuscript for a CP by then as well. It's asking a lot, but I think I can do it. As long as I don't get distracted by things like the Internet and Television. Okay, this might A LOT harder than I anticipate, but I'm all for pushing myself and proving myself wrong.

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:
In The Shadow of Blackbirds is not what I expected. It's better. Beautiful withlush writing, an eerie feel I can't seem to shake. I'm loving it.

What I'm Writing:
 I didn't quite make it to 45k. Got way too distracted with Sun Vs. Snow to give proper attention to my new WIP. But I'm at 40k and pretty happy about it. Hoping I get to the 45k this week. It might be asking for a lot since we have guests in town ALL WEEK. Then I heard about this thing called Writer Recharge, hosted by Katy Upperman, Alison Miller, Liz Parker, Elodie Nowadzkij, and Sarah Biren. You guy should join in!

What Inspires Me Right Now:
Most of you know I was lucky enough to get pick for Sun Vs. Snow. Well, the agent round is over and...I got five requests! I'm so excited! Not only was this a confidence booster, but getting those requests inspire me so much right now. They've inspired me to keep going, to push myself, and made me realize I'm on the right path.

What Else I've Been Up To:
Today is my second oldest's sixth birthday! I can't believe it. I'm so glad to have him in my life. Can't stress enough how much I love my kids. They grow up too fast!

Writer Recharge

The fabulous Katy Upperman, Alison Miller, Liz Parker, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Sara Biren are hosting this fabulous event.

Here are the details:

January is in the books and you've had to deal with:

a) polar vortices
b) ice storms
c) mountains of snow
d) gray skies and general malaise
e) all of the above

We thought our writer friends might be in need of a little boost. A jump start, if you will. A recharge.

We'd like to invite you to join us for Writer Recharge 2014, a month-long motivational challenge similar to last summer's Ready. Set. Write! So many of us benefited from setting goals, connecting with other writers, and social media-based accountability. So, hey, let's do it again! Whether you're delighting next to the crackling fireplace of a Shiny New Idea with a warm cup of tea and a sleepy puppy at your feet or spinning out on the ice-covered roads of revisions in an attempt to avoid the snow-packed ditch, we want to write with you! What do you want to accomplish this month? Hit a daily word count? Revise a certain number of pages or chapters each week? Complete a draft by the end of the month? Let's get this party started!

Writer Recharge 2014

Your hosts and cheerleaders: Katy Upperman, Alison Miller, Liz Parker, Elodie Nowodazkij, and Sara Biren

The timeline:

• First week of February: Post your goals for the month on your blog, website, or Twitter. Use the hashtag #WriterRecharge. Link your blog post here (below)
• Every Monday in February: Update your progress via your blog or twitter. Link your blog posts on myMonday posts.
• Throughout the month: Use the hashtag to connect with other writers, have writing parties, and cheer one another on!
• February 28: Post your final update via your blog or twitter.
• Anyone who uses the hashtag or links their blog posts will be entered to win one of five query or 3-chapter critiques.

My goals for February are

- Get my first draft of the new project (still unnamed) by Valentines' Day.

-Start Revising

-Revise half of first draft

I might have to edit these as the month goes along. With the way the story is going, it might take longer to get the first draft done. My main goal is to make it to 50k by V-Day.