Kasie West

It's Back

2012-01-19T09:05:00.001-08:00

I'm a happy girl. American Idol started again last night, season one, one (as we heard from Randy on many occasions throughout the episode). I love that show. Love it. I thought I would hate it without Simon. I thought Simon was what I liked so much about the show. But no. It's not true. In fact, I tried to watch X Factor this season (because of Simon) and I only made it about half way through the season. So it must be the format of American Idol that I love. These first several weeks are my favorite where we get to see the raw emotion of a dream becoming a reality. It makes me so happy. So happy that I felt the need to gush about American Idol on my blog. It's on again tonight for those of you who didn't realize it had started. Which, btw, it used to be that you'd have to be living under a rock to not realize the shows that were about to start. But now, with DVRs I never watch commercials so I'm constantly uninformed about what the networks think I can't live without.

Also, if I'm going to write a post about American Idol, I can't stop there. The Voice starts in a few weeks too. ..............................Sorry, I was thinking about Adam Levine and don't remember what point I was going to make. Just watch him. I mean it.

One day Adam Levine is going to respond to me on Twitter. In the mean time, I will continue to pretend like I'm witty when I respond to his tweets as though we are having a conversation. A conversation where one person is talking and the other person is ignoring them. That's still considered a conversation, right?? I'll go ask Adam what he thinks.

In totally unrelated news, don't forget to sign up for our contest over at Friday the Thirteeners! The contest ends tonight! There will be 13 winners so your chances are pretty high. :)

We need a picture of Adam to end this post right, don't we? I agree.

Happy Friday the 13th

2012-01-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

I love Friday the 13th! I always have. Even as far back as high school it was a day I looked forward to. I don't know why, but good things always happened on those days. The tradition has continued into adulthood and one of my favorite days ever (the day I sold my book) ended up being a Friday the 13th. So it's only fitting that I'm involved with a new blog called Friday the Thirteeners--a small group of authors debuting in 2013. Head on over there and check it out! You can win some stuff too!

Also, I joined the main blog group for YA and middle grade authors debuting in 2013. It's called The Lucky 13s. It's a very fun group and if you're interested in who and what is debuting in children's lit in 2013 that is definitely where you're going to find it. They always have fun daily postings--interviews, writing advice, etc.

I know what you're thinking. Why in the world would Kasie join 2 blogs when she has a hard enough time maintaining her own?!? (Don't tell them, but it's because other, smarter (cooler) authors are blogging with me and they are really good at keeping up on blogging. So see, I'm very practical.)

Wednesday Reads--The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.

2012-01-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you how much I loved this book? I love it when I read two books in a row that I absolutely adore. First VARIANT and now THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. It's a mouthful, but even the name makes me smile because of the scene in the book where it's referenced. See, I'm smiling again. It's my favorite book of 2012 so far. Sure, it's the only one I've read in 2012, but we won't get into sticky details like that.

Here's the Amazon blurb:

"Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it."

It totally made me believe that, Amazon, you're so smart. I loved it.

Winners!!

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

So, I learned my lesson a while ago and no longer do contests which require me to personally pick a winner. It's too hard to choose. I feel guilty and want to let everyone win. But even using random.org to pick my winners, knowing I could blame it on a computer generated program, I still wished I could let you all win. This is impossible. There's no way I can do 40 critiques. I only have time for 2 critiques. But after the first number came up and it was:

C.A. Marshall (Congratulations!! I'll email you) I noticed she had requested a book in the comments section. I thought, I scheduled myself time for 2 critiques, so I should definitely pick 2 more winners.

The second random number generated by random.org (remember, not me, a computer program) was:

Larissa (Yay!!!) After all my reasoning about being able to do 2 critiques, I noticed Larissa hadn't specified what she wanted. So it's possible Larissa also wants a book. Which is totally fine. I will email her and find out. :)

The last random number drawn, and I'd like to think it was because she somehow sent threatening letters to random.org or maybe she also promised the website something she has no intention of actually delivering, was:

Sophia Chang (I expect my army of Chinese children very soon). From now on I will try my own over-the-top promises when entering contests because obviously the positive vibes those promises sent into the Internets somehow came back to reward you. (I'll email you)

Congratulations to the winners!! Happy New Year, everyone!

Wednesday Reads--Variant

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to enter my holiday giveaway on the post below. You have two more days to leave a comment to win one of three prizes!

So last night I finished Variant by Robison Wells.

Such a great book. I highly recommend it. It was fast paced (which I love) and intriguing and kept me curious and guessing the entire book. I loved the twist and the characters and really just everything about it. Except the cliff hanger ending, Mr. Wells, you are very cruel. So of course now I'm dying to read the second one. Does anyone know when it comes out?

Amazon blurb:

"Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible."

Sounds awesome, right?? It is.

Holiday Giveaway

2011-12-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

So I'm in the mood to give something away. There are many reasons. One, did you hear about my friend, Renee, and her awesome news? If not, go check out her blog. Very inspiring.

Also, I've reached a few milestones. They seem silly but they make me happy.

*I finally hit 300 followers on my blog.

*I reached 800 followers on twitter.

*And 100 people I don't know personally, put me on their to-be-read list on Goodreads. (Thanks, everyone, it really means a lot to me)

In honor of all the support you guys are showing me, I'd love to give you something. I'd really love to give you all something, but that's impossible, so I'll pick two winners. The prizes. Your pick of one of the following:

1. A book. Any book. Your choice. I'd be happy if it were a Young Adult book and preferably a debut author, but I'll let you pick. Or I can send you my favorite book of 2011--Divergent by Veronica Roth (I should say, one of my favorites. There were so many good books in 2011.)

2. A partial critique of your manuscript. Up to 50 pages. Again, I feel most qualified to critique a Young Adult manuscript, but if you aren't a Young Adult writer and would like me to try my hand at something else, I won't turn you away. (If you win)

3. A query critique.

So that is my Thank You! offerings. Oh, rules. Um.....one entry for a comment, one entry for a tweet, and one entry if you blog about it (Please tell me how many entries you earned in the comments section). Contest ends next Friday, December 30th, at midnight.

****Contest Closed. Will announce winners Monday, January 2nd****

New York, New York

2011-12-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

So this last week I tagged along with my husband on his work trip to New York. It was so much fun! Best trip ever! But I'm an idiot and didn't take a single picture. So I will try to recap my trip borrowing other people's pictures so you can get the idea.

We arrived Tuesday night and started our time in New York with a slice of pizza. Yum.

(See how happy my husband and I are eating pizza. Doesn't it look delicious?)

Wednesday my husband had meetings so I braved the city alone and did a little shopping. It truly was pure bravery. I had to face stores like Abercrombie where they made their store employees parade around the front door like this:

I mean, come on, if you think stunts like this are going to bring in shoppers, Abercrombie, then........how come the store in my home town doesn't do this? Maybe I should let them know what their New York counterpart is doing. I mean, purely in an effort to make them more consistent.

Wednesday night we had more pizza right before we saw this guy:

(Isn't my boyfriend so handsome?)

Sigh. I'm not going to lie, we shared several magical moments where I'm almost a hundred percent certain he was looking at me. Hugh Jackman put on such a great show. He was funny, witty, handsome. Seriously, what more could you want? The eighty year old women surrounding me agreed.

Thursday, I walked around in these shoes for 9+ hours (and this is the actual picture because I took it just now) and my feet fell off.

But before my feet fell off, we went to a taping of David Letterman and got to sit in the front row because apparently they thought we were loud and full of energy in our "interview" before the taping. They don't have me pinned at all. It was so cool. Jude Law was the guest. He pretty much looked exactly like the picture below. With the hat and everything.

That night we went out with my agent who rocked some cute and very high heels to try to close the distance between our height. She looked hot. :)

(So this picture is from our last meeting. Imagine us both looking even better! I know, it's hard to believe, but that's the kind of luxury taking no pictures affords us. We can remember things how we want to remember them.)

Friday I got to see both my agent and editor together over lunch. Having two of my favorite people in the same place doing one of my favorite things (eating) was awesome!

(That's me on the left [obviously]. :) Sarah, did you know this is the only picture of you in the entire webiverse? I mean, if that were me, I'd probably want this to be the only picture in existence of me, but now I have even more regret that we didn't take a picture. Because your super cute self needs some more web time and the world needed to see that awesome shirt you wore to lunch that I wanted to steal.)

My amazing editor brought me a sneak peek of my book cover!!!!!!!! I almost died. I can't wait to get the final version and show all of you. I love it so much.

So, as you can see through my picture extravaganza, I had the best trip ever to New York. How are you all spending your holidays??

Self Identification

2011-12-12T13:00:00.000-08:00

My 4 year old son is really into drawing monsters. Like really into it. Every time he sits down to draw, he draws a monster. When he's at school, he draws monsters, at church, monsters. I have so many monster pictures in this house, it's crazy. Okay, now I feel the need to upload some so you can see their awesomeness.

This is one of our favorites. Note the smiling man in the monster's stomach. He's so happy to have just been eaten.

So, Friday when I went to pick my son up from school, a bunch of the kids were showing their parents what they had drawn that day. Apparently they were learning about self identity--what they looked like as babies and what they look like now. A little girl, showing her mom her picture, said, "This is when I was a baby and this is me now!" Her mom, so proud of the cute big heads with legs attached said, "Good job, honey."

My son, ready for some praise of his own, held up his picture. "Mom, this is me as a baby." I looked at the picture of a small circle with four sticks attached where the arms and legs should be and a big smile on the cute baby's face. Then he continued. "And this is me as a monster!!"

So much for self identification.

(I can't for the life of me figure out how to rotate this pic in blogger. I rotated it in my photo program but now, this. Whatever. You get it. It's a monster. It's scaring a poor little stick guy.)

This is how I feel sometimes when I'm writing. I think I know where my main character is headed, who she is, how she would deal with certain situations. And then she screams: "And this is me as a monster!!"

Book Sale

2011-12-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

If you've been thinking about reading any of these lovely books

by the amazing Michelle Davidson Argyle (and if you haven't, why not? They are great) now's the time to do it! For the month of December the ebook versions are on sale for $0.99. Click here for more info.

Never Listen to Your Brain

2011-12-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

So about three months ago I started working out. Yes, applause would be appropriate here. Mostly for the fact that it has been three months and I am *still* working out. But anyway, I'm getting side tracked by how proud we should all be of me. Back to the working out thing. Every time I was at the gym, on my way to the bikes I would see this class through the big windows of the...class room...??....what would you call that room? And every time I saw these super fit people doing these super hard things, I thought to myself, No thank you, not a fan of self-torture (you probably sense where this is headed).

Well one day I ran into a friend who I hadn't seen in years as we were walking up to the front doors of the gym. We got to talking and then she was like, "You should take this class with me in the class room (Ha. She didn't really say the class room part)" And I was like, "No thank you, ma'am. I've seen y'all in there and it looks awful." She laughed and we parted ways and I jumped onto the tread mill. And then my brain took over (unasked for, I might add) and was like, "You've been working out for 3 months now, Kasie. You should totally challenge yourself. You can handle it." I sighed at my brain for being so nosy and so unhelpful and walked over to the line (yes, there was a line) waiting for the previous class to get out.

My friend smiled and said, "You changed your mind?" And I said, "I don't know. I need to be talked into it." She laughed and said, "Okay, so you may cry a little. And tomorrow you won't be able to lower yourself to the toilet. But it's a great class!" My mouth fell open. "I said talked into it! Not out of it." That's when the lady in front of us turned around and she said, "If I can do it, you can do it."

Now, if this had been anyone else in the class, it wouldn't have swayed me. The entire class looks like they could be on the cover of We Are Super Fit and You Should Be Extremely Jealous Magazine. But this lady was at least 30 years my senior. Granted, she, too, could be on the cover of that magazine, but still. My brain said, "Seriously, Kasie? If she can do it, you can too."

So I did it. It was very hard. Line Lady could totally do it. I could totally not. I ended the class on my back staring at the ceiling, wondering if this was what slow death felt like. This was the first class. I've been going for about a month now. One week I looked ahead of me and was like, oh look, that girl is doing just as bad as I am. Substituting the hard moves for the modified ones and everything. I felt a little better. Later, she turned around......she was seven months pregnant.

Lesson? When going to the gym, avoid eye contact. If you see friends pretend you don't know them. And never listen to your brain. (At least not when you're at the gym.) That is my maddeningly unhelpful advice.

A Pop Quiz

2011-11-29T13:37:00.001-08:00

Why is Kasie such a lazy blogger? (Very good question)

A. She doesn't think she has anything worth posting.

B. She can't do more than two productive things a day and ever since she started working out, her quota on productivity has been met.

C. She has been traveling a lot.

D. She has been writing a lot and all her creativity has been stolen and used up in her book.

E. She has been editing a lot and when she is editing she is extra critical of herself and thinks all the blog post ideas she comes up with are stupid.

F. All of the above.

Yes, the answer is F. And I get an F for this blog lately too. But, I am hoping to remedy this. As mentioned in B, I started working out and boy do I have some funny stories of me in some 'way too hard for my wimpy body' classes that I must share. Because we all like reading anecdotes of me making a fool of myself, right? Yes. We do. Plus, I've been reading a lot, so I have more reviews to share. Yay, this has been a blog post about how I'm going to have future blog posts! So satisfying.

Wishing I could read Wednesday

2011-11-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

My TBR pile is growing taller as my beta reading inbox is filling up. I have so many books I want to read right now sitting there waiting for me. Lola, Variant, Hourglass, just to name a few. I'm staring at them with dreamy eyes right now, in fact, while typing this. Yes, I'm typing and staring. Isn't the cover of Hourglass amazing. Probably one of my favorite covers ever.

Anyway, I'm not complaining (much) because I am so lucky to get to read some amazing manuscripts and give suggestions while suggestions are still being taken. It's not quite as satisfying to have suggestions for already published books. :) I suppose that's what book clubs are for. Someone at church invited me to book club. I told her, that I would be a tyrant at a book club. I have too many opinions and want everyone to agree with them. She seemed to be willing to take that risk as she handed me the book and told me she'd see me there. She also promised there would be dinner which went a long way in overriding my fear of being too opinionated. So, I will report next month about how many enemies I made at book club. In the mean time I will practice biting my tongue. The funny thing is that I actually like most books so I don't know why I'm so worried. Maybe I'm worried I'll have to defend authors everywhere? Well, either way, I guess I'm going. My first adult book club ever. (I say 'adult' because I've had a few book clubs at my house with teens--those were fun.)

In other news, my agent started blogging! You should go check out her blog here. She's so fun and you'll get to see why I love her so much. Very entertaining.

I love Russia

2011-10-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

Things I know about Russia:

It's very big.

It's very cold.

It's very beautiful.

Anna Kournikova is from there.

It is where Sylvester Stallone in Rocky IV had to fight that really big Russian guy. The best Rocky fight ever.

And......

My book will be available there within 18 months!

Things I want to know about Russia:

Everything else!

So help me out. What do you know about Russia?

When I started this journey to publication, my dream was to see my book in print. I never even thought to dream of seeing my book printed in other languages. So when my agent told me that a Russian publisher--AST--made an early offer, I was surprised. I always knew selling in other countries was a possibility, I just thought it would happen later or to someone else. I am so excited!

Wednesday Reads

2011-10-19T08:57:00.001-07:00

So someone recommended this lovely book recently (and I can't remember who, I thought it was Jessie, but I can't find the comment where someone said I should read it so I might be falsely giving Jessie credit, but whoever recommended it thank you):

I LOVED it! Adored it. That's really all I was going to say about it, along with including a blurb, but when I was looking for the book cover to include in this post I found out that this book is being turned into a movie! I'm sure all of you knew that and I'm seriously late to the Austenland is being turned into a movie party (there has to be a party like that somewhere). But, I am so EXCITED!!

So here's the blurb and read the book. Oh, this isn't a young adult book. I know I normally review YA on my blog so I always feel the need to include the fact if it's not YA. But, in the cleanliness department, I would have no problem handing this book to my 13 year old to read. Would she read it? No, because she'd realize the main character was 32 the minute she read the first page, raise her eyebrows at me (which, by the way, my daughter has amazingly perfect eyebrows that my non-existent eyebrows are so jealous of) and hand it back to me with a 'Ew, no.' Okay, I'm rambling. Here's the blurb from Goodreads:

"Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.

Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?"

Wednesday Reads

2011-10-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

Super fun read. If you want a light-hearted, funny, and slightly gross zombie story, you'll love this one. I laughed and cringed and couldn't wait to find out how Kate figured out how to cure the football team of the zombie virus.

Blurb from amazon: "Someone's been a very bad zombie.
Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steriods are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate! She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town . . . and stay hormonally human."

That's gross

2011-10-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been around my blog for a while, you'll remember I used to tell stories about the gross things my son did. After three daughters my son never fails to disappoint in giving me the true experience of having a boy. But today, I have a story on a little girl in my life. My three year old niece who I've decided must hate me. It's the only explanation. She is potty trained. Has been for at least six months now (maybe a year). But every time I watch her at my house, she has an "accident". I have accident in quotes because I'm starting to wonder if it really is an accident or a carefully planned plot to get back at me for some unknown past offense.

So I was watching her and her siblings Wednesday and for the second time in as many hours my niece had an "accident". My daughter called for me to come take care of it and I found the Mastermind standing in the kitchen in her jacket and rain boots (she had just come in from playing outside, which btw, it would've been so much nicer if she had her "accident" outside, but she didn't) looking all sweet and innocent. Seriously, she had a little coy smile on her face. I retrieved a towel, spread it out on the mess, and told her to sit down. I grabbed hold of one of her froggy rain boots and pulled. I'm not kidding when I say a waterfall of urine came rushing out, all over my bare feet. The rain boots had caught the "accident". So. Gross.

Seriously, this little girl is some sort of evil genius, right?

Never Give Up

2011-10-03T07:33:00.001-07:00

So this last weekend I went boating with my family. It was only the second time this season that I've been able to go. (This makes me sad.) But while wakeboarding, I decided that I didn't like my neck very much and threw myself neck first into the water. Okay, that's not exactly how it happened. I may or may not have made a horrible error in judgement going over the wake and caught the front lip of my board and went down hard.

This wasn't Saturday's fall (this was a fall from 2 summers ago), but it looked similar, I'm sure, to this:
I'm now very, very sore. But it got me thinking about wakeboarding. It took me FOREVER to learn how to do it. I'm embarrassed to admit that it took me an entire summer getting out there in the water week after week, trying to figure out how to take the thousand tons of pressure against my board every time the boat started forward and turn it into me on top of the water. People tried to explain it to me, to tell me how it worked for them, etc. etc. In the end, I had to feel it for myself. I finally did it. And maybe that's why I like it so much now (four summers later)--because of how much work it took to learn. Because I'm so dang proud of myself.

Of course I'm going to relate this to writing (I know, I normally don't and tell you to do the "relating" job yourself, but I actually have a story). I was talking to a friend the other day who is on the verge of calling it quits on this whole writing thing. It reminded me of when I felt the same way this time last year. I had recently left my first agent. I had written what I thought was my best book yet. And I had started querying again. I was in my 5th month of querying. Five months! I had honestly thought I would get an agent right away. I had a pretty good request rate, but only had one agent request anything past the partial. So I kept revising and sending more out. Then I came to a point where I was like, maybe I don't know what I'm doing. Maybe I don't know what's good and what's not. I had hit a low and was one rejection away from quitting. I didn't want to put myself through any more heartache. I needed a break, at the very least, I told myself. I was sending out two more queries and that was it.

Well, I'm so glad I did. My agent was one of those. (And Michelle, you might be asking why you weren't one of the first queries I sent out and I don't know. I thought you were awesome, I followed you on twitter, you represented a friend. Okay, maybe I was slightly intimidated by you. But I'm also glad you weren't one of the first because the book was way better by the time you got it.) So what's my point?? Never. Give. Up. If writing is something you love, hang in there. Keep writing. Keep trying. Will your face hit the water every now and again? Yes. Will you be sore for a couple days after? Yes. But will it make your eventual success that much sweeter? Yes. Never give up.

Wednesday Reads

2011-09-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

So one thing I love about being a writer is that I know lots of other writers. And because I know lots of other writers I get to read lots of cool books. And while I'm reading them, I get to think things like, 'I actually *know* this person.' It's kind of weird being a fan-girl with my friends but I so am.

I loved MONARCH! It had all the things I love about an action/thriller plus a love story (which is always what I think is missing from an action/thriller). The pictures that Michelle paints with her descriptions are gorgeous. Her characters are flawed to perfection. I just all around loved this book. (Disclaimer: I know I usually review Young Adult books on my blog, so heads up, this is not a Young Adult book.)

Goodreads blurb: "Nick's life as a CIA spy should be fulfilling, but it has only given him unhappiness, a wife who committed suicide, and two daughters who resent everything he has become. Now, stuck in the Amazon on the last mission of his career, he must track down Matheus Ferreira, a drug lord and terrorist the United States has tried to bring down for years. If he succeeds, he'll have the chance to start his life over again. Just when he's on the brink of catching Ferreira, he's framed for a murder that turns his world upside down. His only chance of survival lies in West Virginia, where Lilian Love, a woman from his past, owns the secluded Monarch Inn. He's safe, but not for long."

OH, I have to write, to write

2011-09-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I'll think I forgot how write. I'll go a month or two and only write a hundred words here or a hundred there. And I'll think OH NO, it's happened, I forgot how to write a book. I'm doomed. Then last week I visited Ruth's and Chantele's blog where they both talked about setting goals and I was like, fine Universe, I hear you, I need to set a goal. And then I wrote 10K this week. I guess if I want to write a book I actually have to sit down and write. Go figure. So I didn't forget how to write, I just forgot how to force myself to write. I blame twitter. Can you twitter people just stop being so interesting so that I don't feel the need to read your tweets all the time. That would really help me a lot.

In other news, I finished my first round of edits! So happy. I'm always amazed at what a different perspective can pick up on. Every time someone (whether that be a beta or my agent or an editor) reads my book they pick up on something I hadn't. It just goes to show that we can never objectively read our own books. I'm so grateful for the many different people that have helped me shape my book.

Linkin' it up

2011-09-16T16:13:00.001-07:00

Just a couple links for you for the weekend. My good friend, Renee Collins, is having a great contest over on her blog for a chance to win a query critique from one of two agents! So if you're in the querying stage, head on over there because there's nothing better than an agent telling you how to make your query even better.

Click here to enter.

Also, last week Elana Johnson did a blog post about maximizing your online networking. I loved the post. And since Elana is pretty much the queen of social networking, I thought I should listen. Her tips were great.

Click here to check them out.

Wednesday Reads

2011-09-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

So I started reading this book yesterday:

IT'S NOT SUMMER WITHOUT YOU by Jenny Han. Love it so far! Really good. Have I mentioned I love contemporary?

Anyway, I'm half way through the book and I was on Goodreads today and saw that after the title of this book it said, "Book 2" and I was like, "What??" I hadn't realized it was the second book in a series. So then I read the summary of book one. Jenny Han did an amazing job of seamlessly filling in the back story of book one into this book. I have not felt like I've missed a thing. I am very impressed.

So, like I said, I'm only half way done, but barring any horrible plot fouls, I'm going to say that I recommend this book. Here is the summary (warning, spoiler for book 1-THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY):

"It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.
But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started—at Cousins Beach."

Okay, now that I've read the summary, the only thing she hasn't explain is why they call her "Belly". Was that in book one? I'm guessing it would've had to have been with such a weird nickname.

DingDong's Fate

2011-09-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

Did I leave you guys in duck limbo or what? I'm so sorry. I hadn't intended to do that but we ended up going out of town for labor day weekend and I didn't think to schedule a post before I left. Don't worry, I have been properly chastised by two different people and I feel much horrible shame and regret.

So, back to Ding Dong (our pet duck). If you remember from last time, he had escaped in the car and was now about to be introduced to a new pond with new fowl to contend with--geese (and we all know how mean geese can be). When I carried him to the pond, the geese were nowhere in sight. This is good, I thought, he can get used to the place before having to fight for his life. My friend kept assuring me that the geese were nice, but that's what I thought about the ducks on the corner, as well, until they tried to peck my duck to an early death. My 4 year old son (having been much traumatized by the event) kept reminding me of this fact on the way to the new pond. But, I felt the need to try it anyway. I know it sounds ridiculous, and maybe makes me seem like a weirdo, but I really wanted our crazy little duck to be happy. I hoped that maybe, since the pond was so big that they would all just leave each other alone.

This was his first thought about the whole scenario:

So he wouldn't get in, but I was hopeful that if left be for a while, everything would go well. So I took my crying son (crying because even though I had told him we were going to leave the duck, it didn't register until we actually had to *leave* the duck) and we shut the duck into the gated pond area. He followed us, quacking at the gate and looking at me with those sad duck eyes (what? you've never heard of sad duck eyes? Well, they're awful. They involve a tilting head and a few mournful quacks). We talked with my friend for a while and calmed my son down then got in the car. As we drove away, Ding Dong followed our van all the way along the fence line, quacking and flapping his wings. I felt terrible, not to mention scared for when the geese showed up. Yes, this all sounds so dramatic.

Anyway, not two hours later my friend texted me with a video of Ding Dong in the water. I was so happy. One obstacle down. Then an hour after that, she sent me this text: "Now he is hanging with the geese. He is happy with them and they like him. :) Yay, all is well for Ding Dong!!" I asked her if she saw who approached who and how it went down and she said, "No we don't know. All of the sudden the three of them were cruising around together. And he has been dipping down for fish (whatever that is called)."

Our duck was living in the "wild" with new friends. Wow, I feel like such a sap, but these texts made me soooo happy. It went better than expected. Now, the only problem? What am I going to blog about? Suggestions, anyone?? :)

The Lake of Misfit Fowl

2011-09-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

It was time to say goodbye to Ding Dong (our pet duck). He had decided that our side yard was *his* side yard and took to making sure we all knew it. Mostly I think he was bored and needed to work off extra energy. (Much like a two year old who needs to throw a tantrum every day at four so that he'll sleep good that night.) Every time we would walk out the side door he would peck our toes and chase us. Now, I found this amusing when he just did it to the children (I know, I'm a mean mother) but when my neighbor showed up at my front door out of breath from having run from the attack duck, I knew we had to find a new, more suitable home for the duck.

It just so happens that a good friend of mine recently moved to a house that has a 2 acre, fenced in lake. It's pretty awesome. When I saw it and its two resident geese, I knew it was the place. I just hoped the geese wouldn't feel threatened (like the last set of ducks we tried to introduce him to) and let him into their club. After all, these geese are a little odd. One has a horn like protrusion on his head and the other has crazy, messed up wings. I thought my little orphaned duck would fit in with these other misfits. My friend's lake should be called: The Lake of Misfit Fowl.

So after catching the duck (I believe he sensed he was being banished because he would not let me catch him and my neighbor, seeing me through her window, looking like a fool, came over and helped me corner him. It was quite ridiculous, I'm sure, to watch two grown women chasing a duck) it went into a box and into the car. My four year old son was in charge of holding the box closed. Side note: Never put a four year old in charge of something that can actually effect the safety of the driver. Half way to our destination, the duck knocked over the box and flapped his way out. I screamed, my son laughed, and the duck spent the next ten minutes exploring the car, ending up at my elbow, drinking the water I had brought for myself out of the cup in the center console.

We made it without an accident though. Well, not a traffic accident. The duck had no problem using the floor of my van as a bathroom. I had never been so happy that my kids throw all their old school papers on the floor of the van, creating a nice paper barrier. (See, another incident of reinforcing my lack-of-cleaning behavior.)

This post is getting long. I will tell you the conclusion of the story on Monday. Does Ding Dong make it on Misfit Island...I mean, Misfit Lake? Or, like before, did I have to rescue him from murderous fowl and bring him back to terrorize our side yard? I know, it's a gripping tale.

Dreaming of Spiders

2011-08-31T08:34:00.001-07:00

Last night I had a dream that this huge black, ugly spider was climbing the wall in our house and my husband was trying to kill it. I kept saying, "Make sure it doesn't have the red hourglass on its stomach because I don't want you to die." I said this over and over and surprisingly my dream-husband didn't get annoyed with me. So then the spider climbed into its web and I saw the stomach and there was no red so I screamed, "Kill it!" Apparently I didn't want to see the murder of an innocent spider because my dream-mind wandered to new images.

So when I woke up I looked up dream interpretations on the internet, like I often do for fun after bizarre dreams. This is what it said:

"To see a spider climbing up a wall in your dream denotes that your dreams will soon be realized."

Now, does this mean that my dreams of a spider crawling up my wall will soon be realized, or all my hopes and dreams? I totally support the latter. But what about the fact that my husband was trying to kill this spider. Does this mean that my husband is trying to smash my dreams with a shoe? This, of course, is ridiculous, my husband is beyond supportive. So while I enjoy the thought of all my hopes and dreams coming true, the reality is that we have lots of spiders out here in the country. They are annoying. So it probably means that my dreams of spiders crawling up my walls will come true. And it will. I almost got bit by a black widow just the other day. It was scary.

Anyway, again, I have no book to review today. Mostly because I'm in the midst of editing--I got my very first editorial letter last week (yay!)--but also because I'm reading a friend's book (hi, Renee) and it's one you can't buy yet. Which is sad because it's really good. Really, really good. But, if you didn't get a chance to see all the recommendations from last week, check out the comments section from the last post because people had some awesome reading suggestions.

Tell me your favorite book...

2011-08-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

So I've been in a reading slump lately. Normally on Wednesdays I'd tell you about a book I'd read and loved recently. This book usually isn't the only book I've read that week, it's the one I liked the best. I don't review or post about books I don't like. But I haven't been in the reading mood. Sometimes I go through cycles, like this, where nothing I read holds my attention for very long. It's usually not the book's fault. It's just me. (Yes, I just used the 'it's not you, it's me' line) What usually gets me out of these funks is a REALLY good book. So I need some suggestions. What is the best book you've read recently? Or just tell me your all-time favorite because I'm desperate. I want to read.

It's Alive!

2011-08-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

It's official. I am the mother of a teenager. (Cue screaming) This week my daughter turned thirteen. Crazy. I thought by this time I'd be all-knowing so that I'd have really good comebacks to her teenager wit. But I'm not. So give me all your motherly advice for surviving through three teenage daughters because starting now, this is my future. (More screaming)

Happy birthday to my smart, gorgeous (would post a picture but she's way too cute to be showing the world), amazing, sassy, funny daughter! Love you. Go easy on me, kid, I still have three more children to raise.

Twitter!

2011-08-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Ah, twitter. How I both loathe and love you.

I thought I'd share a few things I've learned since starting twitter (dare I say two years ago?). Half of these things I didn't know until more recently, which means I am not very observant or I don't like to read directions. Both are true. You probably know all these because you are both more observant and like to read directions, but I'll share them anyway.

-If you're responding to a tweet, push the 'reply' button right underneath that tweet (it appears when you hover over the tweet). That way the person you're responding to knows what you're responding to. Especially if the response is hours later.

-Also, if you hover over the tweet, did you know a little arrow appears to the right of the tweet? If you click on it, all the responses to that tweet or the conversation that led up to that tweet will appear to the right. So cool.

-If you start a tweet with the @ sign, only that person and anyone following you and that person can see that tweet. Your other followers will not be able to see it unless they decide to go to your profile and spy on you.

-Following someone and then waiting for that person to follow you back and then unfollowing them=mean. It makes baby seals cry. And me. It makes me cry. This is why I signed up for who.unfollowed.me so I can know who you are. Then I yell at your picture (oh, and I unfollow you. So unless you really want to follow a person, don't. Following people just so you can improve your followers/following "ratio" is not cool).

-You can put people you're following into lists and then only view that list if you want. For example, most of the time, I look at my main feed with everyone on it, but sometimes, I want to see what my agency sisters are up to and don't want to have to wade through hours of tweets just to get to theirs. So I have them all in my 'wolfpack' list and when I click on that, I only see their tweets. It's a pretty awesome feature.

-Want to link a person to your blog post, but the link ends up being a hundred characters long and you wanted to include a message with it as well? Did you know you can go to www.tinyurl.com and make your link smaller? You probably knew this. Someone had to tell me this.

Okay, now it's your turn. I want to know more twitter stuff. Tell me something I didn't include on my list that is either twitter etiquette or a feature of twitter that you discovered. Because I probably don't know and I want to.

On a FRIDAY?!?

2011-08-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

In some sort of crazy, alternate, someone-must've-replaced-me-with-another-version-of-me world, I'm going to clean today. It's Friday. I usually don't clean on Fridays. Why? Because tomorrow is Saturday, the day where I make my slav....ahem....I mean children clean. So here's how it works: The entire house gets cleaned on Saturday, it starts to get messy Sunday (of course) I might do some touch ups on Tuesday, but by Thursday, my "It's almost Saturday, why bother cleaning" attitude kicks in.

So why in the world am I cleaning on FRIDAY??? I have no idea (aside from the fact that the house is a disaster). This is why I think I may be sick and/or replaced with a different (probably better) version of myself. If you find the old me wandering around, please don't send her home until my house is clean. But I am going to need her when it's time to write, so give her directions, but maybe bad ones.

What is everyone up to this weekend?

Wednesday Reads

2011-08-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

Look what I read:

It was awesome.

So I've been waiting all year to read this book. I loved HEIST SOCIETY and couldn't wait to follow Kat and Hale on more adventures. I wasn't disappointed. Such a good, fun, clean read.

Summary from amazon: "Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long — and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is . . . the emerald is cursed. Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend — the gorgeous Hale — and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time. Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules."

The Duck Who Lived

2011-08-04T01:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've talked about my duck.

Oh, the duck. He is a troublesome little thing. First he causes mayhem with the other ducks in town. Then he leaves for days at a time and comes back, all apologetic, looking for food. But the other night he almost met his end.

I was sitting here, on the far end of the house, late one night, writing (not checking twitter or facebook or goodreads or google+ because I never do that when I should be writing) when I heard a loud noise outside. Now I'm not talking about the noise the ice maker makes in the middle of the night that about scares me to death when everything is quiet and the ice clunks into the container. No, this noise was LOUD and right outside the window behind me. My heart jumped into my throat and I learned that in the 'fight or flight' scenario, I fall firmly in the category of flight. I tore through the house like a crazed zebra being chased by a lion to where my husband was reading in our bedroom.

"Hi," he said.

"Someone is trying to break into our house," I said because I never overreact. "Go save us."

He chuckled a little, because he knows I never overreact and stood up. I followed him through the house, clutching the telephone that I must've grabbed in my crazed zebra state. He got a flashlight and went outside.

"Hello," he called into the night.

"Don't announce you're here," I hissed from the doorway behind him.

Where we live, out in the country, it is dark. No streetlights at all. His flashlight beam cut through the blackness and I held up the phone to show the bad guy that I was armed.

"There's no one out here," he said and that's when our duck, looking very much like a crazed wild animal, flapped out from behind the garbage cans and started running in circles. I saw the dark spot on his white feathers.

"Blood. Something attacked the duck." There was an obvious bite mark in his wing.

We're still not sure what attacked it, but I'm convinced it was a werewolf. My husband thinks it was probably a coyote. We'll see who was right soon enough.

As for the duck, he'll have a little scar on his wing and he's probably acting as a horcrux now for a piece of some werewolf's soul. Other than that, he's perfectly fine (no thanks to my flight response).

I LOVE GERMANY!

2011-07-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

This is one of my best friends, Jenn:

This is Germany:

They are getting married and together are going to make beautiful babies:
(Thanks Morphthing.com)

Jenn is getting published in Germany!!! She sold in auction to Heyne Flieght. I couldn't be happier for her. Her book, INSOMNIA, is amazingly creepy and wonderful. I love it! So go congratulate her on her upcoming production by clicking here. :) Love you, Jenn. Thanks for everything you've done for me. I couldn't have made it this far without you.

Retreat

2011-07-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been absent, but I've been hanging out with these lovely ladies:

(Photos by Michelle Davidson Argyle)
From left to right Michelle, Renee, Candi, Jenn, Me, Sara, Natalie

It was so fun to be surrounded by writers and get to talk "shop" for three days. We also did other things, like this:

And we ate. Boy, did we eat. Michelle and Natalie volunteered to be our chefs and fed us well. The last night we had a campfire and Candi's dad had us in laughing tears as he acted out some stories. (I see where Candi gets her crazy from.) :) Then Renee and my daughter and Natalie's sister had us screaming with some scary stories. It was so much fun.

So now I'm home and refreshed and motivated and ready to write!

Wednesday Reads

2011-07-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, I changed the title of my post from 'Wednesday Reviews' to 'Wednesday Reads' because let's face it, I don't really review the books, I just say, "Look what I read, it was good." So, true to form, look what I read:

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
It was good!

This book was a weird read for me because I started off reading it to my daughters (ages 7 and 10) but it was taking SO LONG. We rarely got around to it with our busy lives, so it took us like 6 months to read 85 pages. Finally the other night, I was like, BLAST IT ALL (blasted all? blast all?), I'm reading this on my own. And then I read the next 250 pages in two days. So yeah, needless to say, I'm not sure if those first 100 pages were slow or if they just felt slow. But the book was super cute. Perfect for my daughters (now I have to finish reading it to them) and the message was so good. I have the next three books in the series so I better get to work.

back of book summary: "Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isille, Corwn Princess of Kildenree, was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue. She spent the early years of her life listening to her aunt's stories and learning the language of the swans. Then, a colt was born with a word on his tongue--his name, Falada--and when Ani spoke it, she found the key to his language, too. But as Ani's gift grew, so did others' mistrust of it, and soon her mother felt she had no choice but to send her away to be queen of a foreign land. . . "

Next in my TBR pile: "Back When You Were Easier to Love" a book I won in Mary Campbell's contest last month. Thanks Mary!!

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Measuring Rainfall

2011-07-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how scientists accurately measure annual precipitation. Me too! It's what I think to myself on a daily basis. How do they do it?!? How do they know how much rain fell? Well, this year, I found out.....accidentally. You see, we have this possession that holds water very well. It's not exactly *supposed* to hold water. But if one accidentally forgets to, I don't know, take out the plug that normally drains the water in the winter, it becomes a perfect vessel for holding water. Yes, I'm speaking of our boat.

It was a very long, wet winter. So long, that where we normally take our first trip to the lake in May, we didn't even take the cover off the boat until last week. Mid July! A group of college kids from our church asked if we could come to an activity they were doing and take some kids on a few runs. Of course we can, we said.

So as we were getting the boat attached to the truck to service it, my husband said, "That's weird, does the truck bed look extra low to you?"

We both stared at the back of the truck which looked closer to the ground than it ever had. "Yes, that's too low," I said. "Did it break."

We got out a flashlight and looked under the truck bed.

"What's changed?" My husband asked.

That got me thinking. The only thing that could have changed is the weight of the boat. "Do you think some sort of animal crawled in our boat and died?" We do live in the country, after all, so it wouldn't have surprised me.

"That would have to be one heavy animal."

I gasped. "Water."

"Water?"

"Yes. Rain."

"No," my husband said.

"Is the plug in??"

"Yes, but it can't be water."

"Take the cover off."

And we did. And it was water. Lots and lots of water. After screaming, Whyeeeeeeeeee?!? And then crying for 24 hours, we drained the boat and then took it to the mechanic to find out it's chances of survival which we thought were little to none. (If you would've seen the muddy mess that was inside our boat, you would've agreed.) But the man I will now call the Boat Doctor from heaven, said it was fine. He just had to change the belt and the pump. It may have been inappropriate that I gave this man a big hug and a sloppy kiss, but I totally did (just kidding, I didn't, but I wanted to).

After all this though, I can tell you we got 20 inches of precipitation in our yard this winter (or one third of a boat full). I'm sure there are devices that work better for measuring rainfall, but if you don't have one of those on hand, try a boat.

Wednesday Reviews

2011-07-13T15:28:00.001-07:00

I'm on Goodreads now. Yay! So if you're on Goodreads too, come be my friend. I need friends. :) I'm still trying to figure it all out, I've only been on for a couple weeks now, but I think I'll get it.

Now onto my Wednesday read. Fire by Kristin Cashore:

blurb: "It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her."

I loved this book. I might have loved it even more than Graceling (the first book in this world). Kristin Cashore does such an amazing job of building a rich, deep world. I do have a question, though, for those who have read these books. They don't feel YA to me at all. More so this one than Graceling. That's not to say I didn't love it, because I did. But what makes a YA book a YA book? Can it be based only on the age of the main character? Personally, I think it needs to be more than just the age of the MC. It needs to have some teen dilemmas: Parent issues, coming of age, feeling out of place, etc. I felt that Fire had very adult issues: child bearing concerns, lack of commitment in relationships, war strategy. That might just be my personal opinion, but what do you think? Let me reiterate, however, that I really did enjoy this book. A lot.

Natalie!!!!

2011-07-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

I'm sure this isn't news to any of you, but I felt the need to post it anyway: My dear friend, Natalie Whipple, sold her book!!!!! She actually sold it back in April, but wasn't able to announce until the contract was signed. It takes a while to get your official contract (still haven't gotten mine) the one that has everything in it that both parties agree on. And some agents don't like to announce until the deal is sealed. But it is now official and I couldn't be happier for her.

Natalie was one of the first friends I made when I joined the online writer's community almost three years ago and we've been crit partners ever since. I have never met a more prolific writer than Natalie. She has so many brilliant ideas floating around in her head. And every time she starts her next book, I'm like, I know I said your last book was my favorite, but now this one is. Plus she knows so much about the industry. She's helped me through a lot of low points in this journey. I feel so lucky to call her my friend. And I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again: Good, supportive friends are a must in this industry full of ups and downs. So if you haven't already, go congratulate Natalie and enter her contest to win a book!

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Zombies and Clean Closets

2011-07-04T08:58:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July!!!!!

I just got back from out of town last night and now I'm off to girls' camp with my daughter today. Wish me luck. Camping with 150 teenage girls is fun, but exhausting. Mainly because of the fact that putting them together like that somehow makes them be able to live on less sleep. I don't know how they do it. Maybe they suck all of the energy out of anyone over 25. That's why by the end of the week all the adults will look like zombies and all the girls will look just as beautiful as ever.

Every time I go out of town my husband thinks he can turn me into an organized person and cleans my closet. I love it. But the only thing it makes me do is realize that I need to go out of town more so that my closet will be cleaned. So if you want to have a clean closet, marry an organized person and tell him you're perfectly fine with his organizational intervention when you are gone. Or I guess you can clean it, but that's not nearly as fun.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Magical Mist

2011-06-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Trip stories continued:

While we were in New York we decided to see Niagra Falls. As you will see by the following story, a combination of several rare events combined to make it a magical experience. It all started when we bought tickets to ride The Maid of the Mist. This is a boat that takes you on a ride to see the famous horseshoe falls from the perspective of the water. The ticket lines were very long, except miraculously the one on the end where no one was standing. We went to the window. "Are you open?" we asked. "Yes," she responded. We bought tickets. Magic number one. (I know, you're blown away.) Next you have to stand in a line that gives you this view:

(See that "mist" that resembles smoke rising above my head to the right?? The boat plunges you right into the heart of that)

Next you must plastic wrap yourself in case the Mist People people decide they'd like an offering (they like their offerings pre-packaged). Yes, these suits make you want to smile funny. (Except my mother in law, who always looks beautiful).

The next magical miracle happened when we became first in line for the next boat. This meant we got to choose where we wanted to stand for our ride into the mist. Of course we chose the front so we could reenact the Kate Winslet/Leonardo DeCaprio scene from Titanic. And look what was waiting for us, etched by delinquents into the metal bow of the boat:
Yes, those are mine (my??) and my husband's initials. So. Romantic.

I just knew this ride was going to be what dreams are made of. The boat started its engines. We drove by the American Falls: beautiful. Then we kept going. "Wow, that's a lot of "mist" up ahead," I told my husband as we crept toward a cloud of whiteness. And then we were inside of it, supposedly to get a better view of the famous falls.

"I should've brought my sunglasses," my husband yelled over the roaring falls. "I can't see a thing."

I, wiping my sunglasses with my wet hands as water drips inside my plastic wrap and down my neck, responded, "I should take off my sunglasses, I can't see a thing."

"How do they film movies here?" he asked.

"Green screen or movie set, I'm guessing."

The guy next to us, interrupting our romantic moment, leaned in and yelled, "I can't see anything."

"It's mist! Very, very wet mist," I answered back.

Guy on the other side, leaned in. "Can you take our picture?"

"I thought we were alone here," I said as my husband snaps a shot of the guy with his family surrounded by smokey mist.

"Do you want a picture," the guy asked back.

"Let's wait until we're out of the mist," my husband said.

I never knew mist was so wet. I always thought of it as a gentle cloud. Except as we exited the boat I noted that no one seemed as wet as us. I'm now waiting for my magical mist powers to present themselves. With that much Niagra Falls on me, I'm sure something good seeped into my system.

Wednesday Review-Divergent

2011-06-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

You should read this book. It is amazing. It's not often I hand off my YA reads to my husband. But when I was finished with this one, I passed it over and told him he should read it. He did (another rarity, he normally reads super boring non-fiction or finance books, to which I say: Bleeeeeeeeck.) and he loved Divergent as well. There were some tiny complaints I had, but they were overshadowed by the things I really liked.

Here's a small summary: "In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself."

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--U-Turns are Awesome

2011-06-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

If you like to make u-turns, ask me for directions. Or if I am in charge of navigating, ask me a deep question....or a not deep question and you will be making u-turns in no time. Case in point. I met my dear friend, Julie, (for the first time) on this trip.

(Yes, I hung out with a lot of short, beautiful people on my trip. I almost put a pic with just Julie and I, but I thought after the last post, you might want to see how tall I am next to my husband.)

After forcing her to see lots of my church's history sights, we went out to dinner. I was in charge of navigation (which consisted of holding the iPhone and telling her when to turn). But then she started asking me questions and I got to see how good she was at u-turns.....it turns out she's very good at them.

A few days later, I was in charge of navigation again. (I know, they didn't learn their lesson). This time we were driving on a toll road in upstate New York. I told my husband to get off at a certain exit (the wrong exit). When we got to the toll booth, we told the man, 'We took the wrong exit.' He pointed to his left and said, 'Just make a u-turn right here' (where it said 'no u-turn' by the way) 'And we'll give you a new ticket.'

Okay, sounded easy enough. So my husband made a u-turn and pulled into the ez-pass lane, but didn't realize it until we were next to the booth with a car behind us. He was forced to go through it and then pulled off onto the side. We proceeded to have a lengthy discussion about what would happen if we went on our way. We (my mother-in-law and I) decided that we'd probably get a ticket mailed to us. We didn't want that. So, we got back in the lane where the nice man had told us to make a u-turn and said, 'Uh....we went in the ez-pass lane.' He rolled his eyes (probably thinking, 'stupid tourists'), laughed, and said, 'Why'd you do that??' 'Because we're stupid,' my husband said. After taking our license plate saying he could clear up the ez-pass issue (but more likely so he could turn it into the 'watch these people because they're probably going to accidentally blow something up' police) he pointed to the left again and said, 'Make a u-turn and pull into this lane, THIS one.'

This time as we made a u-turn, a lady was hanging out the toll booth window and pointing (that is how little trust they had in us that we'd do it right). I wish I had gotten a picture of that. It was hilarious.

So yes, if you like to make u-turns, or need some practice making them, invite me on your next road trip.

The Meeting

2011-06-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

I'm baaaaaaack! And I have so many posts swirling around in my head as a result of my trip. Most of them have to do with me making a fool of myself so I know you'll appreciate them. :) But, lets start with the most important event: Meeting my agent!!

Isn't she hot?? But she promised me "super shortness" and I was very unimpressed. Granted, she was wearing very awesome heels. So then I forced her to take a picture with my husband so we could revel in some serious height difference. My husband said, "We're not a freak show, Kasie." I said, "Be quiet, freak, and get in that picture."

Then Michelle laughed at me because I cut off part of my husband's head (after he had just finished telling her that people cut off his head in pics a lot because he's so tall). But I excused myself by saying I meant to do it. It's artistry. (I didn't mean to do it.)

But anyway, I had the best time at dinner with Michelle. She is super nice and funny, plus she knows so much about the industry. It was fun to get my brain filled.

Procrastination is fun!

2011-06-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

So I'm going out of town tomorrow (for those of you who have been waiting for this opportunity to steal my valuable stash of Junior Mints.....or my children.....my big, burly, cranky brother and his wife and children will be staying at my house so you should probably wait for a better time.) and as usual I have left almost everything I need to accomplish until today. Maybe it's just my way of justifying my procrastination, but I really do work best under pressure. So, while I'm mowing the front lawn, finishing up laundry, packing (oh, buying a suitcase first), cleaning the toilets, the kitchen, the shower, the car......think of me. All this so my sister in law doesn't think I'm a huge slob. (It's a lot of work to make yourself look better than you are.)

But it's worth it. I'm off to New York to meet my agent! Wahoo! And since I have several long plane rides over the next week, one of the most important chores of the day is to pick which books I'm going to bring. So here's my TBR pile:

What should I bring my readerly friends??

The Pack Pact

2011-06-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

As part of joining Wolfson Literary, there is some very fine print (and by very fine print, I mean non-existent) at the bottom of the contract that states if she sells your book you have to dye a strip of your hair. It's some sort of pact with the Universe made up by some of the oldie members. (Love you, Tawna and Kiersten) I tried to tell them that I had already made a pact with the Universe. I told the Universe that if my book sold, I would drink a chocolate milk shake. Before you roll your eyes, it was going to be a really big one. The potential for brain freeze was at very high levels. It would've been a huge sacrifice. I know what you're thinking. "Wow, she is so brave to even attempt that." I know, right? But alas, my team members weren't having it. I haven't felt this much peer pressure since the downing-15-packs-of-sugar incident at Denny's when I was in High School.

But, because I love my agency sistahs. And because I don't want to anger the Universe. I will be dying a strip of my hair later this afternoon. Stay tuned for a picture.

(This is in parenthesis so nobody can see it. I'm actually super excited about dying my hair. I've always planned to do it and have known since day one the color I would use. I think it's a really fun tradition and I'm happy to be part of it.)

UPDATE:

Renee!!! What's up with this "whole-head campaign"?? Are you crazy? But maybe you should start that tradition at your agency. :)

First, let it be noted that I posed in front of my bookcase, because that's what we do.

This is me a little bit mad because it wasn't exactly the color I hoped for. There's a little too much green in this blue.

This is me proving to you that while I was at the mall getting my hair dye, I got a frozen strawberry lemonade. Mmmm, it was so good.

I actually kind of love it.

I'd also like to note that my computer camera does not capture just how bright it is (it also makes things/people look whiter than they are....what? you don't believe me?) Seriously, though, people are going to stare. It's bright. (If you click on the last picture, you can see it a little better.)

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Make Good Friends

2011-05-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

This may be my most helpful Monday post ever. Don't worry, I'll try to shove some nonsense in here somewhere. But my Monday advice to you today is to make good friends. My new blog is the result of one of my very dear friends, Natalie Whipple. Isn't my header pretty?? She drew it. She's talented like that. She's one of those people who hogged all the talents in life and didn't leave any for the rest of us. She can write, draw, cook and has excellent fashion sense. (Plus, she's hot, but I don't know if that qualifies as a talent. It's really just a fact.) So when I was searching the blogosphere for some writers to stalk until they became my friends, you can see why I chose Natalie.

Just kidding, I didn't stalk her.....did I? Hmm, maybe I did.

Which leads me to my second bit of advice relating to this topic. Surround yourself with supportive people who know your goals. Don't keep your writing hidden. The more people you tell, the more likely you are to complete your goals. And you might find out that some other people you know have the same goal. When I first started writing, I kept it to myself. Then one day I told my best friend Candi and much to my surprise, found out she was writing too. Together we formed our first support group. Without those initial "meetings" I might not have had the motivation to continue, especially during the times I really wanted to quit. But by that time, I had told so many people that it made quitting hard. That's a good thing.

So tell people you're writing (including family. My sisters have been the best cheerleaders ever). Surround yourself with other writers who are at the same stage of the journey as you are. Support each other. Share your work with each other and grow in the business together. I've had the same critique group (with one or two more recent additions) for going on three years now. I wouldn't have gotten this far without them.

Wednesday Review-What Happened to Goodbye

2011-05-25T14:17:00.001-07:00

So someone said the other day in my comments section: "Your book is paranormal? With your obsession (and by obsession, I think she meant 'appreciation') for Sarah Dessen (okay, she meant obsession. She actually didn't use the word 'obsession' but I sensed that's what she meant.) I just assumed you were a contemporary writer."

It's true, I have a thing for Sarah. And I do love contemporary. I have exactly one half of a contemporary book written. Maybe one day I will finish it. But in the mean time, I will read the queen of contemporary herself, Miss Sarah Dessen. If you write contemporary or want to write contemporary or just love to read contemporary and haven't read her, you are missing out. Even if you don't write contemporary, I think reading contemporary can help us learn how to write rich, deep relationships because nobody does them better than contemporary writers.

Now, I would not be a good obsessed fan if I didn't review Sarah Dessen's newest: What Happened to Goodbye

Book Blurb: "After a scandal involving her mother and a famous college basketball coach rocked her family and her old hometown, McClean decided to live with her dad. His job as a restaurant consultant requires they pick up often, and at each new place she carefully selects who she’ll be—Eliza, Beth, or someone else with a new name and different interests. It’s easier this way for McClean, who is reluctant to form any true attachments. Then at their latest stop, McClean does something she’s not done in a long while—reveal her real name. But who is this McClean and is she ready to forgive her mother, fall for the boy next door, and finally stick around?"

The book was super cute and was definitely a study in amazing characters and relationships. If you are a fan of Sarah Dessen, you will love it. If you have never read anything by her, may I suggest you start with "The Truth About Forever" though. That is my all time favorite. The others all tie for second.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Junior Mint Warning

2011-05-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

I am the self-appointed expert on all things Junior Mints. As such, I have a very important bit of advice for you. It is best for the inexperienced Junior Mint eater to avoid them on long car trips. Actually, avoiding them in the car altogether may be best. For even an experienced eater, such as myself, may have the following experience after a long car trip.

While, driving, singing badly to the radio, and attempting to eat Junior Mints at the same time, one or two may have slipped out of my grasp. They're slippery little guys. Thinking they fell between the middle console and the driver's seat, I didn't worry too much about them (I would never go searching for them down there, that is a scary place where probably all missing items in my life, wanted and unwanted, can be found). After arriving at my destination, greeting the people we were visiting, and sitting on their nice couch in their formal living room, a smear of chocolate was discovered across the couch cushion. "What kid has chocolate hands?" the owner of nice couch asked. I just shrugged my shoulders and watched as she cleaned the mess. Ten minutes later someone asks: "Kasie, are those Junior Mints smeared all over your backside?" I knew right away they were. Not because I remembered that I had dropped a few, but because this wasn't the first time this had happened to me.

Hmmm, maybe I'm the only one that needs to avoid eating Junior Mints in the car.

The Query--PIVOT POINT

2011-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Several of you have asked me what PIVOT POINT is about. I haven't talked about it much on my blog...okay...I haven't talked about it AT ALL on my blog. Call it superstitious. Call it paranoid. But probably the most honest reason is insecurity. In this industry full of rejection, it's easy to start doubting ourselves and our ideas. So I kept this one close. But, since HarperTeen and my lovely editor Sarah Landis think it's pretty great, I thought I could share my query with you.

I loved seeing queries when I was in that stage. So I hope this will help those of you who are querying right now. It will also tell you about my book.

Although I'm tempted to change a few things about it now, I will resist because (aside from the first paragraph) this is the actual query I sent out. Wow. I'm still super nervous. Be kind.

Dear Agent whose name I will spell right,

Here is where I will say something personal about you and why I chose to query you. For example, my amazing agent, Michelle Wolfson, I follow you on twitter and for the last year you have made me laugh while simultaneously informing me how not to catch a mouse and that querying a hundred agents with the same email will save me loads of time. (Because I followed Michelle on twitter, I knew she had a sense of humor and although that's not the exact sentence I used for her in my query, it was something slightly sarcastic.) I am seeking representation for my YA paranormal PIVOT POINT, complete at around 75,000.

When Addison Coleman is faced with a choice, she has the ultimate insurance plan against disaster—the ability to see both outcomes. It may not be as flashy as Telekinesis or Telepathy, but it’s the perfect ability to maintain a suck-free life. Or so she thought. But after her parents ambush her with a divorce announcement and ask her who she wants to live with, she knows either road leads to Anywhere-But-Here.

With her father leaving the paranormal compound to live amongst the masses of underused brains and her mother staying with the gifted in the life she’s always known, both futures seem lacking. It isn’t until she Searches the two possibilities that she realizes how hard the choice really is. And it’s not just because the popular quarterback is interested in her in one life and the troubled artist in the other. When her father, a human lie detector, is assigned as the lead investigator of a murder and her best friend, a mind eraser, becomes involved with a criminal, she learns either path holds the potential for loss. It all comes down to which loss she’s willing to live through.

Reminiscent of the movie “Sliding Doors” the chapters alternate between the two possibilities. The intertwining futures provide the reader with insights the main character can’t see, building tension for when the knowledge of both worlds collide.

I have included (however many pages your website told me to include) below. Thank you for your consideration.

Kasie West

Ah, that brought back memories of the emotional highs and lows of querying. It's a lot of work. Good luck to those in that stage. You can do it. Surround yourself with supportive, helpful friends and never give up.

I Interrupt My Brain Eating Post to Announce.....

2011-05-16T10:48:00.000-07:00

PIVOT POINT is going to be published! I SOLD MY BOOK!!! Well, I didn't sell it, my agent, Michelle Wolfson, did because she is amazing! I don't have a lot of specifics right now and my head is spinning and my brain (which really feels like it has been eaten) is still wondering if it's true (especially after my agent played a prank on me this morning), but I am so incredibly happy!

The things I do know are: I want to marry HarperTeen, I want to kiss editor Sarah Landis (and just might so she better watch out when we meet), and I get to write a sequel!! Wahoo!!!!!!!!!! I'll have more details in the coming weeks. But I am so happy....have I already said that?

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Obsessed

2011-05-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

So, I've gotten more comments/emails/phone calls about my last Monday "Duck Post" than any other post before. Which makes me wonder: What is wrong with you people?!? A duck's life hung in the balance, children were in the process of being scarred for life. What was so funny about that?

Just kidding. I left out the part in my post where I was laughing so hard that my daughter threatened to throw her iTouch at me. So, yes, I'm glad we all found the situation amusing. All that matters is the duck is safe. Right? We don't have to feel bad about our laughter because the duck is safe.

Now, on to today's post.

Welcome to my new obsession:

Like with most things, I'm probably late to the party. But have you played this game yet? It meets all the requirements of a great game: Plotting, Tension, and Zombies trying to eat your brains. (I know, the requirements are pretty specific so you can imagine how excited I was when I found a game that fits them.) It's awesome. You have to find the right plants to plant at the right time and in the right place that will hopefully kill the zombies before they invade your house and eat your brains.

I started playing it yesterday and am ashamed to admit that I ended up playing it for nine million hours or until the battery on my iPhone ran out. My husband kept trying to look over my shoulder, saying, "What are you playing?" "Shhhh," I'd hiss, "I have to kill the zombies." An hour later, "Are you still playing that dumb game?!" This is where I would've backhanded him across the stomach for such blasphemy, but I was too busy killing the disco-dancing zombie.

So, when you are all addicted to this game, I just want you to remember who helped you on your way to being extremely unproductive. Me.

Ah, Blogger is Back

2011-05-13T11:33:00.001-07:00

Welcome back, Blogger. Where have you been? I hope that was a one time only vacation you took yesterday. Twitter has been giving me problems as well lately. This may place entirely too much importance on me and my influence but I believe I broke the Internet with my mind powers.

In other news, Sarah Dessen is going to be in Utah tonight and I am going to be here....not in Utah. Sarah is my author crush. I was up way too late last night reading her newest: What Happened to Goodbye. I haven't finished it, but so far it's everything I hoped for. Sarah never lets me down.......oh, wait, except when her signing tour doesn't include California! Come on, Sarah, why didn't you consult me on this. Maybe my mind powers can get her plane to make a landing here (not because of an emergency or anything but maybe because the pilot has realized that the woman he broke up with the week before is really his true love and he must prove his love by landing his plane on her street and proposing to her) and then Sarah will just have to do a last minute signing. Come on Mind Powers, don't fail me now. *Thinks really hard*

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--How to Traumatize Your Children

2011-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

In honor of mother's day, I thought I would share a motherhood failure story to make you all feel better about your parenting. Or, you can take notes if you're looking for a way to traumatize your children.

Some of you may remember the baby duck that adopted our family. We named him Ding Dong and he lived in our pond.

He grew into a big healthy duck. Look at us, aren't we good duck parents. We raised a healthy duck.

But as the days got hotter, our pond (which is really a rain water drainage ditch) began to dry up and we knew we needed to find a real home for Ding Dong. We noticed at the end of our street some other ducks that looked exactly like ours living in a permanent pond complete with water lilies and grass. The ducks seemed so happy and nice waddling around their pond scavenging for food. So we thought when our pond became too low for our duck to swim in, we would take him down to the corner and ask the owners if our duck could join with the others.

In preparation of this inevitable day we began to mentally ready our children for the separation because they had become rather attached to the duck. So every time we drove by, I'd say things like, "Oh look, there's Ding Dong's family." I said this so much that soon my kids started saying it. My 4 year old son would wave when we drove by and scream, "Hi Ding Dong's brothers and sisters!" It was so cute and heartwarming that I just knew things were going to be fine.

Fast forward to a month later. It was time. Our pond was dry. The duck needed to be moved. We got a box, put the duck inside and drove to the corner. The owners were very nice and agreed to the addition. So we walked, as a family, up to the fence. "Have fun with your new family," I said. My husband threw Ding Dong over. He spread his wings and gently glided to a landing.

Immediately the ducks were on him, tackling him to the ground and pecking his neck. I gasped in surprise, my husband said, "It's okay, let's wait a few minutes, they'll work it out." A few minutes go by, Ding Dong is running, wings flapping around the pond with the other ducks in pursuit. They tackle him again. My son screams, "They're killing him!!" My daughters burst into tears. I look at my husband and start laughing. My daughters tell me to save him. "They'll work it out," my husband keeps saying. We drag our kids, crying, to the car where we look on for a few more minutes, still horrified. Finally, we drive away.

When we get home I look up 'How to introduce a duck to a new flock' on Google.

Short answer: Don't. Or: Take your time, it's very hard and can result in duck murder.

I get back in the car and retrieve my duck. The next day I buy a kiddie pool for the months our pond is dry. We still have a duck.

Every time we drive by the house on the corner my son stares out the window and in a low voice says, "Those are the mean ducks, mommy."

End result: Traumatized children with a life lesson on the pecking order.

Wednesday Review-The Voice

2011-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

I tried to resist. "Self," I said, "You are not going to talk about The Voice on your blog because it will come off as an Adam Levine love fest." I listened to myself really well for one whole week.....until The Voice came on again. And then I said to myself, "Self, considering how much you talk about this subject ("this subject" being Adam) on twitter, people already know, they already know." So here I am. Talking about The Adam...I mean The Voice. I love this show. And surprisingly, my love for the show, goes beyond this guy:

(Not very far beyond this guy. I mean, look at him!)

I've decided that shows such as these really get me because, in a way, they remind me of trying to get published. You start with a dream that you've worked hard on, poured your soul into. It's a passion. Then you take that dream (by this point that dream is an actual book), write a query letter (or in their case, stand in front of four judges) and hope someone can hear your voice. Hope they can see your potential. Dream they'll want to help you reach that potential. So when that chair turns around (sorry, if you haven't seen The Voice, you probably won't get that) it makes my heart so happy for those people. And when it doesn't, I feel their pain. I've just really been so happy with this show.

If you've seen the show, do you like it? If not, what show do you love?

Next week, back to regularly scheduled programming (meaning, I might actually review a book).

Scripted Romance

2011-04-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

My son woke up this morning saying his stomach hurt. His older sister just got over a horrible stomach flu, so I grabbed the "throw up" bowl and placed it next to him on the couch. He keeps saying, 'Mom, I don't have to throw up, my stomach just hurts.' Considering he's only four, I don't think he knows what he's talking about. So now I'm eyeing him, like he's a volcano ready to erupt at any moment. And considering we got our carpets cleaned yesterday, I do not need an erupting volcano around here. (Wow, this first paragraph doesn't fit the title of my post at all. Ha! I promise, I'm getting to it.)

So according to my all-knowing twitter feed, a lot of you watched the royal wedding last night. I did not. I just wasn't feeling it. I think I got my fill for the century of unscripted reality television when I watched all nine THOUSAND hours of the OJ Simpson trial way back when.

"If it doesn't fit, you must acquit!"

Yeah, I will never get that nine million hours of my life back. Not that I'm comparing the two. The royal wedding was probably beautiful and sigh-inducing. In fact, all this talk about the royal wedding has put me in the mood to watch 'The Prince and Me' (number 1. Definitely not 2-4, I didn't even know there was a 3 or 4 until I tried to find it on Netflix today. And since 2 was.....let's just say, not very good, I don't think I'm going to try my luck with 3 or 4. Especially since on the cover of 4 they're sitting on an elephant. An Elephant! Okay, wow, I didn't mean to go off like that.) Now, where was I...sigh-inducing....royal wedding....ah, yes, romance. I love a good love story. You know, the kind where they hire two people to act out a well-written script for my entertainment. That kind. So I'm going to watch one now.

For those of you who did watch the royal wedding, what was your favorite part?

Wednesday Review-Demonglass

2011-04-27T01:30:00.000-07:00

(I love the cover. Hex Hall's cover is equally beautiful.)

I have been waiting to read this book ever since I finished the last word of Hex Hall (the first book in this series). I'm so glad I finally read it. Amazing. I am a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins. I love her fun, fresh voice. Sophie, the main character, is hilarious. I like a book where I can laugh one minute and feel tense the next, and Rachel does an amazing job of balancing these emotions well. A great sequel to a great series. I can't wait for the third book....sigh....but I'm going to have to, considering this one barely came out. If anyone wants to throw an ARC my way in the future, I would not be opposed to that at all. Anyone?.....Anyone?

On a completely different and totally unrelated topic, did anyone see The Voice last night? Loved it. (And not just because Adam Levine makes me happy.) The show was very entertaining.

To the Cannons!

2011-04-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

My son's been asking me all week: "Mom, is today the day we get to see the cannons?" You see, we're going to the Grand Canyon and since my son has no reference for the word 'canyon' he's turned it into the only thing he knows that sounds like the word: cannon. He even told my daughter, "There's going to be big fireworks." Am I a little worried that when we pull up to the big hole in the earth today that he is going to melt into fits of extreme disappointment? Uh.....yes, yes I am. Oh well, at least by the end of the day he will have a reference for the word 'canyon.' I've lived in California my whole life and have never been to the Grand Canyon, so I think I'll have a new reference for the word as well.

Is anyone doing anything fun for Spring Break?

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Busted

2011-04-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

So my 4 year old son has this bad habit of stealing my 10 year old daughter's Nintendo DSI while she's at school. With four kids, I'm not usually the kind of mother that allows my children to lay claim to toys. Once a toy has been absorbed into our home, it becomes community property. The DS is a little different, though, because my kids have to spend their own money if they want one. And so my daughter saved up all her hard earned cash for over a year and was finally able to purchase one. But because I am a horrible mother and it keeps my son entertained for a little while during the day, if he emerges from her room with the Nintendo DSI, I let him play it, with the strict warning that he put it back as soon as he's done (so that we don't get in trouble).

Every day, though, my daughter calls me out. "You let him play on my DSI, Mom. Don't let him do that anymore."

"Yes, I'm sorry, he did find it. Maybe you should hide it better," I always say back.

"Don't let him play it anymore."

"I will try not to let him play it."

But sure enough the next day, he finds it again, and I tell him again, "Put it right back, exactly where you found it, as soon as you're done." (I know, I'm so bad.)

Just when I'm starting to think my daughter has some sort of sixth sense or special connection with her DSI, she tells my husband one day, "Dad, I know he stole it. He always takes tons of pictures of himself with it." She proceeds to scroll through several silly-faced pictures of my son, his tongue sticking out and his innocent expression showing him unaware that he is providing proof of his criminal act. It made me laugh so hard to see that little face, like a virtual finger print, all over her screen.

Now, can I relate this story to writing somehow? Hmm......nope. Besides that might be too helpful.

Have any funny kid stories to share? Kids make me laugh.

Movie Review/Winner

2011-04-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

Before I get to my review of an amazing movie, I'd like to announce the winner of The Brevity of Roses. The lucky winner of this awesome book is: Christi Craig! And Christi, it was actually your tweet entry that was the winning number, so thanks for the tweet. :) I'll be sending you an email shortly to get your info.

Now, on to a movie review

Thanks to Jenn Johansson for recommending this movie to me when I called her in an 'I'm on my way to the theatre help me choose an awesome movie' panic. She came through because let me tell you, this movie is AWESOME. It's even a movie you can take your parents to and not squirm uncomfortably the whole time. I thought it might be based on a book (because aren't most amazing movies based on books?) but it doesn't look like it is.

Anyway, this isn't much of a review because I don't feel like I can tell you any details without giving things away. In fact, I went without knowing ANYTHING about it. I leaned over to my friend right before it started and said, 'Uh, do you know what this is about?' And she said, 'Not at all.' We both laughed and said, 'You better know what you're talking about, Jenn,' then settled in for awesomeness.

Party

2011-04-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

First, if you haven't already, please leave a comment on the post below to win a free book! Contest ends Tuesday, April 12th at midnight.

Now on to the celebration. I'm sure you've already heard the news, but if not, let me be the first (but more likely 100th) to tell you: my dear friend and crit partner Jenn got an agent! Jenn has had quite a journey to reach this step in her career and her story is very inspirational. Read about it here. Her book is amazing (and just a little...or a lot...creepy). Hopefully you already visit her blog because she is seriously funny.

In my life Jenn has been a constant source of support and level-headedness. I appreciate her so much and am so happy someone else has recognized her genius. So, Jenn, I hope you're celebrating this weekend, because you deserve it. Love ya, girl.

Author Interview/Give Away!

2011-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have the pleasure today to introduce you to one of my favorite people/authors: Linda Cassidy Lewis. I met Linda a couple years ago at my very first writer’s group ever. After attending the group a few weeks and having a chance to read through the submissions, I remember telling my friend, Candi, on the phone one night, “Linda intimidates me. Her writing is so good.” I still feel the same way. She has a way of stringing together words so gracefully that I often read and reread whole paragraphs because I love them so much. And this book is no different. Not only the words, but the story, captivated me.

Back of book blurb: "Jalal Vaziri has looks, money, women—and a habit of running from reality. When he abandons New York and reinvents himself as a poet in a California beach house, he thinks he’s running from a father who hates him, a career mistake, and endless partying. A fresh start is what he needs. And after an intriguing woman enters his life, he believes all his dreams are coming true. But that dream dissolves into nightmare, and Jalal flees again. Only this time, his retreat is blocked by a woman who challenges him to face that it’s himself he’s trying to outrun."

Now on to the interview:

How long have you been writing?

L: From childhood, of course, but as an adult, I wrote a novel almost twelve years ago and briefly considered seeking publication, but real life intervened. Then, almost exactly three years ago, I wrote a short story that eventually grew into my novel The Brevity of Roses.

How did you come up with the idea for Brevity?

L: I had a dream about a young man who was genuinely more attracted to an older woman than one his age. He was such a strong personality, and his motivation intrigued me both in the dream and for days afterward. I told a friend about the dream and she suggested I explore it in story form. Obviously, the inspiration outgrew the short form.

K: Ah, the whole “dream” scenario. I obviously need to get better at dreaming.

I know you painted the cover (which is gorgeous), how come you hogged all the talent in life and left me with none? No, but seriously, how long have you been painting? Do you love it as much as writing?

L: I’ll ignore the ridiculous statement that you have no talent and just say thank you, I’m glad you like it. I discovered very early that I could capture a good likeness of faces, and, since my teens, I’ve concentrated on portraiture. The photo-realistic technique I adapted, both in graphite and Prismacolor, is so multi-layered it’s considered painting. But to me, it’s more about precision than creation, so no I don’t prefer it to writing. Fiction writing is how I truly express my creative side.

Aside from writing/painting, what is your favorite thing to do?

L: Hmmm. This is the hardest question you’ve asked. Since I’ve started writing for publication, I don’t really do anything else. Time spent with my family is my only other real priority. I grow roses, bake bread, and hope to get back to a little beading this summer.

K: “I do nothing else…oh, except garden and bake bread and make jewelry.” Refer to previous question about hogging talent. ☺

Best writing advice?

L: Don’t listen to writing advice. Seriously, after you have a working knowledge of grammar and story construction. Close your ears and just write, write, write. That’s really the only way to develop your unique voice.

What do you spend the most time in, PJs or Jeans (Or the very fashionable alternative: Pajama jeans)?

L: Those Pajama Jeans commercials crack me up. I’ll confess, some days I stay in my pjs so late in the day it no longer seems worth getting dressed.

K: I have a confession, too. I actually want a pair of pajama jeans. For reals. Because then when I leave the house at 2pm when the school nurse calls (or something) and have to show up to school in sweats, at least some people will be fooled into thinking I’m wearing jeans.

Guilty pleasure?

L: A food: potato chips and yellow mustard. An activity: I often stay up until midnight just to watch “Friends” re-runs.

K: Love “Friends”. Thank you so much, Linda, for putting up with some ridiculous questions and for writing such an awesome book.

Now, readers, you have an opportunity to win a signed copy of this lovely book! (I know a lot of my readers buy for teenagers, so just a little disclaimer: this is not a YA book. There is a sprinkling of language and adult subjects.) For a chance to win, just leave a comment. Tweet about the contest for an additional entry. Good luck! And happy reading.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--The fun way to a bruised shoulder

2011-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

I know you've woken up many a morning and thought to yourself, 'Self? What is a fun way to get a bruise on my shoulder?' Perhaps you had no answer to your very important question. I know because I, too, have asked myself this question many times. I could only come up with ways that didn't sound very pleasant. Today is your lucky day because last week, I figured out the answer.

First, you must convince some sucker to take you shot gun shooting even though you know nothing about shooting. If you can get a hold of some fake official hats, even better.

Before shooting even one round, make sure you get some pictures, because let's face it, life isn't about experiencing things, it's about how those experiences can turn into blog posts.

Next have someone trained and professional teach you how to use the gun. And, finally, put the shotgun against your shoulder, make sure no one is standing too close (and you have in earplugs) and shoot. Tada! Bruised shoulder. It's really quite simple. And fun.

When you're all done, take some more pictures.

These are some of my very favorite people (from left to right): Stephanie (My baby sis), Me (I guess I count as one of my favorite people), Candi (My bff), and Nicki (My dear friend. We told her she had to stand a few steps away from us because she can shoot a gun better than all of us combined and we were jealous.)

(This was me realizing how bad my shoulder would hurt in the morning....or maybe I was just trying to lick Nicki, I don't remember and can't be held accountable for my actions at that point because I had let my fake FBI status go to my head.)

April What?

2011-04-01T08:45:00.001-07:00

It took me reading several different posts in several different places to realize that today is April Fools' day. After reading a few, I thought to myself, wow, everyone is extra silly today. And finally (when someone actually used the words April and Fools in the same sentence) I was like, OH, everything makes sense now. Yeah, apparently taking a long road trip with my sister where we drove all day and then stayed up until 2:30 am every night takes my brain several days to get back from. So, I've decided that instead of the post I had planned for today, I had better wait until Monday when I can see if actually makes sense. And now that I know the date, I will adopt the appropriate attitude of not believing anything anyone says.

So do you guys do anything for April Fools'? Do you play tricks on your kids? What was the best trick that you were a part of (either as the tricker or the trickee?) I need to get my kids good when they get home to make up for the fact that I forgot.

Creepy?

2011-03-25T12:35:00.001-07:00

So does the Captain America movie trailer creep anyone else out?? (I will be seeing it. It looks awesome. I just hope the transformation happens fairly early in the movie so I'm not creeped out for too long.)

Watch it here

It is so weird to see Chris Evans' face on an altered body. Kind of like Brad Pitt in Benjamin Button. It totally freaks me out. Maybe because it looks so unnatural. Unlike this image, which isn't creepy at all because it is so completely realistic:

(Note that I am even whiter than Nicole Kidman. I need to get out more.)

Oh the Torture

2011-03-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Remember the time I vowed I would never run a 5K again?? Yeah, I remember it too. Especially after rereading this post. That was a year and a half ago and I haven't forgotten. BUT I'm doing it (why, oh why do I think torturing myself is fun?). In May I will run a 5K with my daughter (yes, this is all her fault). I am making this announcement so I can't talk myself out of it (but maybe you can talk me out of it). This time I will train better. I will run 4 times a week (or three....probably only two), I will eat healthier (unless my mom makes cookies at which point I will have three or four spoonfuls of cookie dough....Mmmmm cookie dough), and I will go to bed before..........1 am (that's good, right?).

In all seriousness, this run is to support my sister and her husband who recently lost their son to Trisomy 18. She carried him full term (tough little guy) and he lived 28 hours. He was the sweetest little angel. This run benefits Angel Babies, a support group that helps parents dealing with stillbirth, miscarriage, & infant loss. It is an amazing organization that really helped my sister through the hardest time in her life.

For my Fresno peeps, if you want to join in the "fun" run, it takes place Saturday, May 7th at Woodward park. I think I'm going to start "training" at the Clovis East track a couple nights a week. If anyone is interested in training with us, email me and I'll give you the details.

I can do this, I can do this (me and running are long time enemies so I have to give myself a pep talk).

And the Winner....

2011-03-16T08:46:00.001-07:00

Of this amazing book (how many times can I put the cover of this book on my blog?)

IS........

Jenilyn Tolley

YAY!!! Congrats. Email me your address and you will receive your SIGNED copy soon. Enjoy.

Thanks, everyone, for entering and for the tweets. You're all the best.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--How Does Your World End?

2011-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter asked me yesterday what would happen if everyone on the planet screamed at the exact same time. Well, one of two things, I told her. Either we would all implode or the world would spontaneously combust. (Maybe not everyone would implode, but for sure all the mothers of the world would. Or maybe they would just collectively say, "Shh" which would set off a whole different sequence of events.)

This got me thinking about post apocalyptic novels. I don't write them, but I'm very interested in the different 'end of the world' scenarios out there. If you were writing a novel that took place after a major World Destroying event, what would that event be? Or maybe you'd be like Cormac McCarthy in "The Road" and never tell the reader what actually happened to the world, just that it was destroyed. And maybe you would write such a good book that your reader wouldn't notice you never told her what exactly happened, nor would she notice that you never used a single quotation mark in the book (okay, so she would notice the quotation mark thing, but she'd be very much surprised that it didn't bother her in the least). So Mr. McCarthy? What happened? Did everyone scream at the same exact time?

*If you haven't already, don't forget to sign up below to win a free book. Contest ends tomorrow at midnight. :)

Are You Sure You Have The Right Girl?

2011-03-11T07:22:00.000-08:00

So someone thought I was cool enough to interview. Go figure. Check it out here. Thanks, Chantele. I've never met her in "real" life, but we've both been around the blogosphere for several years now. She recently snagged an agent. Congrats, Chantele.

Don't forget to sign up to win a free book below by leaving a comment. It's easy and fun. Well, maybe it's not fun, but it's definitely easy. And you might win a signed book for it. Yay!

How About I Give Away a Book

2011-03-09T08:47:00.001-08:00

I haven't been reading a lot of (published) books in the last two weeks. I've been editing for friends. Have I mentioned I love to edit (other people's books)? I do. It's fun for me. So anyway, no review today. How about instead I give away a book! Yes?

One of my favorite reads last year was WOLVES BOYS AND OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT KILL ME by Kristen Chandler.

Here is the post where I gush about it. You should read this book. Though the title might suggest otherwise, this is a contemporary. No werewolves. Actual wolves. So if you want to win a signed copy of this book, leave me a comment about why you think real wolves (or werewolves) are awesome.

Tweet about this contest for a second entry. I'll announce the winner next Wednesday. Good luck!

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Busted

2011-03-07T07:46:00.000-08:00

So I got pulled over the other day for talking on my cell phone. Sigh. I've really had it coming. I don't like the law. I've rebelled against the law. I actually think the law has increased the amount of people who, in order to avoid being caught talking on their cell, now text while driving. But we won't get into all my angst about the California cell phone law. The fact of the matter is that it IS a law and I finally got caught breaking it. Yes, it put the fear in me. I will no longer hold my phone to my ear while driving. Blue tooth here I come. And I'm going to wear that thing everywhere. To the gym, to the grocery store, to the kids' school. It will be awesome.

Even though I got caught and in reality deserved a big, fat ticket. I didn't get one. First, I smiled at the cop, and then when he said, "I pulled you over because you were on your cell phone," I responded with, "Yes, I was."

He seemed surprised by my statement, but took my license and walked to the back of my car. He even got his little white book out and started writing. When he came back, he said, "I'm going to let you off because you were the first person to tell the truth today. You should hear the stories I've heard today."

I almost said, "Really? Let's hear those stories." But I figured I shouldn't press my luck. I thanked him and went on my way.

But now I need to know. What cool (or not so cool) stories might people tell a cop when they get pulled over. I want to hear the best excuse you'd give a cop for being on a cell phone. Or how you would creatively pretend you weren't on a cell. I'm not saying that all of you would try to get out of the ticket with a lie. This is all just hypothetical. Give me your best excuse.

Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor’s….

2011-03-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

House, Wife, Ox…or Publication Story.

So I have a problem. It’s called, obsessively comparing myself to others. From the way I write all the way to how fast someone sold a book. This is not helpful in the least to my journey and sometimes it sneaks up on me without warning. But sometimes, most of the time, I let it in by my actions. By purposefully seeking out stories with the intention of comparing them to my story.

For example, when querying, and an agent would request a full, the minute I hit send I had a mission. The mission: Find everyone else in the entire world who had ever sent even one sentence to this agent, read every detail of each story, pick one (usually the most unrealistic, like the agent offered rep two days after requesting) and then lament when my story didn’t match theirs exactly. “Oh no! It’s been three days! She must hate me!” “Oh no! She writes books in two months and I take three! I must suck!”

This does not help me in the least. In fact, it paralyzes me. It keeps me from being productive. So how can I stop this behavior:

1. Don’t stalk people.

I was going to make a list of the things I shouldn’t do, but I think eliminating that one behavior might solve the issue. This won't eliminate my interest in other writers, because I am interested. But taking away the comparison intent will make a huge difference.

I am not my neighbor. I will have my own story.

So what about you? How do you keep yourself from obsessively comparing yourself to others?

Wednesday (movie) Review

2011-03-02T08:40:00.001-08:00

I've been in a reading lull lately. I'll blame it on laziness. And when I'm lazy, what do I like to do? Mindlessly watch movies. I think I've mentioned before that we have Netflix. So sometimes I'll troll through the "instant plays" trying to find some hidden gem that I haven't heard of before to satisfy my I-need-a-movie-RIGHT-NOW craving. Who has time to wait for a movie to come in the mail when I'm in the mood to watch a movie this INSTANT? This movie was probably the best of the "hidden gems" that I've viewed. It was super cute.

It did have an unrealistic bit when the main character sat in an editor's office with his manuscript while she rejected it. It made me laugh. If only we got personal appointments with editors. And the fact that the editor was able to personally talk to even those she was rejecting. Amazing. But aside from that it was a great romantic comedy with a twist I didn't see coming. If you end up watching it, tell me if you guessed the twist. Although, I didn't know there was going to be a twist so I wasn't really watching for one.....Crap, I shouldn't have told you there was going to be a twist. No, I'm not going to erase it. I still have confidence, despite my telling, that you will not guess.

So if you have Netflix go watch this right......NOW. And report back to me in exactly 1 hour and 34 minutes. :)

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Letters from the past

2011-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

So I was reading my Freshman yearbook the other day. Yes, reading it. You know, the notes your classmates left in the margins and empty pages telling you to 'have a great summer' and 'keep in touch.' Actually, we had all the yearbooks out. My husband's four years and mine as well. The kids were looking at the pictures and laughing at the hairstyles. Anyway, I got to the middle of my yearbook and came across some familiar handwriting: my own. I had written a note and forgotten all about it.

The note was hilarious. It was actually addressed to my kids. It told them that I was weird (the writing a note to myself proved that point and didn't need to be reiterated with the statement, but whatever) and, among many other things, it told them to remind me of all the things I promised not to do when I became a parent. Ha! Curse you, my fourteen year old self who had no kids and thought it would be a walk in the park to raise children.

My kids laughed and laughed.........and laughed some more. My twelve year old daughter told me that I was a total nerd as a teenager. I didn't deny it. My maddeningly unhelpful advice is to not write your future self notes telling your future self how you should behave. It's not helpful at all.......but it is very funny, so maybe you should.

I will also take this time to tell my friend, Heather Hart, that I saved an entire page for her as noted by the 'saved for Heather Hart, don't anyone dare write on this page unless your name is Heather or I will kill you' at the top and it is very, very blank (aside from the few smart alecs who wrote 'hi' in the corners and will be found after some extensive handwriting comparisons are done). Heather, you owe me a letter about how cool summer is going to be along with how boring teachers are. And it better be a long one. I saved an entire page for you. :)

Wednesday Review--Anna and the French Kiss

2011-02-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

I read a lot. So much that when I was entering Stephanie Perkin's contest to win an ARC of Gayle Forman's WHERE SHE WENT I did something really dumb. You see, one of the things we were supposed to do for the contest was describe something we loved about IF I STAY (Gayle's first book). So I described something I appreciated about the book and then went on my merry way, dreaming of reading the second book after winning the ARC.

In the middle of a game of bejeweled blitz, out of nowhere, I realized I had described a scene from a completely DIFFERENT BOOK. Granted, there was a similar scene in the book I was describing, but still.....STILL. I felt so stupid. So of course I went back to her blog and explained the real scene, knowing that I had blown my chances of winning (even though it is a completely random drawing).

But if I didn't know it before, this drove home the point that I read so much that I get my books confused. My brain can probably come up with some really good mash ups, mixing up several books to create a ridiculous one. (Hmmmm.....idea......a mash up segment on my blog......I can do that)

Anyway, as thoughts of my lameness swished around in my head, I realized something else. I hadn't yet reviewed Stephanie Perkin's ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS! This is a tragedy. It was truly one of my favorite reads of 2010.

This book is amazing!! It is cute, fun, romantic, beautiful (and every other happy adjective you can think of). Aside from that, it is deep and thought provoking. And clever. Several times I laughed out loud, not just because something funny was said, but because that something funny was also something very unexpected. I just wrote and then erased one of those very passages. I erased it because I want it to be unexpected for you too. And how did I say all that without mentioning the boy?? Oh, the BOY! He's so adorable. Just an all around great read. (I know some of you like to hear my rating. I would say this is for older teens due to some language, drinking, and sexual references.)

Here is a blurb of the book from Stephanie's blog: "Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt."

Tell me that doesn't sound so great. It is. You should read it. You should also enter her contest.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Conference Edition

2011-02-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

I just got back from LTUE (Life the Universe and Everything) which is a Fantasy and Science Fiction conference in Utah. I thought I might share a few things I learned there:

1. Networking=Good

2. Bree Despain gives away some really cool nail polish

3. Don't fly on an airplane in a snow storm

4. Never Give Up

No, but seriously, James Dashner (who is one of the nicest people I have ever met) was the keynote speaker and in his address (which sounds so much fancier than using the word 'speech') he talked about his journey. The key points were: hard work and never giving up. Both of those are so important in this industry. He was also quick to point out that luck plays a big role as well, but I've heard it say that the definition of luck is opportunity meeting preparation. There are so many things we can't control about the journey to publication. Many things are out of our hands. But we can control how prepared we are. Is our manuscript as clean as possible, are we putting ourselves in the right places, are we making connections by helping other writers in their journeys? Are we preparing ourselves for when opportunity comes our way?

I love being around other writers. It really rejuvenates me. Hopefully I'll meet many more of you in "real life" at future events.

YAY!!!!!!!.........again

2011-02-14T22:54:00.000-08:00

I'm the kind of girl who, if I ever got remarried (don't worry, honey, and in-laws, I'm not hinting at anything, it's purely hypothetical) I wouldn't wear white again. I'm not judging those who do, it doesn't bother me at all when others wear white the second time around, that just wouldn't be me. So why am I talking about wearing white a second time? Because in a way I feel like that's what I'm about to do in this post and it makes me feel a little awkward.

You see, I have an agent! I'm so excited about this. More than excited! Over the moon! In fact, I got two offers. Two agents loved my book. And I loved both these agents. Really. Loved. They are both amazing, talented, well-known agents. This was the hardest decision since the See's Candy lady asked me which truffle I wanted to sample. "You mean I have to pick?!?"

Again, what does this have to do with remarriages and wedding dresses? Well, for those of you who have followed my journey for the last few years, you may remember I've had an agent before. Maybe many of you even remember the day my agent's name mysteriously disappeared off my 'about me' section about a year ago with no explanation whatsoever. I will attempt to explain a little bit without disclosing too much personal info because I want to respect her privacy. To make a long story short, she decided to take a big step back from the YA market so we mutually parted ways. I still appreciate all the help and support she gave me and have nothing but good feelings towards her.

So that's where the, 'I feel like I've done this celebration before' attitude came in. I thought to myself (and now write out loud) what gives me the right to scream from the rooftops again? I had to be honest with myself about why I didn't feel like I was allowed to celebrate this major accomplishment. I came to a few (kind of hard to realize) conclusions.

One, I was embarrassed to admit my first attempt to put one of my works into the world failed. It made me feel like a failure, like I had done something wrong. Two, it was a very hard, depressing part of my journey that I kind of just wanted to forget happened at all. So as I was getting ready to announce my very happy news today, and realized these things, I hesitated. I told myself I didn't need to make this announcement at all. And then I got sad. I got sad that I didn't want to share it.

So what changed? Why did I decide to make a big announcement ("big" being a relative term because, hello, this is my blog we're talking about here not Dateline)?

Well, one, because I love my agent and think she deserves to be recognized. But also, because every success and step in this difficult journey to publication should be celebrated! There's too much heartache in this industry to hide the happy moments that make it all worth it! (Yes, I really am screaming these things, so the exclamation points are justified.)

So watch out, people, because not only am I putting on a white dress, but I'm going to have an over-the-top cake and throw a bouquet as I announce that me and MICHELLE WOLFSON (of Wolfson Literary) tied the knot!

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Imprinting

2011-02-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

I have so much fun news to share.......soon. I know, so mean.

In the meantime, a duck story.

Much like the tragic imprinting of Jacob on Renesmee, we had a duck imprint on our minivan. It all started when a duckling showed up in our pond, parent-free. The poor duck was all alone. Of course, my kids took pity. We started feeding it and giving it a warm garage to sleep in at night. This duck now loves us. It also really loves our van. When we try to go ANYWHERE, the duck comes running after our van, right under our van to be more specific. It's a suicidal duck. So, we have to climb out of the van, put the duck back in the pond and run for the car. This baby duck may not know how to fly, but have you ever seen how fast a duckling can run? Seriously fast. There it is again, right under the car. I'm sure the neighbors find this game amusing.

Today, I will give the duck a good talking to, the same talk I would've liked to give Jacob. It will go something like this: Imprinting is a serious business. Imprinting on the wrong thing can be both disturbing and a death sentence. Please pick something else to imprint on. I hope that unlike Jacob, this duck is reasonable.

(P.S. I'm not hating on Twilight. I actually loved those books.)

Here is a picture of our duck and my daughter's boots. Isn't it cute? Tell me you wouldn't have started feeding this little guy.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--A better way to spend $200

2011-02-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

I enjoy watching football. It's a pleasant way to pass the time. I like to root for a team (usually the underdog) and have been known to groan out loud or even yell at the players on occasion. But this is nothing. I know there are some serious football fans out there. Fans that would do anything for their team and never miss watching a game. And I get that. I have a serious thing for cream cheese. Fill a brownie with it and there isn't much I wouldn't do to make it mine.

So I understand, football fanatics, that you would want to go see your team play at the ultimate of all games. But standing out in the parking lot? Really? Does it even count as going to the Superbowl if you can't see the field? And actually paying good money, a lot of good money, to stand out in the freezing cold parking lot? Seriously?

Just in case this occurred because you had nothing better to spend your money on, I offer you my top five ways on how to better spend two hundred dollars.

5. Pretty much on anything else. Especially if it is something you can eat, wear, or actually hold in your hands.

But if you don't want something for your money....how about:

4. Give it to me.

Or if you don't want to give away your money for absolutely nothing...

3. You can watch the Superbowl at my house. I will turn off the heater if it is the "atmosphere" you're craving. I'll put on a cheese hat and yell really loud, too. I'll even stand in front of you so you have a hard time seeing the television.

Totally non-football related...

2. You could buy about fifteen books. (There are even some books that have people playing football in them.)

1. You could buy about ten snuggies. Or ten perfect brownie pans (if you do buy 10, please consider giving one to me). Or five snuggies and five perfect brownie pans. Heck, just have a home shopping network buying spree.

See, look at all these amazing options. So next time you're tempted to buy some standing space in a parking lot to watch television, give me a call and I'll talk you out of it.

What would you buy with $200?

Wednesday Review (one day late)

2011-02-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

"Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City. When the Martins turn fifteen, they are each expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett’s fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest named Mrs. Amberson. Scarlett doesn’t quite know what to make of this C-list starlet, world traveler, and aspiring autobiographer who wants to take over her life. And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn."

"Ever since Mrs. Amberson, the former-aspiring-actress-turned-agent, entered Scarlett Martin's life, nothing has been the same.
She's still in charge of the Empire Suite in her family's hotel, but she's now also Mrs. Amberson's assistant, running around town for her star client, Chelsea - a Broadway star Scarlett's age with a knack for making her feel insignificant.
Scarlett's also trying to juggle sophomore year classes, her lab partner who is being just a little TOO nice, and getting over the boy who broke her heart.
In the midst of all this, her parents drop a bombshell that threatens to change her New York life forever..."

Maureen Johnson is so good at bringing her characters to life that, did I not know any better, I would think they actually live in an old hotel in New York. I'm always impressed by people that can take every day situations and completely entertain me with them. And Maureen is an expert. She is also an expert at relationships. It's not many people who can make me care more that the sister and brother make up after a fight than the main girl and love interest. And she does just this. My stomach hurt when poor Scarlett was fighting with her brother in book 1.

These books are fun, smart, and a great read.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--The Minivan

2011-01-31T09:40:00.000-08:00

Please forgive me, readers, while I direct this bit of advice to the makers of minivan ads. Minivans will never be cool.

Never.

But that's okay, they are very useful vehicles. I should know, I own one. But, ads that try to convince me that they are cool are a waste of money. I don't care how big their speakers are or if fireworks go off when I look at the van. I don't care if rabbits and deer find the atmosphere in and around the van peaceful. I don't even care if rose petals float out the door and giant clams are singing in the trunk. No such van is going to make me drop my perfectly paid for bag of groceries.

Please, just tell me how your van is going to entertain my children. How it will keep me from getting lost despite high levels of volume in the car. How easy it will be to wipe boogers off the walls. And the millions of different compartments available for my kids to hide food in until it saturates the air with its rotting fragrance.

Now, if in the future, you come up with a way to stop the sound in the back seats from traveling to the front seats of the car, or a self vacuuming floor, that might be something to make me drop my bag of groceries over. Thank you.

What features would you like to see in the future minivan?

Two Words....

2011-01-21T11:22:00.000-08:00

American. Idol.

I am so happy it is back. I always forget how much I love it. It makes me happy. And I was so worried about the judge changes, but I've been pleasantly surprised. Especially by Steven Tyler. I don't care if my 12 year old daughter calls him a crusty old man-woman. I think he's cute. And he is cracking me up.

I've decided one of the reasons I love American Idol so much is because it is all about people who are passionate about a dream going for it. To watch these singers succeed (or fail) gets me every time. I love it.

Wednesday Review

2011-01-12T13:21:00.000-08:00

I don't believe I haven't talked about this book yet. This was hands down, one of my favorite reads of 2010. It was fun, clever, different, and the boy was pretty darn lovable too. Hale. *sigh* *swoon* Seriously, if you haven't read this book, you should. I can't wait for book two to come out. Speaking of....when does it come out?

blurb:

"When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected. Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help. For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's (very crooked) history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way."

Wednesday Review

2011-01-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

I love the cover of this book. It's even more beautiful in person. I really liked this book. It kept me reading and was interesting. There were a few things I couldn't picture. Like the Draki--not quite human not quite dragon. It was hard to imagine this. I would picture a dragon and then all the sudden she would talk about their flowing hair and I'd be like, uh, what? But aside from that it was great, sort of Twilight-ish in concept. A lot of times I gauge whether I really like a book or not by whether or not I plan to read the sequel. I plan to read the sequel.

blurb:

"A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.
Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.
Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.
Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide."

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--MadLib

2010-12-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

How about a game of Monday MadLib. Before reading the blue paragraph below, first provide the following words to fill in the blanks.

Adjective:

Verb ending in -ing:

Adjective:

Noun:

Plural Noun:

Verb:

Now, take your words and fill in the story below.

Kasie the _________ has once again been _________ her blog. When she is away, her readers become very, very _________ . This makes her feel extremely _________ . How dare she have a _________ outside the virtual world. When gone, it's not just her posts that are missed but her snarky _________ that she leaves throughout the blogosphere. Please, Kasie, don't _________ for so long again.

I will leave you with the answers my husband gave when I tested out the MadLib on him. (Please note that the first answer, like all his answers, were given without having read the paragraph. It's just a very big coincidence that it fits perfectly.)

Kasie the super, super sexy has once again been flagellating her blog. When she is away, her readers become very, very brilliant. This makes her feel extremely smelly. How dare she have a pie outside the virtual world. When gone, it's not just her posts that are missed but her snarky horses that she leaves throughout the blogosphere. Please, Kasie, don't spring for so long again.

Shout Out

2010-12-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday, everyone. This week got away from me. I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to my friend, Renee Collins for her success in acquiring an agent. She is pretty much awesome! And if you've had a rough road, her story will inspire you (so you should definitely go read it).

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Dream Escapes

2010-12-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

I have this irrational fear of alligators. Well, I mean, it's not irrational, they are obviously creatures to be feared. But I live in California. The only place I can see an alligator around here is the zoo. However, no matter my location, just the thought of them lurking, barely visible, in lakes and rivers scares me beyond belief (this is the irrational part). It's like when we're boating at the lake and my daughter gets scared that a shark might bite her. I tell her that sharks don't live in lakes (to which my brother unhelpfully adds, except the fresh-water shark) and in my head I think, only alligators live in lakes. I don't know how you people in Florida can walk around knowing that at any moment an alligator might walk up the street looking for a limb to bite off.

So last night I had this horrible dream that an alligator chomped down on my leg and, of course, wouldn't let go (because that's what alligators do) and it scared me so much that I woke up. But every time I tried to go back to sleep, the same image came back into my mind. Finally, I had to mentally come up with a way to free myself from the dumb alligator so that I could get on with my dream and get some sleep.

First, I had remembered seeing a news story where a girl who was in the clutches of an alligator, shoved her arm down its throat, opening it up for water to pour in. The alligator was forced to let her go because it was drowning. Smart girl. But I realized I couldn't do this because I was on dry land. Then I tried to punch it on the nose but remembered this was advice for sharks (which weirdly enough I don't fear). Prying it's jaws open with my bare hands didn't work. Finally, I found a large rock (that just happened to be within reach) and shoved it down the alligator's throat. My half-asleep brain must've found this a decent solution because the alligator let go of my leg and I was able to take my son to the lego horse so he could have a ride (my son got legos for his birthday yesterday). So I don't know if this would actually work should you find yourself in the clutches of an alligator when on dry land in real life, but at least in the dream realm, you should give it a try.

Happy Monday.

(P.S. I also decided when I was half-asleep and had just freed myself from the alligator that this would be my unhelpful advice for today. I have since decided that I should save decision making for when I'm fully awake.)

Wednesday Review

2010-11-24T10:41:00.000-08:00

You should read this book:

No, really, I loved it. After reading so many books lately that have the same general feel, this book was refreshingly different. The main character was probably one of the most unique characters I've ever read. She made me laugh and did so many things that were so true to her character even if I wanted to shake my head in disbelief. This girl could've walked right off the page and I wouldn't have been surprised (well, maybe I would've been a little startled, but then I would've thought, 'that's so her to walk off the page like that.') It's very clean for those of you worried about your daughter's sensitive little eyes and minds. And it's rich with relationships, emotion, and intrigue. LOVED it.

Blurb:
"When KJ Carson is assigned to write a column for her school newspaper about the wolves in nearby Yellowstone National Park, she’s more interested in impressing Virgil Whitman, the new kid in school and the photographer assigned as her partner, than in investigative journalism. But before long, KJ has a face-to-face encounter with a wolf that changes her and the way she thinks about wolves. With her new found passion for protecting these controversial animals, KJ inadvertently ignites the fuse of the anti-wolf sentiment in the community. First Virgil is injured during a town parade, and then her father’s store is set on fire in retribution. To stop the escalating violence, KJ follows Virgil to the cattle ranch of the most outspoken anti-wolf activists in town, against her father’s will. What she discovers there threatens everything and everyone she cares about.

In KJ’s fierce and funny attempt to make peace between the wolves and the people that despise them, she must first face her own long-held fears. It’s terrifying, but then, finding yourself always is." (from Kristen Chandler's website)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you enjoy the holiday.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Mind Power

2010-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

So as you can see, I'm not doing so well on NaHoCleMo. But I am doing very well on what I like to call NaLoWhiMo. Yes, that's right, national loud whining month. It goes something like this, "Woe is me. Cleaning makes me whine. Why does everybody leave all their stuff everywhere for me to clean?" I am definitely wracking up the minutes on that goal.

But all this whining has reminded me of why I simplified after the third child (and even more after the fourth). Why I decided that if dishes and laundry were done then I was happy. And that is, because cleaning up after people makes me grumpy. It makes me think bad thoughts about my lovely children, like, 'Do they really have to leave the milk out every single morning? Why can't they remember this simple task?' Or, 'Seriously, they have to leave candy wrappers on the counter right above the trash?? How lazy does one have to be to not open the door and put the trash inside?' And I don't like thinking these thoughts about my children.

So I decided something last week. Instead of getting frustrated when I had to pick up a wet towel off the ground for the fiftieth time that week, I started saying, out loud: "That's so cute." As in, 'Oh, it's so cute when my kids can't remember to put the milk away. There's nothing like warm milk.' Or, 'Oh, isn't it adorable that their trail of open drawers and cupboards lets me know exactly what they did in the kitchen.' It seemed ridiculous at first, but it really works. Every time I said it, I really did think about how dang cute my kids are. All four of those adorable (somewhat lazy) little buggers. So my advice to you is, apply the phrase "that's so cute" more in your life. Try it when your significant other is making you angry, the lady checking out in front of you at the grocery store is irritating you, just whenever you're feeling some loud whining coming on. If nothing else, at least it stops the whining for a little while.

Wednesday Reviews

2010-11-17T07:26:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned before that I have a huge crush on Sarah Dessen?? Yes? Okay, I won't talk about it again or you might think I'm obsessed. I mean, sure, I've read every book she's ever written, but that's not obsessive, is it? And she didn't disappoint in her latest book:

blurb:

"Riding a bike is only one of the many things Auden's missed out on. Even before her parents' divorce, she was cast in the role of little adult, never making waves, focusing on academics to please her demanding mother.

Now she's spending the summer before college in the tiny beach town of Colby with her father and his new wife and baby. A job in a trendy boutique introduces her to the world of girls, their friendships, conversations, romances. And then there's Eli, an intriguing loner. A fellow insomniac, Eli introduces Auden to the nocturnal world of Colby. Together they embark on a quest: for Auden to experience the carefree teenage life she's been denied; for Eli, to put a tragic episode behind him. Combine two lonely people with a charming beach town and an endless supply of long summer nights, and just about anything can happen."

Sarah Dessen, curse you for being able to take a normal, everyday scenario and turn it into a compelling emotion-filled book. I mean, praise you.

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Excuses

2010-11-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

From the girl who brought you top 10 reasons to avoid the gym and how to become the laziest person on earth in seven days (or less), I bring you: Top ten excuses to clean less. These excuses are specifically designed to help those participating in NaNo (national novel writing month) and the messy house that will follow. You may use these excuses on those around you who might be appalled or disgusted by extra dishes in the sink, or for yourself, to make sure that you don't touch those dishes in the sink until you get in your 2K words for the day.

So here they are, your excuses.

10. I hope to be a future hand model and can't risk callouses by doing house work. (Perhaps you've never considered this before, but take a good hard look at your hands. Are they hand model material? Yes, yes they are. Now preserve them, protect them.)

9. Why would I clean the house when by the end of the day it looks like I didn't touch it? (Also good, why would I make my bed when I'm just going to sleep in it again?)

8. It may look dirty, but I know where everything is. If I clean it, I wouldn't be able to find anything. There is a method to my madness. (Make sure to only use this excuse when someone isn't looking for something or you might immediately disprove this.)

7. I feel a cold coming on, I must rest. If I get sick then nothing will get done at all.

6. And while you're on the "guilt" excuses, how about: Since I'm the only one that cleans around here, I was waiting to see how long it would take before someone else would lift a finger to help.

5. That's why I had children, to help around the house. (My daughter swears the only reason I had kids is so I wouldn't have to clean, so I might as well just go with that excuse and validate her theory.)

4. Speaking of kids, how about: I can't do everything for my children or they will never learn responsibility. Teaching kids to work is the best gift I can give them. (That's a good one because then you sound loving and responsible.)

3. A layer of dust (or toys) protects the wood (or carpet).

2. For those of you who stress out about a messy house and find yourself tempted to clean (I do not fall in to this category), you should definitely have one room that must remain clean at all times. The kids (and spouse) should know they can not touch this room or some very serious, vague threat (that you must administer with a grave expression) will occur. If you don't have a whole room, just a cupboard or a shelf will do. Then when you feel the stress coming on, you stand in the room (or stare lovingly at the shelf) and know that at least you have managed to keep this one piece of the universe clean.

1. And the number one excuse that all those around you should not argue with is: I can't be bothered with housework, I'm writing.

Good luck to all those participating in NaNo. I can't wait to follow your progress. I will not be using any of the above excuses this month because I'm cleaning instead of obsessively writing. I need a set of excuses not to write. Please provide them for me.

Wednesday Review

2010-10-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

I loved this book.

I'm a huge fan of the world Cassandra Clare has built in her Mortal Instruments series. The Shadowhunters and everything she created around them fascinates to me. And so when I heard she wrote a prequel, set in Victorian England (one of my favorite settings), I knew I had to read it. It was so awesome--detailed, tense, emotion-filled.

The one criticism I have heard about the book is that Jace (a character from the first series) and Will (a character from this one) are interchangeable. I would agree--they are similar. But, since I loved Jace (LOVED him), I was perfectly fine with an old-fashioned version of him. So bring on the rest of series, I'm ready.

blurb:
"Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all."

Ready, Set, Clean

2010-10-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been around since last year, you may remember that I didn't participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) where writers everywhere dedicate the month of November to start and finish a novel. It's an exercise in obsessive behavior. But since I am obsessed every month, I take the month of November to try something called balance. To do something that I avoid the rest of the year.....

CLEAN.

Many of you may have gasped at that thought. Believe me, it's scary for me too. But, it must be done. I'm setting my goal at 2700 minutes this year. That is 90 minutes of cleaning a day. You can track my progress on the sidebar. And hey, if you want to participate, feel free to grab one of your own county things here and set your own realistic cleaning goal. This might be a good competition for all my non-writer friends out there to join. Although, you probably keep beautifully clean houses.

Either way, get ready because the cleaning will begin in 10 days.

Wednesday Review

2010-10-20T11:56:00.001-07:00

I had seen this book highlighted on several blogs over the last year or so and even had a friend tell me I should read it. But for some reason I still let it sit in my TBR pile for a long time. I think the reason I resisted reading this book was because I feared it would be similar to something I had written. After I finally read it, I was glad I gave in. One, it was so different than mine, and two, it was awesome. I loved this book. It was funny--I laughed out loud throughout. It was refreshing. And Janette Rallison had so many cute insights not only to her characters, but really to human nature that were so cleverly written. This is another book I enjoyed that I can also pass on to my 12 year old. I love books like that.

blurb:
"After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she’s only Fair—because she’s not a very good fairy student—Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy."

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--Pest Control

2010-10-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

On my drive home the other night, I turned onto my street and saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes. As I got closer I realized they were attached to a rather large raccoon. Ah, country living, I thought. At the end of the street, I pulled into my driveway. As my headlights cut across the grass, a pair of rabbits ran through the light. How cute, I thought. Finally (and I'm not exaggerating, all three of these things happened in one night) I opened the garage and as I parked the car, a rat scampered out from behind some boxes. So not cool. This is when my husband and I decided we needed an outdoor cat. Preferably a big, ugly one who was on at least his seventh life and was appropriately named Bruiser or Killer.

Well, we couldn't find one of those. So we settled for these guys. They are going through the training program now (being pestered by a three year old). But I have high hopes that they will become the future pest control:

HUNTER:

SCOUT:

Wednesday Review

2010-10-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

It's possible I am the only person in the world who can spend a week in Mexico and come back whiter than when I left. This may be due to the fact that I like to spend a lot of my vacation reading. I read three great books while I was there. The first, Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

SO. CUTE.

This book made me smile. And I would recommend it for all ages. In fact, I'm letting my twelve year old read it next.

The blurb:

"Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal."

The Cootie Catcher

2010-10-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

I don't think that's what we called it in my day (we didn't need any fancy device to catch our cooties) but this is what my daughter came home with yesterday, spouting off "fortunes" for us all--after we worked for it, of course, by picking a color and 3 numbers. It made me wax nostalgic (I do that now and again, it's not as painful as those two words make it sound). But I was even able to make a few "cootie catchers" for my other daughter *ahem* FROM MEMORY. Can you tell I was pretty impressed with myself?

So do you want to hear my first 3 fortunes I received straight from my daughter's catcher?
-Fortune Number 1: You are deeply hated. (In actuality, I was deeply offended, but I'll save that discussion for my future therapist)

-Fortune Number 2: You will be in jail in five years. (What?!? "Does it say what I'm going to do to get there?" I asked her)

-Fortune Number 3: You will have 9 babies. ("How accurate is this particular catcher? Does it have a percentage of successful predictions?" I wanted to know because I could live with my first two fortunes, but 9 babies??!!!)

Finally, I asked my daughter if there were any good fortunes and she read me the rest which included:
-You are a tree hugger (??)
-You have powers (why couldn't I have gotten that one?)
-You are crazy (only sometimes)
-You are deeply loved (oh, good, my daughter has at least a little bit of humanity in her soul)

Have you gotten any good fortunes lately?

Wednesday Review

2010-09-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been reading a lot lately and have a lot of reviews to catch up on. The first book I read in this round was this amazing one by Sara Zarr. Sweethearts. It was refreshing to read a contemporary. I haven't read one in a while and it reminded me of why I like them so much. The emotion. And Sara Zarr is an expert at eliciting strong emotion. This book was heartfelt and honest. I adored it.

blurb:

"As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts. They were also one another's only friend. So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her. Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed. Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be---but she still can't shake the memory of her long-lost friend.

When Cameron suddenly reappears, they are both confronted with memories of their shared past and the drastically different paths their lives have taken."

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--An apology letter

2010-09-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog,

Yes, I've been avoiding you lately. I'm sorry. But when you stare at me with those puppy dog eyes you make me feel guilty. I know that when I start to feel the least bit down you're the first thing I take it out on. And I shouldn't. It's not your fault. But since we're being honest, I almost quit you. I know, I know, it was a drastic measure. But I wanted to focus entirely on writing and editing and you were distracting me. If it makes you feel any better it wasn't just you I avoided, it was all blogs. Then I remembered that I actually like you and other blogs. That I enjoy reading about my friends and what they've been up to. So, I'm going to try harder to be less neglectful. Just don't give me that sad look if I miss a day here or there. My life is a little crazier than it used to be with my new responsibilities working with the young women at church and the kids starting school again. So just one more request....can you write yourself on the days I'm too busy?

Thanks,

Kasie

Maddeningly Unhelpful Advice--How to underperform at wasting time

2010-09-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

I am unarguably the best player of bejeweled blitz ever. (Don't pay attention to all the people above me in the rankings. I just pretend they don't exist.)

Okay, so I'm not. And I think that's what makes my addiction to this game that much more pathetic. I am, at best, a mediocre player. So if you, too, want to be mediocre, just apply the following steps to your playing (I could compare them to writing too, but that might be too helpful).

1. Constantly get distracted by the shiny jewels. In fact, focus all your efforts into trying to get them and only them to explode.

2. When angry at your horrible performance, use phrases like, dag nabit. Then wonder where that phrase came from. Google its history. Find nothing even remotely useful but waste fifteen minutes on it anyway. Decide you are going to stop using the words dag nabit. Immediately use them again.

3. Hum a jeopardy type song while you play and then let the song start to cause feelings of anxiety because you've given yourself an earlier time limit than the game has given you. Panic.

4. Get a very bad score. Stare accusingly at all the profile pics of the people who have very good scores.

5. Compare bejeweled to writing and sink into a deep well of depression. Tell yourself if only you were better at bejeweled blitz you would succeed at writing.

6. Tell yourself this is the stupidest game ever invented.

7. Stare at the 'play again' button.

8. Push it.

Give Me My Books

2010-09-08T08:09:00.001-07:00

I ordered books over a week ago. Some really good books that I want to read really bad. Like Paranormalcy, Mockingjay, Clockwork Angel. And they are still not here. Doesn't Amazon know that I'm dying here? If I had these books in my greedy little hands, I would have a book review for you today because I'm sure I would have read all of them already. Now is the time when you can all gloat about the fact that you've read one (or, more likely, all) of these books. This will make me extremely jealous.

The Winner

2010-09-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

And the winner of a signed copy of Michelle Davidson Argyle's novella, CINDERS is: Briana, The Book Pixie!!!!! (love that screen name) Yay! Congrats Briana. I'll be emailing you to get your shipping info. Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest.

Now that I'm done editing my latest book, maybe I'll be more active in the blog world (she says, hanging her head in shame).

Wednesday Review and giveaway-Cinders

2010-08-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

“With her fairy godmother imprisoned in the castle and a mysterious stranger haunting her dreams, Cinderella is on her own to discover true love untainted by magic.”

These intriguing lines drew me into Cinders, a debut novella by Michelle Davidson Argyle. Michelle had several challenges to overcome right from the start of this novel. One, she changed the tone of a much-beloved fairytale. Two, because it was a novella, she didn’t have a lot of time to delve into the intricacies of her world. And three, her main character had a flaw that made her hard to like. Now, if I stopped here, you might think, why would I ever buy that book? Which is why I’m not going to stop here. I’m going to tell you how Argyle overcame the challenges and won me over.

The tone: This isn't your daughter's Cinderella. If you're looking for a light fluffy fairytale, this isn't for you. This book is meant for a mature audience (no jokes about my maturity level). Because this book takes place after the “happily ever after” we get to see some doubts Cinderella is having. Cinderella having doubts about her prince? I know, that’s what I thought. But Michelle explained how the magic used to make the prince notice Cinderella made her question whether his love was real. That made sense to me and made it easier to understand her doubts. Plus, it added this darker undertone to the story of Cinderella that served as the backdrop for the entire novel and made some dark events that take place, not seem out of place.

The length: I would’ve loved to delve further into the world of the novel, but unfortunately, due to the brevity of a novella, it just wasn’t possible. The fact that I wanted more, though, is a good sign. What I did learn about the world and its history was unique and compelling.

Cinderella’s flaw: Cinderella was a bit selfish, which made her hard to like. Hard to like characters can sometimes lead to hard to like books. But not in this case. In order for the ending (which I LOVED) to take place, we needed to see Cinderella’s flaws.

These overcome challenges mixed with beautiful imagery made Cinders a novella that Argyle can be proud of.

To learn more about Michelle or to purchase a copy of Cinders, go here.

Good news! You have a chance to win a signed copy of your very own. Leave a comment on this post to be entered. Entries as follows: *comment +1pt *be/become a follower +2pts. *tweet or blog about this contest +3pts. Contest ends next Tuesday at midnight and winner will be announced next Wednesday. Good luck!