Category Archives: ME

One Word Wednesday

Posted on February 13, 2013 | 21 Comments


Loveliness
{It’s been a little brisk in our neck of the woods lately (like, a high of 60 degrees with some pretty chilly wind — I know you feel SO bad for me), but still, it’s so nice to look out the window and see sun. This Washington girl did not truly understand the toll 226 cloudy days a year (Seattle’s average) could take on a person’s mental state until she moved to the land of sun. I’m feeling thankful!}


Photo-Bomb
{We went hiking in the Carmel Valley last weekend. It was beautiful and I took this picture of my crew, which I loved… Until I noticed Lucy popping a squat front and center. Aren’t pets fun?}


Peace
{This is so my Happy Place: Cozy socks, comfy couch, good book. Who cares that this was taken on a Saturday night and that Katy of a Decade Ago would totally cringe if she knew how lame Current Katy has become?}

 
Indulge
{My girlie had Monday off from school so we went out for a long afternoon walk followed by ice cream at the coolest little parlor. The building’s facade looks like it’s straight out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and the interior is full of mismatched furniture and vintage rock memorabilia. My girl had Midnight Cookies and Cream, and I had Banana Chocolate Chip Carmel… Yum!}


Delish
{Food recommendation: I chopped up mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and added them to a few loaves of Banana Bread. Definitely a fun, easy treat to try. And hey, there are bananas in it, so we’ll just go ahead and pretend it’s healthy.}


Cool
{I ♥ her. That is all.}

Tell me: What have you been up to these days?

→ 21 Comments

Posted in Family, ME, One-Word Wednesday, Pretty Things..., Tasty Treats

One Word Wednesday

Posted on January 23, 2013 | 35 Comments

Hello, friends… Happy Wednesday!

NO
{Kidding. Sort of. I know Entertainment Weekly is infamous for uglifying would-be heartthrobs [Exhibit A], but that guy is just not my vision of Finnick. There’s nothing wrong with him, per se (he was fine in that Snow White movie), and I’ll try to reserve judgement until I see Catching Fire, but… I just… Boo.}

Lovely
{I love my town so much. Please, Army, don’t make me move away!}

Charming
{The girlie and the locale. On this particular afternoon she said, “It’s a beautiful day. Let’s go for a walk in Carmel!” So we did.}

Perfection
{After years of using the Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe to varying degrees of success, I have officially given it up. I’ve moved on to what I consider the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe EVER. The secret? A little bit of corn starch. I’ve used this recipe several times now and have yet to produce a cookie that’s anything short of delectable. Recommend!}

Warm
{In case I haven’t made this clear… I love my town! The temperature has been hovering in the low seventies the last few days. It’s so nice to feel the heat of the sun during our walks by the bay.}

Awesome
{We have the *best* sunrises. A definite perk to getting up early!}

Thought-Provoking
{The other day I finished reading A.S. King’s Ask the Passengers. Now, anytime I see a plane in the sky, I think of Astrid sending her love. Such a fantastic book. I’m reviewing it in detail over at YA Confidential today. Please do check it out!}

Tell me: What’s your favorite kind of cookie?

→ 35 Comments

Posted in Contemporaries, Entertainment, Great Books, ME, One-Word Wednesday, Randomness, Tasty Treats, YA Confidential

Tagged , , ,

Currently…

Posted on January 15, 2013 | 33 Comments

(I originally got the idea for “Currently…” from Kate Hart, who snagged the idea from Amy Lukavics, who picked it up here.)

Loving

Hot apple cider. Random, but it’s been tasting extra yummy lately…
My new L’Oreal Hair Serum. Finally a product to counteract our hard water…
Trader Joe’s — I always feel so happy in that store…
Babies! On Sunday, one of my favorite friends had an adorable little boy. Yesterday I got to visit him and hold him… So fun!

Reading

I’m a few chapters from the end of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects. Just like last year’s Gone Girl, Flynn’s debut is FREAKING ME OUT. So many deplorable, pitiable characters. So many visceral, disturbing images. Such astute, evocative language. I cannot put it down.

Watching

HBO’s Girls. Lena Dunham is brilliantly funny. Never before has a show made me enjoy cringing. Also, MTV’s Catfish. I have a mini-crush on Nev, and every single episode is absolutely captivating. (On the subject of TV, I’m ready for Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones to return!)

Thinking About

The end of my revision. I’ve incorporated all the feedback my agent and I discussed and I am loving the results. Just a few chapters left in my final read-through, a quick beta test, and then my manuscript will be on its way back to the inbox of Agent Victoria… Yay!

Anticipating

That quick beta test I mentioned above? I’m swapping manuscripts with one of my favorite blog friends. We both love to read and write upper contemporary YA (with lots of romance!), but oddly enough, we’ve never read each other’s work. That’s serving us well, though, because we’re both needing fresh eyes on our manuscripts. I can’t wait to read hers!

Listening To


Ho Hey by The Lumineers… Not exactly country, but this song rocks.

Wishing

For warmer weather! I acclimated to the pleasant temperatures of my new California home pretty quickly. Lately, though, it’s been freezing! Okay, that’s probably dramatic. Today it got up to 55, but in the mornings when I get up to run… Brrr! Hurry up, spring!

Making Me Happy

My loves… always.

What’s currently making YOU happy?

→ 33 Comments

Posted in Critique, Cross My Heart, Currently..., ME, Music, Randomness, Revising, What I'm Reading

Tagged , , ,

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2013 | 28 Comments

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve Recipes

So. 2012 was pretty fantastic, but I’m hoping 2013 will be bigger and better. What about you?

This time last year, I decided on RESOLVE as my Word of the Year (thanks again for the idea, Jessica Corra!). That little word went a long way in helping me achieve many of the goals I’d set for myself. I thought of resolve often, like early in the morning when I didn’t feel like getting up for a run, and late at night when my eyes were almost too tired to finish revising. Resolve helped get me through a lot, which is why I plan to keep it in mind this year as well.

While I’ll continue to live life with resolve, I’ve decided on a new word for 2013:

ACCEPTANCE

I’m very much a Type-A person. I like to have a plan, I like to be in control, and I like to make sure things get done. Seeing as how I’m an Army wife and I have inserted myself into the oh-so-unpredictable world of publishing, my Type-A-ish-ness often struggles. I wonder and worry and stress A LOT, which is why I’m going to try very hard to go with the flow in 2013. I will work as hard as I can and do everything in my power to find success, but I will also try to remember that sometimes, what will be just… IS. There is so much I cannot control (in publishing and in general), so I vow to do my best to accept life’s events as they come, and appreciate them for what they are.

Internal Acceptance Movement

For me, 2013 is about acceptance.

What will the New Year be about for you?

→ 28 Comments

Posted in Inspiration, ME, Randomness, Wisdom

2012 in Review…

Posted on December 31, 2012 | 38 Comments

Last year I posted a 2011 Year in Review. Not only was it fun to share the highs and lows of my year with you all, it was also fun to look back on all that had happened over the previous twelve months.

So, of course I had to take some time to reflect on 2012. While I wasn’t successful in ALL of my goals, I did meet many. I had tons of fun with my family, I grew as a writer and reader, and I made some fantastic new friends along the way.  It’s been a busy year, full of changes, hard work, and lots of fun…

January

I blogged about goals, and decided on RESOLVE as my all-encompassing word for 2012. I also mused about the struggles of rewriting.

 I survived a winter storm that threatened my sanity.

A Million Suns (Across the Universe, #2) The Fault in Our Stars
I started the year off reading and reviewing a couple of awesome books: A Million Suns by Beth Revis and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

At the end of the month, my girlie and I welcomed my husband home from  Afghanistan (yay!).

The DisenchantmentsI raved about another favorite of 2012, The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour.

February

I blogged about my preference for character-driven YA, and shared my Two-Minute Tension Test.

            
I celebrated Valentine’s Day with BOTH of my loves!

I turned thirty-one. No comment.

021I attended my husband’s Welcome Home Ball and had a *little* too much fun. :)

March

Pandemonium (Delirium, #2)I read and reviewed another 2012 favorite: Lauren Oliver’s Pandemonium.

I worked on a substantial revision of Where Poppies Bloom and resubmitted it to the agent I was working with at the time. (In case you’re wondering, I eventually came to the very difficult realization that Poppies isn’t going to sell the way it’s currently written. As of now, the story is ”retired” and waiting for a rewrite that will hopefully come in 2013… Tough stuff.)

          
I had the pleasure of spending a long weekend in Vancouver BC with my husband. Such a fun, beautiful city!

Saw The Hunger Games. Awesome!

I blogged about my on-again-off-again struggles with procrastination (and why it’s not always a bad thing).

April

I successfully completed the A-Z  Blogging Challenge, which was so fun! Thank you again to all of the hosts and organizers!

I Rocked the Drop!


I met a few of my favorite authors (Gayle Forman, Nina LaCour, and Stephanie Perkins) during the Seattle stop of the YA or Bust Tour.


I was invited to become an Operative over at YA Confidential. Love my fantastic new blogging buddies!

May


I participated in Blog Me MAYbe, brainchild of writer/blogger/all-around-awesome-person Sara McClung.

I blogged about The Page Sixty-Nine Test, a writer’s trick I learned from clever author Gayle Forman.

         
We moved from Washington to central California, and made a big ol’ road trip out of the ordeal.

After we settled in to our new house, I shared a little bit about how I plot stories and write first drafts.

My husband and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary!

Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, #1)I read and recommended Veronica Rossi’s stunning debut, Under the Never Sky.


I shared my miracle cures for writer’s block, and started tackling a major rewrite of my YA contemporary manuscript, Cross My Heart.

June

Amelia Anne is Dead and GoneOh, look! Another outstanding 2012 book: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfeld.

Around this time, I scored a few amazing new critique partners. I can’t even put into words how grateful I am for Temre, Taryn, and Alison!

          
My cutie pie got her very first library card, and had quite the Marilyn moment.

July

I posted about “gap books” and committed to reading a few of mine (including The Book Thief), and brought the “One Space or Two” debate to my blog.

I read and gushed about Kristin Cashore’s Bitterblue, my VERY FAVORITE book of 2012!

I completed my Cross My Heart rewrite! 

            
My girlie and I made the loooong trip to Phoenix to visit my parents, my brother, and my cutie pie nephew.

My husband and I saw Brad Paisley and The Band Perry… Incredible!

August

        
I helped my sweet girl celebrate her fifth birthday…

… and watched as she headed off to kindergarten. Very bittersweet!

September

I tackled a frustrating revision of Cross My Heart, one that came with some bad-but-unrelated writing news. I threw myself a pity party, but that pain in the ass revision eventually made Cross My Heart what it is today.

This Is Not a TestI posted about yet another phenomenal 2012 release: This is Not a Test by the infinitely brilliant Courtney Summers.

Took a trip to Washington to visit family and see Tim McGraw(!).

I posted about taking a break and why it’s important, jumped on the “Currently…“ bandwagon, blogged about how running parallels revising, and shared my take on Banned Books Week.

October

I visited an apple orchard with my girlie, and blogged about method writing (which, for me, involves A LOT of baking and running).

I talked about Cross My Heart, my “Next Big Thing,” and scored some awesomely encouraging comments in the process!

I wrote six words of advice for Teen Katy, which Erin L. Schneider combined with the advice of many other YA bloggers/writers into this amazing video.

The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle, #1)The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. Perfectly creepy-weird. I couldn’t help but sing its praises!

I indulged my girlie and “dressed up” for Halloween. Little Miss Merida just LOVES this holiday!

November

I took a risk and signed up for National Novel Writing Month for the first time. The WiP I worked on is an upper YA contemporary romance. What else? ;)

        
I ran (and finished!) the Big Sur Half Marathon, meeting a goal I’d set for myself ages ago. I was exhausted at the end, yet so proud!

I blogged about all the things I’m thankful for…

Saving June…and raved about another amazing book, Hannah Harrington’s Saving June (not released in 2012, but one of the best books I read this year).

In slightly less positive news, I parted ways with my former agent and began querying new agents. I didn’t blog about the ordeal until later, but this experience put a bit of a damper on an otherwise extraordinary month.

I WON National Novel Writing Month! (No matter that I haven’t touched the manuscript since November — I still love it! And, I plan on finishing the first draft and making in CP-worthy during the month of January.)

December

I accepted super-agent Victoria Marini’s offer of representation. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with Victoria, and I look forward to seeing what the New Year brings in the way of manuscript submissions!

I got to go to Disneyland! Seriously. The happiest place on Earth.

I read and recommended yet another amazing 2012 book: Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNarama. Love, love, love!

I celebrated my husband’s birthday WITH him for once. It was a fantastic day full of The Hobbit, Buffalo Wild Wings, and homemade birthday cake.


I co-hosted the Class of 2012: YA Superlatives Blogfest with  Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, and Alison Miller. Such a great turn-out this year. My To-Read list grew about a mile!

And last but not least, I celebrated the holidays with my husband and this sweet girl, and took some time to reflect on the passing year.

Phew!

Tell Me: How was your 2012? What are your hopes for 2013?

→ 38 Comments

Posted in 2012 Superlatives, A to Z Challenge 2012, Challenges, Cross My Heart, Drafting, Family, Favorite Things, Great Books, ME, NaNoWriMo, Plotting, Randomness, Revising, Tales from the Trenches, The Writing Journey, The Writing Process, What I'm Reading, WIP, Wisdom, Writer's Block, Writing Advice & Tips, YA Confidential

Thanksgiving Greetings…

Posted on November 22, 2012 | 11 Comments

I am thankful for my husband, who is supportive and loving and witty, and the *best* daddy out there. 

I am thankful for my daughter, who is sweet and bright and adorably funny, and has the most thoughtful little heart. 

I am thankful for  both the family I was born into, and the family I married into. I am very lucky.

I am thankful for my friends, spread all around the world. Today, on a holiday meant to be spent with those we love, I am especially thankful for the friends I’ve made since moving to California! Can’t wait to celebrate Turkey Day with you!

I am thankful for a creative mind, and the opportunity to write every day. 

I am thankful for books!

I am thankful for my CPs and beta readers and writer friends, who offer invaluable feedback, answer my fanatical emails, and email me just to check in. You all keep me sane. 

I am thankful for the writing community, especially the YA writing community. I am thankful for the amazing people I’ve met through Twitter and this blog. I can’t describe how much your friendship and support have meant to me, especially in the last few weeks.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

→ 11 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Family, ME

Tagged

One-Word Wednesday

Posted on October 31, 2012 | 26 Comments

Happy Halloween, friends!

#4OClock :: Navigating a #cornmaze. #Autumn #Fall #PumpkinPatch #FMSPhotoADay
Labyrinth
{Navigating the corn maze at the best pumpkin patch ever.}


Critical
{Listening to (and eventually enjoying) Red, the new Taylor Swift album. (Yes, my child has a DiscMan, not an iPod. She’s five, and we’re old school.)}


Merriment
{Hula hoop tossing at the local Fall Festival. I know we’re only a few months into the school year, but so far I’m impressed with the community atmosphere of my daughter’s elementary school. This Fall Festival was a really cool family event/PTA fundraiser that kiddos of all ages seemed to have a blast at.}


Yum
{If you’ve never had Biscoff, you’re missing out. It’s a gingerbread-tasting spread that’s similar in consistency (and calorie count) to peanut butter. You can find it at World Market, and it is yummy! I found an fantastic recipe for Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies at Eat, Live, Run, one of my favorite food blogs. If you’re looking for a unique new cookie recipe, give this one a try! It’s definitely one of my new go-tos.}


Beer
{One-hundred ounces of Bud Light in preparation for the WSU vs. Standford football game that was awesome, despite a Cougar loss.}


*sigh*
{Remember the one-hundred ounces of beer? This is the kind of lasting memory it produces.}


NaNoWriMo
{I’m plotting! A good thing, since NaNo beings TOMORROW! I’ve got my main characters and setting decided, along with my MC’s GMC and a loose plot outline. Tonight I hope to plot my first several scenes more specifically so I can hit the ground running tomorrow morning.}

Guts
{Pumpkin guts, I mean. My husband was deployed during Halloween last year, so this year’s annual pumpkin carving evening was extra special. My daughter ADORES Halloween and everything that goes with it — even pumpkin guts! Today she gets to participate in a costume parade and Halloween party at school, and then, of course, there will be trick-or-treating tonight. Can’t wait!}

How are you celebrating Halloween?
(And if you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, are you ready?)

→ 26 Comments

Posted in Family, ME, NaNoWriMo, One-Word Wednesday, Randomness, Tasty Treats

Tagged , , , ,

One-Word Wednesday

Posted on October 10, 2012 | 12 Comments

First and most importantly, HUGE congratulations go out to my longtime blog friend Rebecca Behrens. Her debut novel When Audrey Met Alice is going to be published by Sourcebooks and I couldn’t be happier for her! Not only is Rebecca smart and sweet and generous, but her story sounds AMAZING. You can read more about it HERE, and you can read Rebecca’s official announcement HERE.

Congrats, Rebecca! I couldn’t be happier for you!

And, here’s what I’ve been up to lately…

#WhatImReading #TheRavenBoys #YALit #Books #Unputdownable #SignedAndDoodled
Spellbinding
(Seriously. This book rocks. And look! I splurged on a signed and doodled copy! Find The Raven Boys on Goodreads.)

#HearstCastle #California #NoFilter
Opulent
{My dad visited last week and we took him to visit Hearst Castle, the “ranch” once owned by William Randolph Hearst. The property and the house are gorgeous, and if you ever find yourself near San Simeon, CA, I definitely recommend checking it out. (Though, I don’t necessarily recommend driving down Highway 1, especially if you’re traveling with kiddos. My poor girlie had a bit of a carsickness episode about two miles from Hearst Castle, so that was fun to deal with. Oy.)}


Warm
{Indian Summer has arrived in Central California, and I’m SO HAPPY. I adore heat and sunshine and afternoons on the beach. :) }

#HighwayOne #PacificOcean #NoFilter
Prettiness
{Like I said… I love the beach.}


Boo!
{My husband loves Rice Krispie Treats, so my girl and I decided to surprise him with a very festive jack-o-lantern version. Yum… Homemade Rice Krispie Treats are the best!}

#Errand :: My girlie and I have a big #craft project in the works! #FMSPhotoADay #Peacocks  
Craftiness
{So, Dolly needed a bed. Rather than spend $150 on the American Girl version, my husband and father-in-law crafted her one from old banisters and crown molding, and I painted it. Then, I made Dolly linens from the somewhat garish peacock fabric my girlie picked out. All in all, it turned out pretty darn cute, and the final cost was a fraction of what American Girl was asking. Success!}


Gratuitous
{Because my girlie and I like to get our pose on!}

Tell me: When’s the last time you were crafty? What did you make?

→ 12 Comments

Posted in Family, Good News, Great Books, Inspiration, ME, New Releases, One-Word Wednesday, Randomness, Tasty Treats, What I'm Reading

Remember when I went on vacation?

Posted on September 27, 2012 | 25 Comments

We spent all of last week visiting family in Washington. It was fantastic! So, because I really like Instagram and my girlie and my husband, I’d love to share some images from our trip…

Someone's excited to see her Mimi and Baba! #WashingtonVacation2012
Cutie pie waiting to board our flight…


One of my girlie’s favorite things to do with her Mimi (my mother-in-law, who has quite a green thumb!) is pick flowers. These are a sampling of what they collected from the garden.

 
We took our girl to the American Girl Store, which was amazing. She was absolutely delighted with all there was to see! She got to pick out matching jammies for herself and Dolly, and also a few books. We had a special lunch at Romano’s Macaroni Grill (YUM!) and tea/lemonade/coffee in the American Girl  Bistro. All in all, it was a very fun day, and made for one tired kiddo!


Only on vacation, right? I had veggie, and it was delish!


My hometown is known nationwide for its fair, which happens over the course of two weeks in September. It’s a huge deal, and people come from far and wide to check it out. The Puyallup Fair is a big part of why we chose to visit Washington in September — my girlie has yet to miss a fair! This year’s experience didn’t disappoint; the weather was gorgeous, the food was abundantly greasy, and the rides were headache-inducing. What more can one ask for?

        


My husband is cute. ❤
We were lucky enough to enjoy not one but TWO adult evenings out during our trip (thank you, awesome in-laws who are always happy to baby-sit!), and we spent them both at the Puyallup Fair. Because it’s so much fun!


This sassy girl was so in her element. She had the full attention of her Mimi and Baba, plus she got to spend all kinds of time with her cousins, aunt, and uncles, who she adores. Obviously she’s not shy about hamming it up!


Bud Light, + Apple Crisp + Vanilla Ice Cream = A Perfect Autumn Treat
(Sadly, this treat was enjoyed while watching my beloved Cougs lose their Homecoming football game in its final minutes. Boo.)

 
Major highlight of the trip: TIM MCGRAW! This was the second time we’ve seen him live and, oh, he was so freaking good! My only complaint was that we somehow ended up sitting among a lot of old, lame people, which means my husband spent the bulk of the concert trying to convince me that I should sit down and stop fan-girling and flailing about. (He was unsuccessful.)


Airport Fun: An unexpected game of Where’s Waldo? How excited do you think this guy would be to know he’s found his way onto my blog? ;)

I’m curious about the last trip YOU took…
What were the highlights? 

→ 25 Comments

Posted in Family, ME, Music, Pretty Things..., Randomness

One-Word Wednesday

Posted on September 19, 2012 | 31 Comments

Celebrate
{Check out YA Confidential’s HUGE 1st Anniversary Giveaway! All of our favorite YA books are up for grabs!}


Peace
{Kayaking on the bay with my husband…}


Pride
{My mini-me and me, cheering our Cougs on to victory!}


Fandom
{Harry, Ron, and Hermione as interpreted by my five-year-old. Because you’re never too young to appreciate Harry Potter.}

Run
{Over the weekend, my hubby and I began the Upperman Running Club with a 12.5 mile inaugural jog. We also signed up for the Big Sur Half-Marathon. I’ve wanted to do a half for ages, and Big Sur is right in our neck of the woods. It’s also absolutely beautiful. Can’t wait for November 18th!}


Captivating
{We left for vacation on Monday! Of course I had to secure a shaken iced tea and a fantastic read before boarding the plane. So far, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is unputdownable!}

What are you reading this week?

→ 31 Comments

Posted in Family, Giveaway!, Harry Potter, Inspiration, ME, One-Word Wednesday, Randomness, What I'm Reading, YA Confidential