1 – First, I have to rave about Jenny Han’s Summer series, of which the first two books I devoured in about 48 hours total. Amazing, amazing, amazing… and an extra amazing because I got to read them under the sun with my feet in my daughter’s kiddie pool!

Seriously, they’re the kind of books you read that make you want to quit writing because they are so beautiful and emotional, but simple and without airs, too. You want to BE the main character, because she’s adorable and has two awesome boys who love her. But at the same time, you’re glad you aren’t her, because she’s flawed and has impossible decisions to make. I can’t stop thinking about the characters and their love triangle that has no good outcome; I have a feeling that at least one of those characters I love is going to be left heartbroken.

2 – I’ve been listening to Kenny Chesney A LOT lately. He’s just so fabulous and has the very best summertime mood music… here’s my favorite:   

3 – Summer means a new season of one of my very favorite shows, Project Runway! I think Heidi Klum is so darn fabulous, I love the eccentric cast of designers they always seem to find, and Tim Gunn is my hero! Plus, the challenges are always so imaginative and fun. If you’ve never watched, I highly recommend giving it a shot. Lifetime, 9pm, Thursdays.

4 – Not a huge Zac Efron fan, but I’m dying to see the movie Charlie St. Cloud. From what I’ve seen, this movie looks like the perfect mix of romance, action, and emotion, all mixed up with a bit of a ghost story. Plus, when Zac Efron cries in the trailer, those big blue eyes all filled with tears, my heart just about breaks. Something about a guy torn up by the death of a family member really pulls at my heartstrings.  

5 – I think I’m ready for a new WIP! I need something to take my mind of the querying process, and what better than to dive head first into a new project? I think of it sort of like a rebound boyfriend after a bad break-up… I need something new to distract me and keep me busy while I work on distancing myself from the project that previously consumed me. So… my new WIP’s going to be set in the summer time, at a place sort of like this:

And I’m trying to weasel my husband into taking a trip (strictly for research 🙂 ) here:

And while we’re at it, I’ve been inspired by this too:

Hope you’re having a wonderful summer! 🙂