The query wait continues. Two partials and one full (requested from a partial) still out with agents. While I am a firm follower of the a PENDING RESPONSE is better than a NO! school of thought, I am desperate to know what these fabulous agents are thinking about my manuscript. Nervous, too. And excited. Also, I get a very dreadful, anxious, I-can-barely-see-straight feeling every time I get a new email in my professional inbox. That’s normal, right?  What do I do when I’m in limbo? Read! This week I read Beautiful Creatures and The Chosen One, two books that couldn’t be more different. While I didn’t fall head-over-heels for Beautiful Creatures, I did enjoy the setting and mythology behind the characters’ story. The Chosen One, however, I adored, in a disturbing, thank-God-this-isn’t-my-life sort of way. I’m fascinated with the idea of polygamy and its background in our country, so right away I was intrigued, and Kyra’s story is so intense and heartbreaking and haunting. Hard to believe her fictional challenges are a reality for some girls. If you haven’t read The Chosen One and have any interest in polygamy or the Mormon fundamentalists’ way of life, I highly recommend it, along with Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer and The Nineteenth Wife by David Ebershoff (neither happen to be YA, but they’re both excellent). 

The other day I got one of those rare and totally awesome 25% Off Your Entire Purchase coupons from Borders. Of course, I stocked up…

Now I just have to decide which to dive into first!

Oh, and my daughter turned three this week! She and my husband are the only things that come before writing in my life, so of course this was a HUGE deal! Here we are celebrating…