Happy Veterans Day!
As a proud Army wife, I encourage you to take a moment today to show your appreciation and gratitude to our nation’s Veterans, both past and present. My husband has served in the Army for nearly nine years and is currently rounding out his fourth deployment. Both of my brothers and my father-in-law are Veterans as well. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that they have all faced plenty of adversity and frustration during their deployments. Yet they never complain and each has accomplished amazing things while overseas. I am so very proud of and thankful for all who serve, but especially my incredibly selfless husband, my two courageous brothers, and my wise father-in-law. Thank you, Veterans!
With that said… I can’t believe another week has come and gone. How is it already mid-November? How is Thanksgiving only two weeks away? And Christmas… Must. Finish. Shopping! Regardless of my pre-holiday panic, I’ve got a good old-fashioned Friday Five for you today–all kinds of random about what’s going on in my life…
ONE – Though I’ve schooled my husband repeatedly on the realities of the book submission process, the statistics of a person actually selling a book, reasonable debut advance amounts and how they’re doled out, he continues to ask me this annoying yet slightly endearing question: When you sell a book, are you going to buy me a boat?
I honestly think he pictures our lives turning into a scene from Captain Ron, only insert an image of little ol’ me sitting on the boat’s bow, toiling away on my laptop, writing Best Sellers and earning bazillions of dollars. Don’t get me wrong–I’m obviously all for sailing the seven seas without a care in the world except for writing, but I can’t help but think his expectations might be the *tiniest* bit high. Please tell me I’m not the only aspiring author with a husband full of visions of grandeur!
TWO – Somehow a catalog for My Twinn dolls found its way into my mailbox, and then promptly into the hands of my daughter. She. Is. Smitten. Anytime someone asks her what she wants for Christmas, she mentions the Twinn dolls. I, however, am slightly less than horrified. Long story short, you can customize these things to look exactly like your child (down to hair texture and freckle placement) and they are NOT cheap (like, $140 for the BASIC doll!). And… they’re weird. I mean, feast your eyes on the creepy:
See! Weird, right?! Do I really need another doll taking up space in my house? One that has the EXACT same features as my daughter? One who is poseable in freakishly human ways? One whose eyes follow me around the room? Um. No, thank you, I do not.
THREE – Speaking of my daughter… We went to the most adorable Mad Hatter Tea Party last weekend! It was hosted by our local bakery (which always carries a full selection of to-die-for-amazing yummies), and we took my husband’s mom along with us. Such fun, and so well-themed! The little bottles of juice had stickers that said Drink Me! and there were cute little cookies (among MANY other treats) that said Eat Me! The bakery plans to host themed tea parties once a month. I can already proclaim with confidence that we’ll be attending all of them!
Love our local bakery!
Such an adorable theme…
Cheshire Smile Cupcakes!
Cutest girl ever! 🙂
FOUR – It’s official: Bravo has seduced me with yet another show. Work of Art, The Next Great Artist is a reality competition that’s right up my alley. Eccentric, highly emotional contestants? Check. Heaping doses of creativity? Check. Over-the-top challenges with nearly impossible deadlines? Check. Much like Top Chef, another of my favorites, Work of Art is the perfect combination of drama, talent, and completely unapologetic kookiness. There’s actually a participant who has graced himself with the moniker SUCKLORD. Like, for real. Wednesday nights, 9:00pm, Bravo. You simply must tune in!
FIVE – Pinterest. Oh, Pinterest. How I love you. I really, really do. Thanks to you, I’ve scored tons of tasty recipes and craft ideas that I’ve tried and loved and recommended to others. And, I’m getting ready to make a board full of images specific to the WIP I’m mentally preparing to rewrite. Yay for visual inspiration! But lately, Pinterest, I’ve found myself pinning pictures and links to items I adore, but don’t exactly need. I feel a little like my daughter with her Toys R Us Christmas catalog and black crayon. For example:
Herb Sheers… So cool, but a necessity? Maybe not.
A ring, which I LOVE, but probably can’t afford–not that I’d ever buy myself a diamond. That’s what husbands are for. 🙂
Boot socks! How cozy do these look? And the tops, made pretty to peek out from tall boots. I know it’s nearly winter and all, but can I honestly claim that I can’t live without these? Not really.
Smart Phone Gloves… These are genius, but can’t I just wait until I get inside to use my phone?
Aqua Notes = Coolness. Now this one… I *might* be able to justify this one.
Anywho… I’m certainly happy to see the weekend! I’ll be spending mine with my girlie and an eGalley of Kimberly Derting’s new dystopian The Pledge. As a self-proclaimed super-fan of The Body Finder series, I’m pretty excited about reading this book. Look for my Bookanista review next week!
So, what are you reading this weekend?
katyupperman.com 
Monthly themed tea parties? Yeah, I think I need more awesome in my life. Thanks for the TV recommendation; sounds like the art version of Project Runway, which I need to start watching again. Also, your daughter with a Toys R Us catalogue and crayon is one adorable mental image.
I have two sequels to keep me entertained this week/end: Janice Hardy’s Blue Fire and Kelley Armstrong’s The Awakening.
Yes, Work of Art is a lot like Project Runway, only with a gallery show instead of a runway show at the end. Probably why I love it so much!
I did a brief stint in the military myself and I remain awed and inspired by the things soldiers do. So, warmest thanks to your husband for his current service and your brothers and father in law for their prior service. AND TO YOU – because our soldiers cannot do what they do without a strong family behind them. Military families deserve reconigition and support too.
Oh my god, those dolls. Freaky. Bride of Chucky freaky! Will be hiding the existence of those from my own daughter.
Finally, I’m sadly not going to be reading this weekend. I’ll be writing, since my NaNo title isn’t where I want it to be. But I confess to having cheated on my NaNo project this week for Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It was worth it, though. Totally worth it.
Wasn’t SMOKE AND BONE amazing?! I adore that book! And thank you for your service, Gilly. Happy Veterans Day!
The look-a-like doll – augh! I think I would have been freaked by that concept, even as a kid.
I definitely need boot socks and aqua notes.
I’m reading Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Oh, JELLICOE ROAD… One of my very favorites! I’m actually finishing up THE PIPER’S SON right now. Different, but equally amazing!
Aw your daughter is ADORABLE 🙂 And I. love. those. socks. A lot. AND the aqua notes! I’m so getting that!
Give my thanks to your husband and brothers and father-in-law! I’m off to call my own brothers-in-law 🙂 (Army and Coast Guard)
Thanks, Sara! And a big thank you to your brothers-in-law as well!
Thanks to your family for your service to our country. And not just to the men for all that they do, but to you and your daughter, too, for your sacrifices. I am crazy for Work of Art, and I am in love with those socks!
Thanks so much, Laurie! Isn’t Work of Art the greatest? I love watching creative people under tons of pressure… makes for great TV!
First, my gratitude to your husband, and your brothers and father-in-law, and to you!
I need those boot socks and the aqua notes! I have the best ideas in the shower–now there is finally a way to get them down on unsoggy paper.
I also get a lot of “when your book sells we should move to the beach. . . .” It doesn’t work that way! I mean, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but yeah, not going to happen. 🙂
So glad your fiance is slightly delusional like my husband… makes me feel less crazy. 🙂
And yes, I want Aqua Notes too! I’m always working out plot problems in the shower and wishing I could make a note of my solutions. Genius!
I’m reading What I saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell.
My daughter has that Twin Doll, so I had to laugh at what you said. Dolls can be freaky. For instance, Chucky! The twin doll is alright, though. It didn’t end up looking as much like my daughter as the doll in the ad looks like that girl.
That ad is freaky! I a sort of curious to see how the doll would turn out… probably not curious enough to actually buy one, though. 🙂
What I Saw and How I Lied is a great book! Hope you enjoy it!
Ah yes, now that I got an agent, the one question my husband keeps asking me is when will I sell my book so he can quit his job. Not only have I explained the realities of publishing to him many times, but I am a little offended that HE is the one who gets to quit his job in this scenario. I write the books AND work full time while he sits on the couch with the dog? Um, no.
Happy Veterans Day to your husband!
Oh, come on! Let the man rest with the dog while you spend hours slaving away to support the family. That seems TOTALLY reasonable!
My husband wants a Harley if and when I ever get published. Men.
And I’m reading SHATTER ME, but I forced (I had to) myself to put it down to work on revisions because it just SUCKED ME IN. So good.
Ooh, SHATTER ME… I’ve heard great things! And yes, a motorcycle is on my husband’s list too, second to the boat. 🙂 What’s with these men?!
Agreed – the twin dolls are creepy. The party at the bakery looks like a blast! Coincidentally, I’m sitting here watching Cupcake Wars – one of my family’s favorite reality shows. It has all my necessary ingredients (pun intended!): sweets, creativity and crazy deadlines. 🙂
Ooh, I’ve never watched Cupcake Wars… sounds like one I definitely need to check out! Thanks, Kitty!