Today is the very last day to enter my Lucky Me, Lucky You Giveaway — it closes tonight at midnight, PST! A signed copy of John Green’s The Fault in our Stars and a free book of choice from The Book Depository are up for grabs for TWO winners. Click HERE if you’d like to enter!
Also, I wanted to give a quick shout to writers and fellow A-Zers Pam Harris and Marquita Hockaday. They’ve themed their Challenge posts over at their Y(A)? Cuz We Write! blog, focusing on controversial issues and subject matter in YA. So far their topics have been timely, incredibly interesting, and well thought-out. Plus, they’re plugging books that deal with each day’s controversial topic. Very cool! I definitely recommend you check their blog out.
On Wednesday (J!) I blogged about my girl Jillian, protagonist from my WiP, Cross My Heart. Today, I’d love to introduce you to her adorable neighbor, one-time best friend, and greatest frustration: Max Holden.
Max is the baby of his family, and his three older sisters never let him forget it. He loves football, classic country music, and cheap beer. He’s a straight-shooter, super energetic, and forever impulsive. One of his favorite pastimes? Making Jillian blush. Max is all kinds of fun — the life of every party — and that’s exactly why you’d never guess how much the challenges at home wear him down.
Meet Max…
Where he sleeps…
Where he lives…
What he loves…
What he dreams of…
How he jokes…
Where he unwinds…
What he learns…
Oh, Max, how I ♥ you!
Tell me: What one quality is a must in your ideal significant other?
katyupperman.com 
He’s exactly the kind of guy I mooned over in high school 🙂 The most necessary quality for me in a guy is that he not be judgmental. I want someone that I feel absolutely safe with, and never have to feel embarrassed or frightened to tell him something, whether its dreams, secrets, or weird habits!
Great quality, Lisa! If you can’t feel safe with your significant other, than I imagine the relationship wouldn’t go very far. Thanks for dropping by, and I look forward to checking out your blog. 🙂
Humor. Can’t be with someone who is unable to get a little silly.
Humor is huge for me too! My husband is constantly cracking me up, so we work well.
Wow, Max sounds really interesting (in a good way, and not in a ‘I don’t know what else to say’ way). I especially like your celeb inspiration for him–I really liked him in Terra Nova 🙂 But mostly I just love the idea of a guy who seems one way, but has so much depth and heartache underneath. Very compelling stuff 🙂
Thanks, Jaime! I’m hoping I can do Max justice and truly give him (and Jillian!) all of those compelling layers I’m striving for.
Very nice meeting you, Max 😀 and Katy, wow, talk about someone swoon-worthy: the fun, cocky and hot guy who has many more layers than the ones we can see…and I love the fact that he loves to make Jillian blush (maybe cos´ that one reminds me of my hubby).
One of the reasons I am so in love with my significant other is because he has a golden heart, he is cocky and driven and funny and loud and opinionated but underneath it all he is a big teddy bear 😀
Our husbands sound like they have some qualities in common, Elodie. Mine is also funny and loud and opinionated, but super-sweet on top of it all. I think we’re lucky girls!
Katy, when I saw on my blogger list that you had updated with Max I literally started to shout Max! Max! Max! and do a dance. LOL. I liked meeting him here and again I offer my beta services if you need any. 🙂 I love that he likes Johnny Cash – a bit different than most guys these days, and that his humor sounds right up my alley. Again, Katy, best of luck with the rewrite and let me know if you need a 50000th beta reader.
Thanks again for your offer, Rachel. I really might have to take you up on it in a few months when this baby is (hopefully) ready to see the light of day. And yes, Max loves Johnny Cash, mostly because I do. 🙂
So I’ve decided you’re the next Stephanie Perkins. I’ve also decided I’m staying far far far away from Max because he reminds me a lot of a Boy with whom things ended in disaster (well, they didn’t really end. There was no conclusion) last month. Funny part: that Boy is such a unique character, I was thinking no one could ever, ever write him, and then all of a sudden I see this, and it’s like that is Boy. But of course, I could be way off, since a few pictures isn’t exactly the whole novel. Anyway, Max sounds wonderful and those pictures are definitely wonderful 🙂
Okay, your first sentence is, like, the greatest compliment EVER! Definitely something to strive for. 🙂 And if the Boy is anything like Max, I can see why you were smitten. ❤
Uhhhhh, yep. I pretty much love Max already. You had me at the t-shirt!! lol
Ha! I love that shirt too! So much silliness and spunk. 🙂
Tehehe, I can’t say I would enjoy a boy who was always trying to make me blush (it’s uncomfortable! Your face gets all hot, and then you never can tell if you’ve stopped blushing yet), but I love the photos you chose! What a way to get insight into a character’s life. 🙂
As for a trait in a significant other… hmm. I think I’ll get back to you on that in, oh, five years or so. 😉
Thanks, Yahong. And yes, definitely get back to me. 😉
OH MY GOSH. Seriously, Katy. When can I meet this boy in print. I need this BOOOOK. The more you blog about it, the more I want to read every last word. Love this post and the glimpse into Max’s life 🙂
Thanks so much, Erin! I hope that if it ever sees the light of day, it lives up to (or far surpasses!) your expectations. 🙂
Aww, thanks so much for the love, Katy! ❤ On another note…I HAVE to read more about this Max character–he seems adorbs! And the picture you have for him? *drools*
Thanks so much, Pam! And thanks for your awesome A-Z posts. I’ve really been enjoying them. 🙂
If I saw someone with that Blink shirt, I’d be done. LOVE this guy. Boy, you sure know how to write the hot ones. 🙂
Thanks, lovely! Isn’t that shirt fun?! I think it’s very much Max. ❤
So when will Cross My Heart be out? 🙂 I loved your post on Jillian earlier this week – and well, Max, he doesn’t disappoint! Johnny Cash, UW football – and that t-shirt…yeah, you’ve got me!
And the quality in my significant other that is a must? Definitely humor. When all else fails, this is what gets me through my day…hands down. My husband makes me laugh like none other and this of course, translates into the boys in my writing!
Great post, Katy – hope you’re out and about enjoying some of this sunshine (FINALLY!!!).
Humor is huge for me too, Erin! My husband’s constant sense of fun and silliness finds its way into my fictional boys as well. I’m so thankful to have him as inspiration!
MAX! Oh man, I think I’m in love. I’m… trying to think of something more eloquent to say, but the sixteen-year-old in me is too busy crushing on the boy you created.
In my own significant other? Humor was most important to me–and thank goodness, because my husband is so silly. 🙂
Thanks, Sara. I kind of adore Max as well. 🙂 And yes to humor! My husband is all kinds of fun as well, which makes for a very fun marriage!
Meet Max? I’d certainly like to…
Just *one* quality? Mean! I’m torn between humour and intellectual curiosity. Hmm, would I rather have someone to laugh with or talk to? I guess I’d choose humour, but can I please have both?
Oh, you can have both, for sure! I was just curious to see what you all value the MOST. And, like you, I’m a humor girl. 🙂