“What’s Up Wednesday” is a fun weekly meme started by my friends <a
style=”color:#333333;” href=”http://www.jaime-morrow.com/”>Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk. From Jaime: It’s similar in some respects to the Currently… post, but it’s been whittled down to only four headings to make it quicker and more manageable on a weekly basis. You’re invited to join us if you’re looking for something to blog about, a way to let your blog friends know what’s been going on with you. If you’re participating, make sure to link your What’s Up Wednesday posts to the list on Jaime’s blog each week. That way, others can visit your post and check out what you’ve been up to.And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…
What I’m Reading: Oh dear… I’m still working on Laini Taylor’s Dreams of Gods & Monsters. I haven’t had a lot of reading time lately, what with revisions and writing, and to be perfectly honest, I didn’t fall for this last installment of the trilogy until about 200 pages in. That said, when I fell, I fell hard. The Akiva/Karou scenes… SWOON. Hoping to finish in the next day or two.
What I’m Writing: Still working on my Where Poppies Bloom revision (almost done!) and my The Road So Far first draft (about halfway). You can read more about my writing progress in Monday’s RSW post.
What Else I’ve Been Up To: My girlie and I spent the last week in Arizona! Ready for an onslaught of photographs?
Traveling is fun… 🙂
With Poppy and Nana. ❤
This girl had so much fun!
One of my Thirty Before 35 goals was to teach my daughter to swim well, and I think we accomplished that during this trip. She can now swim all the way across the pool, as well as jump in and make her way to the wall. Yay!
She’s suddenly a little fish!
Already ready to go back!
What’s Inspiring Me Now: These fun YA-reading-themed activities…
An awesome Summer Reading Challenge from the YA Buccaneers. I’ve already crossed off “Read a Non-YA Book” and “Read a Book by a Debut Author” with the same novel — AN UNTAMED STATE by Roxane Gay, which is incredible.
And a super cute YA Photo A Day Challenge from writer Jaime Morrow. I’ll be participating in this one via Instagram, and I hope you will too!
Tell me… What’s up with you today?
katyupperman.com 
I remember learning how to swim when I was a kid – it all seemed to click one day and then you couldn’t get me out of the water 🙂 Glad you and your girl had a fun trip.
I’m enjoying the YAB Summer Reading Challenge, too. I just finished BEFORE I FALL for a book that’s been on my TBR for a long time and I think I need a day to recover from the ending. So many feels!
The swimming thing has been a long time coming for my daughter, but in the last week, it really does seem to have clicked — yay! Oh, and I loved BEFORE I FALL. I adore Lauren Oliver’s writing. Have a great week, Jennifer!
I love love love all those pictures and that you & C had such a great time! 🙂 Cheering you on for your revision and your drafting, Katy 🙂
Thanks, Elodie! We really did have a great trip. 🙂
Katy- though I “see” you on IG I have missed hearing what you’re up to! It sounds like lots of good writing and reading (I need to read Laini Taylor’s latest 2 books!) Thanks also for spreading the word on the Buccaneer Challenge and the Photo a day– can’t wait!
It’s so nice to have you back to blogging, Kat! Congrats on all you’ve accomplished in the last year — amazing stuff! Have a great one, lady!
Your vacation looks like so much fun! Yay for happy travels. 🙂
Thanks, Rebecca! Have a great week!
I’ve heard so many great things about that series! I need to read them still, but haven’t found the time yet. Yay for vacation and swimming! Looks like some great memories 🙂 I like the reading and cover challenges! Probably don’t have time for the reading, but could try out the cover…Thanks! Have a great week 🙂
Thanks, Victoria! You should definitely check out the DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE trilogy when you get a chance. Laini Taylor writes beautifully. Have a wonderful week!
Lovely photos. Sounds like a lot of fun! Best of luck with those revisions and drafting! 🙂
Thanks, Emma! Have a fantastic week!
Love the photos and so glad you had a great trip. I’ve never been to Arizona but it looks beautiful! I’m headed to Colorado soon which will be fun, my first time (unless you count when I was 3 lol). And WOW so proud of you for being almost done with your revisions. I can’t wait to see what happens fingers crossed for good news soon 🙂
Have fun in CO, Rachel. I’ve never been there either. Take lots of photos! Best of luck with your revisions, lady!
Looks like y’all had so much fun. Proud of C for learning to swim so quick!
Ah! Forgot about that reading challenge. I need to save the photo or something. Get on it.
Get busy reading! Looking forward to getting together soon. 🙂
The summer reading challenge sound like fun. Good luck. I wanted to do Jaime’s photo challenge, but I don’t have a smartphone or instagram. 😦 thanks for sharing!
Maybe you can do the challenge with a traditional camera and post the photos on your blog, Leslie. I’ll stop by to check them out. 🙂 Have w wonderful week!
I totally forgot to mention the YAPhotoADay challenge in my WUW post. Whoops! Just went back and added it in. Thanks for the shout-out too! I think it’s going to be fun. 🙂 So all of your vacation pics are making me want to head somewhere with nicer weather and a pool. (Despite the fact that I sort of loathe bathing suits lol.) I’m glad you and C had so much fun! And, like I said on Monday, I’m so impressed at the writing progress you made while away. That’s some serious discipline. Hope you have a wonderful week, Katy! 😀
Yes, I’m so looking forward to the YA challenge! Such a great idea, Jaime! Hope you can get somewhere warm soon. Maybe you and your husband should take an 8th anniversary vacation. 🙂 Have a great week, lady!
That summer reading challenge looks interesting. Some I could cross off easily. Others could be a very healthy stretch out of my usual groove. 🙂
That’s why I’m participating in the challenge, Meredith. Great way to read something new, and to clear off a few of the books that have been lingering on my TBR shelf. Have a great week, lady!
Looks like an amazing trip. Glad you and your daughter had such a wonderful time.
Best of luck with the revisions 😀 And enjoy the summer challenges ^_^
Thanks, Cole! We did have a great trip. Hope you have a fantastic week!
I’ve heard that about Gods & Monsters – that it takes a bit to really get into it. I’m going to tackle that one soon. Gotta clear my plate a little first.
Loved all your Arizona pics. They were the epitome of summer! I’m going to try to do some of the YA photo challenge, but the Summer Reading one looks fun too! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
You’ll have to let me know what you think of GODS & MONSTERS, Alice. I liked it a lot and the Karou/Akiva scenes are amazing, but as a whole, the book didn’t even touch my love for SMOKE & BONE. Hope you have a great week, and I’m looking forward to doing the YA IG challenge with you!
Oh I’ve been out of the loop for a while but it looks like you’ve been having fun. Safe travels and good work on being almost there on the editing!
I have, and thank you, Eve. Have a great week!
Love your photos of your AZ trip! And congrats to your new super swimmer! (Pretty sure that deserves a superhero award)
Hope you have an amazing week and take some time to relax after all the traveling! 🙂
Yes! I’m so excited to have a swimmer! Hope you have a wonderful week as well, Kris!
I’m SOOOO behind in the series. I have Days of Blood and Starlight but I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet which is a shame since I love Laini Taylor’s style of writing. It’s gorgeous!
Congrats on almost being done with your revisions. That’s awesome!
I’m going to try to do the YA photo challenge it looks like it’s a lot of fun and so does the reading challenge, so I’ll definitely try to participate in both.
Have a great week!
Thanks, Raven. You’ll have to let me know what you think of the last two SMOKE & BONE books. The first is far and away my favorite, but overall I think it’s a fantastic trilogy. Have a great week, lady!
Loving all your pictures from your trip…congrats to your daughter on learning to swim! 🙂
I’ve heard all the buzz about the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and have been debating about reading it for a while…might have to add it to my TBR. This final book is HUGE! I keep seeing it in bookstores, it’s a beast!
Have a great week Katy!
Thanks so much, Kaitlin! Yes, the last book is enormous! Of course I decided to take it on my trip with me. It was a lot of fun to lug around in my carry-on. 😉 You’ll have to let me know what you think of the trilogy if you decide to read it. The first book is definitely my favorite, but over all, the whole series is fantastic. Hope you have a great week!
I love your pics every week! I didn’t mind DoGaM but I found a lot of it could’ve been cut out. The Akiva/Karou scenes are the best!
If you read a book set at the beach, l let me know what it is! I definitely want to read something set at the beach this summer.
I’m still trying to decide which beach-set book to read, but I *think* I’m going to go with SECOND STAR by Alyssa Sheinmel. It appears to be a very cool Peter Pan retelling with surfers — yay! If you read it too, we can compare opinions. 🙂
Also love the pics!
Thanks so much, Stephanie!
Hey that’s heaps good. Swimming strongly from a young age = Parenting Win.
Good luck with the writing, and have a good week!
Thank you! Hopefully these swimming lessons stick. 🙂
I’m glad you’re joining the YAB summer reading challenge! And I want to also do Jaime’s photo challenge – I hope I can keep up with it! 🙂
I just took a bunch of photos for the photo challenge. I had to tear my bookshelves apart to find some of the books I wanted to use, so I figured I’d just get most of the photos at once. Now I’m ready to go. Have a great week, Ghenet!
Thanks for sharing the pictures and good luck with your challenge!
Thanks so much! Have a great week!