Bookanistas Rec :: PANIC by Lauren Oliver

March 27, 2014March 26, 20142 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is Panic by Lauren Oliver…

From Goodreads – Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do. Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought. Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn’t know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for. For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

Honest confession: The synopsis of this novel didn’t do much for me. The fact that there’s no mention of romance had a lot to do with that. Also, the talk of the “game” and the danger and the high-stakes… I don’t know. Just not my thing.

But. Lauren Oliver is one of my auto-buy authors. Before I Fall blew my mind (it was my very first Bookanista rec), and I thought the Delirium trilogy was lovely, especially Pandemonium, the second book (another Bookanista rec). I have always found Lauren Oliver’s writing to be enviably gorgeous, and that holds true for her latest release. Check it out…

It was the final, explosive demonstration of summer, the line in the sand, a desperate attempt to hold fall forever at bay. But autumn nibbled the blue sky with its teeth, tore off chunks of the sun, smudged out that heavy veil of meat-smelling smoke. ~ Panic, Lauren Oliver

So visceral, right?

Despite my initial reservations, I ended up captivated by this novel. The game turned out to be quite gripping (the challenges had me on the edge of my seat), and the characters are, in true Lauren Oliver form, compelling and beautifully drawn. I thought the dynamic between Heather and Bishop was especially intriguing. Panic is one of those books that seems hopeless as you’re reading — how are these people possibly going to solve all of their problems? — so it was hard to put down, particularly as I hit the climax. And the ending… awesome.

Big recommend if you’re looking for a contemporary that’s gritty and unique, and if you’re a fan of stunning, evocative prose.

Don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to:

Jessica Love is captivated by LIV, FOREVER by Amy Talkington

Kimberly Sabatini loves LADY THIEF by A. C. Gaughen

Christine Fonseca applauds DANGEROUS by Shannon Hale

Lenore Appelhans is riveted by THE GLASS CASKET by McCormick Templeman

What’s Up Wednesday

March 26, 2014March 26, 201438 Comments

“What’s Up Wednesday” is a fun weekly meme started by my friends 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: I finished Lauren Oliver’s Panic. While it’s not my very favorite of her novels, I did find it compelling. I’ll talk about it in more detail in tomorrow’s Bookanista recommendation. Over the weekend, I flew through The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines. Guys, this is by no means award-winning literature, but I kind of loved it. It’s a perfect read-in-the-sun, guilty-pleasure romance. Next time you’re in the mood for a book of that sort, definitely pick this one up. I also read Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon, which was packed with awesome reminders and inspiring quotes about creation of all kinds. It’s a great, quick read, perfect for when you’re in need of a creative boost. Now, I’m reading The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu, which is intriguing so far. I’m digging its unique storytelling method.

What I’m Writing: Blog posts! Catching up now that my agent is reading my WiP, Good Girls (which I talked about in a Next Big Thing post on Monday). Also, I’ve got a whole bunch of mini Shiny New Ideas floating around in my head, and I’ve been pinning up a storm (secret Pinterest boards FTW), looking for further inspiration and trying to make them all fit together. Exciting!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Exercising with more regularity, watching some Gossip Girl, and hanging with my girl. It’s spring break, so we’ve been spending lots of quality time together. Movies, bike rides, frozen yogurt…

My productivity level has dropped quite a bit, but we’re having a blast. 🙂

I ordered my very first Stitch Fix box, AND crossed another item off my Thirty Before 35 List! In case you’ve never heard of Stitch Fix, it’s an online personal stylist service. Fill out a profile about the types of clothing you like to wear (including favorite colors and your size), schedule a shipment, and get five pieces to try on at home with the clothes you already own. Buy what you love, send back the rest in a pre-paid envelope. It’s easy, and really fun!

I really liked all five pieces of clothing I received (four tops and a maxi dress), but I think I’m only going to keep these two because, yanno… BUDGET. Looking forward to scheduling another shipment soon!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: In case you haven’t heard, my friend Jessica Love (co-author of up-and-coming Push Girl) has sold another book! This one’s all her, and it’s aMaZiNg! I read an early version last year, and I can hardly express how much I loved it. You all are going to adore Hannah and Nick and their crazy Vegas weekend! I can’t wait to have my very own copy of In Real Life so I can reread it, and then sit it on my bookshelf, right between my Stephanie Perkins and Sarah Ockler novels. Congratulations, Jess! I’m thrilled for you!

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

March 19, 2014March 19, 201447 Comments

What I’m Reading: I’m halfway through Lauren Oliver’s Panic. I’m moving slowly, but not because I’m not enjoying it — I am! It’s just been a busy (and crazy) week and I haven’t had much time for reading. Boo. Panic‘s a trip, though, and I’m very anxious to see how it all plays out. This one’s quite a departure from Before I Fall and the Delirium trilogy, but Lauren Oliver’s prose is predictably beautiful. So far, so good.

What I’m Writing: Another revision round’s nearly in the bag. CP and beta notes are helping me so much (it’s amazing what people who aren’t neck-deep in the story pick up on!), and I’m excited about how this draft of Good Girls is turning out. It’s much more layered and cohesive and interesting, and its ending is a thousand times stronger. I’m so happy with my revision progress, in fact, that I decided to go to Disney World.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: No, really — I went to Disney World! My girlie and I took a rather impromptu road trip to Orlando to meet up with some of our favorite friends for a few days and we had an incredible time! I love all things Disney so much. The parks and the magic just never get old…

Obligatory Mickey shot. 🙂

These girls had so much fun together! It’s been nearly a year since they’ve seen each other, yet they picked up right where they left off.

Possibly my new favorite photo. ❤

{There are more on Instagram. Check them out if you’re so inclined.}

What’s Inspiring Me Now: First, an awesome post from my agent, Victoria Marini, entitled On Bones and Knowing Your Characters. It’s about digging deeper and making sure your readers know your characters as well as you do. Also, a post by Corey Ann Haydu called How to Relationship (for Stacked), which talks about all of that crazy-awkward stuff that happens in the shadows between kissing and sex in YA, and how it’s pretty awesome when authors get brave and explore those shadows in authentic ways. (Obviously Corey says it way better than I do.) Highly recommend both of these articles!

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

Bookanistas Rec :: NIL by Lynne Matson

March 13, 2014March 13, 20143 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is Nil by Lynne Matson…

From Goodreads – On the island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days–to escape, or you die. Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s lying naked in an empty rock field. Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought. So is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that to save their future, she must save him. On an island rife with dangers, their greatest threat is time.

Guys, this is such a cool book. Part survival story, part romance, part adventure, it’s like Survivor set in a parallel dimension, one where escape is not guaranteed.

I’ve never read a story quite like Nil, and for that reason, it took me a bit of time to fall into. The cast is large and the world is unique (both good things!), so it took awhile to ground myself in the story. Once that happened, though, I was hooked. I read while I ate breakfast, while I dried my hair, while I was on the elliptical, and while I waited in the pick-up line at my daughter’s school. Lynne Matson is ruthless when it comes to challenging her characters, and she very successfully uses time (dwindling time, specifically) to rachet up the tension, making Nil almost impossible to put down.

Charley and Thad are awesome protagonists. Charley is strong and smart and motivated, and Thad is a natural leader who’s incredibly sweet when it comes to romance. Their relationship deepened quickly, a bit of an instalove situation that might’ve bothered me in another story, but on the island of Nil, time is limited and a no regrets mindset is the way of life. Why not go after the boy/girl of your dreams? I enjoyed Nil‘s secondary characters too, particularly Natalie and Rives, and the island setting was fantastic and very well developed.

While Nil requires some suspension of disbelief, it’s a unique story of survival, sacrifice, and love, and a strong debut from Lynne Matson. Do check it out!

Don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to:

Jessica Love is out-of-this-world excited about ALIENATED by Melissa Landers

Tracey Neithercott is loving BETTER OFF FRIENDS by Elizabeth Eulberg

Kimberly Sabatini is raving about 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

What’s Up Wednesday

March 12, 2014March 24, 201452 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished Stephanie Kuehn’s Complicit (out in June) and holy hell, was it good. If you’re a fan of Stephanie’s debut, Charm & Strange, I think you’ll be all over her sophomore novel. And if you haven’t read Charm & Strange yet, you should remedy that right away. Now, I’m reading Nil by Lynne Matson, who is lovely. The story is set in the most fascinating island world, and it’s edge-of-my-seat exciting so far.

What I’m Writing: I’m revising according to (brilliant) CP notes. You know how when you’re writing, sometimes you know something’s not clicking but you’re not sure how to fix it, so you press on with the hope of making it right later? Well, CP Alison picked up on those areas of my manuscript that weren’t working and gave me some awesome suggestions for fixing them. So, that’s what I’m doing now. Inserting a few new scenes, filling holes, and taking advantage some missed opportunities, all while catching some rays. Love this part!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Getting ready to go to Disney World with my girl! We’re meeting some great friends there for a few days of fun and we cannot wait. I am such a sucker for all things Disney, and it’s been way too long since we last visited a park. Like, more than a year. Way overdue. 😉

I’ve been pretty good about eating healthfully lately (I haven’t had a beer in a month!), but on Friday I caved and baked cookies. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, to be specific. I followed this recipe, but I didn’t have Reese’s Pieces, so I used Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips instead. They turned out SO WELL. This combination of ingredients creates cookies of the perfect peanut-buttery consistency. Recommend!

My girlie celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday at school all last week. I made her green eggs for breakfast one day, and she also participated in a Read-A-Thon, which I totally crashed and photographed because I’m *that* mom.

What’s Inspiring Me Now: I officially crossed the first item off my Thirty Before 35 bucket list: I finished watching the Friday Night Lights TV series. In the words of the incomparable Tami Taylor: Good lord, y’all! This show ranks right up there with Breaking Bad and Six Feet Under as an all-time favorite — it is so freaking good! I mean, it’s definitely about football (which is awesome), but there’s so much more to it. For starters, there’s Tim Riggins who’s all broken and brooding and conflicted and, um, hot…

And then there are these deep relationships between people who, for the most part, have very little in common aside from football (Vince & Luke, Tyra & Landry, Eric & Buddy, Matt & Smash, Matt & Tim, Matt and his grandma ❤)…

And then there are the romances (Julie and Matt are super sweet, and I love Vince and Jess too, but I will always ship Tim and Lyla)…

And then there’s Tami Taylor, who makes me want to be a better wife, mother, and person, and who’s totally making y’all happen. Plus, she has the most impeccable football-wife style…

Aren’t you sad you won’t get to hear me rave about this show week after week anymore? What should I watch next? I’m thinking maybe Gossip Girl?

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

March 5, 2014March 5, 201446 Comments

What I’m Reading: I finished Sarah Ockler’s The Book of Broken Hearts and, dare I say, it might be tied with Twenty Boy Summer as my favorite of her novels. I enjoyed JuJu’s voice (so spirited and perfectly teen), I adored Emilio (especially the sweet way he treated JuJu and her father), I loved the family dynamics (Holy Trinity FTW. Also, Pancake!), and there were several Friday Night Lights references. Pretty much an ideal Katy Book. Now, I’m reading Stephanie Kuehn’s Complicit (out in June), which is totally blowing my mind with it’s twisty awesomeness. If you’re a fan of Stephanie’s debut, Charm & Strange, I think you’ll be all over her sophomore novel. So incredible, guys!

What I’m Writing: Nothing! I finished my revision on Sunday, and now I’m taking a bit of a writing break. It’s kind of nice to wake up in the morning and know that I don’t have a big fat goal hanging over my head. That said, I’m already missing my characters, so I’m sure I’ll end up tinkering soon. Since I’m not writing right now, I’m using my time to read for my CP Alison Miller, who’s written this really amazing story called Those Magic Changes. It’s a clever spin on Freaky Friday that includes musical theater and baseball and Star Wars references, plus Alison’s incredibly funny voice. Let’s just say… I’m a lucky CP.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Still watching Friday Night Lights. I’m over halfway through Season 4, and while I had my doubts (lots of changes between Seasons 3 and 4), I’m loving it. Episodes 5 and 6 (The Son and Stay) particularly got me (Tim and Lyla… *sigh*). Also, I’m totally digging farmboy Luke and his dynamic with Becky and inner-city Vince. Such a fantastically complex show.

My girlie and I drove to Tallahassee on Saturday, where we met my brother (who lives in Jacksonville). We visited The Museum of Florida State History, had a tasty lunch al fresco, and walked around the city. We accidentally wandered onto FSU’s Greek Row, which my brother very accurately described as smelling of Axe Body Spray and cheap beer. It was nothing like my days on WSU’s Greek Row. 😉

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Author Claire Legrand‘s article entitled The Importance of the Unlikeable Heroine, which very eloquently states everything I feel about “unlikeable” female characters, inculding why they fascinate me. A must read. Also, my friend Christa Desir‘s post about Consent and Sensitivity: “Good Sex” in YA Literature, which comes with a lot of thoughtful commentary and some really fabulous book recommendations.

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

#WriterRecharge {Final Update!}

March 2, 201433 Comments

Writer Recharge is a month-long motivational challenge similar to last summer’s Ready. Set. Write! So many of us benefited from setting goals, connecting with other writers, and social media-based accountability. So, let’s do it again! Whether you’re delighting next to the crackling fireplace of a Shiny New Idea with a warm cup of tea and or spinning out on the ice-covered roads of revisions in an attempt to avoid the snow-packed ditch, we want to write with you! Learn more HERE.

Clearly I’m motivated by Internet accountability. If it weren’t for last summer’s Ready. Set. Write!, I never would’ve finished the first draft of my contemporary YA, Good Girls. And if it weren’t for February’s #WriterRecharge, I wouldn’t have finished its first major revision. For me, check-ins are good. Twitter writing parties are good. Like-minded friends with similar goals are good.

Thank you a million times to Sara Biren, who cooked up the idea for #WriterRecharge and was amazing enough to invite me to be a part of its planning group (including Alison Miller, Liz Parker, & Elodie Nowodazkij). And thank you so much to everyone who participated, posted about their progress, and rooted me on when I posted about mine. Seriously. There’s no way I would’ve met my goal without you guys.

And I did meet my goal! I have a reader-ready draft of Good Girls, and I am elated. Also, terrified. Because now it’s time for critique — yikes. Don’t worry though… My CPs are brilliant and thoughtful and wonderful, and mostly I’m just anxiously awaiting their feedback so I can further improve my little story.

Just in case you need proof, that’s me, all excited about finally finishing this beast of a revision. And also working on my tan, because Florida decided to be awesome this weekend.

How did #WriterRecharge shape up for you?
If you’ve been participating, don’t forget to post about your success and share your link at Sara’s blog.

February Reading Wrap-Up

February 28, 2014February 27, 20146 Comments

So much contemporary YA this month! What can I say? It’s my very favorite genre; I just can’t get enough! Here’s what I read in February…
(As always, covers link to Goodreads pages.)

Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair – I absolutely adored this book. Faith is such a strong, real girl, and love interest Chris is sweet and charming as can be (every single scene with Chris and Addy — I melted!). Jamie Blair took a concept that has much potential for melodrama (neglected teen girl on the lam with a stolen baby) and spun it into a heartfelt and compelling story. My only (tiny) complaint is that I wanted more from the ending. Not a different ending — just more. I fell so in love with these characters, yet I was left feeling a little uncertain about their futures. Maybe Jamie Blair will write a sequel?!

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher – I’ve made no secret of my love for Lucy Christopher’s Stolen: A Letter to My Captor (Ty = Best Antagonist Ever), so I was expecting a lot from The Killing Woods. Guys, this book is a trip. It’s intense and bizarre and dark and disturbing. It requires some suspension of disbelief regarding memory loss and general teen behavior, but I’ve gotta say… I dug it. The dual POV narration is fantastic, the British slang is awesome, and the constant sense of unknowing is haunting in the best way. About halfway through, I was sure I had it all figured out, but nope. The conclusion is just plausible enough, and it definitely left me reeling.

Stolen (A Taken Novella) by Erin Bowman – It’s possible I loved this novella even more than its full-length predecessor. Bree is my favorite character from Erin Bowman’s debut Taken, so even though I have a serious aversion to eBooks, I had to read this story. And I’m glad I did! It shed so much light on Bree’s background and her behavior in Taken, and it very much broke my heart (Lock… *sniffle*). After reading Stolen, I can’t wait for Taken‘s follow-up, Frozen.

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott – I totally judged this book by its cover (gorgeous) and then I saw that it was written by Elizabeth Scott and, well, I had to have it. I’m such a fant of protagonist Emma. She’s confused and misdirecting her anger all over the place, but she’s also incredibly compassionate and fiercely loyal. Other things I love about Heartbeat: Emma’s genuine relationship with Olivia, her best friend. Also, Emma’s developing romance with Caleb the car thief — so sweet and real and butterfly-inducing. And finally, Elizabeth Scott’s amazing writing and absolutely enviable teen voice. My full Bookanista recommendation is HERE.

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi – Such a fantastic conclusion to a trilogy I’ve followed since its debut. Perry and Aria are one of the few YA couples I buy into completely. Their feelings for each other strike me as so genuine (his hand on his heart ♡), and while they make mistakes, the respect they show for one another is refreshing. Also, Roar? He’s a loose cannon in this book (understandably so), but still… he can do no wrong in my eyes. I love the bond he has with Aria. And Soren? Never thought I’d say this, but he totally grew on me! When he calls Brooke Laurel — the best! If you’ve been putting the Under the Never Sky trilogy off, I highly recommend reading it now. Consistently amazing.

In Honor by Jessi Kirby – I adore Jessi other contemporary YAs, Moonglass and Golden, but In Honor is far and away my favorite of her novels thus far. Mostly, that has to do with Rusty. Don’t get me wrong — Honor is a wonderful protagonist and I can totally see myself being friends with her, but Rusty… The football and the boots and the beer and the smirk and the Texas twang. Yowza. Aside from Rusty and his swoonworthiness, In Honor is a really beautiful story about love and grief and growing up and letting go, with a fabulous road trip as its backdrop. The Shake Shack even makes an appearance! Also, the bit about Paula Peaches is pretty much the greatest little fictional anecdote ever.

The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry – Aidan is a fantastic protagonist. He’s been through tons, but he doesn’t spend much time feeling sorry for himself. His inner commentary about learning to live life with just one arm is fascinating. Similarly, Kate is a winsome character. She’s got a lot going on with her recent diabetes diagnosis, plus her boyfriend’s just kicked her to the curb. She’s not sitting around having pity parties either, though, which is a big part of why The Summer I Found You is such a quick and enjoyable read. Aidan and Kate just work, and it’s a joy to watch their relationship blossom, even through awkward moments and missteps. My Bookanista Recommendation is HERE.

So… What’s the best book you read in February?

What’s Up Wednesday

February 26, 2014February 25, 201438 Comments

What I’m Reading: So… I had to put Holly Black’s White Cat aside. I only got about ten pages into the story and while I’m intrigued, I’m just not in the right mood for urban fantasy these days. I’ll definitely go back to it, but for now, I’m going to stick with contemporary YA. What can I say? It’s where my heart is (just look at those covers below!). I finished Jolene Perry’s The Summer I Found You, which I’ll review in detail in tomorrow’s Bookanista post, and now I’m reading Sarah Ockler’s The Book of Broken Hearts. Loving Juju’s voice so far!

What I’m Writing: I talked about my revision of Good Girls in Monday’s #WriterRecharge post, but let’s review: I finished my Cut All the Crap round, and now I’m going through my revision to-do list and fixing the issues I know exist — mostly having to do with character development and cohesion. I’m also doing some polishing and shifting and texturing. I think this baby’s going to be ready for readers by the end of the week!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Other than rocking my revision goals, I’m still watching Friday Night Lights like a feign. I’m nearly done with season 3 and holy crap… I love this show so much. I actually met one of its creators, Peter Berg, a few months ago and it’s a good thing I hadn’t started watching FNL yet. I probably would’ve fangirled all over the poor man. (Incidentally, I did tell him about the enormous crush I have on Marky Mark Wahlberg, so there’s that.)

I made Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread, which turned out wonderfully. My girlie thought I was kidding when I told her I was fixing bread with zucchini *and* chocolate in it, and that would end up tasting like a treat. She loves it. 🙂

It’s been gorgeous in Florida lately, and we’ve been spending lots of time outdoors and at the park. Hearing about the crappy weather the rest of the country’s dealing with makes me thankful for this beautiful location the Army has moved us to. We’ve been so lucky these last few duty stations!

Oh, and I bought a garden gnome. She’s reading, and she reminds me a little of Moaning Myrtle. She makes me smile.

What’s Inspiring Me Now: My WiP is full of characters who make terribly selfish choices. Yet, I want readers to empathize with them and, at the very least, understand their motivations. When Flaws Go Too Far: Avoiding Unlikeable Characters by Angela Ackerman for Writer’s Digest has fantastic tips for creating characters who are flawed, yet still relatable. I’m also inspired by this piece by Ruth Harris for Anne R. Allen’s Blog called From Pathetic to Professional: 8 Ways to Beat the First Draft Blues, which shares strategies for shaping and refining first drafts. Super helpful. Also, I’m loving Miss Megan Whitmer‘s latest vlog called Censoring Characters: Where Do We Draw the Line? It’s an awesome conversation starter about writers staying true to their characters vs. remaining socially acceptable. Like Megan, I’ve yet to nail down my stance on this — tough stuff. Lots of great thoughts in the comments section too!

And, on a much more personal note, this week my former neighbor and dear friend Brittany wrote about the birth of her angel baby Bella Joy. It’s a heartbreaking story, but so beautiful and inspirational too. Brittany and her husband are amazing people and incredible parents (their five-year-old is one of my daughter’s favorite friends) and I wish them peace and love and all the best. ♥

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

#WriterRecharge {Update Three}

February 24, 2014February 24, 201428 Comments

First, a confession: If I hadn’t started watching Friday Night Lights a couple of weeks ago, I’d probably be completely done with this draft of my WiP, Good Girls. I’ve spent several nights hanging with the Dillon gang when I should’ve been revising. But, I’ve still made some really awesome progress, and let’s face it: Tim Riggins is an incredibly worthy distraction.

~ AHEM ~

On Friday, I finished my Cut All the Crap revision round, reassessed my To-Do list (two full pages), and then dove right back in. Now, I’m about a 1/3 of the way done fixing the issues I’m aware of and polishing further. Guys, I’m getting excited! This thing is almost ready for readers, and I’m still thinking it’s got great potential. I can’t wait to see what sort of feedback I get from my brilliant CPs, and I can’t wait to apply their expertise to my future drafts.

Until then, I’ll be pushing hard to meet my goal of having a readable draft ready for readers on Friday. *crosses fingers* *guzzles coffee* *buys Jelly Bellies*

How’s #WriterRecharge going for you?
If you’re participating, don’t forget to post about your progress and share your link at Sara’s blog.