On Scrivener…

February 25, 2013February 24, 201341 Comments

Because I am the luckiest girl ever, I got a new computer for my birthday last week (thank you so much, amazing husband!). I got my last laptop just before my now-kindergartner learned to walk so I was due for an update, and I’ve been wanting a Mac for ages. My PC has served me well, facilitating the drafting of several manuscripts, hundreds of blogposts, and thousands of emails, but let’s face it… Macs are awesome.

The very first thing I did after getting my lovely new computer up and running was download Scrivener‘s thirty-day trial. I’ve heard so many amazing things about this little writing program, and I couldn’t wait to try it.

Try it I did… I’ve been plugging away at Scrivener’s tutorial for a few days and I’ve learned so much. While Scrivener is at first overwhelming and has been a challenge for this Microsoft Word girl to get used to, I think I’m finally getting the hang of it. I’m about to start a rewrite (or, as my agent so awesomely calls it: a “violent revision”) and Scrivener’s organizational tools have already aided me in sorting through which already-written scenes are worth keeping, which will need to be rewritten, and what gaps will need to be filled in. Awesome, right?!

I’m 99% sure that when my thirty-day trial expires I’ll be purchasing Scrivener. We’ve become fast friends, and I’m already having trouble imagining my writing life without it. Oh, and if, like me, you’re new to Scrivener, I recommend checking out Erin Bowman’s tutorials on the program: this one on outlining, and this one on character worksheets and the freeform cork board. I watched them both, and they were incredibly helpful.

Tell me: Have you tried Scrivener? What program do you prefer for outlining/drafting/revising?

Book Rec: THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER

February 21, 2013February 20, 201314 Comments

Looking for a book that’s beautifully written, yet absolutely gruesome?
Try The Madman’s Daughter by debut author Megan Shepherd.
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge and The Bookanistas.)

From Goodreads: In the darkest places, even love is deadly. Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true. Accompanied by her father’s handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it’s too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood. Inspired by H. G. Wells’s classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman’s Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we’ll do anything to know and the truths we’ll go to any lengths to protect.

I’ve been waiting to read The Madman’s Daughter since my first glimpse of its beautiful cover many months ago. There’s been no shortage of buzz surrounding this book, and now I see why. While it was a bit of a slow start for me (Juliet doesn’t arrive at her father’s creep-tastic island until about 100 pages in), there was so much about The Madman’s Daughter that I enjoyed…

Author Megan Shepherd excels at penning a truly atmospheric setting, one that appeals to all the senses and is easy to get lost in. From the dark streets of London to the humid green jungle of Dr. Moreau’s island, I was completely immersed. Check it out: But what stole my attention was the mountainous green island looming off the port side, big as a kingdom, with a column of wispy gray smoke coming from its highest point… A soft line of sand touched the sea, edged by a cluster of palms waving in the breeze. The palms gave way to a wild tangle of jungle… (pg. 99)

I found Juliet’s worries about inheriting her father’s “madness” fascinating What a scary, scary thing to know you share the blood of a man who possesses incredible talent, but at the same time, very dark delusions… Those things were all symptoms of the same sickness — a kind of madness inherited from my father. It was a dangerous pull in my gut drawing me toward the dark possibilities of science, toward the thin line between life and death, toward the animal impulses hidden behind a corset and a smile. (pg. 174)

The Madman’s Daughter is full of evocative language and graphic imagery. Juliet’s first-person narration allowed me to see with perfect clarity everything she saw, to experience everything she experienced. Reading this novel was very much like watching a movie play out in my mind: I remembered only hints. Peeling skin on the dead woman’s face. Bloodstains on the canvas tarpaulin. Flies buzzing like thunderclouds. There was the lingering stench of blood in my mouth and the smell of lavender in the air. (pg. 229)

The references to old school gender stereotypes — girls aren’t as strong as, as smart as, or as good at science as their male counterparts — made this story’s period setting feel particularly authentic, and the way Megan Shepherd presented these stereotypes was at times a bit of much-appreciated comedic relief. Take Juliet’s father who, while decidedly crazy, is very much like many of the men of his time: chauvinistic. He doubts his daughter’s intelligence and competency. There’s proof of that in his response to her admission that she started a kiss with his assistant, Montgomery (who I adored): “You’re a female. You can’t control yourself.” (pg. 334)

And then there were the twists and turns… I won’t say too much for fear of ruining the surprises for you, but there were a few big reveals in this novel that caught me off guard The ending, especially, left me blinking in shock. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment of this series.

Check out what a few of my fellow Bookanistas are up to:

Jessica Love adores ALSO KNOWN AS

Tracy Banghart announces her new novel, BY BLOOD

And learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

One Word Wednesday

February 20, 2013February 19, 201335 Comments

Today is my birthday!
Let’s celebrate with some pretty pictures, shall we? (Incidentally, if you’re on Instagram and we’re not following each other, lets! You can find me HERE. :))

Sunshine
{We had the most beautiful warm weather this last Friday. Obviously my little twirler enjoyed it! (Also, I don’t usually think my daughter looks like me, but something about this image makes me think of pictures my parents have of me when I was five years old.)}

Vacation
{My husband surprised my girlie and me with a weekend getaway to San Francisco. Though we’ve driven through the city many times, we’ve never taken the time to truly explore it. I’m so thankful we had the opportunity to finally check out the sights… San Francisco is beautiful!}

Smiles
{Hanging out at Coit Tower.}

Delectable
{We ate way too much yummy food, just as you’re supposed to when you’re getting to know a new city.}

Vibrant
{Animators’ paints at the Walt Disney Family Museum, which was amazing. I’m a bit of a Disney fanatic so I was totally in my element, but even my husband and girlie had a good time. Walt Disney and his legacy have always been such an inspiration to me. (Also, if you’re a military family there’s no admission fee… Awesome. Thank you, Walt Disney Family Museum!)}

Sightseers
{We were pretty shameless about flashing our tourist cards throughout the city. Pictures were taken at all the major landmarks. Here, Alcatraz from a distance, as well as The Palace of Fine Arts.}

Reflection
{Family portrait. Sort of. (This was taken at the Baker Street Bistro, which was warm and quaint and presented us with a very tasty lunch.)}

Decadent
{Nothing to do with San Francisco, but when we got home I tried a new recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake. Oh my goodness… This dessert was fantastic. Moist and rich and so chocolate-y — like the inside of a truffle. Yum!}

So, that’s what I’ve been up to these last few days. Today I’m treating myself to a little vegging… I’m finally going to watch The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Then, it’s all about reading through an old manuscript and making notes about my vision for revamping it. A little intimidating, but I’m excited to improve upon a story I already love.

What are you working on this week?

Book Rec: JUST ONE DAY

February 14, 2013October 12, 201329 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day!

In honor of the most romantic day of the year, I have a new favorite novel to share with you: Gayle Forman‘s latest, Just One Day…

From Goodreads: When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines. Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon (October, 2013)!

For me, Gayle Forman is one of those authors, someone who is just so awesome she’s taken on a bit of a celebrity status in my head. She’s smart and generous in sharing her wisdom (as evident in blog posts like this one), and she’s thoughtful and classy (even when she’s calling people out for being assholes, like in this post). I was lucky enough to hear her speak at an event last year, and I was blown away by how funny and bright and authentic she was. I’ve come to look up to her both as a writer and a person, and If I Stay and Where She Went are two of my very favorite contemporaries. So, of course I terrified to read her latest release. I mean… What if I was a disappointed?

Thankfully, I definitely was not.

If I had to describe Just One Day in just one word, that word would be RICH. It is a story that is rich in far-reaching themes (finding your identity, lost love, coming of age, making a mark; there are mentions of Shakespeare throughout the novel). It is a story that is rich in lusciously-described settings (Paris, Mexico, Amsterdam, London, among others). And it is a story that is rich in colorful, dynamic characters (I adored Dee most). Every sentence, every page, every chapter of Just One Day made me think and wonder and imagine and feel, which is the very best kind of reading experience.

I absolutely loved this book.

I think that’s mostly because I got the main character, Allyson. I understood her need to please, empathized with her initial absence of identity, felt the gaping hole she suffered when things with Willem went to hell. When I was eighteen, I was a lot like Allyson — that perfection-seeking girl with a lack of confidence and very little autonomy. That’s why it was so compelling to watch Allyson grow into her personality and become self-reliant, a full, well-rounded person. That’s why I was rooting for her even when she was at her lowest and, frankly, sort of hard to like. By the time I reached the final page of her story, I wanted to be Allyson’s friend. I wanted to travel Europe with her!

Now. Let’s talk about Willem. I want to read his story, Just One Year, like, RIGHT NOW. Just One Day ends in a pretty staggering cliffhanger. It will presumably continue on in Willem’s narration coming this October (*sigh*), and I cannot wait to hear his side of the story. As of now, I know him only through Allyson’s romanced eyes. In Paris, he is charming and fun and sexy and impulsive, but I get the overwhelming sense that there is much more to Willem than the persona he presented to Allyson. I am so looking forward to learning more about him, his apparently complicated past, his feelings concerning LuLu, and what exactly happened on that fateful morning in Paris.

Fans of contemporary YA, fans of romance, fans of beautiful writing, fans of books: please, pLeAsE, PLEASE go buy Just One Day. It is a gorgeous, emotional, whirlwind of a read, and you will love every minute of it.

Check out what some other Bookanistas are recommending:

Jessica Love raves about THE REECE MALCOM LIST

Nikki Katz swoons over SCARLET

Stasia Ward Kehoe is ga-ga for GOING VINTAGE

♥ Now… Go enjoy Valentine’s Day with someone you love! ♥

One Word Wednesday

February 13, 2013February 12, 201321 Comments

Loveliness
{It’s been a little brisk in our neck of the woods lately (like, a high of 60 degrees with some pretty chilly wind — I know you feel SO bad for me), but still, it’s so nice to look out the window and see sun. This Washington girl did not truly understand the toll 226 cloudy days a year (Seattle’s average) could take on a person’s mental state until she moved to the land of sun. I’m feeling thankful!}

Photo-Bomb
{We went hiking in the Carmel Valley last weekend. It was beautiful and I took this picture of my crew, which I loved… Until I noticed Lucy popping a squat front and center. Aren’t pets fun?}

Peace
{This is so my Happy Place: Cozy socks, comfy couch, good book. Who cares that this was taken on a Saturday night and that Katy of a Decade Ago would totally cringe if she knew how lame Current Katy has become?}

Indulge
{My girlie had Monday off from school so we went out for a long afternoon walk followed by ice cream at the coolest little parlor. The building’s facade looks like it’s straight out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and the interior is full of mismatched furniture and vintage rock memorabilia. My girl had Midnight Cookies and Cream, and I had Banana Chocolate Chip Carmel… Yum!}

Delish
{Food recommendation: I chopped up mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and added them to a few loaves of Banana Bread. Definitely a fun, easy treat to try. And hey, there are bananas in it, so we’ll just go ahead and pretend it’s healthy.}

Cool
{I ♥ her. That is all.}

Tell me: What have you been up to these days?

Book in a day?

February 11, 2013February 10, 201326 Comments

I started an amazing contemporary YA novel on Saturday evening. I read about sixty pages before heading out for dinner with friends. On Sunday morning I woke up early feeling not so great. I couldn’t fall back to sleep so I picked up the book, thinking I’d read a few pages before dozing off.

And then I proceeded to read it in its entirety, in one sitting.

I never do this… I have a husband and a child and two dogs, a house to keep clean, laundry to fold, meals to cook. Then there’s writing and revising and blogging and emails. I normally only find time to read fifty or so published pages in the course of a day. And that’s a good day.

But this book. I just couldn’t put it down. It was compelling and gorgeous and emotional and romantic and even at this early point in the year, I feel confident in claiming that this amazing story will be one of my very favorite 2013 releases. When I read the final page I just wanted more, which is both the best and worst readerly feeling (thank goodness there’s a companion novel coming next year!).

(Image credit: Brittney Tabel)

I bet you’re wondering what book consumed me for a whole entire day… Well, I tweeted about it and I shared my love via Instagram, and I’ll be sharing a full Bookanista recommendation on Thursday, so until then, all you get is a title:

Just One Day

Tell me: Have you ever read a book in a day? What’s the last book you just couldn’t put down?

Book Rec: THE TRAGEDY PAPER

February 7, 2013February 7, 201319 Comments

My first 2013 debut: The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan…
(Reviewed for the Debut Author Challenge and The Bookanistas)

From Goodreads: Tim Macbeth is a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim’s surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher. Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their secrets.

The Tragedy Paper was not on my original list of 2013 debuts, but over the last month I’ve come across too many glowing reviews to pass it up. I mean really… A story about a clandestine romance set at a New England boarding school pretty much screams Katy Book!

The Tragedy Paper‘s format reminds me of Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why. It’s recent graduate Tim’s story (his tragedy, really) relayed through a collection of CDs gifted to current senior Duncan (who is peripherally and mysteriously linked to the aforementioned tragedy). The Tragedy Paper‘s structure portrays the boys’ parallel plot lines in a way that makes them feel equally important, especially considering that as their stories unfold, Tim and Duncan are both pondering what, exactly, makes a tragedy, as well as working toward completing their all-important tragedy papers.

If The Tragedy Paper‘s format hints at Thirteen Reasons Why, its tone is reminiscent of A Separate Peace by John Knowles. There’s the boarding school setting of course, and then there’s the dynamic between students of different social standings, the one-tiny-moment-can-change-everything theme, and the constant defining and redefining of the word tragedy. All of these things in combination made me think often of Gene and Phineas and how their fatal flaws compared to those of Tim and Duncan.

I think The Tragedy Paper‘s greatest strength lies in its earnestness. It’s a quiet sort of book and the characters who populate its pages are wholesome kids mostly trying to do the right thing. But, they have weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and those weaknesses and vulnerabilities are what kept me turning pages. I felt for Tim who, at his core, is a good guy with some serious self-esteem issues. I felt for Vanessa, whose seemingly effortless existence isn’t entirely so. And I felt for Duncan, who endeared me with his dorkiness, not to mention the guilt he carries for his part in the tragedy that changed all of the characters’ lives irreparably.

If there was anything I wanted more of from The Tragedy Paper, it was the “forbidden love” element mentioned in the story’s summary. (Of course, I’m a romance girl and I always want more swoon-worthy moments. ♥) While I got a definite sense of Tim’s pining for Vanessa, I wanted more scenes with those same feelings reciprocated by her. I often wondered if she was leading Tim on because she enjoyed his attention, though she sought him out enough to convince me that she felt true affection for him. More than once I just wanted to shake Vanessa and make her face up to her feelings even though they were difficult and complicated.

The Tragedy Paper was an incredibly satisfying read. It was also an intense read. I’ve found myself thinking about it and its messages since I finished a few days ago. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary YA, and to readers who appreciate clean, straightforward prose and characters who experience profound growth over the course of a story.

Check out these recommendations from my fellow Bookanistas:

Debra Driza wonders at WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

Jessica Love thinks THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY is terrific.

Stasia Ward Kehoe delves into OUT OF THE EASY.

And learn more about the Debut Author Challenge HERE.

How fun is this?

February 6, 2013February 5, 201322 Comments

In celebration of my finished CROSS MY HEART revision…

Thanks to Sarah Enni for mentioning Tagxedo in this post. I’ve used Wordle before and liked it fine, but after just a few minutes of playing, I became a Tagxedo convert. Quick and simple, this program lets users create artistic word clouds in a variety of fonts, shapes, and colors, then easily save them. Great for editing out crutch words, brainstorming titles, and making pretties. 🙂

Have you used Tagxedo before?

Hello, February!

February 1, 2013January 31, 201319 Comments

Oy. January was a weird, weird month. I am not at all sad to say farewell. But before I do, let’s chat about two big things I accomplished during the first thirty-one days of 2013:

First, I kicked Jan Plan‘s ass. Thank you, Christa Desir for sharing your motivational idea with me and the rest of the blogosphere. Finish one thing in January, you said, and I did! I received revision notes from my agent at the tail end of December, mulled them over, tackled them, sent my manuscript off for a beta read, and had the new and improved version back in said agent’s hands before the month was out. Win. The best part? My agent was pleased! For now, we’re calling that manuscript DONE.

Second, I ran 161 miles. That’s an average of just over five miles per day over thirty-one days. If I maintain that average all year, I’ll have run nearly 2,000 miles by 2014. I kind of want to do it! But, my poor joints are already achy. I feel like the rusty, creaky Tin Man before he’s oiled. We’ll see… 2,000 miles is definitely a worthy goal to strive for, but I’m not sure if my old bones can hang. Wish me luck?

Happy Friday, and happy February!

What was your biggest January accomplishment?

January Reads

January 31, 2013February 2, 201325 Comments

Always!

Still, I did pretty well in January. Here’s what I read (and what I recommend!)…

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley – LOVED this one. Beautiful, beautiful prose and characters I wanted to both hug and hang out with. Ed was the perfect combination of complicated and adorable, and I loved Lucy’s audacity and wit. This is one of those rare books that’s both enviably amazing, yet totally inspirational in the writing department. How are Australian authors so consistently awesome? Highly recommend!

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn – If you’re looking for a psychological thriller and are not easily offended, disturbed or freaked out, please do pick up Sharp Objects. I reviewed it in greater detail HERE.

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King – So unique; it’s several different books rolled into one. A provocative issue book, a perfectly-voiced contemporary, a first-love romance, a family drama that feels alarmingly authentic, all with a sprinkle of unexplainable magic tossed in. Find my review for YA Confidential HERE.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn – Probably my least favorite of her three, but that’s not to say it wasn’t excellent. True to Gillian-Flynn-form, this book’s characters were completely deplorable, yet totally compelling. Dark Places is structured like a fairly traditional murder mystery, but it’s twisty and chilling and definitely had me turning pages. The ending, like those of all of Flynn’s novels, was a beguiling surprise.

Shades of Earth (Across the Universe, #3) Shades of Earth by Beth Revis – (Damn it — I still wish this cover matched the other two in the trilogy. I like my shelves to look cohesive!) Shades of Earth is a worthy conclusion to a trilogy I’ve followed since it debuted. I had no idea what to expect going into this one (though I’d heard something about dinosaurs… whoa), and I’m glad for all the surprises. Beth Revis does not hesitate to throw the unexpected in your face, which made this novel a total page-turner. Also, Elder continues to be charming and endearing, so that doesn’t hurt. If you haven’t read the Across the Universe trilogy, I highly recommend it (even if, like me, you’re not a huge science fiction person).

(I also had the pleasure of reading the final half of my CP Alison Miller‘s amazing YA contemporary/magical realism retelling, did a beta read of Jessica Love‘s fantastic YA contemporary, and I’m nearly done beta reading an action-packed time travel story by Meredith McCardle. I’m so lucky to have such a talented bunch of friends!)

Tell Me: What’s the best book you read in January?