A Virtual Fall Book Club

August 29, 201114 Comments

Guys! Friend, writer, and blogger Tracey Neithercott has come up with a brilliant idea: A virtual fall book club! From today’s blog post:

So here’s what I’m proposing. A three-month book club. Here’s how it’ll work: We’ll read one book a month for three months. You’ll have about a month to read each so no one feels rushed. At the end of the month, I’ll host a discussion of the book here, complete with comments like OMG THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I’VE EVER READ and SORRY, I FELL ASLEEP AT PAGE FIVE. Each of you can write about the book on your blogs, leaving a link on my post so readers can jump from blog to blog and see everyone’s different take on the book.

Awesome, right? She’s taking suggestions for the first book we’ll read, and we’ll vote to make the final selection in the near future. So, if you’re interested in participating, hop on over to Tracey’s blog and check out her Fall Book Club post!

(Can you tell from the abundance of exclamation points in the this post that I’m super excited about this idea?!)

Friday Fun: Back to School…

August 26, 201117 Comments

*The above title is meant to be read in Billy Madison’s whiny sing-song voice…

First, the FIVE, hosted by Paper Hangover, a fantastic group blog offering writing tips and advice, book reviews, weekly blog topics, and teen interviews. Here’s today’s prompt:

I chose the following five YA books specifically for their uniquely authentic portrayal of the high school experience. Plus, they’re all incredibly well-written and compelling (great for back-to-schoolers AND grown-ups like myself… :)). All summaries are from Goodreads.

1. Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers – Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard–falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High… until vicious rumors about her and her best friend’s boyfriend start going around. Now Regina’s been “frozen out” and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn’t come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend… if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don’t break them both first.

2. The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney – Some schools have honor codes. Others have handbooks. Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds. Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way–the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds–a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers. In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl’s struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone–especially yourself–you fight for it.

3. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta – Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian’s, a boys’ school that pretends it’s coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas who specializes in musical burping to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can’t seem to stop thinking about. Then there’s Francesca’s mother, who always thinks she knows what’s best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

4. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles – When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she’s worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

5. A Separate Peace by John Knowles – John Knowles’ beloved classic has been a bestseller for more than 30 years and is one of the most moving and accurate novels about the trials and confusions of adolescence ever written. Set at an elite boarding school for boys during World War II, A Separate Peace is the story of friendship and treachery, and how a tragic accident involving two young men forever tarnishes their innocence.

And a high-school-inspired Would You Rather…?

Would you rather be constantly gossiped about or never talked about at all?

Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂

RTW: Overcoming Writer’s Block

August 24, 201133 Comments

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where the ladies at YA Highway post a weekly writing- or reading-related question for participants to respond to on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

Today’s Topic: How do you beat writer’s block?

Oh, there are many ways…

1. I eat. Sometimes healthfully. Sometimes not. Often Bottle Caps, my ~~drug~~ candy of choice.

2. I read. Books on craft. Young adult fiction. Entertainment Weekly. Whatever.

3. I exercise. Run, walk, bike, yoga–anything weather appropriate.

4. I hang with my daughter. We color. We play Princess. We make beaded necklaces. Anything creative and fun.

5. I brainstorm with my husband. His ideas are almost always random and unusable, but he’s an amazing sounding board. Very supportive.

6. I write drivel. I type out sweeping descriptions of the setting. I fill in backstory. I let my characters have meaningless conversations. Sometimes they just make-out. This stuff almost always gets the cut, but it often helps to get good words flowing.

7. And, perhaps most helpfully, I plot. Or replot. Because when I’m blocked, it’s usually because I’ve taken a wrong turn. I’ve written something wrong earlier on, and that something needs to be identified and corrected.

And those, my friends, are my magical cures for writer’s block. I’m curious…how do you beat writer’s block?

The Campaign

August 23, 201146 Comments

I recently learned about a very cool blogging opportunity from my friend Alison Miller. It’s the Writers’ Platform Building Campaign, hosted by Rach Writes. The Campaign is cool way for writers and active bloggers to reach out and network with other like-minded people, thus building our own platforms and helping others to build theirs.

The Campaign will run from August 22nd to October 31st and will include three Campaigner Challenges:

First Campaigner Challenge – Monday, September 5
Second Campaigner Challenge – Thursday, September 22
Third Campaigner Challenge – Monday, October 17

If you’re interested in finding out more about this opportunity, visit Platform Building Campaign THIS WEEK for more detailed information.

I’m Rewriting!

August 22, 201121 Comments

So, I had an epic blog post planned for today, one in which I was going to discuss my on-going rewrite of a book that was “done” a year ago. Then my daughter fell on her face (literally) while we were walking our dogs last night and I ended up spending two hours at the ER, then another at Denny’s because she wanted late night pancakes, sausage, and ice cream. Who am I to deny?

*SADNESS*

Anywho… I actually AM starting a rewrite. And good news–it’s getting easier. Know why? Because I’ve finally figured out the trick to a successful rewrite. Ready for it?

You must first be willing to let go of what the story used to be.

All my past struggles with rewriting stem down to one crucial mistake: I wasn’t rewriting. I was shifting, revising, tweaking, patching, replacing–anything and everything I could do to add new material while still hanging on to the essence of what the story was. And it wasn’t working.

So, I’ve let go of the original story. In fact, I’m treating it as if it’s not even mine. I’m viewing it as subjectively as possible. Those words I spent all last summer slaving over? They’re simply raw material I’ve stumbled upon and hope to improve. Sure, I’ll pick up the few scenes that happen to work and fit them back in, and I’ll flesh out characters who are worthy, and maybe steal back some of the dialogue that’s particularly witty, but other than that, I’m REWRITING. Completely. And that’s good, because I’ve spent months mulling over ways to make this story what it needs to be, and I think I’ve finally got a handle on it. This is exciting!

Because I’ve been incredibly overwhelmed by this undertaking, and because I’m an incredibly visual person, I’ve started with a crude, simplistic plot map:

See? Very simple.

That’s poster board and Sharpie, and those star Post-It notes are the major plot points. I’ve got smaller, color-coded ones that I plan to start working on tonight, Post-Its that will stand in for subplots, character notes and setting descriptors. Hopefully my little chart will serve as a jumping off point and make this rewrite more manageable and–God willing–more fun.

Have you ever attempted a major rewrite? Any tips or tricks to share?

A MARA DYER Winner and Friday Five…

August 19, 20115 Comments

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer ARC giveaway. I’m thrilled that so many people are excited about reading this book! I used random.org to select a winner from the many entrants and the lucky winner is…

Tracey Neithercott!

Yay, Tracey! Please email me your mailing address at katy(dot)upperman@live(dot)com and I will have Mara to you in a few days.

An unexpected perk of hosting this giveaway were the awesome book recommendations you all left in the comments of the original post. So, for today’s Friday Five, I’d like to share a countdown of the top five most anticipated book releases selected by you, my lovely blog readers. Here they are:

5. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (October 18, 2011)

4. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (September 20, 2011)

3. (TIE) Bloodlines by Richelle Mead (August 23, 2011)

and Shut Out by Kody Keplinger (September 5, 2011)

2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (September 27, 2011, and no surprise, since the giveaway was for this very book!)

1. And, with by far the most mentions, Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (September 29, 2011… this is my most anticipated release too!)

Happy Friday… Have a wonderful weekend!

It’s Cookie Day!

August 18, 2011August 18, 201123 Comments

Yesterday afternoon my kiddo and I spent two hours baking cookies. Along with being lots of fun, oh my gosh did we ended up with some delish creations. And it’s your lucky day, because I’m sharing two WIN recipes with you! (In case you’re wondering what cookies have to do with writing and reading and books, quality snacks are important for sustenance and motivation… of course!)

First, the super-healthy No Sugar Oat Drops* (thank you, Blueberry Girl!) –

Before we get to the recipe, let me give you an honest disclaimer: I had serious doubts about these cookies before making them. I mean, they contain NO sugar, NO butter, NO eggs, and NO flour. What’s left for making a tasty treat? Lots of things, apparently. These cookies are fabulous. Light but filling, sweet, and my daughter absolutely loves them. I’m going to let her have them for breakfast if she likes, because they’re just that healthy…

1 1/2 cups regular rolled oats (I used Quaker Steel Cut and they worked great)
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup of almond meal (hard to find at the store… near the corn meal, I learned)
1/2 cup mixed nuts, finely chopped (I used peanuts because I had them on hand)
1 cup dried fruit (I used dates, but you can use anything dried – raisins, cranberries, blueberries, or a combo)
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, combine oats, almond meal, mixed nuts and coconut flakes. Stir in allspice and cinnamon. Add dried fruit and stir until well blended. Make sure the dried fruit does not stick together. In another bowl, combine canola oil, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Using a large cookie cutter, press spoonfuls of the batter into it. Remove cookie cutter. Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Makes approximately 30 cookies.

And the not-quite-as-healthy-but-still-a-relatively-good-choice Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies (thank you, Divine Baking!):

These cookies are reminiscent of the chocolate crinkle cookie my mom made when I was younger, but have no flour and no butter and are therefore a far healthier choice. And they taste SO yummy. Rich and decadent and intensely chocolate-y. I never thought I’d say this about a cookie, but you really can eat just one and be satisfied…

Non-stick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided (I cut back and used 2 cups)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with non-stick spray.

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl, stirring twice (about 2 minutes). Let cool slightly. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl to soft peaks (this took a few minutes). Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar (in the interest of cutting back on sugar intake, I only used 1/2 cup here). Continue beating until mixture resembles marshmallow creme. Add melted chocolate chips and beat on low speed until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl. With your mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients into meringue and beat until well combined. Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon of cookie dough into ball, then roll in powdered sugar to coat (my daughter thought the cookies looked like donut holes at this point :)). Place on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until the cookies puff and the tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes. Sample one while still warm, if possible. Makes approximately 18 cookies.

*I originally happened upon the No Sugar Oat Drop recipe on Tracey Neithercott‘s Pinterest page… yet another reason Pinterest rocks. 🙂

Happy baking!

Are you a cookie fan? What are your favorites? Any tasty recipes to share?

And don’t forget to check in tomorrow to see if you’ve won an ARC of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.

RTW: Take me to the beach…

August 17, 201119 Comments

Today’s Topic: What is the most inspiring setting you’ve ever visited in real life?

This is an easy one for me: Cannon Beach, Oregon.

The setting of Where Poppies Bloom is fictional Bell Cove, based heavily on Cannon Beach, an adorable little town I used to visit with my family when I was a child. My husband, daughter and I made the drive there last September for a vacation (also, research :)) and it was so inspiring. A charming little town with a laid back, beachy feel. Kites and sandcastles on the beach, taffy and fudge to snack on in town, sunny days and crisp nights. Honestly, I’d love to live in Cannon Beach someday–it’s that perfect. Here’s what it looks like:

So, what’s the most inspiring setting you’ve visited in real life? Don’t forget to stop by YA Highway to see how everyone else answered.

Oh, and have you entered my The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer giveaway? It ends tomorrow, so hurry!

Facebook vs. Twitter

August 15, 2011August 13, 201121 Comments

A few weeks ago, my cousin posted this as her Facebook status update:

Read this online:
“Twitter makes you love people you don’t know.
Facebook makes you hate people you do know.”
Had to laugh.

I immediately “Liked” her post (what I do when I want to retweet something that strikes me as funny or clever or profound, but can’t because Facebook doesn’t have a retweet equivalent). Then I replied:

Sounds about right.

True Confession: I like Twitter SO MUCH MORE than Facebook.

In fact, I don’t like Facebook much at all. I only have an account (which, admittedly, I update fairly regularly) because I have friends and family sprinkled throughout the country and I feel obligated to share pictures and anecdotes having to do with my daughter. Every time I log onto Facebook I’m inwardly cringing. I know with a fair amount of certainty that there will be some random update from an acquaintance that’s an over-share, a complete bore, a bitchfest, or riddled with spelling and grammar errors. Ugh… and the ads. I’m so over the ads. And the games… Farmville? Really? And that little thumbs up next to the “Like” button… that really bugs me.

And then there’s Twitter. I LOVE Twitter. I love the people I’ve “met” there. I love the fast pace and the ease with which information is exchanged. I love the mix of fun and networking, entertainment and business. I love that I can follow or unfollow people at will, without hurt feelings or dramatic blow ups. I love that I can connect with people who enjoy what I enjoy (books, reality TV, tasty treats) and who do what I do (write, read, parent). I love the unique perspectives and the diverse cultures. I love refreshing my feed, knowing I’ll laugh or learn something new or bond with an online friend over something as silly as brownies or annoying stray roosters.

I like to hope I wouldn't need this reminder...

I know people who think Twitter is dorky, to which I reply: What?! Clearly these people are not tweeting and they’re obviously missing out. Twitter is all about swapping information and building genuine connections. You know, a little like Facebook. Only better.

Yes, I know there are all kinds of social media (most of which I know nothing about–I’m looking at you LinkedIn and Tumblr and Google +), but for now I’m sticking with Facebook (out of a warped sense of duty) and Twitter (because it rocks!).

What’s your social media drug of choice? Do you Facebook? Twitter? Other? Which do you prefer and why?

Oh, and have you entered my The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer giveaway? It ends this Thursday, so hurry! 🙂

The day I fell for RPatz…

August 14, 2011August 13, 201115 Comments

Heads Up! The following post may or may not contain a Twilight: Breaking Dawn spoiler or two. If you’ve yet to read the book and want to be surprised upon seeing the movie, turn back. Quick!

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I’ll make no secret of the fact that while I read the first three books of the Twilight series and enjoyed them for what they were, Breaking Dawn–for me–was a big ‘ol fail. There are lots of plot-arc-motivation-payoff-spawn reasons I won’t delve into here, but suffice to say: I’ve got all kinds of problems with the final installment of Bella and Edward’s story. And, since the literary version of Breaking Dawn wasn’t for me, I wasn’t all that excited about the movie’s November release.

Then this arrived in my mailbox:

I'll refrain from commenting on the intense awkwardness of this image...

I read the enclosed interview (featuring Kristin Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and director Bill Condon) with vague curiosity. I mean, these books and movies are a cultural phenomenon. I couldn’t just skip over it, right?

Oh boy… I’m so glad I didn’t because I discovered that Robert Pattinson is a freaking crack up! Who would’ve thought? I mean, call me crazy, but I do not find him attractive at all.*

What, exactly, do you think was going on in his head when this photo was snapped?

He’s so rumpled and clueless, and he’s always smoking and wearing that distantly befuddled expression. But then–in an Entertainment Weekly interview for a movie he’s supposed to be PROMOTING–he says his character acts like… an incredibly hideous P-word for wimp. Really, RPatz? Wow.

I’ve got to say, I dig a guy who doesn’t take himself too seriously. And, clearly, Robert Pattinson doesn’t take himself or epic vampire love stories seriously AT ALL. I love that! More of his choice quotes from the interview:

On Kristin Stewart getting emotional about filming the wedding: [laughing] I wanted to go down and say, “Stop being ridiculous.”

On what he wishes Edward could have said after the honeymoon night: “I bit through all the pillows. Every. Single. One.” And then he’d start crying.

On Jacob and “imprinting”: I have to say, it’s pretty creepy.

On Edward’s role during Bella’s pregnancy: And I’m just sitting there, like, with a bucket, collecting [Bella’s] vomit.

On speaking to Stephenie Meyer about the childbirth scene: What am I actually chewing through?

Seriously. If Robert Pattinson is always this funny and irreverent, I think I might like to start hanging out with him, maybe at one of the dumpy bars I suspect he frequents. Wrinkly clothes, unruly hair, cigarettes, and all.