Author: Katy Upperman

Friday Fun: Inspiration X2

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Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about inspiration, which works out well for today’s Friday Five, and for my new obsession with Pinterest.

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:


So, I’m going with living authors whose careers inspire me to write, read,  network, think business, think creative, branch out and explore:

1. Judy Blume…  One of my childhood idols (along with Walt Disney :)). I was (AM!) such a fan of Blubber, Just as Long as We’re Together, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, and Forever… I’d love to chat with Judy about where she lives part-time: the Florida Keys, and how she manages to write for a large age span with such a perfectly authentic voice. But, let’s be honest… I think that if I had the opportunity to speak to her, I’d be too star-struck to complete a sentence.


2. JK Rowling… I have a feeling the creator of Harry Potter is on any avid reader’s list of authors to meet. I watched the interview she did with Oprah last year and was blown away by her creativity and brilliance, not to mention her humility and sense of humor. And oh-my-gosh does she generate some amazing character names!

3. Ken Follet… Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are two of my favorite novels (and that’s saying a lot because I’m not normally a fan of historicals). Ken Follet has a knack for writing period drama full of emotion and rich detail. Also, he’s hugely prolific. Who wouldn’t want to pick his brain for tips on fostering a super successful writing career?


4. Melina Marchetta… My favorite YA author, and a complete and utter genius. Every time I finish one of her books my heart ends up shredded. I find myself thinking about it for weeks after, picking apart the nuances, reliving the romances. Her characters are so layered, so damaged, and so likeable. And her dialogue… LOVE. It’s so real and raw and enviable. Melina Marchetta is one of the few authors who’ve made me cry. So, yeah… I pretty much worship her.


5. Sarah Dessen… The Goddess of Contemporary Fiction. She writes like I want to write, about topics I like to explore: family, friendships, and romance. Her protagonists have a way of figuring out who they are within the context of their worlds without being preachy or condescending. I follow Sarah on Twitter and I’m certain she’d be all kinds of fun to meet. She often mentions reality TV, yummy food, and the beach, and she’s an admitted worrier, just like me! Plus, she was on the cover of Writer’s Digest. How awesome is that?


AND for further inspiration, I’d love to share some images (all found on Pinterest!) that have me thinking and pondering and toying with ideas and angles for a new story. It’s been awhile since I’ve written something brand new (I’ve been revising one manuscript and rewriting another most of this year), and lately I’ve been itching to start something fresh and totally from scratch. So, here’s the pretty that’s got my muse all abuzz:









Who or what has you inspired on this lovely Friday?

THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER: A Giveaway

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So, yesterday I finished this book…


…and I’m still sort of reeling from, um, everything about it.

In the interest of not giving any details away, I’m going to keep my opinion of MARA DYER to myself (at least for now). There’s just no good way to discuss this book without spoiling major plot points. I will share the GoodReads blurb though:

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
She’s wrong.

And I will say this: I enjoyed the strange creepiness of this book. I liked that I never really knew what was going on as far as Mara’s brand of crazy was concerned. I loved the sometimes hilarious banter between Mara and hot-boy Noah (I also love the name Noah). I thought Miami was a very cool, very unique setting. And I was blown away by the ending, but I won’t tell you why, because what fun would that be? 🙂

Want to read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer before its September 27th release? You can win an ARC right here!

Here are the details:

1. For one entry, leave a comment telling me about a recent new release you’ve read and loved OR name a book that’s coming out soon that you’re dying to read.

2. This giveaway is open internationally.

3. The giveaway closes one week from today, August 18th, at midnight, PST. (I will post the winner’s name on Friday, August19th!)

4. Want to earn additional entries?
+1 if you subscribe to this blog today (right column, top —->)
+2 if you are already a subscriber
+1 for following me on Twitter (new or current)
+2 for tweeting about this contest (@katyupperman, please!)

*Please tally up your entries and include the total in your original comment!

GOOD LUCK!

RTW: Early Bird? Night Owl?

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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: What time do you prefer to do your writing? Early Worm? Night Owl ? Any five seconds you can grab?

Um, can I go with All of the Above?

When my husband is deployed (often), I am essentially a single parent. My daughter does not take naps anymore (*sob*) and she participates in lots of activities (swimming, ballet, pre-school, etc…), activities I get to shuttle her to. On the rare days we’re home and not out and about, I really try to devote as much of my time to her as possible. Sure, I’ll pop in a movie occasionally and get a little bit of work done, but for the most part she dominates my day. (Good thing she’s so fun, right? :))

So, that means I get to do the bulk of my writing, revising, editing, critiquing, and blogging while my daughter is asleep. I wake up between 5:30 and 6:00 every morning (this happens naturally, in case you’re wondering… no alarm for me!) and work until my kiddo wakes up (usually around 7:30 or 8:00). Then I get back to work at bedtime and go until I can’t keep my eyes open. During the pre-school year, I also get a few hours during the week to work, which is such a treat.  (Too bad the Borders I like to go to is closing… Grr!)

So, I claim Early Bird AND Night Owl, and occasionally everything between.

When do you like to write?

A Very TANGLED Birthday…

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First, pardon me if you read this blog purely for my discussions on books and writing. The following post has absolutely nothing to do with either, but I still want to share.

As well as being an enthusiastic writer and avid reader, I’m a mom and a lover of entertaining and all things Disney. This weekend I threw my daughter a killer fourth birthday party. The theme? Tangled, of course! I won’t bore you with dozens of pictures of my daughter eating cake and opening gifts (though she really is very cute :)), but I thought it would be fun to post a few images of the details, which (in my oh-s0-humble opinion) came together so well.

First, Kingdom Flags, which I made out of purple felt and suns die-cut from yellow card stock. I strung them all along my fence, then hung the leftovers in my daughter’s bedroom, which she LOVES.

I dangled tons of “floating” lanterns from the ceiling of my kitchen and used what was left of the purple felt and suns to make a cloth for the cake table. And, gotta have lots of balloons.

These flowers were only $10 dollars at the local Farmer’s Market. Love!

My brother and sister-in-law trying out the coloring station, where I set out Tangled coloring pages and lots of crayons. Other entertainment? Swing set, wooden play castle with Princess toys, bounce house, and paddle ball.

The Birthday Girl rockin’ her Rapunzel t-shirt (and Rapunzel and Pascal Jibbitz in her Crocs!)

My daughter doesn’t have thick enough hair to French braid, but she still wanted to wear lots of flowers in it. I made these by doubling up paper flowers, adding jewels, and hot-gluing them to little bobby pins.

I’m a fan of snacks and finger foods. I served (healthy-ish) wraps, mini corn dogs, Swedish meatballs, veggies, and lots of chips and dips to munch on.

I put kid-friendly snacks outside too. Fruit snacks, peanut-butter-and-jelly crackers, and colored marshmallows (or, edible floating lanterns!).

This was my vision, but definitely not my handiwork. My town has the BEST bakery and they did a lovely job decorating the cake (and oh-my-gosh… was it yummy!).  Though they’re hard to see, I added Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder toys to the grassy area.

And, my girl and me post-party. We had so much fun!

Throw any good parties lately? Any tips to share?

Friday Fun: WIP Inspiration, What I’m Reading, and a (Twilight) Would you rather?

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Paper Hangover is a fantastic group blog offering writing tips and advice, book reviews, weekly blog topics, and teen interviews. I recommend you spend some time exploring the site–they have so much to offer!

Here’s today’s Friday Five prompt:


I’ve been talking about my story Where Poppies Bloom a lot lately (that might have something to do with the fact that I’ve been working on revising and editing it all summer), so I’m going to share five inspiring pictures from Cross My Heart, the manuscript I’ll hopefully be rewriting come fall. Cross My Heart is a contemporary YA romance with lots of friends-and-family drama, a main character I adore, and a love interest who’s obsessed with Classic Country music (also, he’s  hot-hot-hot!)…






How do images inspire your WIPs?

And my Friday Read: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer… I’m only about 50 pages in, but I’m already super engrossed and totally intrigued. This one’s not like anything I’ve read before and the back cover blurb (on my ARC, at least) doesn’t give much away.


Speaking of giving something away (!!!) I plan to give away my ARC of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer here on my blog in the coming days. Please do check back and enter to win!

What are you reading this weekend?

And, finally, an Edward-and-Alice-Cullen-inspired Would you rather? question to ponder as your weekend begins…


Would you rather be able to read everyone’s mind all the time or always know their future?

Tomorrow is my daughter’s Tangled birthday party, so think of me as I’m wrangling four-year-olds and flinging birthday cake. Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 🙂

RTW: Non-SENSE-ical

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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 RTW: The Five Senses… How do you use them in your writing? How are you inspired by them? What books have used them well? Which ones are currently missing from your work? 

I think description is one of my strengths as a writer (hopefully my CPs and agent didn’t just read that statement and think, No, it’s not!) I love writing descriptions, getting in touch with all five of my senses, and hopefully piquing the senses of my reader. Whenever possible, I try to experience something before writing about it. I find it much easier to go into detail and get creative with my words if I’ve actually walked barefoot on that sun-drenched beach, tasted that decadent chocolate cake, or watched that fiery sunset.

The Five Senses* defined, as they relate to writing:

SIGHT – the ability of the eye(s) to focus and detect images of visible light… that generates electrical nerve impulses for varying colors, hues, and brightness.


From my manuscript Where Poppies Bloom: I dream of a cemetery, headstones ashen and crumbling, staring straight ahead; soldiers in a row. The sky is  liquid mercury, churning up thunder and rain. Flashes of lightning illuminate the graves, trees, bouquets of flowers left by mourning family members.

Books that do it well: Chime, Across the Universe, The Sky is Everywhere

HEARING – the sense of sound perception. Hearing is all about vibration.


From Where Poppies Bloom: I need the solitude of laps swum alone. It’s funny—the pool can be both alarmingly loud and serenely quiet all at once. The rush of water in my ears washes away everything else.

Books that do it well: Linger, Just Listen, Freefall

TASTE – the ability to detect the flavor of substances such as food, certain minerals, and poisons, etc.


From Where Poppies Bloom: I pick up my fork and take a small bite of crepe; the blueberries are summery sweet, slippery on my tongue.

Books that do it well: Anna and the French Kiss, Wither, Harry Potter

SMELL – hundreds of olfactory receptors each binding to a particular molecular feature. The odor molecules possess a variety of features and, thus, excite specific receptors more or less strongly.


From Where Poppies Bloom: He plops down in a rocker, still breathing heavy. He smells of cut grass and whatever deodorant he uses, and more faintly, sweat.

Books that do it well: Twilight, Dirty Little Secrets, The Replacement

TOUCH – a perception resulting from activation of neural receptors, generally in the skin. A variety of pressure receptors respond to variations in pressure.


From Where Poppies Bloom: His splayed fingers run the length of my scalp, from the base of my neck to my crown. He does it again and the pressure is amazing. I turn to beeswax, softening under his warm fingers, melting into the fine sand.

Books that do it well: Lovesick, Willow, Firelight, The Body Finder

*Actual definitions from Wikipedia

So, that’s my RTW take on the five senses as they relate to writing. How do you include descriptions that touch on all five senses in your stories?

And, this obviously has nothing to do with Road Trip Wednesday, writing, or the five senses, but I have to share… Four years ago today this happened:

I know I look about 14 in this picture, but I was actually 26, wearing no make-up and fresh from a sobfest.

I’ll resist the urge to weep about how fast time flies and how I sometimes wish I could rewind my life four years into the past so I can experience baby-hood all over again. Most days, though, I’m happy to stay in the now because I get to hang out with my smart, sweet, loving little cutie pie. She never fails to make me smile. Happy Fourth Birthday to my girl! 🙂

For the Birds…

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I recently read Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird (mentioned it in last week’s Reading Wrap-Up). If you’ve yet to read it, I highly recommend picking it up. Bird by Bird is an excellent craft book–not too technical, not too preachy, full of concise,  snappy chapters, and at times laugh-out-loud funny.


As I was perusing Bird by Bird, I got the urge to reread bits of my very first manuscript. As I’ve said before, Novel One is tragically low concept epic teen romance that has lots of sweet little scenes I’ll always love. It also has a forced “plot,” loads of over-writing, and characters that are conveniently clueless. In other words, Novel One is completely unsellable.

Now, I’m sure Novel One’s flaws are run of the mill for first (and second and third) efforts. I made mistakes lots of new writers make, learned as I went, and improved with time. I read tons of YA and piles of craft books, and picked up tips and inspiration and lessons along the way. And, it just so happens that a few of my favorite lessons from Bird by Bird  apply directly to Novel One. I’ll share them as they apply to my own writing and maybe save you some trouble. 🙂

1: BE FLEXIBLE – While writing Novel One, I had a very specific direction for the story. And I took it there, even though at times it felt forced and unnatural.  I also had exact, detailed scenes in mind, scenes I eventually wedged in, whether they fit the overall story arc or not. All this pushing and coercing and throwing around of my writerly weight resulted in a story that reads like this: Say what?!

I failed my characters. I neglected to listen to them. I didn’t let them guide the plot. Instead, I molded them, made them do certain things and act certain ways just for the sake of the storyline (which, honestly, wasn’t even all that strong). What I should have done was let the plot grow and expand and change as I got to know my characters.

2: DO NOT BE AFRAID – The earliest drafts of Novel One are so very vanilla. I followed all the rules. I didn’t let my characters swear. I barely let them kiss. They all drove nice cars and lived in tidy houses in a lovely town. They spoke politely and made good choices. Sure, a few bad things happened to them, but through no fault of their own. These people–their lives–were flawless. The reason for all this vanilla? I was afraid of what people (my parents, my husband, my friends) would think if I really went there.

Over time, I’ve developed courage and an anything-goes attitude. What difference does it make if one of my characters drops an F-bomb? Who cares if she wears a skanky top or drinks a beer once in a while? So what if she thinks about school and friends and family and boys and–gasp!–sex? If she’s in character and the story is moving forward, she can do no wrong. But I never went to any of those places in Novel One because I was too focused on my mental naysayers, watching them shake their heads and wag their fingers, listening to them preach about what’s appropriate. And now the story’s a snoozefest.

3: GET IN THE ZONE – Novel One is choppy and lacking in voice. This is partly to blame on my previous lack of flexibility (and experience), but my failure to get in the zone and stay there is also responsible. By “the zone” I mean that delightfully elusive place where you’re focused and typing and barely thinking. Suddenly you glance at the clock and three hours have passed. You’ve written 5K words without ever looking up from your computer screen.

For me, the zone is a silent room, a comfy chair, and a burning candle. I have critique partners who find their zone while listening to loud music through headphones. Others like to work at a certain table in a specific coffee shop with an iced Chai beside them. I need to be in my the zone in order to listen to the voices in my head. I need to listen to the voices in my head in order to find MY voice. (Is this all making me sound slightly crazy? I’m not alone, right?)

I didn’t know about the zone while writing Novel One. I wrote whenever and wherever, and it always took me ages to find a groove–if I did at all. Now I try hard to give myself the best writing conditions possible because only when I get into the zone does my best writing emerges.


I’d love to hear about your first manuscript. What beginner mistakes did you make? What craft books have you found most helpful?

Friday Fun: First Lines and Would you rather…?

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Paper Hangover is a fantastic group blog offering writing tips and advice, book reviews, weekly blog topics, and teen interviews. I recommend you spend some time exploring the site–they have so much to offer!

Here’s today’s Friday Five prompt:

I have to admit, I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to first lines until I began to write seriously. Now, I’m always eager to see how an author opens his/her book. Does the first line make me ask an immediate question? Does it give me a unique insight into the narrator? Is there automatic tension? Is there an appealing hint of the voice to come? Most importantly: Am I intrigued enough to read on? I always make a mental note of what works about a particularly great first line and hope it’s awesomeness somehow absorbs into the writer part of my brain.

Here are five very effective first lines from a few of my favorite books:

1) If I Stay by Gayle Forman – Everyone thinks it was because of the snow.

2) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling – Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

3) Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta – My father took one hundred and thirty-two minutes to die.

4) A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – Miriam was five years old the first time she heard the word harami.

5) Looking for Alaska by John Green – The week before I left my family and Florida and the rest of my minor life to go to boarding school in Alabama, my mother insisted on throwing me a going-away party.

What makes a great first line, in your opinion?


And a Would you rather…? I’m still not quite sure how to answer. Writer Katy wants to answer one way, and Mommy Katy wants to answer the other . I’m curious to hear what you’d choose… 🙂

Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?

Phoenix Discoveries…

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I spent last week in Phoenix visiting my parents. My daughter came too (of course!) and had all kinds of fun being spoiled by her Nana and Poppy. We’re paying for the over-indulgences now, but it’s all good. The sun, the swimming, the ice cream, and the family time make it all worthwhile. Turns out I learned a few things over the course of my stay in the Valley of the Sun. Here’s what…

-My daughter looks great in orange. Also, she’s extra adorable when giggling.

-It is far too hot in Phoenix to run outdoors. At 6:30 in the morning it was 87 degrees. I tried once, then wised up. The next morning I hit the air-conditioned fitness center.

-Almond milk is yummier than regular milk. It also has fewer calories and more calcium. Who knew? (Thanks for introducing me, Mom!)

-Three novels and a nonfiction are too many books for five days. I did get through two though (Room and Bird by Bird). They were both excellent.

-CBS’s Big Brother is better when watched with people who are ready and willing to slam it. (Ugh… am I the only one who hates Rachel? Am I the only one who watches even though I’m super embarrassed about it?)

-A girl can never have too many swimsuits.

-Dairy Queen’s Peanut Buster Parfaits can be made at home with vanilla ice cream, good hot fudge, and Spanish peanuts.

–Naartjie carries the cutest kids’ clothes ever. Why oh why can’t there be a store closer to me? (Actually, it’s probably best there’s not. :))

-Parents flying with preschoolers should not expect to get any legitimate work done. Instead, prepare yourself for loads of coloring.

-Editing is way more fun when the comments in the review field are funny/spot-on/complimentary/honest/thoughtful/helpful/sprinkled with smiley faces.

-I didn’t actually discover this while in Phoenix, but it’s worth repeating: My daughter is my very favorite person. She constantly makes me smile.

What have you discovered this summer?

July’s Book of the Month

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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.

This Week’s Topic: What’s the best book you read in July?

July turned out to be one of those rare months where I genuinely enjoyed every book I read, though they were all quite different. Here’s my reading wrap-up:

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young – This book grabbed me from the beginning, thanks mostly to boyfriend Harlin. He was so sweet and loving and attentive and HOT, I flew through the pages wanting to read more scenes with him. The story as a whole was incredible and–dare I say–rather inspiring. And the ending… yowza… I’m still sort of reeling from it, but in the best of ways.

Chime by Franny Billingsley – I raved about Chime in this POST, so I won’t bore you with further accolades. I will simply say: I LOVED it.

The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder – I’m not sure why I continuously shy away from books written in verse. I always end up enjoying them. This one, especially, was lovely. I’m awed by how much story was packed into one day in Amber and Cade’s lives (only about 20K words), and  I’m seriously envious of Lisa Schroeder’s gift for language.

Forever by Maggie Steivfater – If an author can truly sell me the love story in her book, I can overlook many a flaw relating to pacing, plot, and character development. I ADORE Sam and Grace of the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. They’re sweet and romantic and so respectful of each other, plus,they have subtle but undeniably hot chemistry. It’s because of them (and Cole!) that I didn’t mind Forever‘s fairly predictable plot, or the continued weirdness of Grace’s parents, or the complete implausibility of the last quarter of the story. Forever struck me as a fitting end to this trilogy, yet I still wanted more from it.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott – It’s been awhile since I read a craft book, and lately I’ve been in need of some writing inspiration. I’d heard great things about Bird and it did not disappoint. It’s succinct, funny, and honest. My favorite take-away lessons? Be authentic, view the world reverently, and do not be afraid to make mistakes. I highly recommend Bird by Bird if you’ve yet to read it.

And July’s Book of the Month is… Room by Emma Donoghue.


From GoodReads: To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It’s where he was born, it’s where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits. Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it’s the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack’s curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer. Room is a tale at once shocking, riveting, exhilarating–a story of unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances, and of the diamond-hard bond between a mother and her child.

Admittedly, I was hesitant to read this book. While I like stories that are bizarre and/or disturbing, books that include sensationalized violence against women do not appeal to me. Also, Room is narrated by a five-year-old boy. As the mother of a precocious almost-four-year-old, I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend 300 pages locked in that mindset. Well, I’m glad to report that Room is neither the lurid account of a tortured woman or the juvenile narration of a preschooler. Room, instead, is about the strength of the human spirit and an incredibly unique mother-son bond.

A comment on Jack’s narration: In my opinion, this story couldn’t have been told by anyone else. Jack is an intelligent, thoughtful boy, and his observations about what’s around him (from Room to his Ma’s sometimes erratic behavior) are eye-opening. His simplicity veils the brief scenes of violence, and he is key to all the action that takes place–we’d miss out if we weren’t in Jack’s head. It’s fascinating to view the world through his innocence. Donoghue did an amazing job capturing the mindset of a child.

I don’t want to tell you too much about Room‘s plot; I think its  impact will be stronger if you travel through the pages uninitiated. While I wouldn’t call this book a “thriller,” I certainly found it to be a page-turner. I was desperate to know what would happen to Jack and Ma as their story unfolded. Yes, I know Room isn’t a young adult novel (I think it’s actually my first adult Book of the Month!), but I highly recommend you check it out.

Tell me… what’s the best book you read in July?