RSW Update 4

July 7, 2014July 7, 201454 Comments

Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at in our writing—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing. This year, your RSW hosts are Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, and myself. Find the rest of the details HERE.

* How I did on last week’s goal(s).

1. Complete a revision of my contemporary YA, Where Poppies Bloom… IN PROGRESS. I’d been hoping to be done by now, but still… nope. I revised ten scenes this week, and I have twelve left to go.

2. Complete the first draft of my contemporary YA, The Road So Far, by the close of RSW… IN PROGRESS. I didn’t work on this project at all last week. Poppies has to be my priority now, but I can’t wait to get back to this one!

3. Read (on average) one YA/adult novel per week… YES! I read Amy Christine Parker’s Gated, a seriously creepy contemporary about life in a cult.

4. Read (on average) one MG novel with my daughter every two weeks… YES! We’re working on one of Sara Mylnowski’s Whatever After books, and my girl read a chapter book on her own, one from the Baby-Sitters Little Sisters series.

5. Maintain my tan… YES! My family and I went to the beach on Independence Day and spent all morning in the sun.

* My goal(s) for this week.

Finish my Where Poppies Bloom revision. Send it to Alison. 🙂

* A favorite line from my project OR a word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised.

The first line from Where Poppies Bloom…

I never used to be the type of girl who hotboxes her bathroom.

* The biggest challenge I faced this week.

I had family in town all week which was awesome, and of course I wanted to spend my time doing fun things with them. Revisions took a backseat, but I’m back at them now. My girlie’s going to Zoo Camp this week (!), so I’ll have every day from 9-3 to work, work, work.

* Something I love about my WiP.

I kind of want to strangle my WiP right now, so… I baked Danish Puff and Texas Chocolate Cake. I love these desserts more than anything I’ve written lately.

In other news… July is the month of RSW giveaways!

For the next four weeks, Erin, Jaime, Alison, and I will be giving away some pretty spectacular Writer’s Care Packages. All you have to do to be eligible is participate in Ready. Set. Write! and enter via the Rafflecopter link below.

This week, Erin’s giving away an adorable package including a journal, to-do notepad, mug, 2 kinds of tea (in the gold bag: wild cherry & chai chilli pepper), tea filters, rainbow pens, sticky tabs, Post-its, paperclips, Tic Tacs, and gum.

Enter to win here: A Rafflecopter giveaway!

I can’t wait to read about how Ready. Set. Write! is going for you.
Don’t forget to share the link of your latest post below!

What’s Up Wednesday – Plus a Giveaway!

May 14, 2014May 13, 201434 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…

Giveaway details at the end of this post!!!

What I’m Reading: I read a lot over the last week. I finished Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and thought it was absolutely adorable. I can’t wait for the follow-up, P.S. I Still Love You. Next, I read The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bonds, which came highly recommended by Sara Biren, and I thought it was fantastic. Loved the unconventional family set-up, and the budding romance was sweet and different and rather mysterious, which was cool. Plus, the Pacific Northwest, and cougars! Then, I flew though Tammara Webber’s Easy, the most unputdownable book I’ve encountered in ages. I haven’t read tons of NA, but this one was quite different from the ones I have perused. While sexy and wildly entertaining, it was also beautifully written and emotional and deep. I’m so looking forward to reading its companion, Breakable. Now, I’m reading Kristin Rae’s debut, Wish You Were Italian, which is a discordant follow-up to Easy (Italian is very much “clean teen”), but I’m still loving it. Pippa is too cute, and the setting (Italy, obviously) is giving me a wicked case of wanderlust.

What I’m Writing: I finally finished my outline (it’s very detailed, but — I think — flexible enough), and I am super excited about this new project, guys. I wrote the opening chapter a few weeks ago and have since discovered that I started in the wrong place (as usual). So, yesterday I rewrote that first chapter. Now it fits nicely into my outline and my beat sheet. Much better.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Still watching Gossip Girl. Still swooning over Blair’s clothes and Nate’s baby blues. I just finished Season 2, which was all kinds of melodramatic and awesome. In other news, on Monday I went to a book signing in celebration of the release of Of Neptune by Anna Banks, who’s a local author. I’ve yet to read any of the Syrena Legacy books, but I’ve managed to acquire them all over the last few days and I’m looking forward to diving into this new series (see what I did there?!). And, finally, I’m having lots of fun playing mama. The school year is winding down, and my daughter and I are soaking up the last few weeks of first grade, and making big plans for summer fun.

I had a lovely Mother’s Day! My girlie made me breakfast in bed (toast with honey and blackberries), gave me an adorable coupon book and a piece of art she made at school, and hung with me at the beach. Couldn’t ask for a better day. ❤

Also, I made easy (yummy!) homemade brownies. Here’s the recipe.

What’s Inspiring Me Now: My WiP! I’m having a blast working on it! I love this stage, when a project feels fresh and new and exciting. Hopefully it lasts a good, long while. Additionally, I’m finding an article by Janice Hardy at Fiction University called Four Questions to Ask to Make Your Scenes Pop really helpful. Great reminders for those drafting or revising.

And now… Today’s Giveaway

I lost my copy of The Baby Name Wizard during our cross-country move back in December — cue sad face. I searched for it for months because I love it for naming my characters, and because my copy had tons of names highlighted from seven years ago, back when I was trying to name my yet-to-be-born daughter. Anyway. I finally broke down and purchased a new copy, the 3rd edition pictured below, because I have characters who need names, like, yesterday. Wouldn’t you know it — I found my original copy an hour after the new one was delivered. After paging through the 3rd edition, I decided it isn’t all that different from the 1st, at least not in ways that matter for my needs. Plus, my old copy has sentimental value. So, that pretty new 3rd edition is up for grabs! Details below…

*Anyone who comments on this post will be automatically entered in the random drawing. If you already own this book or don’t have a need for it but would still like to comment, just let me know that you’re not interested in the drawing and I’ll exclude you.

*Giveaway is open through Sunday at midnight, and I will announce the winner in next week’s What’s Up Wednesday post, after emailing him/her.

*Giveaway is open internationally (while this book focuses on name popularity in the US, I personally think it’d be helpful to anyone, anywhere). Writers and actual baby-namers alike are welcome to enter. 🙂

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

April 30, 2014April 29, 201446 Comments

First, congratulations to… Jaime Morrow, who was randomly selected as the winner of a signed copy of Meredith McCardle’s soon-to-be-released debut, The Eighth Guardian! I think you’ll love this one, Jaime. I’ll have your book in the mail ASAP!

What I’m Reading: I’m slowly making my way through Huntley Fitzpatrick’s What I Thought Was True. It’s a lovely story, but I’ve not had a lot of time to sit down and read lately — see “What Else I’ve Been Up To” below. I’m very much looking forward to settling in and getting lost in Gwen’s island world.

What I’m Writing: I’m trying to work out the plot of the WiP I started playing with, the follow-up to one of my other projects. I know what I want to happen, but getting there isn’t as easy as I’d hoped — surprise, surprise. That’s okay, though, because I’m still feeling super inspired by these characters and all of the new conflict I’m planning to throw at them. Yay for SNIs!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Lots of stuff! It’s been a busy week…

I got a lot done around my house. I filled some pots and decorated my front porch (finally), and spent hours helping my girlie sort out her mess of a bedroom. When we moved in, we didn’t give much thought to furniture placement or functionality, so we did some rearranging and reorganizing and the space is so much neater and prettier now.

On Saturday, my girl had a tea party to attend for her friend’s birthday, and then we went to Pensacola for a minor league baseball game. We ate hotdogs and cheered for the Blue Wahoos and had an awesome time.

On Sunday we went to the beach, my very favorite thing to do. I could happily spend every afternoon with my toes in the sugar sand, watching my girl pretend to be a mermaid in the waves. My happy place. 🙂

Yesterday I tried a new recipe, Flourless Chocolate Cookies. Yum. They’re sort of fudge-y and super rich, and also very easy to make. Recommend!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Gossip Girl! I’m nearly done with the second season and I’m loving it. It’s fluffy and soap-opera-esque, but the writing is a lesson in creative conflict, amped up pacing, and pushing the envelope. The characters — even the most evil characters — have backstories and redeeming qualities that make them fascinating. Plus, the fashion… it’s glorious. In other news, I had lots of fun reading YA Highway‘s recent License to Drive post, all about road trips and first cars. The WiP I’ve been toying with has a road trip element, so I’m eating up everything I can find about teens on the road. Got any extraordinary road trip stories to recommend?

What’s up with you today?

Bookanistas Rec :: THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN by Meredith McCardle

April 24, 2014April 29, 201416 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
The Eighth Guardian by Meredith McCardle (May 6th, 2014)

From Goodreads – Amanda Obermann. Code name Iris. It’s Testing Day. The day that comes without warning, the day when all juniors and seniors at The Peel Academy undergo a series of intense physical and psychological tests to see if they’re ready to graduate and become government operatives. Amanda and her boyfriend Abe are top students, and they’ve just endured thirty-six hours of testing. But they’re juniors and don’t expect to graduate. That’ll happen next year, when they plan to join the CIA—together. But when the graduates are announced, the results are shocking. Amanda has been chosen—the first junior in decades. And she receives the opportunity of a lifetime: to join a secret government organization called the Annum Guard and travel through time to change the course of history. But in order to become the Eighth Guardian in this exclusive group, Amanda must say good-bye to everything—her name, her family, and even Abe—forever. Who is really behind the Annum Guard? And can she trust them with her life?

I had the privilege of beta reading The Eighth Guardian for Meredith last year and have since reread the paperback (which I’m giving away today — see below!). Guys, this book is so cool. It’s time travel done right, full of twists and betrayal and fascinating historical reference; the stakes are unbelievably high.

Amanda (code name Iris) is exactly the kind of protagonist I love. She’s sassy and smart and doesn’t put up with crap from anyone. She’s so courageous, and she refuses to bow to those in positions of power, no matter the sacrifices she has to make to do what she believes in. I loved traveling through the decades with her. Oh, and Amanda has a really cute boyfriend, too. This romance lover’s a fan. 😉

The Eighth Guardian is a smart, smart book. It’s super fast-paced. The writing is top-notch. It’s a novel that makes you think. It makes you work for answers, and the payoffs are huge. Every chapter is a surprise, and almost no one’s who they originally appear to be. I love how Meredith plays with the past, bending important historical events to work with her plot. And I love how relentlessly she challenges Iris, who quickly learns that there are no easy solutions, especially when it comes to altering history.

I’m so, so happy that The Eighth Guardian is the first book in a series, and I can’t wait to follow Iris on more adventures through the past!

Want to win a signed paperback copy of The Eighth Guardian before its release? Well, lucky you, because I’m giving one away today!

To be automatically entered in the giveaway, leave a comment below telling me which historical event you’d travel to if you had a fabulous Annum Guard time travel watch…

(Giveaway is open internationally and will close Sunday, April 27th. I’ll announce the winner on Monday, April 28th. Good luck!)

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

What’s Up Wednesday

April 23, 2014April 22, 201426 Comments

What I’m Reading: I reread Meredith McCardle’s The Eighth Guardian, which was even better the second time around. It’s out May 6th, but I’m posting a Bookanista recommendation tomorrow and giving away a SIGNED copy. Make sure you check back to read my (raving) review and enter to win! I also read Open Road Summer, which is most definitely one of my favorite reads of the year thus far. It’s as if Emery Lord took all of the things I love (romance and road trips and country music and friendship and awesomely rendered characters) and mashed them into one beautiful novel. I’ll do a Bookanista rec of this one next month. Too good not to. 🙂 Last night I finished Brandy Colbert’s debut, Pointe, which was mind-bogglingly amazing. It’s tragically complicated and gorgeously written, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

What I’m Writing: I revisited my YA contemporary All Mixed Up. My agent had a fantastic idea for tweaking a certain plot line, so I revised and sent the story off to two beta readers to assess. I’m also writing bits of a potential sequel, which I discussed in more detail in #3 of last week’s Friday Five post. Who knows if it’ll go anywhere, but I’m feeling inspired and that’s pretty much the best.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: I don’t know… Not a whole lot, with the exception of reading and writing and revising, plus hanging with my girl (we Rocked the Drop together last Thursday, which I recapped HERE — so fun!). The last week seems to have flown by. I feel like I’ve been crazy-busy, but I don’t have much to show for it. Hmm…

I did make Chocolate Chip Cookies on Saturday because my daughter wanted to snack on the cookie dough. (She is so my child.) I’ve shared my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe before, but these babies are so tasty and easy, the very perfect cookie texture, and I think it bears repeating. Find it HERE.

We celebrated Easter with a big brunch, a fun basket, an egg hunt, and a hike around a local lake because it was too cool for the beach. Low key, but really nice.

What’s Inspiring Me Now: An important post by 2014 debut author Alexandra Duncan called The Slutshelf Giveaway. Long story short, someone on Goodreads placed her novel on an invented virtual shelf called “Slut.” Let’s just put aside the fact that the protagonist in Alexandra’s novel, Salvage, (which I haven’t read yet but am very much looking forward to) only has sex once (with a person she apparently loves and intends to marry) and get down to the heart of the matter: A “Slut” shelf? Really? I can’t even… So, I’ll just point you, once again, in the direction of Alexandra’s post. She’s putting a positive spin on the absurdity with a fantastic giveaway that you should definitely check out because for every person who enters, she’ll donate one dollar to the Freedom to Read Foundation (up to $1,000). And her agent, Kate Testerman, has agreed to match all donations. Awesome, right? Please do help spread the word!

Tell me… What’s up with you today?

Cover Reveal: ONE, TWO, THREE by Elodie Nowodazkij

April 8, 2014April 7, 20142 Comments

Today I’m thrilled to help reveal the cover of my friend Elodie Nowodazkij‘s contemporary YA debut novel One, Two, Three (June 26, 2014).

Here’s some information on Elodie:

Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she’d never lose her French accent. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Modern Language & Linguistics, and later earned master’s degrees in German Cultural Studies and European Studies. Unbeknownst to her professors, she sometimes drafted stories in class. Now she lives in Germany with her husband and their cat (who doesn’t seem to realize he’s not human), and uses her commuting time to write the stories swirling in her head. She’s also a serial smiley user. One, Two, Three is her first novel.

*Learn more about Elodie’s upcoming releases by subscribing to her newsletter.*

And here’s the synopsis of One, Two, Three:

When seventeen-year-old Natalya’s dreams of being a ballerina are killed in a car accident along with her father, she must choose: shut down—like her mother—or open up to love.

Last year, Natalya was attending the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was well on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. Last year, her father was still alive. But a car crash changed all that—and Natalya can’t stop blaming herself. Now, she goes to a regular high school in New Jersey; lives with her one-time prima ballerina, now alcoholic mother; and has no hope of a dance career. At her new school, however, sexy soccer player Antonio sees a brighter future for Natalya, or at least a more pleasant present, and his patient charms eventually draw her out of her shell. But when upsetting secrets come to light and Tonio’s own problems draw her in, Natalya shuts down again, this time turning to alcohol herself.

Can Natalya learn to trust Antonio before she loses him—and destroys herself?

Sounds sad and intense and romantic, right? Right up my alley!
Ready to see the cover?!

Isn’t it gorgeous? I can feel Natalya’s brokenness just looking at it.

And, because Elodie is amazing, she’s hosting a giveaway in celebration of One, Two, Three‘s cover reveal. Up for grabs: gift cards, an autographed ARC of One, Two, Three, ebook copies of One, Two, Three, and a charitable donation to the classroom book project of the winner’s choice. Enter by clicking the link below!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Elodie Nowodazkij’s Blog
Elodie Nowodazkij’s Twitter
Elodie Nowodazkij Goodreads

Tell me… What do you think of One, Two, Three‘s cover?

YA Superlatives Blogfest Winners

January 30, 2014January 29, 20146 Comments

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who participated in 2013’s YA Superlatives Blogfest. My To-Read list has grown by leaps and bounds because of all of you! Jessica , Tracey , Alison , and I had so much fun reading posts, commenting, and meeting new bloggers. We’re already looking forward to next year’s Superlatives Blogfest. 🙂

As promised, we have randomly selected four bloggers (from those who posted superlatives lists on all four days of the blogfest) to win a 2013 book of their choice. Those lucky winners are…

Rachel (Beauty and the Bookshelf )
Rebekah Faubion
Sophia L
Stephanie Allen

Winners, please email the title of the 2013 book you would like, as well as your mailing address, to katy(dot)upperman@live(dot)com. We’ll have your book in the mail as soon as possible. Congratulations!

HOW TO LOVE Winner…

November 11, 2013November 11, 20132 Comments

First of all, Happy Veterans Day, and a heartfelt THANK YOU to all who serve, and have served in the past, especially my amazing husband.

Second, thanks to all who commented on last week’s How to Love Bookanista recommendation. It was so fun to hear about what you’re reading and loving!

Biggest congrats to…

Jennifer Pickrell

You’ve won a copy of Katie Cotugno’s How to Love! I’ll be in touch today so we can sort out the address details. Hope you adore this story as much as I do!

Have a great week. 🙂

Bookanista Rec :: HOW TO LOVE

November 7, 2013November 8, 201323 Comments

Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
How to Love by Katie Cotugno

From Goodreads – Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists, until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind. After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

This book… I wish I could put into words how much I adore it, and how deeply it moved me. If ever there was a perfect Katy Book, How to Love is it. It’s a story full of all the things I love about contemporary YA: an awesomely relatable main character, a troubled but inherently good love interest, emotional richness so intense there were times I had to step away, and tons of sweet/steamy/loving/passionate moments that never, ever got old.

There were so many elements of this story that I felt a personal connection to, and most of them led back to main character Reena… Her longing for adventure and her enthusiasm for writing. Her maturity and introvertedness. The fondness she feels for the members of her family, imperfect as they are. Her desire to be a good person, and to make good choices, not to mention the guilt and disappointment she feels at failing. Her unconditional and lasting love for Sawyer, and her absolute devotion to her daughter. Reena is my idea of a “strong female character” personified, and she’s my newest favorite YA protagonists.

Other things I love about How to Love… Its Florida setting. Its strong sense of family. Its references to Catholicism. Its fantastically genuine voice and witty dialogue. Its nonlinear before-and-after format. And, of course, its love interest, Sawyer LeGrande. Oh, Sawyer… He’s got issues. He can be a jerk. He does stupid things. And yet, I love him as Reena does. Somehow, even through all of his nonsense and idiocy, it’s easy to see the goodness in Sawyer’s heart. It’s easy to root for him to get his shit together, for his sake and for Reena’s.

I adore How to Love in the very same way I adore Lola and the Boy Next Door, The Sky is Everywhere, Where the Stars Still Shine, Fangirl, and Saving June. I want so badly for it to get the exposure it deserves, and I’m so confident that you’ll love it too, I will buy a copy for one lucky person who comments on today’s post (US only, please). So, tell me about the last truly fantastic book you read, and I’ll randomly select a winner and post his/her name Monday. Sound good?

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

Shari Arnold is enthralled with THE BITTER KINGDOM by Rae Carson

Christine Fonseca is nostalgic with ROOMIES by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Jessica Love is wild for WINGER by Andrew Smith

Tell me: What’s the last really amazing novel read?

What’s Up Wednesday

August 28, 2013August 27, 201359 Comments

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Can you believe Ready. Set. Write! is over?! *sob* Not that I’m going to stop goal-setting and writing and participating in What’s Up Wednesday, but still… Our fantastic summer writing intensive is all said and done!

My fabulous co-hosts and I would like to thank you for participating and celebrate your success by offering critiques. Of course, we don’t presume to be experts, but we do know how helpful it can be to get a fresh perspective on our writing. So… Erin, Jaime, Elodie, Alison, and I are offering feedback on the first ten pages of five Ready. Set. Write! participants’ stories. That’s FIVE critique giveaways! All you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter below…
(Giveaway is international. Open to those who participated in Ready. Set. Write!)

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Best of luck!

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And now, here’s what’s up with me this week…

What I’m Reading: I finished Morgan Matson’s Second Chance Summer. While the writing was lovely and the characters were well-drawn and likeable, this was a tough story to get through. The inevitableness of a tragic event is made clear early on, and the entire book is a journey to a heartbreaking conclusion. Yet, there’s a sense of hopefulness that keeps it from from becoming unbearably sad. More next week for YA Book Club. Now, I’m reading The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater, which is predictably awesome and packed with beautiful prose. Big thanks to Krispy, who generously loaned me her ARC!

What I’m Writing: Guys, I’m busting through my WiP. I wrote 6,831 words this week, and I think most of them are good words — yay! Since Ready. Set. Write! began a few months ago, I’ve written just short of 50K words, a number I’m thrilled with. The other day I completed what I’m pretty sure is the strongest, most emotionally charged scene I’ve ever written. We’ll see what my CPs have to say down the line, but for now I’m feeling encouraged and successful and really excited about my writing. I’m rolling with it.

Daisy is excited too.

In addition to working on my WiP, I started revising another project I’ve been working on off-and-on for the last couple of years. There are a few issues with the conflict and, with the help of my super savvy agent, I’m going to solve them. In an effort to assess the story’s pacing and reacquaint myself with its structure, I put the Plot Dot Test to use. I love visual aides (and graph paper!).

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Other than reading and writing, I’ve mostly been spending time with my girl, which is sort of funny since she’s in school almost all day now. Quality over quantity, I suppose. We’ve been making the most of our afternoons and weekends, reading books, doing art projects, having special breakfasts, and going on girls-only shopping trips. It’s been fantastic!

Perfect morning beach walk with my favorite girlie. We love California!

The start of a new soccer season. Coordinating practice uniforms are important.

What’s Inspiring Me Now: I recently rediscovered Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb while watching my boy Leo in The Departed (love that movie!). Even though this song isn’t country, its tone and lyrics fit my WiP extraordinarily well. Plus, it’s really chill writing music. I’ve been listening to it on loop.

Also, from blogger/mama/Aussie/super creative person Chantelle (AKA FatMumSlim), a very cool compilation of “what to blog about” ideas. A great list to check out next time you’re in a bit of a blogging rut.

So, tell me… What’s up with you this week?