What’s Up Wednesday

August 14, 2013August 13, 201346 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.

{Please make sure to link your What’s Up Wednesday posts to the list on Jaime’s blog each week. That way, other participants can visit your blog and check out what you’ve been up to. In that same spirit, I urge you to visit as many new blogs as you can every Wednesday. The most awesome aspect of What’s Up Wednesday and Ready. Set. Write is that they include a built-in support system. Let’s make sure we’re rooting each other on and offering as much encouragement as we can. Who knows… You might make an awesome new writing buddy, or a find a fantastic beta reader, or hook up with an amazing critique partner!}

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

What I’m Reading: Last week I read Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley, a cute (though slightly predictable) contemporary story about a rich city girl who, thanks to the recession and her laid-off daddy), is forced to move in with her grandparents in a small Texas town. She meets people different from herself and has to reprioritize a bit. Shenanigans and profound personal growth ensue.

I also read On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves, which I checked out from the library because I’ve heard tons of good things about it. What I knew of the concept (Anna, thirty-year-old teacher, and T.J, sixteen-year-old cancer survivor, engage in a romantic relationship on a deserted island) squicked me out at first. But never fear — Anna and T.J. spend a long time on the island (years) and there’s a lot of maturing and growing and bonding that takes place before they ever consider each other anything more than survival buddies. Hard to believe, but their eventual romance (which is legal and tasteful and pretty darn hot) is totally believeable. I was genuinely rooting for Anna and T.J. until the very last pages of their story. On the Island reminded me a bit of The Blue Lagoon, and the writing is excellent — sparse but emotional. Recommend!

What I’m Writing: Oh, my WiP… What a beast. I surpassed last week’s goal of 3,000 words with 5,004 words, for a total of 43,504. So, that’s awesome. But. The other day on the elliptical, I had this crazy epiphany about two of my main characters. I’m thinking one has too much backstory and too many challenges, and all that adversity is making her muddled and hard to relate to. The other character, I think, has it too easy, and that’s making her an obvious “good guy” in a story that shouldn’t have any clear answers as to who’s right and who’s wrong. So… I’ve got some serious revising in my future, but I’m going to hold off for awhile. I want to think through some of the details, so I’m going to push ahead from here, writing as if I’ve already “fixed” these characterization issues, and then I’ll go back and actually fix them later.

But seriously… My story scares me. This week’s goal? Officially, 3,000 words, but I’m really shooting for closer to 4K or 5K. I’m getting eager to get this draft done so I can dive into revising it and making it as close to my vision as possible.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: My kiddo is back in school–yay 1st grade! We’re all adjusting to our new routine, and I’m adjusting to having the house to myself for the better part of the day. Fun, but weird.

Saturday was National Lazy Day (yes, that’s a thing) and I took full advantage by taking a nap, watching a movie, and dragging my family out for dinner. A few months ago, my husband and I agreed to try our best to only eat out only once a week (we were spending so much money at restaurants!), so now when we do go out, it really is a treat. We savored every bite of our Chinese food.

On Sunday, we took a family hike at Garrapata State Park and it was lovely. My girl is a trooper and hoofed it about five miles (lots of uphill!). Plus, she took that totally awesome photo of my husband and me holding our WSU flag. Cougar pride runs deep. 🙂

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Storytelling is getting formulaic. This is an opportunity, a post by Nathan Bransford, in which he advises writers to know “formulas and conventions. Anticipate what your reader will expect will happen. And then pull the rug out.” Dude. I’m trying. Also, a post called 5 Tips to Creating Believable Friendships, which is especially relevant because my WiP revolves around a pair of best friends. And, finally, I’m incredibly inspired by Breaking Bad, which picked back up Sunday night on AMC. I believe it’s one of the best-written shows on television, and Walt’s character arc is amazingly well done. The entire series is a lesson in making things as terrible as possible for characters. I’m super bummed that “all bad things must come to an end.”

So… What’s up with you this week?

What’s Up Wednesday

August 7, 2013August 7, 201339 Comments

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

What I’m Reading: Last week I finished Tiger Lily, and I absolutely adored it. Such a beautiful, bittersweet story. In fact, I’m sort of sad that it was a library book. I might just have to buy a copy for my collection. Yesterday I finished Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (my fiftieth book of 2013!). It’s awesome. The worldbuilding is stellar and totally unique, and The Darkling… what a fascinating character. A big recommend if you’re a fantasy fan, or if you like books that have super high stakes and are full of surprises.

What I’m Writing: My WiP and I have mostly made up. She’s still challenging me at every turn, but that’s what makes writing fun, isn’t it? I’m one scene from finishing my read-through of the first half of the story, which is a pretty great feeling. I’m glad I decided to read and reassess and make adjustments as necessary, even though I’m still very much drafting. I rediscovered bits of the story that are lovely and well-written, and I reconnected with my characters. It’s been a motivating experience, and I feel good about drafting the second half of the story. Here’s a tiny excerpt…

Sometimes Jenna thought of her parents, their expectations and the church’s. Sometimes she thought of Dylan, whether her best friend would ever find the escape she was searching for. Often, she thought of singing. How much she missed it and how, after years of projecting clearly and resonantly from deep within her soul, her song had gone mute in the space of a night.

But mostly, Jenna thought of Tyler. Tyler, who made her feel beautiful and melodic and lucky. Tyler, who, after Saturday night, might very well have written her off.

My goal for the coming week is to add 3000 new words to my WiP.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: I spent most of last week planning and hosting my girlie’s sixth birthday bash (even as I type those words, I can’t believe I have a six-year-old). The music-themed party was a big success, and we had a fantastic time celebrating with lots of wonderful friends. Here are a few pictures…

I made that purple guitar out of poster board for a “Pin the Pick on the Guitar” game. My mom made the birthday girl’s super-cute party dress.

Lots of stars and guitars and bright colors. Taylor Swift provided the soundtrack.

I’ve said this about a thousand times in the last few days, but I still can’t quite wrap my head around the fact that six years have passed between the days these two pictures were taken. I am *way* too young to have a six-year-old. 😉

And, since I’m blathering about the too-quick passage of time, let’s all pause to appreciate the first day of 1st grade, which is TODAY! Lots of extra writing time in store for this mama!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: This post on the Plot Dot Test by agent Natalie Lakosil, because I love a good visual representation, and this one goes a long way in solving pacing problems. And this link, inviting us to “do nothing” for two full minutes. It’s way harder to relax and zone out than I thought it would be, and probably far more important than any of us realize. Try it! Also, this quote…

What’s up with you today?

What’s Up Wednesday

July 31, 2013July 30, 201350 Comments

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

What I’m Reading: Over the weekend I read OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu. Don’t let the cheery yellow-and-pink cover mislead you; OCD Love Story is a heavy book about teens dealing with sometimes debilitating mental illness, and there are some cringeworthy moments. But there are also moments of humor and a sweet, sweet romance, making this an issue book that doesn’t feel like an issue book. Now, I’m reading Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson, which is dark and magical and gorgeous, and I am loving every minute of it.

What I’m Writing: Bleh. I’m mad at my WiP. It’s being uncooperative and troublesome. My goal for last week was to read through the first 35K and revise it according to some changes I’m making to backstory/character motivations. I got a good chunk of it done, but I didn’t finish completely. Boo. The sections I have revised are much improved, though, and I am making progress, but it’s slooooow progress. My goal for this week is to keep plugging away. I WILL finish my read-through/pre-revision, and I’d like to write at least one new scene. That said, my daughter’s birthday party is Friday, her official birthday is Saturday(!), and we’ve got a date with friends at the water park on Sunday. It’s going to be a busy weekend, but I’m going to do my very best to make time for my WiP.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Mostly, I’ve been gearing up for my girl’s sixth birthday. She wants a rocker-girl theme, a guitar cake, a piñata, and lots of music. So, that’s what we’re doing. I’ll share pictures next week. 🙂

Last week’s Kenny Chesney concert was AMAZING. He’s such a dynamic performer, and he played all of my favorite songs — I was so happy! John Mayer made a surprise appearance and spent some time jamming with Kenny on stage. So cool! The party bus was also predictably awesome, and we had a fantastic time with our friends. I was beside myself with glee the whole night. 🙂

I also tried a new cookie recipe… Total win. Peanut butter and chocolate are pretty much the best combination ever, and when paired with a frosty bottle of Well’s Banana Bread Beer (YES), well, that’s pretty much culinary nirvana. (I used this cookie recipe, but instead of peanuts, I used peanut butter chips. Yum.)

What’s Inspiring Me Now: My daughter, who met her summer reading goal a few weeks before school started. I’m so proud of what an excellent reader she’s become. Her love of books thrills me.

Tell me… What’s up with you?

What’s Up Wednesday

July 24, 2013July 23, 201349 Comments

First, and perhaps most importantly, today’s the day Alison Miller, Elodie Nowodazkij, Erin Funk, Jaime Morrow, and I get to announce the winner of our Ready. Set. Write! giveaway.

Congratulations… RAVEN MOORE!

You’ve won an amazing Writer’s Care Package! Be on the lookout for writerly gifts from Alison, Elodie, Erin, Jaime, and I, and keep up the amazing progress you’ve made on your WiP this summer. We’re so happy for you!

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

What I’m Reading: I finished The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, which was harrowing and complex and pretty darn captivating. I also read All I Need by Susane Colasanti, a novel that surfaced just as I was longing for a light, beachy romance — and that’s exactly what I got. Such a cute story! Yesterday I finished Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys, a book that came highly recommended by Jessica Spotswood. I loved this one. Main character Josie’s life is brutal, but she experiences moments of such sincere beauty. And the setting (1950 New Orleans) is absolutely fascinating. I urge you to pick it up if you’re looking for a novel that’s historical and gritty and affecting. Now, I’m diving into OCD Love Story by debut author Corey Ann Haydu. Can’t wait to see what’s behind its awesome cover!

What I’m Writing: Before I tell you about my WiP, I have to recommend the following article: 25 Things to Know About Your Story’s Stakes by Chuck Wendig. I came across it at the ideal time, and it’s helping me evaluate my WiP with a fresh perspective. Basically, I need to torture my characters even more. Awesome!

This week I passed my 3K goal with a total of 3,404 words. I reached my story’s midpoint(ish) and did some honest assessing of what I have so far. I decided to make a few changes to some backstory and motivation stuff, so this week I’m focusing on fixing the first half of the story to match the direction the second half will eventually take. So, yes, I’m revising while I’m drafting, but that works for me. Just as I can’t relax when my house is cluttered, I can’t continue to write when I know there are parts of the story that are incorrect or fragmented. So… This week’s goal: Finish revising the front half of my WiP.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: Um… Just getting crazy-pumped about GOING TO SEE KENNY CHESNEY TOMORROW NIGHT. Guys. I’m a pretty chill person, normally, but I am positively giddy about this concert. With a group of friends, we’ve rented a party bus to take us to the venue, a ride which will be plenty of fun on its own. But then… I’ve seen Kenny twice before and he puts on an amazing show. I can’t wait to be reunited with him and his tight jeans. 😉

I’ve been spending lots of time with my little lovely, who turns six in tens days and starts first grade in just two weeks. She was recently promoted to Level 3 at swim lessons, and has discovered a love for costume jewelry, as evident in the above right photograph. Love her.

The other day I padded my cookie repertoire with a tasty new recipe: Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies. They turned out sweet and hearty (thanks to the addition of oats), with a cranberry tang — perfect for summer. Even my husband, who claims not to like white chocolate, managed to choke a few down.

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Amazing news from my friend Jessica Love: She has a book coming out with St. Martin’s Press! She’s co-writing a YA novel based on the life of Chelsie Hill, one of the featured cast members on the Sundance Channel’s reality series Push Girls. This story… It’s SO inspiring, guys. I can’t wait for you to all read it! Don’t forget to drop by Jessica’s blog to congratulate her!

Also, I’m inspired every time I snack on yummy European treats and wear my awesome new Ready. Set. Write! t-shirt, both courtesy of Elodie Nowodazkij, who is one of the most awesome and encouraging people I know.
Thank you again, Elodie! ♡

Tell me… What’s up with you this week?

What’s Up Wednesday

July 17, 2013July 16, 201354 Comments

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

What I’m Reading: I recently read In the House upon the Dirt between the Lake and the Woods by Matt Bell. It was… weird. Very literary and very dark. If you like adult fiction that steps way outside the box, you might want to check it out. Now I’m reading The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, a futuristic dystopian/thriller. It’s action-packed and pretty fantastic so far.

What I’m Writing: Still plugging away at my WiP. I made a Love List for it and, despite all its 1st draft flaws, I do really and truly love this story. I wrote 5,913 words this week (my goal was 3,000) and I’m up to 32,592 total. Considering that I started Ready. Set. Write! with about 9,000 words, my forward progress makes me really happy. This baby is starting to feel like a story that’s finishable! A favorite bit written last week:

He’d just shredded a hole into his already precarious acquaintanceship with Dylan, a hole that could very well be beyond mending, yet here he was, instantaneously and inappropriately enamored with her sexy black underthings. But really… Who could blame him? It’d been months since he’d seen a bra.

My goal for the coming week is 3,000 words, which should be doable. I’m finding that writing at least 500 words a day is becoming a routine, one I definitely want to keep up as the summer begins to wind down.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: I’m honored to have been chosen to help judge the August Pitch+250 Contest held by one of my favorite blogs, Adventures in YA and Children’s Publishing. Submissions will be accepted starting Wednesday, July 31st at 6:00pm EST, and will close August 3rd at 11:00pm EST, or when 50 submissions are received, whichever comes first. If you’ve got a complete and polished manuscript, consider submitting a pitch (not a query) and the first 250 words of your story. All the details of the contest are HERE.

Also, over the weekend, we visited the The Old Mission in San Jaun Bautista. The Catholic church’s construction began in the early 1800s, ending in 18 12. The building and grounds are ornate and beautiful. We also explored San Jaun Bautista, which is a charming little town with some cool antique shops and a fabulous Mexican restaurant, Jardine de San Juan, that we totally pigged out at.

And, finally, I’ve been doing the mom thing, carting my girlie from activity to activity, supervising playdates, giving pedis, and reading countless stories. School starts August 7th in these parts, so I’m already beginning to mourn the end of summer. It’s flown by so quickly!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: My WiP’s new setting, based on a mash-up of a few small agricultural towns near us. I’m calling my tourism “research.”

What’s up with you today?

(If you’re a Ready. Set. Write! participant, don’t forget to enter our fantastic giveaway. Alison Miller, Elodie Nowodazkij, Erin Funk, Jaime Morrow, and I will be sending an awesome Writer’s Care Package to one lucky winner. The giveaway closes in one week. Find the Rafflecoptor and more details HERE.)

Love List ♥ ♥ ♥

July 15, 2013July 15, 201338 Comments

Many moons ago, I read an inspirational guest post about Love Lists by contemporary young adult author Stephanie Perkins’ for author Natalie Whipple’s blog. Here’s what Stephanie had to say:

Whenever I begin a new project, I also begin a list called “What I Love About This Story.” I start by writing down those first ideas that sparked the fires of my mind, and then I add more ideas as I discover them during my push through early drafts. I use this list as a touchstone to remind myself during the hard times why my story is worthwhile. It’s easy to forget the GOOD STUFF when I’m wading through the muck, and the end is still months away, and it feels pointless and hopeless to continue. This list becomes a crucial reminder: Yes! This is a story worth telling!

Brilliant, right? Last year I made a Love List for Cross My Heart and, since I’m currently knee-deep in the Muddled Middle of my new WiP, I thought it might be a good time to write up its Love List. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far…

Best Friends
Boone’s Farm
Birthdays
Betrayal
Baseball
Bubble Gum
Small Towns
Red Hair/Freckles
Vintage Movie Theaters
Fast Cars
Full Moons
First Love
Desperate Love
Dancing Under the Stars
Dead Ends
Dusty Libraries
“Love is a splendid tragedy…”
Kissing (Obviously)
Tim McGraw
Train Tracks
Twiggy
Unspeakable Secrets
Escaping/Fleeing/Breaking Free
“Inside all of us is a wild thing…”

Have you ever made a Love List for a work-in-progress?
(If you decide to make a Love List for your WiP, let me know…
I’d love to check it out! Also, be sure to visit the Love List my friend Alison Miller posted today — it’s awesome!)

What’s Up Wednesday (It’s giveaway time!)

July 10, 2013July 9, 201351 Comments

GIVEAWAY DETAILS TO FOLLOW!

What I’m Reading: I finished Katie McGarry’s Dare You To. It was an entertaining read. Beth, despite all odds, grew on me, and Ryan was pretty freaking adorable. If you like Pushing the Limits, you’ll probably like this one too. Now I’m reading The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, this month’s selection for YA Book Club, hosted by Tracey Neithercott. So far I’m… confused? I’m not sure I like the story, exactly, but I have this funny feeling that the end is going to be amazing and the payoff will be grand. Only time will tell.

What I’m Writing: I smashed last week’s 3,000 word goal with a grand total of 6,183 words for the week. The best part? I think there may actually be some good stuff hidden among all those words. Win! In other news, I’ve decided to change my WiP’s setting (for some reason I set it in a small Appalachian town I’ve never visited. Why, Katy?). I’m going to switch things up and set the story in a fictional California town, one based on a town that’s about an hour from where we live. The change shouldn’t be too drastic; I’ve still got the small town life atmosphere going for me, but I’ll have to do some adjusting regarding weather and scenery and other such details. Sounds tedious, but setting is kind of a big deal to me, so I’m excited about the change. I think I’ll do a better job of writing about a place I’ve actually been to. I like details. 🙂 Goal for next week: 3,000 words, along with some research on a few religious aspects of my story.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: We had a busy holiday weekend (belated Happy Fourth of July to all who celebrated!)…

Fireworks are strictly forbidden in our town which, frankly, is fine by me. So, on the Fourth, we headed to our favorite beach for a barbecue and a bonfire. It was a gorgeous night, and we had a blast hanging with friends, playing in the waves, and devouring delicious food.

I’ve been writing, therefor I’ve been baking. When I’m drafting, I’m usually good for about an hour before I have to get up and do something else (clean, run, play with my girl, whatever). My favorite thing to do is fix a treat because baking is mindless and the outcome is awesome. This week, I made Homemade Reeses Peanut Butter Cups (pictured left — no-bake!) and Oatmeal Bars with Dark Chocolate Frosting (pictured right, recipe from the Linen Napkins to Paper Plates cookbook). I also made a Banana Blueberry Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Nordy Bars. I went through tons of butter and chocolate chips.

On Sunday we hiked the Pinnacles and it was beautiful. We ventured through some caves and found a lovely man-made reservoir. It was about 95 degrees outside, so our hike was cut short by a sweaty, somewhat grumpy five-year-old, but it was definitely fun while it lasted.

What’s Inspiring Me Now: I’ve been suffering from a bout of Writer Crazies. Meaning, I’ve been second-guessing everything about my WiP (see the above comments about setting…). Is the story too weird? Too edgy? Are the characters unrelatable? Are they boring? New doubts contradict their predecessors, and then a whole new crop of insecurities emerges. I’m terrified that I’m getting it ALL WRONG, and that’s making me grouchy. But, I happened upon the following quote the other day, and it really hit home:

Lose the fear, Katy. Lose. The. Fear.

Ready. Set. Write! Giveaway

As promised by myself and Ready. Set. Write! co-creators Alison Miller, Elodie Nowodazkij, Erin Funk, and Jaime Morrow, participants in this summer’s most awesome writing intensive now have the opportunity to win a fantastic Writer’s Care Package featuring goodies from all over the world (literally!). Celebrate five weeks of writing productivity by entering to win a journal, tea, a mug, a book on craft, tasty treats, and other fantastic writing-related surprises.

To be considered eligible for the Ready. Set. Write! Giveaway you must have participated in AT LEAST one week of Ready. Set. Write! and shared an update of your goals and progress on your blog (most likely in the form of a What’s Up Wednesday post). To enter, click on the link below and fill out the Rafflecoptor with information about your Ready. Set. Write! progress, as well as any bonus entries you may have earned. The giveaway runs through Tuesday, July 23th. Winners will be announced Wednesday, July 24th. Open internationally.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Good luck, writers!

Tell me: What’s up with you today?

On Book Nerdiness…

July 5, 2013July 4, 201328 Comments

Last week, I wrote a Four Book Friday guest post for Mackenzi Lee‘s blog. In it, I discussed four books that have greatly impacted me. It was fun to reflect on all the books I’ve read and loved, and to dissect what it was about each one that affected me so deeply. Please do check the post if you’re so inclined…

Two of the books I chose for Four Book Friday (Blubber and The Face on the Milk Carton) are books I first read and fell in love with when I was (technically) a child. You see, I’ve always been an avid reader, an enthusiast of stories, and a collector of books. I recall being very young, using the slice of light cast into my bedroom from the hallway to page though tattered copies of Ramona and The Babysitters Club. I recall family visits to Waldenbooks (remember it?), turning squeaky racks packed with Sweet Valley High books, searching for the perfect paperback. I recall high school, disappearing into the library during lunch hour, where I devoured books instead of food.

Even now, I sneak bits of reading into my day. While on the elliptical at the gym. Blow drying my hair. Sitting in the spectator section during my daughter’s swim lessons. And I always read before I go to sleep at night. A good book is the perfect conclusion to any sort of day.

I am such a Book Nerd.

The other night I went into my girlie’s room to tuck her in and found her already asleep, snuggling her favorite doll and a book.

I can’t tell you how happy this sight makes me. It’s as if my life has made a full and complete circle… My baby is an emerging Book Nerd. I am so proud.

Are you a lifelong reader?
What kinds of books did you read when you were young?

What’s Up Wednesday

July 3, 2013July 3, 201358 Comments

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

What I’m Reading: I finished Jessica Spotswood’s Born Wicked. It’s an awesome book, but the ending! Cate… Finn… My heart! I need to get my hands on Star Cursed as soon as possible! I also read a middle grade story, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, which was absolutely beautiful. Thanks so much for recommending it, Tem! And in a jarring change of literary pace, I started Dare You To by Katie McGarry, which is pretty darn good so far. In fact, I think I like it even better than Pushing the Limits. Plus, there’s a fantastic scene-related playlist that includes tons of country music — yay!

What I’m Writing: I’m glad I scaled down my word count goal for the last week. Because we had family visiting, I knew my writing time would be limited, and I didn’t want clouds of guilt and pressure hovering over my head while we had company. I was shooting for 2,000 words and ended up doubling that with 4,012 words. The surplus is courtesy of a few bouts of insomnia (boo!), but I passed the 20K mark and I still like my story, so I can’t complain. In the next week, I’m hoping to add another 3,000 words to my story. Here’s an excerpt:

It’d been a weird month. Despite his parents’ not-so-subtle discouragement, Tyler had managed to leap into a new relationship just weeks after moving to Clayton City. This thing he’d started with Jenna was good, new and different and intoxicating, but it was far from effortless. The girl was sweeter than honey and the mere sight of her got him all hot and bothered, but her mood was precarious at best. She was never bad-tempered, exactly, but her timidness had a way of blurring into unjustifiable panic, and that scared Tyler shitless.

He was polite and considerate, had always heeded signals and treated girls with respect. He’d learned by example: Tyler had never heard his father utter a discourteous word in his mother’s direction. But when it came to Jenna, good manners fell just short of enough. Tyler was always on his toes, endlessly aware of and adjusting to her moods for fear of upsetting her.

He took off his hat and ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. Jenna… She was wound tighter than a monkey’s nuts and she made him anxious as hell, but she was exhilerating in a way he’d never experienced—a prize just out of reach. They’d been making out for a month and the kissing was really freaking good, but Tyler wanted more. Of course he did.

What Else I’ve Been Up To: I’ve gone a whole week without baking, so no tasty recipes to share, but I have been keeping busy with other things…

For starters, last week I hit a big running benchmark: I ran my 1,000 mile of 2013. I’ve been keeping track of my distances each day (whether they be on the road, treadmill, or elliptical), and as I inched closer and closer to the 1K mark, I started pondering physical locations 1,000 miles away that I could have run to. For example, Monterey Bay to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Or, Monterey Bay to Spokane, Washington. Not that I have a burning desire to go to Santa Fe or Spokane, but still… Fun to think about.

We had a wonderful visit with family last week. My daughter enjoyed plenty of cousin time, and we did lots of fun touristy things: the aquarium, Carmel, the beach. We also ate lots of yummy food and indulged in plenty of treats and laughs. Just look at those smiles…

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Lately I’ve read a couple of craft posts that have been both helpful and inspiring. First, Why the Hero’s Journey is a Tourist Trap by Lisa Cron (at Writer Unboxed), about focusing on your story, trusting your intuition, and continually asking why?. And second, Trouble Shooting Deep Point of View and Voice by Susan Dennard (at Pub[lishing] Crawl) about understanding your POV character’s world view, and the questions you can ask to get to know that character on a deeper level. I highly recommend both articles! What else…

A cool new book-related Instagram photo challenge, hosted by RaeGunRamblings. I’m having all kinds of fun with this one!

And, of course, gorgeous summer sunrises. The promise of views like the one above are what get me out of bed early each morning.

Tell me: What’s up with you this week?

What’s Up Wednesday

June 26, 2013June 25, 201360 Comments

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

What I’m Reading: I finished The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and felt sort of eh about it. I didn’t hate it, but I was unsatisfied with the ending. Still, the writing is beautiful, so it’s worth checking if you like literary fiction. I also finished Where the Stars Still Shine, which I absolutely LOVED. I’ll tell you more about it in a future Bookanista post, but I will say that I adored main character Callie, and I’m head-over-heels for Alex. *swoon* Now, I’m reading Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood. I’ve yet to find a witch (or caster) story I really like, but so far I’m very much enjoying this one. Jessica’s writing is gorgeous, the alternate history is fascinating, and I’m digging spunky main character Cate. Can’t wait till I get to those steamy kisses I keep hearing about.

What I’m Writing: Still plugging away on my WiP! I’ve managed to keep up my 500-ish words-a-day average with a total of 3,084 words this week, just barely meeting my goal. I’ve surpassed the 16K word mark, which is exciting, and I’m starting to find a real groove with my characters. Knowing what they’d do and how they’d feel in a given situation is becoming more instinctual, and now that I’ve nailed down their backstories and motivations, their interactions are flowing quicker, and much more smoothly. I’m an edit-as-I-go first drafter and that’s slowing me down a bit, but I think that by the time I finish this sucker, it’ll be something I can work with. That’s about all we can ask of our first drafts, right?

I’m going to adjust my word count goal for this week. Instead of 3000 words, I’m going to shoot for a slightly more manageable 2000. We have family visiting and a busy weekend ahead, so my writing time is going to be limited. Still, I vow to hold on to the momentum I’ve found since starting Ready. Set. Write!

What Else I’ve Been Up To: As usual, things have been crazy around here…

I’ve been baking — surprise, surprise. I bought a package of Snickerdoodles for my daughter and her friend the other day. Of course I had to taste one, and it was so unsatisfying I decided to try my hand at baking some from scratch. I found a recipe at my favorite baking blog and whipped up a double batch. Oh my goodness… So yummy. And so much better than the store-bought variety!

Over the weekend, I took my cutie for a hair cut. When I asked her if she wanted her usual trim, she said, “Nope. I want my hair cut like Kit Kittredge‘s.” So that’s what we went for. While I think my girlie looks absolutely adorable, the mama in me is kind of freaking out. She also looks so much older. *sniffle*

On Sunday we went hiking deep in The Los Padres National Forest, which is so scenic. After our hike and a picnic, we searched for some hot springs we’d heard about and, after a treacherous sixty-minute drive down an isolated one-lane dirt road, we came across the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, a Buddhist monastery that has turned the hot springs into Japanese baths and welcomes both practicing Buddhists and paying guests. Rather than strip down and hop into the baths with a bunch of very rustic-looking strangers, we skipped the hot springs and toured the grounds instead. The monastery is beautiful, and so peaceful. I wouldn’t mind spending a few days there with my manuscript and my yoga mat.

We have family visiting! My husband’s sister, her husband, and their three kiddos drove all the way from Washington to Central California to see us, and we’re so happy! We’ve been having lots of fun checking out the sights (the other day we went to the Winchester Mystery House — totally bizarre), and just hanging out. My girlie is thrilled to spend so much time with her cousins!

What’s Inspiring Me Now: Lots. My fellow Ready. Set. Write! participants and their stellar progress. The Twitter writing parties I’ve been participating in. The gorgeous summer scenery in our part of the country. I’m also feeling incredibly inspired by my recent read, Where the Stars Still Shine. It’s just the sort of book I long to write. Reading it made me want to work harder so one day, hopefully I can.

What’s up with you today?