Five on Friday

August 10, 2012August 9, 201228 Comments

1. WriteOnCon begins August 14th! Never heard of WriteOnCon? Well, you’re missing out! From the website: …designed to give attendees many of the features of a live writer’s conference, but in an online environment. Thanks to technologies like blogging, vlogging, livestreaming, and chats, WriteOnCon connects writers with both industry professionals and fellow peers from the convenience of their own homes. Critique forums allow writers to receive feedback and exposure for their work, and the entire program is designed to be both informative and entertaining.

Guys. There are tons of authors, writers, and agents involved with WriteOnCon. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded people, get your work critiqued, and learn from some of the best. Oh, and WriteOnCon is FREE! Click on the image below for more information…

2. I have the world’s best CPs. Not only have they provided me with amazing feedback on my WiP this summer (thank you, Taryn, Temre, Christa, and Alison!), but their writing… Holy hell these girls are amazingly talented! Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the privilege of reading work by Alison (upper-YA contemporary with a wicked twist of magic and a male narrator who has all kinds of issues and still manages to rock) and Temre (middle grade contemporary with the most charming magical thread and an absolutely adorable protagonist who I can’t wait to share with my daughter in the future). While the stories of these two writers couldn’t be more different (seriously–they’re worlds apart), they’re both utterly engaging, unputdownable, with voices that are unique and enviable. And, if reading Alison’s and Temre’s incredible manuscripts isn’t enough, I get to read Christa‘s next week. Lucky me!

3. YA Book Club, brain child of brilliant Tracey Neithercott, has an official August selection: This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers. I’ve read this book, therefor I can say with supreme certainty that it’s amazing. We’ll be discussing This is Not a Test via our blogs and blog comments on Monday, August 27th, so you’ve plenty of time to hunt it down (like you’d hunt down a zombie), read it, ponder it, and write about it. I can’t wait to blog hop and check out everyone’s thoughts on this astonishing book. For more info, click on the image below…

4. I have agent-suggested revision notes! You might recall that, with great trepidation, I sent my WiP off to Agent Vickie a few weeks ago. Then I waited nervously and ate a lot of chocolate and tried not to bug her while she read the manuscript I’ve been working on for more than two years. Well, Agent Vickie has now read it and she’s on board with it (yay!), and she recently sent me an email full of shrewd feedback and invaluable suggestions for improving the story. Mostly, this revision will consist of digging deeper, strengthening character motivations, and fleshing out backgrounds. This is the phase of writing I enjoy most (drafting = yikes!), and I’m currently letting all that feedback simmer in the depths of my mind so I can start brainstorming and dive headfirst into the work next week. Can’t wait!

5. Kindergarten. My girlie started school on Wednesday. First of all, how am I old enough to have a school-aged child? And second, how am I going to fill my days now? I’ve been a stay-at-home mama since the day my daughter was born. Now I’m just a stay-at-home… person? I mean really. One can only do so much grocery shopping and cleaning. Luckily, I have plenty of CP reading and regular reading and revising (see above) to keep me busy. And thankfully, my girlie is doing fantastically at school. So, I guess I should just be grateful for all the extra writing time and stop watching the clock, counting the minutes till pick-up. Right? RIGHT?!

Pretty girl all ready to go!

A little nervous and a little sad once reality set in. Luckily, she pulled it together and let me leave with minimal fuss. (Thanks to my dear friend Meghan for acting as paparazzi and snapping this photo through the classroom window… I love it! ♥)

A successful first day! (Again, my sweet friend Meghan… She brought my girlie flowers at pick-up time!)

Tell me: What do you have going on this weekend? Reading? Writing? Fun in the sun? (We’re cooking out with neighbors and going to a professional soccer game… Fun!)

FINALLY!

July 2, 2012July 1, 201248 Comments

Over the weekend, I finished my WiP with these words:

I couldn’t stop smiling. I STILL can’t stop smiling. There are few feelings better than knowing you’ve drafted an entire story.

Technically, this WiP was a re-drafting, or a rewrite. I imported scenes from the original story (which I wrote in June of 2010), but approximately 80% of the manuscript is new material. The characters are reimagined (I love them so much more now!) and their story is fresh and more complex. The romance is more authentic, the conflict bigger, and the stakes higher. It’s far from perfect, but for the first time in a long while, I’m truly excited about it.

And now I get to tackle my slightly intimidating list of revision notes:

I much prefer revising to drafting, though, so I’m looking forward to diving in. Time to make this manuscript shine so I can send it to my brilliant CPs and, eventually, Agent Vickie (cue nerves!).

As the summer carries on, my blogging will continue to be sporadic, but I’m slowly crawling out from my cave of WiP madness.

Yay!

Where are you in your writing journey?

M is for Max

April 14, 2012April 14, 201228 Comments

Today is the very last day to enter my Lucky Me, Lucky You Giveaway — it closes tonight at midnight, PST! A signed copy of John Green’s The Fault in our Stars and a free book of choice from The Book Depository are up for grabs for TWO winners. Click HERE if you’d like to enter!

Also, I wanted to give a quick shout to writers and fellow A-Zers Pam Harris and Marquita Hockaday. They’ve themed their Challenge posts over at their Y(A)? Cuz We Write! blog, focusing on controversial issues and subject matter in YA. So far their topics have been timely, incredibly interesting, and well thought-out. Plus, they’re plugging books that deal with each day’s controversial topic. Very cool! I definitely recommend you check their blog out.

On Wednesday (J!) I blogged about my girl Jillian, protagonist from my WiP, Cross My Heart. Today, I’d love to introduce you to her adorable neighbor, one-time best friend, and greatest frustration: Max Holden.

Max is the baby of his family, and his three older sisters never let him forget it. He loves football, classic country music, and cheap beer. He’s a straight-shooter, super energetic, and forever impulsive. One of his favorite pastimes? Making Jillian blush. Max is all kinds of fun — the life of every party — and that’s exactly why you’d never guess how much the challenges at home wear him down.

Meet Max…

Where he sleeps…

Where he lives…

What he loves…

What he dreams of…

How he jokes…

Where he unwinds…

What he learns…

Oh, Max, how I ♥ you!

Tell me: What one quality is a must in your ideal significant other?

L is for Lucky Seven

April 13, 2012April 13, 201241 Comments

Have you entered my Lucky Me, Lucky You Giveaway? A signed copy of John Green’s The Fault in our Stars and a free book of choice from The Book Depository are up for grabs for TWO winners. The giveaway ends tomorrow night… Click HERE to enter!

Happy Friday the Thirteenth!
Fittingly, I’ve got a LUCKY Seven post to share with you…

The Rules:

Go to page 77 of your current MS.
Go to line 7.
Copy down the next 7 lines/sentences, and post them as they’re written. No cheating.
Tag 7 other victims …er, authors.

Fun, right?!

So, I’ve been tagged three times now… Thanks to fabulous Kate Avelynn for tag #1. If you haven’t visited her blog, I recommend it. Her upcoming debut Flawed is one of my most favorite contemporary YA stories EVER. And thanks to adorable Sara McClung for tag #2. The seven lines she posted for Lucky Seven are absolutely fantastic, and you should definitely check them out! And thanks to Kris Asselin, one of my agent sisters and a lovely contemporary YA writer. Please do check out her sweet Lucky Seven post as well.

It just so happens that for my Lucky Seven post, you’re getting seven steamy lines from my WiP, Cross My Heart. I hope you enjoy!

When he pulls away, for one horrible second I think it’s over. But then the softest groan escapes him and he walks me backward, presses me against the wall, and opens his mouth over mine. I taste candy cane peppermint on his tongue, mingling with beer.

Will I ever know what he tastes like sober, under normal circumstances?

I immediately shove that particular musing out of my head, content to focus on the here and now: Max Holden is kissing me like it means something. Like he wants to keep kissing me, forever.

And now I get to tag seven friends… You’re up, Tracey Neithercott, Alicia Gregoire, Yahong Chi, Kat Owens, Rebecca Behrens, Kris Asselin (who’s getting tagged back because she promised a snippet from her MG!), and Taryn Albright!

In celebration of Friday the Thirteenth, tell me: Are you the superstitious sort?

J is for Jillian

April 11, 2012April 11, 201249 Comments

As you may know, I’m currently working on a rewrite of my contemporary YA manuscript, Cross My Heart. This story is a labor of love — emphasis on the word LABOR. Once called Loving Max Holden (a title I might revert back to), it’s been giving me headaches for nearly two years. But I CANNOT let it go. Why, you might ask, have I stuck with a troublesome manuscript for so long? Well, its main characters, Jillian and Max (who you’ll meet on Saturday!), are just too adorable for words. I love them so much, and, simply, I can’t not tell their story.

Jillian is the most like me of any character I’ve written. She’s got a dry wit about her, and one might say she’s emotionally stunted. She’s constantly measuring herself against others, wondering how she compares. Though she puts on a casual-cool air, she’s highly analytical. She’s tight with her dad and angsty about her (pregnant and perfect) step-mom. Jill loves to bake, and she’s got clear goals in mind. She’s not the swooning type, and she’s definitely not that girl who’d let her life be derailed by a boy.

Until… it is.

Meet Jillian…

Where she sleeps…

Where she lives…

What she loves…

What she dreams of…

What she reads…

What she drinks (no sugar, please)…

What she learns…

Tell me: Do you use visual inspiration for your WiPs?

That’s YAmore!

February 11, 2012February 12, 201219 Comments

The girls at Oasis for YA love blogfests. And they love good YA romance. So they’re back, combining the two again in their second annual That’s YAmore Blogfest. Starting today, they’re inviting YA writers to post 250 romantic, steamy, swoon-worthy words from their WiPs on their blogs. Then participants can hop around to check out all the other steamy entries.

Fun, right?!

So, because I’m awesome and currently knee-deep in a rewrite, I’m posting an excerpt from Cross My Heart (the contemporary YA romance formerly known as Loving Max Holden), the very same WiP I pulled from for last year’s That’s YAmore Blogfest post. Now, before you start to wonder if I’m crazy and completely obsessed with this story (I TOTALLY AM), please know that I do have other projects I’m working feverishly on. It’s just that I can’t let go of Cross My Heart and Max and Jill and all their angst. In the down time between my other WiPs, I find myself continuously coming back to their story, working to better it so eventually it’ll be fit to see the light of day.

*sigh*

We’re getting there.

That said, here’s a steamy little excerpt from Cross My Heart:

“What were we talking about again?” Max asks.

He’s close, so close I can see the dark stubble on his chin. I study it to avoid his eyes, but then I want touch it, to feel the roughness for myself. I look down at my hands, clasped tightly in my lap. My heart is pounding so ferociously I’m certain he hears it too.

“How everything’s changed,” I say softly.

“Jilly.” I sink unwillingly into his embrace as he whispers the nickname that never fails to melt me. “If you tell me to go home, I will.”

His words give me sudden, stark clarity, forcing me to view the situation from a distance, unencumbered by his scent and his warmth and his touch. I’m a reasonable person. A smart girl. He’s drunk, looking for distraction, a good time. As much as I want to help him come out of the darkness he’s been hiding in, I won’t be his no-strings-attached hook-up, the other woman to his obnoxious relationship with Becky McMahon. I resolve to tell him as much—that he should, in fact, go home, that he should drink a glass of water and swallow a couple of Aspirin before bed, and that I’ll see him tomorrow at school.

But before I can utter a syllable, he’s charging forward, eyes glazed, lips parted. I’m so astonished, so shocked, I let him push his mouth against mine, and even though it’s aggressive and sloppy and utterly unexpected, I fall headlong into his rhythm. I can’t help it, and I certainly can’t process this frantic, feverish kiss. I didn’t even know I wanted it, but—oh my God—it’s good.

And just like that, I forget all about the millions of reasons kissing Max Holden is a terrible idea.

Yep. That’s Max and Jill.

I ♥ them.

Don’t forget to stop by Oasis for YA to check out all the other swoon-worthy That’s YAmore entries!

Musings of a struggling rewriter…

January 13, 2012January 12, 201223 Comments

Rewriting… easy-peasy. *rubs hands together* This is going to be FUN!

*stares blankly at computer*

*embraces procrastination*

Okay then. I might be in over my head a bit here. Perhaps I should revisit my beat sheet? Complete basic outline? A DETAILED outline?

Eek.

*yanks at hair* How the hell do you replot a WHOLE STORY?

I used to know these freaking characters inside and out, but now… Who have they become? Who do they NEED to become?

*runs miles and miles and miles*

*ponders*

Huh. All this time I thought I was REWRITING, but I was really just tinkering… polishing a turd, if you will.

*has epiphany*

Must start from square one!

Okay… I might actually be making progress now. No, wait…

*groans* *cries* THIS IS SO MUCH HARDER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE! *shovels handfuls of bittersweet chocolate chips into mouth*

*finally secures a fragile hold on sanity*

Good thing my 2012 word is RESOLVE, because that’s what it’s going to take to get this thing done.

*writes*

*writes some more*

Last week SUCKED. Meeting my word count goal was like pulling teeth. But this week… Hmm.

Wait! Is that…? Oh! I think it is! The urge to write! I actually WANT to write.

Happy Friday the Thirteenth. 🙂 How’s YOUR writing coming along?

Hello, 2012!

January 2, 2012January 1, 201222 Comments

{Hmm… How long will it take me to get used to writing 2012?}

Ringing in the new year with my girlie…

First, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who participated in last week’s Class of 2011: YA Superlative Blogfest. It was an absolute delight to visit the blogs of all you participants and to read about the books you fell in love with last year. My To-Read list thanks you as well. 🙂

And another HUGE THANK YOU to my three lovely friends and fellow Superlative Blogfest hosts: Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, and Alison Miller. This whole shebang would not have been nearly as successful without your brilliance, and it definitely wouldn’t have been as fun.
You girls ROCK!

If you’ve yet to read my Class of 2011: Superlative posts (or if you’d like to reread them) check out my header. I’ve given the blogfest its very own tab for easy access to all of the amazing 2011 releases I read. A perfect place to visit if you’re ever in need of book recommendations.

And, as the final category of my last Class of 2011: YA Superlative Blogfest post, I asked you to tell me your:

Most Anticipated 2012 Release

You responded overwhelmingly with mentions of this book:

Insurgent (Divergent, #2)

Other titles named: Nevermore, Perigee Moon, Butter, If I Lie, Cinder, Partials, Hallowed, The Fault in Our Stars, The Lost Girl, Unspoken, Bitterblue, Girl of Nightmares, Ditched, and A Million Suns

My Most Anticipated Release of 2012? As if I can pick just one!

If I Lie The Selection (The Selection, #1)

Under the Never Sky Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1) In Honor The Fault in Our Stars Ditched: A Love Story A Million Suns (Across the Universe, #2)

And, speaking of 2012 releases I can’t wait for… My incredible CP Jus Accardo has one such book. It’s the follow-up to her debut, Touch, and it’s called Toxic (a perfect title, in my opinion!). Jus finally has the go-ahead to share Toxic‘s cover and summary, and (good news!) I get to help in that reveal. Without further ado, the cover of Toxic…

(She is so Dez!)

And the summary… When a Six saved Kale’s life the night of Sumrun, she warned there would be consequences. A trade-off. Something taken for the life they gained. But Dez never imagined she’d lose the one thing she’d give anything to keep… And as if it’s not enough, Dez finds her immunity to Kale fading and the Six brought in to help Kale learn to control his killer touch starts drooling on him the moment they meet. Worse than that? Jade can touch Kale. But bimbo Barbie is the least of Dez’s problems. After Dez and Kale got away at Sumrun, her father lost not only his most powerful weapon but an important piece of the Supremacy project. Forced by Denazen to remedy the situation, he poisons Dez and offers her a choice—surrender to Denazen for the cure…or die. Determined to find a solution that doesn’t involve being bagged and tagged—or losing someone she loves—Dez keeps the poison a secret. But when a rash of Denazen attacks hit a little too close to home, Dez is convinced there’s a traitor among them. Jade. Sacrifices, broken promises, and secrets. Dez will have to lay it all on the line if there’s any hope of proving Jade’s guilt before they all end up Residents of Denazen. Or worse, dead…

I’ve read this one, guys, and it’s fantastic! Full of adventure and action and Dez’s snarky wit, it had me feverishly flipping pages. Toxic is available May 1, 2012, and you can find it on Goodreads HERE.

Tell me: How did you ring in the New Year?

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?

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

August 5, 201115 Comments

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! 🙂