What’s Up Wednesday

August 28, 2013August 27, 201359 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 posting quicker and more manageable on a weekly basis. Join us if you’re looking for something to blog about, or a great way to let your blog friends know what’s been going on with you.

******

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!

******

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?

What’s Up Wednesday

July 31, 2013July 30, 201350 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: 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

June 19, 2013June 18, 201366 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.

Before I tell you about my week, an important note for those taking part in Ready. Set. Write!: 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 Ready. Set. Write! is its 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. I’ve met my best writing friends through my blog and theirs, and I am grateful for them every day!

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

What I’m Reading: I finished Strands of Bronze and Gold the other day. It was a beautifully written story, though not so much my cup of tea. I do think people who enjoy historical fiction will like it; the descriptions of life in the 1850s are fascinating. Now, thanks to Tracey Neithercott, I’m reading an ARC of Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller and I am LOVING it. It’s exactly my type of book, just as Tracey suspected it would be. Callie is an incredibly compelling protagonist, and I’m already smitten with Alex. I can’t wait to see how the story plays out. Because I’m borrowing Tracey’s ARC and can’t crack its spine so I can read it on the elliptical (I know some of you are shuddering at the thought of a cracked spine — sorry!), I also started The Particular Sweetness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. It’s an already-worn novel I checked out from the library, so I have something to read at the gym on the mornings I don’t run outdoors. So far, it’s a lovely story with a very unique concept.

What I’m Writing: I’m making forward progress on my WiP, and I give most of the credit to Ready.Set.Write! I’ve had so much fun writing with my buddies via Twitter. I met my weekly goal of 3K words on Sunday, then surpassed it, closing out the week with 4,390 words. I’ve knocked out a few scenes and, for the most part, I’m excited about how my story is coming along. Now that the manuscript has passed 13K words, though, I’m starting to suffer from occasional yet terrifying bouts of doubt. Is this story boring? Is it stupid? Will people hate it? Am I doing the concept justice? I’m doing my best to push those pesky uncertainties away, but you know how it is. Bleh…

What Else I’ve Been Up To: It’s been a busy summer already!

Last Friday I got to help my cutie prepare for a Father~Daughter Dance. She was so excited to get all dressed up and dance the night away with her daddy. I know I’m biased, but I think she looked pretty darn adorable, and she had a BLAST.

I’ve been doing lots of baking, as per usual. Last week I made an Almond Sheet Cake with Butter Frosting for a dinner party with friends and it was very well received. If you like desserts that are sweet and rich, you will love this relatively easy cake. Also, I bought a new cookie cooling rack. It slides together for easy storage and it is aWeSoMe. Thank you, Bed Bath & Beyond!

And I’ve been doing lots of this: Playing and laughing with my favorite girl. ♥

What’s Inspiring Me Now: I’ve mentioned a few times that my WiP’s plot is inspired by a Tim McGraw song. Well, that song is not Highway Don’t Care — it hadn’t yet debuted when I started working on my project — but I’m still loving this collaboration. The desperation and longing in the lyrics align perfectly with the tone I’m going for in my story, so I’ve been listening to it on loop. Let’s all take a moment to appreciate Tim McGraw’s perfection, shall we?

Tell me: What’s up with you today?

Currently…

January 15, 2013January 14, 201334 Comments

(I originally got the idea for “Currently…” from Kate Hart, who snagged the idea from Amy Lukavics, who picked it up here.)

Loving

Hot apple cider. Random, but it’s been tasting extra yummy lately…
My new L’Oreal Hair Serum. Finally a product to counteract our hard water…
Trader Joe’s — I always feel so happy in that store…
Babies! On Sunday, one of my favorite friends had an adorable little boy. Yesterday I got to visit him and hold him… So fun!

Reading

I’m a few chapters from the end of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects. Just like last year’s Gone Girl, Flynn’s debut is FREAKING ME OUT. So many deplorable, pitiable characters. So many visceral, disturbing images. Such astute, evocative language. I cannot put it down.

Watching

HBO’s Girls. Lena Dunham is brilliantly funny. Never before has a show made me enjoy cringing. Also, MTV’s Catfish. I have a mini-crush on Nev, and every single episode is absolutely captivating. (On the subject of TV, I’m ready for Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones to return!)

Thinking About

The end of my revision. I’ve incorporated all the feedback my agent and I discussed and I am loving the results. Just a few chapters left in my final read-through, a quick beta test, and then my manuscript will be on its way back to the inbox of Agent Victoria… Yay!

Anticipating

That quick beta test I mentioned above? I’m swapping manuscripts with one of my favorite blog friends. We both love to read and write upper contemporary YA (with lots of romance!), but oddly enough, we’ve never read each other’s work. That’s serving us well, though, because we’re both needing fresh eyes on our manuscripts. I can’t wait to read hers!

Listening To

Ho Hey by The Lumineers… Not exactly country, but this song rocks.

Wishing

For warmer weather! I acclimated to the pleasant temperatures of my new California home pretty quickly. Lately, though, it’s been freezing! Okay, that’s probably dramatic. Today it got up to 55, but in the mornings when I get up to run… Brrr! Hurry up, spring!

Making Me Happy

My loves… always.

What’s currently making YOU happy?

Remember when I went on vacation?

September 27, 2012September 26, 201225 Comments

We spent all of last week visiting family in Washington. It was fantastic! So, because I really like Instagram and my girlie and my husband, I’d love to share some images from our trip…

Someone's excited to see her Mimi and Baba! #WashingtonVacation2012
Cutie pie waiting to board our flight…

One of my girlie’s favorite things to do with her Mimi (my mother-in-law, who has quite a green thumb!) is pick flowers. These are a sampling of what they collected from the garden.

We took our girl to the American Girl Store, which was amazing. She was absolutely delighted with all there was to see! She got to pick out matching jammies for herself and Dolly, and also a few books. We had a special lunch at Romano’s Macaroni Grill (YUM!) and tea/lemonade/coffee in the American Girl Bistro. All in all, it was a very fun day, and made for one tired kiddo!

Only on vacation, right? I had veggie, and it was delish!

My hometown is known nationwide for its fair, which happens over the course of two weeks in September. It’s a huge deal, and people come from far and wide to check it out. The Puyallup Fair is a big part of why we chose to visit Washington in September — my girlie has yet to miss a fair! This year’s experience didn’t disappoint; the weather was gorgeous, the food was abundantly greasy, and the rides were headache-inducing. What more can one ask for?

My husband is cute. ❤
We were lucky enough to enjoy not one but TWO adult evenings out during our trip (thank you, awesome in-laws who are always happy to baby-sit!), and we spent them both at the Puyallup Fair. Because it’s so much fun!

This sassy girl was so in her element. She had the full attention of her Mimi and Baba, plus she got to spend all kinds of time with her cousins, aunt, and uncles, who she adores. Obviously she’s not shy about hamming it up!

Bud Light, + Apple Crisp + Vanilla Ice Cream = A Perfect Autumn Treat
(Sadly, this treat was enjoyed while watching my beloved Cougs lose their Homecoming football game in its final minutes. Boo.)

Major highlight of the trip: TIM MCGRAW! This was the second time we’ve seen him live and, oh, he was so freaking good! My only complaint was that we somehow ended up sitting among a lot of old, lame people, which means my husband spent the bulk of the concert trying to convince me that I should sit down and stop fan-girling and flailing about. (He was unsuccessful.)

Airport Fun: An unexpected game of Where’s Waldo? How excited do you think this guy would be to know he’s found his way onto my blog? 😉

I’m curious about the last trip YOU took…
What were the highlights?

Friday Fun: Best Books of Summer, T-Swift(!), and Love Musings…

September 9, 201124 Comments

Happy Friday!

I had a summer of amazing books. In fact, it’s difficult to limit my list of favorites, but Paper Hangover–a fantastic group blog offering writing tips, book reviews, weekly blog topics, and teen interviews–is making me do it!

Here’s a Top Five countdown to my favorite book of the summer…

FIVE: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young – I flew through this one. Main character Charlotte is likeable and totally torn, and she has a hot boyfriend you’ll want to date. This book has a unique perspective on Heaven and Hell and a message that’s–dare I say–inspirational.

FOUR: Room by Emma Donoghue – About the strength of the human spirit and an incredible mother-son bond. While I wouldn’t call Room a “thriller,” I certainly found it to be a page-turner.

THREE: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta – I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys contemporary YA. You’ll love the setting (an Australian all boys’ Catholic school that’s recently opened its doors to girls), the dialogue (smart, funny, perfect), and the characters (engaging, delightful, memorable).

TWO: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly – Just finished this one yesterday and LOVED it! Main character Andi is someone I want to know in real life. Revolution is a very sophisticated contemporary-historical-time-slip novel that will make you desperate to learn more about the French Revolution. No–really!

ONE: Chime by Franny Billingsley – The characters, the mythology, the humor, the writing–oh, the writing. The language is absolutely amazing: lyrical, beautiful, enviable. I cannot sing the praises of Chime enough. It’s gorgeous. It’s unique. It’s a bit of a trip. It’s completely unputdownable.

So, there are my Top Five. What are the best books you read this summer?

And, since summer is coming to a close, my husband and I decided to surprise our daughter with… tickets to Wednesday night’s Taylor Swift concert! Now, my daughter is only four which–in my opinion–is way too young for a concert. But, she adores Taylor Swift. Like, really and truly idolizes her. She knows the names, lyrics, and stories behind all of her songs, asked for (and got!) a guitar for her birthday, wants “long, yellow, curly hair” like Taylor, and aspires to sing country music when she grows up.

So, we splurged on last-minute tickets, got all gussied up…

and hit the Tacoma Dome…

Let me tell you, Taylor Swift puts on an AMAZING show. She is totally adorable, so genuine, and a fantastic live performer.

My daughter was in awe (so was I, actually!) and rocked out right on through the encore. 🙂 I highly recommend you check out one of Taylor’s concerts should the opportunity arise. I’m so glad we did!

And finally, a bit of a deep Would you rather…?

Would you rather love and not be loved back, or be loved but never feel love yourself?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Tuesday Tunes: KNEE DEEP

August 30, 2011August 29, 20115 Comments

Oh, summer. Why do you have to come to a close? Your warmth and sunshine bring such cheer. Your long daylight hours motivate me into productivity. Your vibrant flowers and green grass and clear skies make me smile. Your lax attitude and slow pace are greatly appreciated. I’ve enjoyed you far more than I can express with words.

Summer, you are my very favorite season, and this year you began far too late. You’ve only graced the Pacific Northwest with your loveliness for a few short weeks. I’m not ready to say goodbye. Next June seems eons away.

Perhaps Zac Brown, Jimmy Buffet, and their feel-good song Knee Deep will grant me the strength I’ll surely need to endure nine months of soggy gray rain before your radiant sun peeks through the clouds again. At the very least, I’ll have the catchy, whistled melody of Knee Deep stuck in my head until we meet again next year, Summer.

Gonna put the world away for a minute
Pretend I don’t live in it
Sunshine gonna wash my blues away

Had sweet love but I lost it
She got too close so I fought her
Now I’m lost in the world trying to find me a better way

Wishing I was knee deep in the water somewhere
Got the blue sky breeze and it don’t seem fair
Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise there’s a fire in the sky
Never been so happy
Never felt so high
And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise

Wrote a note said be back in a minute
Bought a boat and I sailed off in it
Don’t think anybody gonna miss me anyway

Mind on a permanent vacation
The ocean is my only medication
Wishing my condition ain’t ever gonna go away

Cause now I’m knee deep in the water somewhere
Got the blue sky breeze blowing wind through my hair
Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise there’s a fire in the sky

Never been so happy
Never felt so high
And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise

This champagne shore washing over me
It’s a sweet life living by the salty sea
One day you could be as lost as me
Change you’re geography
Maybe you might be

Knee deep in the water somewhere
Got the blue sky breeze blowing wind through my hair
Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise there’s a fire in the sky
Never been so happy
Never felt so high
And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise

Come on in the water it’s nice
Find yourself a little slice
Grab a backpack of lies
You never know until you try
When you lose yourself
You find the key to paradise

*Lyrics written by Zach Brown and Wyatt Durrette

Tuesday Tunes: MEAN

June 14, 2011June 13, 20116 Comments

Okay. I know Taylor Swift is a bit of a polarizing artist. People either love her or hate her. I love her unabashedly. I think she’s adorable, a talented songwriter (her songs are packed with contemporary YA story ideas!), and she’s appears to be gracious, friendly, clean-cut and appreciative. My daughter (who’s almost four) loves Taylor too. In fact, she recently told me she doesn’t want her last name to be Upperman anymore; she wants it to be Swift. Awesome.

For the past month or so, we’ve been listening to Mean like it’s going out of style. We love the peppy beat and the stick-in-your-head lyrics (You, with your switching sides/And your wildfire lies and your humiliation/You have pointed out my flaws again/As if I don’t already see them…), and my daughter especially likes that the delightful little actress who plays Ramona in Ramona and Beezus is in the video.

Here’s the video, with full lyrics below:

You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again
Got me feeling like a nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Calling me out when I’m wounded
You picking on the weaker man

Well you can take me down with just one single blow
but you don’t know, what you don’t know…

Someday I’ll be living in a big ol’ city
And all you’re ever going to be is mean
Someday I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me
And all you’re ever going to be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation
You have pointed out my flaws again
As if I don’t already see them
I walk with my head down
Trying to block you out ’cause I’ll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again

I bet you got pushed around
Somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now
Cause you can’t lead me down that road
And you don’t know, what you don’t know…

And I can see you years from now in a bar
Talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion
But nobody’s listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can’t sing
But all you are is mean

All you are is mean
And a liar, and pathetic, and alone in life
And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean

But someday I’ll be living in a big ol’ city
And all you’re ever going to be is mean, yeah yeah
Someday I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me
And all you’re ever going to be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

Someday I’ll be living in a big ol’ city
And all you’re ever going to be is mean, yeah yeah
Someday I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me
And all you’re ever going to be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

Also, two quick things:
1) If you’d like to win a brand new copy of Jessi Kirby’s lovely debut Moonglass, you can enter my giveaway HERE.
2) My friend Caroline Richmond interviewed me for her “After the Call” series. If you’re interested in learning more about my path to signing with a literary agent, you can read the interview HERE.

RTW: Music and the WIP

April 27, 2011April 26, 201113 Comments

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This Week’s Topic: If your WIPs were a song, which song would they be?

I hope I’m not alone in the enormous amounts of time I spend searching for, downloading, and listening to the ideal songs for my works in progress. There’s something about the perfect playlist that sets the stage and gets me in the mood to write. Each of my WIPs have a playlist, and on those playlists there’s a song or two that speaks so perfectly to what I’m writing that it almost becomes a theme of sorts.

Take Cross My Heart (formerly Loving Max Holden), currently in re-writes. There’s lots of country on the playlist because Love Interest Max is totally into classic country (as am I :)), but there’s one song in particular that sets the mood for the story: Taylor Swift’s Mary’s Song (Oh My My My). It’s all about growing up and falling in love with your next door neighbor. My favorite lyrics: Take me back to the creek beds we turned up / Two A.M. riding in your truck and all I need is you next to me / Take me back to the time we had our very first fight/ The slamming of doors instead of kissing goodnight / You stayed outside till the morning light…

The manuscript I’m currently querying, Where Poppies Bloom, has a sort of dark and depressing playlist, which is appropriate to the mood of the story. The song that rings truest–the song that makes me think of Poppies every single time I hear it–is The Band Perry’s If I Die Young. My favorite lyrics: A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I’ll sell them for a dollar / They’re worth so much more after I’m a goner / And maybe then you’ll hear the words I been singin’ / Funny when your dead how people start listenin’…

My latest and greatest, Bus WIP!!! and I are still getting to know each other, but I’m just about 7K in and I’m starting to get into a groove. Bus WIP!!! has a playlist full of songs about coming into your own, growing up, and discovering who you are. Like the songs on my Poppies playlist, they tend to be on the slightly depressing side (Jeez… what’s with me and my penchant for painful music?), but there’s a glimmer of hope in most of them too. The song I’m currently loving most on this playlist is Anna Nalick’s Breathe (2AM). My favorite lyrics: “Just a day,” he said down to the flask in his fist / “Ain’t been sober, since maybe October of last year.” / Here in town you can tell he’s been down for a while / But, my God, it’s so beautiful when the boy smiles / Wanna hold him… Maybe I’ll just sing about it…

So, if your WIP was a song, which one would it be?

Tuesday Tunes – YOU LIE

April 26, 2011April 14, 20112 Comments

I’ve featured The Band Perry in Tuesday Tunes before, a little song called If I Die Young that’s still one of my very favorites. It’s the emotionalism of If I Die Young that speaks to me, and while The Band Perry’s latest release You Lie hits hard, it’s the cleverness of the lyrics that I love most. You Lie is lighter, a little more fun, and the video is very cool. Here’s it is, with lyrics below.

It ain’t complicated
Well, I’ve grown to hate it
I never liked the taste of crow but baby I ate it
They tried to warn me
They said that you were ornery
So don’t bring me those big brown eyes and tell me that you’re sorry
Well you might as well throw gasoline on a fire
The way you lie

You lie like a priceless Persian rug on a rich man’s floor
You lie like a coon dog basking in the sunshine on my porch
You lie like a penny in the parking lot at the grocery store
It just comes way too natural to you
The way you lie

That ain’t my perfume
I bet she had a curfew
You told me you were out with the boys and baby I believed you
So why you lookin’ so nervous
You know you’re gonna deserve this
I oughta kill you right now and do the whole wide world a service
Well my daddy’s gonna straighten you out like a piece of wire, like a piece of wire
The way you lie

You lie like the man with the slick black hair who sold me that Ford
You lie like a palm tree in the back yard after last month’s storm
You lie like a penny in the parking lot at the grocery store
It just comes way too natural to you
The way you lie

Well, I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do
I’m gonna drive into the big ol’ muddy river
I’m gonna park my car in the middle of the mile-long bridge
And then I’m gonna cry well maybe just a little
Then I’m gonna slip off the ring that you put on my finger
Give it a big ol’ fling and watch it sink
Down, down, down
There it’s gonna lie
Until the Lord comes back around

Because you lie like a priceless Persian rug on a rich man’s floor
You lie like a coon dog basking in the sunshine on my porch
You lie like a penny in the parking lot at the grocery store
It just comes so dang natural to you
The way you lie
The way you lie
Well it’s what you do, it’s who you are~ Written by Aaron, Brian and Clara Henningsen