So I Haven't Posted My Goals

I keep thinking that my next blog post is going to be my writing goals for the year. I'm a big believer in goals, without them I tend to not get anything done. But for some reason I haven't sat down and worked them out this year or any real goals for myself yet. I'm happier when I have them, but I haven't felt like I'm ready to make them. I don't know if that makes sense or not.

I have been thinking about them. I have been changing things about my life in a positive way. My house is a lot cleaner than it's been say in the last year, and it's staying that way. I'm on top of it. It's company ready all of the time, which is nice. (And somehow the kids aren't destroying it--maybe they reached the magic age of having a fairly clean house.) I'm exercising every day and the first week sucked. I was cranky. I had a headache every night and I went to bed so, so early. But now I've got more energy. I'm staying up a bit later and I'm a lot more cheerful. And I want to write even more.

I think right now I'm getting everything in order so I can make things happen. So I can be happy. This is the year that I want to take my life and make it into what I want it to be. So part of why I haven't posted goals is I'm making sure I know what exactly that is before I do it.  And I'm getting myself and my family ready for the big changes that I'm going to make happen.

Hope you all are doing well!

Best Books of 2014

It's been way too long since I posted, but I wanted to do something for the end of year. Hopefully I'll post a bit about my goals for the new year, soon. I'll have some quiet time the next few days to really reflect on it, and I want to make 2015 the year I start really getting done. But on to the best books (my favorite reads) of this year.

1. Breathe Annie Breathe by Miranda Kenneally 

This was just awesome. It's sad at times, the grief throughout the book is very, very real. But there is hope. I really loved this every time I read it. (Which is a lot--I love to reread books). So good, if you haven't read this, you really must.

2. Immortal Beloved series by Cate Tiernan

I picked this book up randomly at the library. And I started the book, and fifty pages in, I stopped found out it was a series, put the entire series on hold at the library. Then finished the book and drove the next morning to get the other two books because they couldn't get here fast enough. I've reread the series again, and it is great.  The books are Immortal Beloved, Darkness Falls, and Eternally Yours. It's young adult, but it feels older to me. Still, I loved, loved, loved this book. Just awesome.

3. Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross

This was a book I found on sale at Amazon. And it was my first book I read put out by Entangled Publishing (which I really like everything I've read put out by them). It's a love story, and I really liked the characters and stories. I also really like Third Degree by Julie Cross.

4. Someday Maybe by Ophelia London

This is a retelling of Persuasion, and it's new adult. I really enjoyed the book, and the other in the series so far Definitely Maybe (Pride and Prejudice retelling). Also I've enjoyed everything I've read by her, and I'm finishing up the last of the books she has out right now. Great new author. She's added to my must reads list. 

5. Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins

This is on here, because it is the first time in a long time where the series stayed as good as the first book. The series starts with Sweet Evil, then Sweet Peril and ends with Sweet Reckoning. You won't be disappointed finishing this one. I look forward to more books by her.

Enjoy your new year celebrations!

Books I Love: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After 

by Stephanie Perkins

This is a book that I've been waiting to come out for a long, long time. And it was worth the wait. Such a great story, and of course it has a happy ending, because of the title. One of the things I love about Stephanie Perkins is that she brings the characters back for little appearances. It brings the entire trilogy full circle.

Isla (pronounced I-La) is a student at School of America in Paris. She has had a long-time church on Josh, another student there. When they run into each other over the summer, Isla decides that it must be fate and something needs to happen. But Josh has issues of his own, and the story goes from there.

Have you read it yet? What did you think? If you haven't read any of Stephanie Perkins yet, you simply must. You can start at the beginning with Anna and the French Kiss, or read Lola and the Boy Next Door. However, they can be read out of order. 

Books I Love: Magnolia by Kristi Cook

Magnolia by Kristi Cook

This book is set in the deep South in a small town. Jenna grew up with Ryder, and their mothers want them to get together and eventually marry. But they don't even like each other right now. The story is pitched as a reverse Romeo and Juliet. And the story is fun, quick and sweet. I think I loved the setting in this story as much as anything, and the characters were well developed. Overall, it is a fun read.

Kristi Cook also wrote  Haven,  the first in a trilogy that I also really enjoyed. The books are interesting and the pacing is good. Haven  is a vampire story with a unique twist. Have you read anything by her? What did you think?

Friday Five: Summer Vacation

1. Just got back from vacation, which is why I haven't posted. I wanted to plan ahead and do it, but then I needed to plan ahead for my jobs that actually make me money and the blog got pushed to the end of the list. We went to visit my sister in Ohio. The kids were great, and somehow we managed the eight hour drive that seemed to go on forever. But it was very pretty.

2. The weather up in Ohio is much nicer than here in North Carolina. I don't know how I'd feel in the winter. But man the summer was nice. Highs of 84. Cools down at night to 51. There is some humidity, but nothing like here. I loved it just for that. We had a lot of fun going to the pool and the zoo and just hanging with the little cousins.

3. It was nice to really take a break from all work. And I'm finding it hard to motivate myself to go back. I need to get to work today and I've managed to procrastinate it for several hours. I may still be procrastinating it in several more. Just one of those days when you want to recover.

4. The car ride did get a little rough, with some screaming that "He's touching me. Make him stop touching me."  Fortunately, no one got car sick. The kids actually did pretty well for the most part. At the six hour mark things got a little tense. But we made it without killing each other.

5. Now it's time to start back to school shopping, clothes, school supplies and everything else. Only a few more weeks left of summer vacation! Eek. But I'm ready to get back onto a solid routine!

Friday Five: Camp and Other Nonsense

1. My oldest has been away at camp all week. Of course it has poured buckets of rain all week. I'm hoping that she had a good time. It's the first time I've sent my one of my kids away for a week without it being family.

2. I was up late writing last night, pulling parts of my plot together. But I'm sure feeling it this morning. Is it my age that I can't seem to handle anything past 1:00 am anymore. Just last year I was pulling 2:00 or 3:00 without huge penalties. Now I'm exhausted!

3. I started out with an in-person critique group, and joined an online one. I did both for awhile, and then things got too busy and I left the in-person grow, which has since dissolved with people moving away. I love my online group, but I'm thinking about joining another in person group in addition to my online one. It's scary because I'm so introverted.

4. With working from home, and my introverted issues, I think I'd be a hermit if I didn't have kids. I could see days where I wouldn't talk to anyone. It's crazy to think about it honestly. I need to push myself outside of my shell a bit more.

5. I am taking the boys ice skating today, which means pulling out the jackets and winter box of gloves and hats. We discovered ice skating last fall and the boys love it. Especially Jacob. I always feel a bit silly dressing like it's the middle of winter in July, but it is very necessary.

Have a great weekend!

Books I Love: Breathe Annie Breathe by Miranda Kenneally

Breathe Annie Breathe by Miranda Kenneally

I have been a big Miranda Kenneally fan since I read her first book, Catching Jordan, a few years ago. I was looking forward to reading this book. And I wasn't disappointed, in fact I think this is my favorite out of all of the books that she's written. It's the kind of book that when I finished, I wanted to pick it up and start reading it over again. I think she did a great job capturing how Annie was feeling, and I really identified with Annie and her grief.

Annie has decided to run a marathon in honor of her boyfriend who passed away. The story is about her training, and learning to move forward after the boy she planned to spend the rest of her life with passes away. Another great part of this book is the number of characters we get to see again, and how it made me want to go read their stories again. Definitely worth reading this summer, if you haven't picked it up.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Writing Wednesday: Hearing Voices--snatches of dialogue

I know I've hit the groove of a story when I'm planning out dialogue between characters as I complete my other tasks throughout the day. Sometimes that can be frustrating, because I know I'm going to lose whatever I'm thinking about. I've seriously thought about finding a way to record it. (I don't have a smart phone) And eventually I'm going to have to get some sort of voice recording software for when my typing skills disappear. (But that's a story for another time).

My biggest problem with that is computers and smart devices, tablets, etc seem to think I don't exist. My husband says the voice thing is because I mumble, but I don't think I mumble. But also they don't respond about fifty percent of the time when I swipe or press buttons or whatever. I think I am a technology ghost and soon I will stop existing.

I read a great book yesterday that just came out, and I will post about it on Monday. It had several similar elements to my Steve and Aimee book, but it's different enough that I should be okay still writing. When I finished reading, I just wanted to start working on my story even more. It's not often that I can say that about a book.

How do you deal with ideas that come to you while you are out and about or doing other things? I'd love to hear your strategies.

Books I Love: The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Maddie is a cheerleader, and a closet comic book fan. She hides everything about her love of comic books because she is afraid her friends will find out and stop wanting to hang out with her. Her world begins to change when she goes into the local comic shop to get the last edition of her favorite comic. She meets a cute boy and is slowly sucked into his world of comics, role playing and video games. Along the way Maddie finds herself lying to those that she cares about the most, and she has to learn how to balance both parts of herself.

This was a great read. It was endearing. One of my favorite parts of this book is that most of the judging came from Maddie herself, not her friends or other people. I love books that point out the fact that people don't usually fit into just one mold or the other. It was a fun read. Great for a summer day.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Friday Five: Reading and Summer Fun

1.  I have a twelve-year-old daughter who has just got the reading bug. She's always been a discriminate reader. If she loves something, she reads the series super fast and then doesn't read for awhile. Because of her friends she read Twilight over the last few weeks of school. And I just got her started on Ally Carter. It's so exciting to me, because she is venturing into the world of YA, which has some of my favorite books and series I've wanted to introduce her too for ages.

2. My boys on the other hand have completely sworn off reading. It is summer and they will not do anything related to school, no matter how much I try to convince them otherwise. It can be frustrating, especially because I know how much reading can help them. However, they are well-versed in Minecraft, YouTube and silly prank videos.

3. We've had bad luck with car door handles in the last month, with one on my van, and one in my husband's car. Fortunately, the fixes don't look too hard, so it is just going to be the cost of parts. But it is still a bit crazy that they both broke.

4. When I'm working, I sit at my desk which faces an open window. I love to pull up the blinds and stare at the trees just outside of the window. On one of the trunks, there is a face in the trees. It's where some branches were either timed back or fell off, but it looks exactly like two eyes and a mouth. It's funny to see the face staring back at me. I also love to see the blue birds and cardinals that fly around back there.

5. It's funny because when I was a bit younger, I always wanted my kids to sleep in, so I could. I wanted desperately to sleep much later then they would let me, but now that they've started to sleep in I'm waking up all on my own between 6:00 and 7:00 each morning. I don't understand this. I'm still staying up late. It's making me exhausted.

Have a great week!

Writing Wednesday

Last week, I was reading a blog post that recommended reading 2k to 10K: Writing Faster, Writing Better and Writing More of What You Love by Rachel Aaron. The book was only 99 cents, so I decide to go ahead an purchase it. It was a quick read and I really liked the ideas she offered to help you boost your productivity. Great ideas, that mostly involved planning before you write.  Another thing she did was track her productivity with words per session and words per hour. She figured out her most productive times to write.

I really liked the advice that she gave in the book, and I'm going to try implementing over the next few weeks. I'll give a report back about what worked for me and what didn't. Maybe you should check out the books and see if her suggestions work with your writing style.

What do you do to increase your word count?

Books I Love: How (Not) to Find a Boyfriend by Allyson Valentine

How (Not) to Find a Boyfriend by Allyson Valentine

This is a totally fun book about Nora who is determined to leave behind her geeky smart image and focus on being popular. She makes the cheerleading squad, and the hottest guy in school is interested in her. She couldn't be happier until Adam moves to town. Adam doesn't seem impressed by her popularity, but he is smart. Nora sets out to win him over by proving how smart she is.

I really enjoyed this book when I first read it in the fall, and I enjoyed it again on my second read through. It's fun, while sharing the message that it's okay to be smart and not everyone is judging you in the ways that you think. A totally fun read. Have you read it? What did you think?

Books I Love: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

I've been a fan of Sarah Beth Durst since I read Ice, and when I realized I hadn't featured one of her books yet, i really had to stop and think about which one I wanted to choose. Honestly, it was a tough decision. She creates these haunting stories set against the best worlds. These are books that sweep you up into them, and you honestly feel like you are a part of the world that you are reading about. So honestly, read any of them and you won't be disappointed, plus it looks like three new books this year. Exciting.

Vessel is the story of Liyana, a girl who has been training her entire life to become the vessel of the goddess. She will give up her body and life so that the goddess can posses her, and it will bless her village and her tribe. She dances and performs the ceremony, but it doesn't happen. The story goes from there. It's exciting, and romantic and poignant. So worth reading. 

Have you read anything by Sarah Beth Durst? What did you think?

Writing Wednesday: Writing Consistently

One of the things that helps my writing the most is writing consistently. My best writing is usually done in the evening. For some reason, my ideas flow and I'm able to get a lot more done if I'm not utterly exhausted. But with my kids growing up, a set schedule is something that I can only dream about happening. Even my evenings aren't what they used to be as my kids stay up later, but still need to be tucked in at night.

By consistency, I mean taking the time to write each day on a regular basis. When I am consistent, I am able to accomplish more when I do sit down. It's like exercising. If I am running three miles a day, then it is easier to get up and run, no matter when I do it. While if I haven't exercised in awhile, the idea of running three miles is daunting, and my body fights me every step of the way.

For me consistency or writing every day is the key to being successful at writing. I'm not always perfect at this, but I am trying. What about you?

Books I Love: Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

I am a big fan of Lisa McMann. Her books are engaging, and they are quick reads. She's written a middle school seres, which I haven't read, and two young adult trilogies and a few stand alone novels. The young adult novels are horror/thriller type stuff, and really good. There aren't really gruesome, more creepy. I enjoyed the Wake trilogy a lot, and the Visions trilogy, but the book where scenes will randomly pop up in mind is Cryer's Cross.

This story is set in a very small town, that has experienced a number of disappearances. Kendell, the main character, has just lost her boyfriend, who disappeared, and is struggling to get over it when a new  boy moves into town. Then her best friend disappears. The tension is high throughout the novel.

I don't normally do creepy books, and I want to put the disclaimer out there that if you get scared when you are alone at night, then you might want to read this in broad daylight surrounded by people. Have you read it? What did you think?

Friday Five: First Week of Summer

1. One week down, and a lot more to go. This week hasn't been bad. We hit the pool, rented a movie, and hung out. The worst part of the week has been the temperature. It's been close to 100 degrees every day, and when we wake up it's over 80. Yikes. We won't make it, because this is August weather, and if it is like this now what will it be like in August?

2. Chores. For some reason I am failing epically as a parent when it comes to chores. I did chores from the time I was quite small at home. The dishes, the bathrooms, the living room, mopping. And I remember thinking my parents were slave drivers. Somehow I haven't established a good chore routine with my kids, and now I desperately want to. I really, really could use some advice on how to set it up and get it going.

3. My plan was to start exercising this week, and stay on the schedule I wash on with sending my daughter off to middle school. It didn't happen. I think because I was staying up too late, because my night owl kids and husband were all staying up too late as well. My daughter would stay up until 1:00 or 2:00 and then sleep late, but not quite late enough and she's been a bit cranky. I think we are instituting bedtimes again next week. 10:00 pm for the summer.

4. Since we've been to the pool twice this week, I've managed to get sunburned. When I don't put sunscreen only face, I usually manage to avoid a sunburn, but when I do I always end up red and peeling. I don't understand why or how that works.

5. I have been craving donuts all week. We may go on a donut run this weekend.

Have a great day!

Writing Wednesday: Studying Craft

If you are serious about writing (which I like to think I am), then it is important to study craft. There are lots of way to do this. You can go to conferences and attend some classes on craft. You can do more intense workshops where they work on your novel and really pick it apart. There is the MFA option. Or you can read books on craft.

Most writers do a combination of the above. One of my favorite books about writing is On Writing by Stephen King. I love it because it is by someone that has written a lot of very successful books. he is living the life of the writer, and I think his advice is really good. One of the things he talks about doing every day is reading.

I love to read, and I learn a little bit from every book I read. Sometimes if I can't stand a book, I'll go back and read it to find out what went wrong. It helps to see what isn't working.

And there are times when I'll reread a book to figure out what makes it work so well.

Sometimes I read a book where the writing isn't the greatest, but it still pulls me in, and keeps me turning the pages, and I try to pin down what works and why.

How do you study craft?

Books I Love: When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison

When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison

This is the story of Gemma, who is 37, single and struggling as a small business owner. She works as a personal chef and the story follows her as she visits different families. And of course there is some romance.

I really liked this. It is definitely chick lit and totally fun when you read it. I finished the book in about two hours, and it was the perfect escape that I needed. 

Have you read it? What did you think?

Friday Five: Summer!

1. Eek! It's summer. I danced around the house after I put the kids on the bus this morning. My husband looked at me like I was an idiot. I'm torn on summer--lots less free time vs no more fighting about getting up and doing homework. Plus bedtimes are pretty lax in the summer. Today I'm celebrating.

2. Randomly, I just used up my first entire tube of Chapstick in my life. I've always lost the tube before it ran out, and I'm wondering how I managed not to do that this time. Very random fact.

3. With the shift in the schedule, it means it is a great time to look at my goals and my time and take the time to get my priorities in line. Although I really want to sleep later every day, I figure my body is used to getting up early, and I plan on taking advantage of that. I'm going to exercise every morning before the kids get up. Hopefully, this will mean a healthier me.

4. This weekend is Father's Day. I'm so grateful for my dad who's a great example to me. He is kind and patient and a great supporter. He introduced me to books and genres that I love, and taught me to think critically. I'm also so grateful for my husband, Rob, who is a great dad to my kids. He teaches by example, and he's super fun and goofy.

5. The last few weeks my husband and I have been debating back and forth about what to do with our youngest son Jacob. The school system we are in will let kids skip a grade in one subject, and his teacher suggested he skip second grade math and go up to third grade. In order to qualify he had to take a test and score well on it. Jacob did that, and I signed the papers. He is super excited about it, and I know he's mastered the things taught in second grade math, but he's so small physically. (He's about the size of a four year old) And he has a high pitched voice. And my hubby and I are worried that he'll be picked on or that he'll miss time with his class doing fun things. But Jacob is excited and super proud of himself. Super proud. So we did it, but we are still nervous.

Have a great week!

Writing Wednesday: Creating a Writing Plan

School is letting out this week, which means a major change of plans for schedule. But I think it is good to change things up a bit. It gives me a chance to recommit to my priorities and work out things that aren't currently working in my schedule. With my kids home, and trying to fit in extra hours on top of that, we are looking at a tricky schedule.

I'm a planner, and I like to create little schedules that I follow and lists where i mark things off. And then life happens and I don't accomplish anything that I intended. I find that life (with kids) works better when I'm a lot more flexible, and so my writing plan for the summer is going to be a bit more flexible in the hopes that it actually works.

Editing time is going to be pool time. My kids are finally big enough that they can swim by themselves in the pool. (We go to a pool with multiple life guards, so I can focus on reading, and just check on them from time to time). I don't want to take my laptop, and I could take my kindle (my hubby got me the must wonderful waterproof case), but I really want to run through edits on my manuscripts and not waste the free time that is granted by pool trips, so editing will fit in there. We'll likely go two times a week, so it should be between four to six hours to edit a week.

Writing time, I find that I'm still most productive at night. Even when the kids are at school and it's quiet. There is something about it being dark out, taking my shower so my hair's wet (weird I know) and putting my headphones one and writing. Unless I'm tired. So I'm planning on writing then, and maybe other times when I squeeze it in. It'd be great if I could become an early morning writer, but I honestly don't think that's going to happen.

So those are my plans what are yours?