My Love For TV Shows

Hey all! Hop on over to Brave New Words and catch my post on TV shows.
More proof that I love most things YA.

OH! And Happy November!

Happy Halloween!!

Hi there! Round three is done! Round three is done! And yes, there really wasn't much of a break between round two and three but I actually preferred it that way. I was able to stay inside the story and keep working. It was like a Mystique marathon.
And now? Now we wait for copy edits. *Cue scary music*

But today we celebrate Halloween. And in honor of creepiness I'm here to tell y'all about the most amazing book I've read in quite some time. Seriously. I LOVED it. It's one of those books after you finish reading it you wish you could get a memory wipe so that you can read it all over again.
Let me make this perfectly clear. I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Okay. Wanna know what it is?

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.

It's creepy and intense and funny and thoughtful. It has some of the best chemistry I've read between the two main characters. AND! The writing is awesome. Michelle Hodkin kept me absolutely intrigued from beginning to end. I CAN NOT wait for the next book. This one was so fun I really didn't want to finish it. And yet I had to. I couldn't stop reading.

So. Go on out and get your candy and when everyone else is watching scary movies where teenagers scream and get hacked into tiny pieces you can be thoroughly enjoying one of the creepiest and coolest books I've read in, well, ever.

Have a safe and candy-filled day!

The Book Fairy Is Coming Today!!

I've been very patient. I waited until after I'd finished round two of edits to order these fabulous books knowing that I wouldn't be able to keep from reading them once they arrived!

Wanna know what they are??!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I have been waiting and waiting for this book to come out! I tried to find it at BEA but I wasn't fast enough. If you haven't heard about this one check out the book trailer. Go ahead. I'll wait.
SEE!! I told you!



Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

If you haven't read Stephanie's first book, Anna and the French Kiss, go read it! Seriously. Go. And then once you're all smiley and in love with Etienne go check out Lola. I can't wait to read it!!









Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

I love this series. Mostly I love Patch. It's rare when I love the 2nd book more than the first. I'm hoping the third is my new favorite.









Last week I took a break from editing to venture out to a book signing. And it wasn't just any book signing, it was Laini Taylor reading from Daughter of Smoke and Bone.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book back in May. And I know I should have given it away here once I finished it, but I just couldn't part with it. IT'S THAT GOOD!!
Seriously. This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It isn't just the story or the characters that capture you, it's the beautiful way she tells a story. I know I've found another book to add to my list of favorites when I have to stop and reread a line just so I can take in the poetic way the author is getting her thoughts across.
I love this book.

And since we're talking books...

Here are some COMING SOON selections I can't wait to read. Look for them in the next few weeks!



How To Save A Life by Sara Zarr

Have you read anything by Sara Zarr? Of course you have. She's amazing.
I can't wait for her latest.









Crossed by Ally Condie

If you've read Matched you'll want to pick this one up. I can't wait to find out what happens next!






Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

This book looks SOOOO scary! I can't wait!

New Post!

Yes. Hello there. This is the post where I mention I've blogged over on Brave New Words and promise to post here more often now that I've turned in round two of edits. I double promise. Starting with Tuesday's post where I write about the books I've ordered from Amazon and how I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO READ THEM!!

Stay tuned.

The Difference Between a Bride and a Novel

So last weekend I shot a wedding. Did you know I do that?
Well I do. It's part of my other life, you know the one where I get paid to observe people and tell their stories through photographs instead of words.

There's one big difference between photographing a wedding and writing a novel: time.

It took me five months to write Mystique.

At a wedding I generally have about five minutes to figure out what I want to do before the bride and groom, and everyone else involved in the photos, starts wondering why they're still standing in one spot. DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
I don't have the option of turning to the bride and saying, "Do you mind if I wander over into those trees so I can listen to some inspiring music? You see I really need to figure out what your exact motivation is in the next shot."

And believe me, there are days when I'd love to do just that.

Sometimes the light is perfect and the location inspires and everywhere I look I have ideas of awesomeness.
And then sometimes... I've got nothing.

The reason I'm blogging about this today is because, well, I have this deadline stalking me right now and a few days ago I sat down at the computer and typed out some words that later fell prey to the delete button and I thought back on those days when I was writing Mystique and how I would throw my hands up in the air and admit defeat. "Today is NOT a writing day!" I would say. And then I'd get up from the computer, possibly stick my tongue out at it a few times, and then GO DO SOMETHING ELSE!

But I don't have that freedom right now. Every day is a writing day until THIS BOOK IS DONE!

Thankfully I'm in a much better place today than I was a few days ago.

Notice how most of the words in this post aren't capitalized and surrounded by exclamation marks. Notice how I didn't tell you about that dream I had where my editor was standing in a field, dressed in a wedding gown, except her wedding gown was made out of pages from my book.
Instead I've left you a photo of my beautiful wedding cake. Isn't it pretty?

So. That should tell you something.

Well, Hello There!

So I've been a bit MIA lately, but there are a few reasons for that...

Did any of you hear about that one storm that swept over the East Coast and stole all of our D batteries, peanut butter and water?

Yes, well, that was the least of it. Irene won't be invited back here any time soon. And for everyone who lost more than three days of power, my heart goes out to you.

And guess what else has been keeping me away?!

Round two of edits!!

You can read all about how I survive the process here!


I will be back soon, I promise!

In the meantime, please enjoy this. Does it get any better than Bon Iver covering a Peter Gabriel song?

When It Becomes Real

On Tuesday the fabulous Gretchen McNeil's book, Possess, hit the stores.
And do you know what that means??! Apocalypsies have entered the building!!

It's real, folks. All these books we spent years writing and rewriting over and over again are going to be real life books! Like in-the-store books! And in case you don't believe me...

Here's proof!



HOW AWESOME IS THIS?!

I know I still have some time before this is my book, but HOLY COW!!

Can someone PLEASE pass me a brown paper bag.

Brave New Words

Hello everyone!

So I'm a contributor on the fabulous YA Sci-fi blog Brave New Words! And if you head on over there RIGHT NOW you can read my very first post! It's all about sexy bad guys AND it includes pictures!!

If you like your YA Dystopian-flavored or a bit on the Sci-fi side then come join us! We are nice. And our books all debut in 2012!

Random

Welcome new followers!

I feel I should explain how every once in a while I post about random things that stumble into my world and pretty much make it into my daily life.

So here goes.

The coyotes are back!

A few days ago I spotted a coyote right outside my window. I haven't seen one since right around January so this is very exciting news. And yes, I realize as I type this that I sound a bit too much like Kevin Costner's character in Dances With Wolves and I should just stop RIGHT NOW!

But. I missed seeing the coyotes. So. There's that.

Last night my husband and I took off for Brooklyn to see Bon Iver. And they're awesome! I'm a big fan. Their newest self titled release is amazing. It literally got me through days and days of revisions on Mystique.

And last night it was pretty incredible seeing them live. IN-CRED-I-BLE!

So I've been cleaning and basically redecorating all things around me lately. Even the cats have been moved around. And you all know what that means...
I'm nesting a new idea. It moved in right before I finished my edits and now that round one has been turned in I can't stop thinking about it!

Now I just need to sit down and start writing.

I'm totally obsessing over The Vampire Diaries.
I have to admit, when I first heard about the show I totally rolled my eyes. I mean, come on! Enough with the vampires!! And then my fabulous critique partner, Tracy Banghart, recommended the show to me and I thought, alright, I'll try it out...

WOW! I haven't been this obsessed over a show since Buffy or Veronica Mars!! Or possibly Friday Night Lights.
I'm so hooked that last night, while we were driving home from Brooklyn, I was tempted to climb into the backseat and watch a few episodes, but then I realized, what with our six-year anniversary coming up on Saturday, that those were the thoughts of a crack addict and I should JUST STOP. I can go a day without Vampires.
Who'da thought.

And last but not least...
I have to share something delicious with y'all!

I tried macaroons for the first time.

WHY HAVEN'T I HAD THESE IN MY MOUTH BEFORE??!

So, yes. Enjoy your Thursday!

SOOO Exciting!!

Wanna see something awesome?!?

Sure you do!

Click me

See. I told you.

Susanne's book is amazing! It's creepy and intense and I had to get up and walk around the room before reading more because it was making my heart race!

Yeah. It's that good.