Archive for Me Me Me

Sample Chapter and Other Stuff

I know, I know. I’ve been absent again. The sequel to TOUCHED is due to my editor at the end of this month, and my first pass pages on IF I LIE are due on 2/1. Add my MFA creative thesis due at the end of the month, too, and you’ll understand why I’m hiding in a hole. These are great problems to have, though, so I’m not complaining. Instead, I’m putting my head down and trying to get through this month.

In the meantime, TOUCHED: Der Preis der Unsterblichkeit is out in Germany on February 17 from Thienemann Verlag. If you can read German, a sample of the first chapter is up on my publisher’s website. The cover is simply gorgeous. Sorry, US, peeps! You’ll have to wait until December.

Okay, now I’m diving back into my hole to get book 2 finished.

PS. I’m newly obsessed with this song. The video is so weird and hypnotic, and I’ve watched it 8 times.

PPS. I’m also obsessed with this video because I love random moments of strangers connecting.

Change Write Now: Week 1

ETA: I also lost 3 lbs this week. I’m sure it’s a lot due to all the water we’re drinking, but it’s a start!

On January 1 we began week one of the Change Write Now challenge. The game challenges the players to lead a healthier lifestyle. More details here. We have a shocking 92 players (a few dropped out before we began). Now I’ve tried to diet before – and failed. With only me holding me accountable, I checked out and didn’t see it through. After a week of the challenge, I can say IT WORKS.

For one thing, I don’t want to let my team down. When I think about skipping my daily exercise or that last 8 ounces of water, I think of my teammates working so hard to do their own exercise and drowning in their water intake. Then, I feel obligated to get up off the dang couch and guzzle that last bottle of water. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m doing it.

Then there’s the support factor. I have daily check-ins with my teammates. We encourage each other, and they listen when I whine. And the great thing about the challenge is that the support isn’t isolated to just my team. If you check out the twitter hashtag #changewritenow, you’ll see everyone supporting each other. Most of these people are strangers or acquaintances, but they are cheering each other on.

And you want to know something cool that struck me today? With all the troubled book blogger-author relations happening right now, the Change Write Now challenge is one place where these people are meeting on common ground. Granted, we’re not exactly talking books and reviews, but I see friendships forming. And this is only week one. I can’t wait to see where we stand when the challenge ends in March.

Here are some seriously tasty recipes that I made this week. They were easy to prepare and totally within my points since I’m doing Weight Watchers. I hate salads, and yet I found myself enjoying them this week. Try them. You’ll like them.

Cuban Style Black Beans with Cilantro Lime Rice

Arugula with Pomegranates, Blue Cheese and Pistachios (I’ve always hated arugula, but man, this salad is awesome.)

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Roast Beef, Arugula & Shaved Parmesan on a Baguette (except I used Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins)

Blood Orange Salad with Gorgonzola, Pecans and Baby Greens

Images of all the recipes for those who are visual about food like me.

Blog Circus 2011: Top 5 Favorite Books (Road Trip Wednesday)

Continuing on our week of lists, today we have my Top 5 Favorite Books of 2011. I read a lot of books this year. And I review all of my favorites for the Bookanistas. Here’s my list.

1. WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman (review)
2. ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins (review)
3. DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth (review)
4. SOULLESS by Gail Carriger (Technically not YA, but I loved it a lot.)
5. UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi (review)

Check out what music the others liked in our Best of 2011 Blog Circus!

Caroline Richmond
Erin Bowman
Kaitlin Ward
Kate Hart
Kathleen Peacock
Kirsten Hubbard
Kristen Halbrook
Kristin Otts
Lee Bross
Lindsey Roth Culli
Lynn Colt
Phoebe North
Sarah Enni
Stephanie Keuhn
Sumayyah Doud
Veronica Roth

Blog Circus 2011: Top 5 YA Girls/Top 5 YA Guys

Today’s blog – part of the week of the best of 2011 lists, a blog circus led by Sarah Enni - was difficult. We’re looking at the baddest or hottest YA Girls and Guys of 2011. Now these characters are not always in our most recommended books, or even from our favorite books, but they definitely made an impact. Here’s my list!

TOP 5 YA GIRLS

1. Mia (Where She Went) – As exposed as she was in If I Stay, I love the mystery of Mia through Adam’s eyes. You feel her yearning to reach him, even though Adam can’t quite figure it out. Definitely an amazing book.

2. Sophie (Hex Hall and Demonglass) – Sophie has a lot on her plate. Getting sent to a weird school, having a vampire roommate, falling for a guy who’s taken, and meeting a father she’s never known. Plus, you know, those people trying to take her out. Luckily she handles it all with a sense of humor.

3. Emerson (Hourglass) – Emerson is an amazing mix of vulnerability and sassy bravado. One minute she can take on the world, and the next she’s falling to pieces at losing someone. I loved her attitude and her courage.

4. Juliet (Juliet Immortal) – The stakes are pretty damn high in this book. Romeo betrayed Juliet and hunts her through eternity. Her goal is to save other young lovers before he can destroy them. I loved her survival instinct and the mix of her justified rage and compassion for others.

5. Deuce (Enclave) – Deuce is a huntress. She fights off the monsters known as Freaks. She braves underground tunnels to find food. And she does it all without complaining as Fade fights by her side. This girl is badass.

TOP 5 YA GUYS

1. Adam (Where She Went) – The longing, the tortured musician, his unending love for Mia. Man, I love this guy.

2. Etienne (Anna and the French Kiss) – Definitely a favorite when I read it earlier this year. Etienne is sweet, smart, loyal, hot, and FUNNY. I love that he knows how to be a good friend most of all.

3. Noah (The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer) – He’s snarky and cocky and way too full of himself. If Mara didn’t dish it back at him, I’d probably think he was an ass. BUT the more she dishes back, the hotter he becomes because it’s obvious he likes a strong girl. LOVE a guy with an ego who’s not afraid of an equally strong partner.

4. Four (Divergent) – He doesn’t go easy on Tris. He has rough edges and hints of danger, but he’s vulnerable when he needs to be. Plus he’s shrouded in mystery. Awesome.

5. Archer (Hex Hall and Demonglass) – You’re never quite sure whose side he’s on or who he cares about. Unless we’re talking about Sophie. He risks everything for her.

Check out what music the others liked in our Best of 2011 Blog Circus!

Caroline Richmond
Erin Bowman
Kaitlin Ward
Kate Hart
Kathleen Peacock
Kirsten Hubbard
Kristen Halbrook
Kristin Otts
Lee Bross
Lindsey Roth Culli
Lynn Colt
Phoebe North
Sarah Enni
Stephanie Keuhn
Sumayyah Doud
Veronica Roth

Blog Circus 2011: Top 5 Favorite Songs to Write to

We’re back again for a week of the best of 2011 lists, a blog circus led by Sarah Enni. Today we are listing the Top 5 Favorite Songs/Albums to Write to. Now, just like last year, I rarely purchase a whole album. The last two were Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Adele’s 21 album.

I love discovering a great song, more than a great album, because there are always songs on an album that I don’t like. And since I can’t write WITHOUT music, I’m constantly looking for songs to fall in love with. Of course, I couldn’t limit my choices to just five, so here are more than five of my favorites from the year. These are pretty much set on repeat. Enjoy the playlist! And if you want to purchase the songs, please do so legally.

Check out what music the others liked in our Best of 2011 Blog Circus!

Caroline Richmond
Erin Bowman
Kaitlin Ward
Kate Hart
Kathleen Peacock
Kirsten Hubbard
Kristen Halbrook
Kristin Otts
Lee Bross
Lindsey Roth Culli
Lynn Colt
Phoebe North
Sarah Enni
Stephanie Keuhn
Sumayyah Doud
Veronica Roth

A Desk I’m Thankful For

I have this inability to write at home. My desk is perfectly lovely. I might loathe my desk chair.

My Lovely Desk

The thing is, I hate sitting at that perfectly lovely desk to write. Most days, I’ve sat at another desk at the day job in another chair. I think my body simply protests the whole set up because it can’t stand more hours in the same position.

So when I do write at home, I’m usually on my bed or on my couch. The problem is that these don’t offer up a ton of comfort either. And then yesterday I traipsed off to IKEA to get a dresser, and I came across this.

Alve Laptop Table

It was love at first sight. I put this baby together today. It’s adjustable height makes it perfect for me to use from my bed or the couch. And it’s lightweight so I can move it about easily. I’m so happy I found this desk. I really hope it helps me to be more productive at home.

PS. Have a happy turkey day!!

What is the editing process really like?

Sharpie Gel Highlighters - They will change your world.

A few people have noticed that I’ve been conspicuously absent from both this blog and Twitter. For the last few months, I’ve been busy writing the sequel to TOUCHED. And intermittently, I’ve gone through two rounds of line edits and a round of copy edits on IF I LIE. Before I went through this process, I’d often heard of authors complaining about edits. From my position of (a) having not sold a book yet or (b) waiting, waiting, waiting on tenterhooks for my edits, I wanted to kick those whiners to Siberia. Now that I’m on the other side, my perspective has changed somewhat. I thought I would share what the process is like. Just know this differs for every author.

The Editorial Letter

Even though, I love my editor fiercely, as I waited on my letter, I was secretly waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was pretty sure my editor, Annette Pollert, would ask me to cut a character, or to do something I hated. At which point, I would be faced with the dilemma of going with the flow and caving to the desire to be published or making a brilliant stand for my story with guns blazing (like I own a gun that doesn’t use water as ammo). I got antsy every time I thought about this and died inside a little more each time I contemplated how much my editor must want to renovate my book like it was the Extreme Makeover: Novel Edition. As you can see, I worked myself into quite a state, while barely managing to keep the crazy under wraps from Annette.

So the letter arrived in May. I held my breath and clicked on the email, expecting to find the ten-page, single-spaced letter I’d heard so much about from my Apocalypsie friends. I started reading. And then I started crying because Annette opened the letter by saying my novel had made her cry six separate times when she should have been immune from tears by then. Of course, with that opening, any criticism that followed felt like glowing praise. (Well done on you, Annette, you brilliant mastermind.)

Quite frankly, the letter felt completely manageable. Also, I’m ashamed to admit I felt a smidge smug. After all, my editorial letter was ONLY THREE PAGES. Holla. My changes mostly consisted of adding new scenes. I don’t mean to say this was a breeze. I had to reorder the beginning of the book, not an easy thing to do with the structure this novel chose. In the end, though, I had Scrivener and four weeks to make the changes. The scenes really made the book better. A thousand times better. I finally confronted my trust issues and decided I was stupid to doubt Annette. She has my best interests and those of the book’s best interests at heart. We’re a team, damn it.

Line Edits

I go to Italy for school for a couple of weeks in July and some traumatic crap happens back at home, turning my life upside down. I’m basically a wreck when I return. I can’t write. It makes me cry, and I’m tired of crying. I take some time off. I actually look forward to my line edits to ease me back into my work. But my trust issues have raised their bastard head again. A niggling doubt insists that here – in the line edits – is where Annette will have me sacrifice a character on the altar of my writerly ambition. Here is where I will be forced to take a stand with my water gun. I tell the doubt to shut up and stop overreacting. It sticks its tongue out at me.

In August, Annette emails me the marked-up manuscript. I have a little under a month to make the edits and return them. I open the document. And pretty nearly faint. Holy *bleep*! Scrawled notes are on EVERY SINGLE PAGE. I suddenly remember when Annette said that she LOVED line edits more than the edit letter. How could I have forgotten that? So much for my smugness at my short letter. I’m not even sure how to begin to tackle the beast.

So I do what I do best. I get organized. I buy some bitchin’ highlighters, and I take my butt to Starbucks. One page at a time, I tell myself. Except, I look up four hours later and I’ve only conquered 13 pages. And my ego feels battered into the ground and I wonder if my editor really liked my book after all. But, hey, my highlighters got a helluva workout. The pages are practically bleeding pink.

I don’t know what this process is like for others, but I felt a bit bruised. It’s not a reflection on Annette. Dude, the woman worked her pencil to a nub with those edits. She put so much time and heart into them, and I will ever be grateful. But as I was making the changes, my emotions were all over the place. One moment, I was angry that a line I loved had been suggested for deletion or alteration in a way I disliked. The next, I was abashed at things I’d missed. Then, I was euphoric as a change that felt so right. For the mont, I worked on those edits, I was all jagged edges and bitten fingernails (plus jacked up on caffeine).

I’m baring myself here to tell you I did not have the best attitude at all times. It’s really hard to let go of your ego, and see the bigger picture. When your book sells, it is no longer yours alone. When you start working with an editor, your book becomes a collaborative project. You may have final say, but another person is making decisions and directing you in ways that you may not want to go at first. That seems like an obvious statement, but day-um, it’s a difficult realization.

But when the light bulb went off, I wondered why I’d been fighting it. My freaking trust issues had raised their heads again. I tackled my chaotic emotions the best way I could – WITH A HIGHLIGHTING SYSTEM and a SENSE OF HUMOR. My code: pink for changes I’d made; orange for compliments (because Annette did make loads of fun comments, thereby keeping me from falling apart); and yellow, for things I might not want to change. I even sent a picture of one of my pages, bleeding in pink, to Annette for a laugh and we shared our deep and abiding love for office supplies.

To salve my ego, I allowed myself to save favorite lines in brilliant yellow. Except, I decided that when I finished the edits, when I felt less battered by all the changes, I would look at those yellow lines again. I wanted to ensure I wasn’t being too precious about things, but I needed to be in a mental/emotional space where I could accept the change a bit more graciously.

In the end, my wondrous editor, asked to see my edits before they were finished. I sent over the draft and had to explain my highlighting system. And do you know what she did? She helped me work on those yellowed lines, to fine tune them so that I didn’t have to sacrifice them. She really did get it.

In my defense, I will say I hid my skyrocketing emotions during this time, except from close friends and family. I want so bad to be one of those authors who works for the best of the book and doesn’t let ego get in the way. I believe I accomplished this. I think Annette would agree. But I’d be lying if I said it felt good all the time. Oh, but how wondrous it feels to be on the other side! When I read my book, I’m blown away by how tight it is now. Annette challenged me, I stretched myself, and I’ve grown as a writer.

Growth hurts so good.

Copy Edits

On Friday I received my copy edits, and last night I finished them. A whole week early. I intend to do another read through because this is my last chance to make any big changes. This is the version that will become the galley. And now is the time when I have to turn in the dedication and acknowledgments. Compared to line edits, copy edits are like chewing gum – a total snap. I’m still learning. I have some tics that I’m aware of now and will work on.

There were two big surprises in this pass, though. First, I saw my copyright page. I wasn’t prepared for how it filled me with pride. I did it. I worked hard and created something from nothing. Awesome. Even better, though, is that I’m perfectly content with the story. I don’t have that anxious need to keep perfecting, to edit one more thing. Annette really is amazing. It may have felt overwhelming at the time, but those line edits tightened the story up so much, that it feels whole and complete to me.

See, I’m still learning to trust, but I made a huge leap in this round. I am in great hands at Simon Pulse. This is the best version of the book that it could be, and I can’t wait for you all to read it. For you writers, I hope you are lucky enough to work with an editor like Annette and the team at Pulse. I will forever bleed pink for them. The editing process can be completely brutal. It may break you a little, but only to build you back up as a better writer.

I’m a YA Rebel!

Last week, I made the leap and auditioned for the YA Rebels, a group of YA authors vlogging about young adult literature. Two lessons I’ve learned in the last year – taking chances can pay off in a big way and life is too freaking short – made it possible. Because honestly I used to be a very shy person. As in awarded Most Shy by my classmates. As in diagnosed with social anxiety kind of shy. From my childhood through my 20s, I often felt like a wallflower, and I rarely spoke in class. Over and over again, though, I tried to force myself to do things that felt uncomfortable and out of character. Cheerleading, public speaking, parties with strangers. I did them all, even when I felt like I was dying inside.

Because something in me knew that I wanted more for myself than to be wallpaper.  I REFUSED to accept that I couldn’t grow beyond that. Everyday I still feel that tendency to make myself small and unnoticed, but I don’t think anyone who has met me in the last few years would call me shy. It’s something I’ve worked at very hard, and today, I feel like I’ve crested another mountain.

Not only did I film myself being silly, but I actually showed it to people. And they liked it. And now I’m going to do it on a weekly basis, which is both exciting and terrifying and oh-so-rewarding. Is there something you’re afraid to do? I challenge you to take a chance.

If the girl voted Most Shy can do this, I believe you’re not giving yourself enough credit either. You might even find you like that thing that scares you so much. I did.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@yarebels) and YouTube (YA Rebels Channel).

Congrats to my fellow rebels, and thanks to Leah and Gretchen for this opportunity!

Monday – Gretchen McNeil
Tuesday – Me
Wednesday – Amber – Me, My Shelf, and I
Thursday – Leah Clifford
Friday – Alex Incognito
Saturday – Sarah Nicolas and Kayelee Fisk
Sunday –  Danny Marks
Hannah Moskowitz – Web Presence

Journaling and Italy and My Father

I’m not into journaling. I know a lot of writers are, and if I never get another journal as a gift, I’ll be a happy girl. I just don’t care for it. Part of me wishes I did. I think about these famous authors who left behind a legacy of hundreds of journals filled with their thoughts and bits of writing, starting from their teen years through their old age. Then I think, “Oh, well. I should’ve started as a teen, and now it’s too late. Besides, you know, I still don’t like journaling.”

It’s not that I haven’t tried. As a teen, I tried to keep a diary, but I ended up writing lame, stilted entries that sounded like I was explaining my life to somebody’s awkward cousin. Happily, those journals have long ago disappeared into a trash bin.

I would happily never journal again, except that my school asks us to every summer when I go off to my summer residency. They like us to record our experiences and then we read an entry to each other our last night together. It’s actually very fun to hear the readings, to hear how others were inspired by what we experienced. I generally write exactly one entry during the residency – the one I read out loud. (Sh. Don’t tell my school.)

This summer in Italy, I planned to do a better job, but I kept putting it off so I could do homework or cool off in the pool at Spannochia. Then, in the last days of the trip, my father passed away. When I sat down to write my one journal entry, all I wanted to was curl up and cry. So the journal entry I read our last night was not a happy one. I broke down reading it, and my amazing friends cried with me. And I was reminded how cathartic writing could be, and how it connects us with people, even when we feel disconnected from everything.

I didn’t plan on posting this, but because a few people requested that I do, here it is. I promise to post a much more cheerful piece of writing next week.

I will not journal. I will not sit and pause over what this trip has meant to me. I will not ponder the grieving pietas or the blood-stained Colosseum or the churches with their body parts. I will not write about the Roman roads that often never led home or the wars that showed the darker side of men. I will not think about the Inferno, or the Purgatorio, or a paradise that some men may not reach. I will not journal about an email from home or how Italy has left her mark on me.

Because everything here reminds me of death and grief and him. It’s in the ground and in the air and in all the words we breathe. Age makes me think of wasting, waning time and everywhere I look I see bricks older than a great-great-great me. We’re dying every minute, blowing back to dust. Which brings me back to an email and to him. Which makes me cry. So I will not journal.

Debut Vlog

Alright, people. This is a momentous day. I decided to go for it and do my first vlog. And believe it or not, I had a lot of fun doing it. So I may do another one. At some point. Questions and prompts are welcome below, and please let me know if you liked it!