Hi everyone! Happy memorial day weekend! I'm in Atlanta visiting my parents until the 2nd,so unfortunately I'm going to be missing WIBIJ AGAIN!!!!!!!!! AGH! I just can't catch a break! But for everyone else, please check it out! The next game starts on June 2 @ 1pm EST.
I finished reading Catching Fire...of course, it was just as awesome, if not more awesome, than The Hunger Games. Can't wait until the 3rd book comes out! I also finished reading The Graceling by Kristin Cashore and Feed by M.T. Anderson. Both were very good and very, very different. I have also read Lament and Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater (I read Shiver a few weeks ago). But were good, but not really my thing. I'm absolutely drooling over Suzanne Collins though...she's my new writing crush! Anyway, I have to go and be a sociable daughter now! For those of you in the USA, have a great weekend grilling out and what not! I'll type at all of you later!
So, to all of those who read my short story this week, I want to say a) thanks for reading! and b) thanks for all the comments!
Having read all of the responses, I quickly realized that people actually liked it- and what's more, they wanted to read MORE of it! Exciting!
I wasn't sure if I wanted to make a novel out of this short story, but you guys have convinced me. Today I took some time out for The Practice Room and banged out some plot ideas. One in particular stands out to me and I think I might go with it and see what happens. Who knows if it'll work- but I've already got the first chapter published, so why not try and expand on it? At least I know people will like the beginning. HA!
Also, I had the most annoying conversation ever the other day. I was talking to a friend of mine about me writing and trying to get published. The conversation went as follows:
(Me): "I've written several things, but there are other things that I'm just beginning. Maybe one day I'll get published."
(My friend): "Well, it's not that hard, right? You write something and then submit it."
(Me): HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I thought to myself). Instead, I said, "It's actually a little more complicated than that. There can be years of revision. It's quite a process to get something ready for publication."
(My friend): "Actually my friend from high school just became an author. She said she banged out a novel in a couple of months, sent it to a publisher with no revisions, and got a book deal a few months later."
(Me): SON OF A- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I thought to myself) Instead, I said, "Well she must be the exception to the rule."
@&$#@)$*)@#$*)#@$* Please God, don't tell me there are people so brilliant and wonderful that no revisions are needed while the rest of us spend countless hours/days of our lives trying to do it RIGHT!
Anyway, I'm now halfway through the book Graceling. It's so nice to just sit down with a good book on a rainy day, and it's been raining, raining, raining here. What are you guys up to?
So this week I had two college friends come and visit me- one coming from San Francisco and the other one from South Carolina. It's so nice to see old friends again! It was almost like nothing had changed...besides the fact that I have kids. Must not forget that.
My friends, however, are single and kid-free. I feel like a freakin' baby factory next to them, having had 2 kids in the last four years. I'm pretty sure my offspring did a good job at convincing them to never procreate.
While they were here we basically did nothing...but we DID go to Trader Joe's (my new favorite store) and I was introduced to greek yogurt+honey. Awesomely good. Oh, and cheap wine. That place has amazingly cheap wine.
While they were here they did ask me questions about my writing. Is it bad that I passed off my writing as just a "hobby?" It's more of an all-consuming dream/desire/what I think about on the crapper/stayingupsolatethatIfallasleepatthekeyboard type of deal. But I just said it was a "hobby." You know why? Because I'm embarrassed. I don't know how to get over it, or why I'm embarrassed, I just am. I think I just assume that they'll think that it's an unrealistic dream or something. I don't know.
I did participate in W.I.B.I.J. these past two rounds, but unfortunately, due to annoyingly friendly neighbors and pesky college friends, I wasn't able to do the "race" part. You know, my forte. So, next time I'll be back with a vengeance. WATCH OUT, KRIS!!!!!!!!
So where are all my followers? I know my posts have been lame recently, but come on!!! WHERE'S THE LOVE?!?! Don't force me to write "butt" on your blog posts again. But this time it'll be something different....
So now that I have an outline for a YA novel, I'm currently reading YA books in just about every genre so I can get a feel for it...it's the most awesome research ever.
Just finished reading Tell Me What You See by Zoran Drvenkar. Yeah, try to say that after a few drinks! Or even before...
Now I am currently reading Shiver, which was on several of the lists that some of you gave me for great YA fiction!
Well, I've been tagged by Marisa, and tagged "by association" by Jon, so here is some fun and useless info about me :-)
Where were you five years ago?
1.) Married, with no kids. 2.) Had the worst job ever, working for state government. Wow, what an experience. 3.) Would unexpectedly get pregnant in one month. 4.) Lived in SC in the ugliest apartment imaginable.
5.) Took regular trips to the beach. Wow, I miss that.
Where would you like to be five years from now?
1.) I'd like to have signed a book deal by then. At least one....please God!!! 2.) A bigger house would be nice. But not necessary. 3.) 15 lbs lighter than I am now. But I'll be happy with 10 :-) 4.) No debt, lots of savings. 5.) Just like Marisa, I'm pretty impulsive. I can't plan much beyond that.
What is on your to-do list today?
1.) Do the dishes I've been ignoring. 2.) Decide on what to have for dinner and then make it. 3.) Do the dishes again. You know, the ones left over from dinner. 4.) Put the kids to bed then watch the new movie I got in the mail from Netflix. 5.) Try and write once the movie is over. If I can stay awake!
What five snacks to you enjoy?
1.) Pita bread and hummus. 2.) Cheetos. 3.) Cheese and crackers. 4.) Tostitos and cheese dip. 5.) Anything served with a dip, really. I'm dip obsessed.
What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
(...and not necessarily in this order)
1.) Pay everything off. And I mean everything. 2.) Travel. Travel. Travel. 3.) Buy the people I love extravagant presents. Because I love to buy presents. 4.) Send my kids to college. 5.) Hire someone to clean up after me. I can't stand cleaning!
Now it's time I 'tag' 5 more people!!! Here are some folks I'd love to know more about!
1.) Kris! She's always visiting my blog and leaving sweet little comments!! She's very likely to see this! 2.) Pauline! She's the one responsible for naming my blog! 3.) Bish! Another loyal follower that I'm so happy to have, and I'd love to know more about! 4.) Rena! A loyal follower of mine, children's book author! 5.) Casey! Again, I "met" her through WIBIJ and Tina's Practice Room!
Do you want to win something today? W.I.B.I.J. starts today at 1 p.m. EST. I am currently the reigning champion. Come and see if you can take me down...but more importantly, come and see if you can WIN A BOOK!
Yes, this time there is a prize. And there are two ways to win. Join us for the race at 1 p.m., or if you can't make it, come back anytime within the next 24 hours and take a stab at winning the best comment award!
I have to get my son to the surgical center by 6:30 am tomorrow. Yes, you heard me right.
6:30 am.
Not to mention the poor little dude. Surgery at 19 months can't be fun. He's tongue-tied, for all of you who don't know or simply can't remember. I think the technical term for the surgery is a frenulectomy.
Agh. And I'm sick. And it's raining. And I have to think about dinner, and I don't want to think about dinner. It all just sucks :-(
Keep my little boy in your prayers/thoughts. I will be participating in The Practice Room today, in less than an hour. Come and join us!
Hi, I'm Dena...writer of randomness, lover of bathroom humor, and mommy to two gorgeous kids. Currently published online with Black Lantern Publishing as well as the May issue of "A Fly in Amber," an online e-zine. I'm still praying for a book deal! Click on my FACE for even MORE info about me!
