Monday Reads: THE ROYAL WE, THE WRATH AND THE DAWN, SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY

I didn't post last Monday because it was Canadian Thanksgiving, so this week I've got three books to talk about.

First I read THE ROYAL WE by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan. This is totally Will and Kate fanfiction, but I loved it. It was fun to read and feel like I was part of a world I will never be part of. Even though it was fiction, they built the world of the royals so well, it felt real, and with so many similarities between the story and Will and Kate's journey, I felt like I was reading about them (which I wasn't, I know). I only have two minor complaints. One, the book felt long. I don't know where they could've cut it, and I don't think I was ever bored, but it still felt long, which isn't something you want your readers to feel. The other thing, which some people will laugh at me for, but these characters did not stop drinking. Like seriously, find something else to do. It made for a lot of hijinks and funny moments, but there were multiple times where I was like, SERIOUSLY STOP DRINKING. This is coming from a girl who doesn't drink, so there you go.

Then I read THE WRATH AND THE DAWN by Renee Adieh. This book sucked me in from the start. I loved the story, although I was a little disturbed by how Shazi fell for Khalid. I wish I had written this post right after I finished reading it because my thoughts were much clearer then than they are now. But that feeling hasn't left me. As much as I loved their complicated story and was totally drawn in, it was still a little off to see her fall for him. I mean yes, he had reasons for having all those girls killed, and he felt horrible, but still- he killed her best friend. All those times she was hating herself for falling for him, I was feeling the same thing. The book was good though- the world building in particular was excellent. A minor complaint I had was all the eye and hair descriptions. I'm guilty of the eye thing myself, but I found myself rolling my eyes at her "waving tresses" and his "tiger eyes" mentioned every other page. Just saying. I'll definitely pick up the second book though.

Last, I read SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY by Julie Murphy. Yeah. I have a lot to say about this book but I'll keep it brief. Again, this book sucked me in, but when I wasn't reading it, I didn't want to pick it back up (I did anyway). Why? Because I could not stand the main character Alice. Yes, she had cancer, but she was not a nice person, she treated everyone like crap, and especially Harvey, who was such a good guy but he would just lie down and take it. It drove me crazy. Yet I still kept reading, which is a testament I think to how good the writing and the story itself was. It was very honest, and I liked that. I just couldn't stand Alice. It made me think of unlikeable characters and the whole discussion about unlikeable female characters. I started to think if I'd read any male unlikeable characters and if I liked them anyway, but couldn't think of any. I agree that we should be able to have unlikeable female characters as well as males, because why not? But they aren't really my thing. Like unreliable narrators, I'm just not a fan. Anyway, the book is good and deals with cancer in a very real, honest, and not sappy way. Although I felt the end a little too... easy after everything that had happened. I don't want to give spoilers so you'll just have to read it yourself.

Whew, that was a long post, but an interesting couple of weeks of reading. If you've read any of these books, how did you feel about them? 

Friday Loves: NORTH & SOUTH

I may have done this one before, but I can't help myself. Especially since the WIP I'm working on right now is a NORTH & SOUTH retelling. I watched the four-part movie this past week to get those inspo juices flowing, so of course I have the whole thing fresh in my mind.

I bought an Elizabeth Gaskell boxed set of movies for my mom once, it was something she'd asked for. I'd never heard of Elizabeth Gaskell or her books. When I took a look at the movies, the one I really wanted to watch was WIVES & DAUGHTERS. It seemed like totally my thing, and it was. I loved it. I've gotta admit I turned up my nose a bit at NORTH & SOUTH based on the movie blurb. I wasn't really into strikes and industrial revolutions and what-not. I wanted the love stories, a la Jane Austen.

I don't know what convinced me to finally watch NORTH & SOUTH. It was probably the mere fact that I'd already watched WIVES & DAUGHTERS and CRANFORD (my mom's fave) and that left just one. I can't remember. But I fell in love from part one (or more likely the part where Margaret witnesses Mr. Thornton beating up one of his workers). It's been a favorite of mine ever since.

After writing SWAY, my PERSUASION retelling, I toyed with the idea of retelling all of Austen's works, but finally kiboshed that idea. Like my love for the movie, I can't really remember when I suddenly decided to write a retelling of this story, but I did. I seem to have a memory fail about lots of things N&S because I can't even remember when I wrote my first draft. (I think I started it during NaNo, but I feel like I didn't finish it until January?) I read the book for the first time last October so it must have been around then sometime.

Anyway, I'm excited about this WIP and where it's going, even though writing the male POV (Mr. Thornton's) is harder than I thought it would be. And I'm always excited about the movie version- it is excellent! I want to start it again from the beginning, even though I finished watching it just last night. If you're a fan of Austen, or period dramas of any kind, definitely check out NORTH & SOUTH. And to convince you...

*swoon*

Wednesday Writes: Finding Voice

I've been working away at my NA retelling. I'm changing the entire setting from a fictional city to Las Vegas, and I'm adding in a second POV of the LI. This past week I also wrote a back cover blurb and a synopsis, the latter sucking somewhat fiercely since my 2nd POV isn't completely written, the book hasn't gone to CP's yet, and I have a feeling some things will change. I'm still super nervous about this 2nd POV because I just haven't found this guy's voice yet. He's kind of a tough guy- foster homes then living on the streets- and he likes to fight, so it's been hard for me trying to figure out what he'd sound like, especially since I don't use cussing in my books. It makes things tricky, to say the least.

I've kinda kept this book under wraps so far, but I feel safe to say now that this is a retelling of Elizabeth Gaskell's NORTH & SOUTH, or should I say, inspired by it, since it's a very LOOSE retelling. I love that story like crazy and I'm excited about this book and hope hope hope it ends up being great.

What are you working on this week? 

Friday Loves: A Perfect Moment

I've been in an off mood this week, who knows why. Today, after finishing my house cleaning, I really didn't want to exercise, but it was a nice day outside so I decided to put my earbuds in and take a walk. About halfway through, I realized. This was a perfect moment. The sky was blue and the sun was shining, the weather was actually pretty nice for October in Alberta, crisp leaves were laying all around my feet, and I had a great song blasting in my ears (just the way I like my music).

It was a perfect moment, and I noticed, and I took a breath. Then, as I kept walking, I started to list the things I was thankful for. Well-timed since Canadian Thanksgiving is this Monday. But not just because of that- this is something I've been trying to do when things get me down. And it worked. Listing all of the great things about my life didn't make me forget about the negatives, but it made them seem a bit less negative (and some even a little silly).

So as I go into the Thanksgiving weekend, I want to get it in writing all the things I'm thankful for/loving right now. It'll be nice to have for those days when I forget.

My incredibly wonderful, good, smart, talented, funny, and sweet kids.

My smart and patient husband.

My dream coming true- AKA: my first book coming out in just a couple of months, and a short story, too.

Nice weather in October.

Getting to take a walk.

Getting to stay home and write.

My NA retelling that I reread these past few days and the fact that it's pretty good and not total suckage.

My family, who I won't get to see this Thanksgiving.

All the things I have that I don't have to want and that make life easier (like my dishwasher)

Good books to read.

Good music to blast.

I could go on but another thing I'm thankful for is sleep, and right now I need to get some. So Happy Thanksgiving from me to you. And notice those perfect moments when they come along, and stop. And take a breath. And enjoy them.

Wednesday Writes: Interruptions

My poor poor NA manuscript. I think I wrote the first draft without any interruptions, but every time I try to revise, I get interrupted with something else. I've read through fifteen chapters so far, taking notes on each, but then I had to quit because I received the digital copy of SWAY from my publisher which I had to read through and look for errors. MAN was it hard not to tweak stuff. I'm such a nitpicker- it never ends. (I refrained because I wasn't allowed, which is probably a good thing.) A day after I received my first round of edits from my other editor for my short story BECOMING FANNY. Both of these were due ASAP so my NA WIP had to be put aside for a bit. Again.

Just a bit though because I got both done and I can go back to it today. YAY! I have to say, I don't do well with jumping from project to project. I much prefer to focus on one until the work I need to do is done, then I can put it aside and work on something else. But it's okay, I'm learning to adapt and these different edits and deadlines have been good for me. I am happy to go back to my NA WIP though and hopefully I'll get these revisions done by Christmas. Like I said, deadlines are good. 

Monday Reads: THE GEOGRAPHY OF YOU AND ME

It only took me three days to read THE GEOGRAPHY OF YOU AND ME by Jennifer E. Smith. I enjoyed this book. The two characters were different and interesting (although the female MC was the shy girl who no one notices and I felt like, oh it's this girl again). I loved how the setting changed to different spots in the world. I loved how it felt very real. It wasn't a THIS ROMANCE WILL WORK OUT NO MATTER WHAT kind of thing that's super unbelievable. The two MCs were apart, and they did what teenagers apart would do. Even the ending, while happy and satisfying, wasn't a roll your eyes never gonna happen kind of thing. It was honest and true, yet still hopeful. The thing that really stands out to me with the two books I've read by Jennifer E. Smith (the other one being THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT)- they're not sappy. They're not over the top lovey, or I will die if I don't have this boy kind of books. They're very real, and I like that. Check this book out if you like that too.

After I finished that book, I started THE ROYAL WE, which is a very Will and Kate kind of book. I'm enjoying it so far, but I've been busy with lots of other stuff and haven't had a lot of reading time.

What are you reading this week?

Friday Loves: TIME

WHAT DO I LOVE?

TIME!

WHAT DO I NOT HAVE?

TIME!

So says the girl whose kids are in all-day school. But suddenly, I have twenty-bazillion things on my to-do list and no time to do them. 

So adios, have a great weekend, and hopefully by next week this elusive thing called time will have reappeared...

Wednesday Writes: Dual POV

I'm reading through my NA retelling right now. It's only a first draft, and pretty bare at 55,000 words. One thing I decided might work really well with this story is doing dual POV- the one from my female MC Maggie which is already there, and one from the love interest Jay.

I haven't started yet. I want to read through the entire story first, and I'm taking notes of each chapter on note cards so that I can see where Jay's POV chapters might fit in, or which ones can be switched from hers to his.

But here's the thing.

I'm scared.

I've never really written dual POV before. Okay, I sorta have. My YA Mystery JAR OF HEARTS has a second POV sprinkled throughout, and it's the POV of the antagonist. Those chapters were actually easy to write, mainly because I was trying to channel the creepiest possible person. And they're short chapters, all inner thoughts.

Now that I'm about to start a real second POV, and from a man's perspective, it has me trembling in my boots just a little. Why? I don't know how a guy really thinks. (There are some ways where I do know how they think, but they're not the kind of thoughts I want to put on the page, but I'm probably gonna have to anyway.) Also, I want the two voices to sound different. I don't want Jay to sound like me, like any girl, and especially not like Maggie. I need to find HIS voice somehow, and I'm not sure how to do that. My biggest issue with most dual POV books I read is that both POVs sound exactly the same to me. I don't want to do that.

This is something I've been thinking a lot about as I read through what I've got so far. Maybe this is something I should do a little research on- see what the experts say, see if there's a method to bring out a character's voice.

Do you know a good way to do this? Any advice for a dual POV first-timer?

Monday Reads: BLACK DOVE WHITE RAVEN and THESE BROKEN STARS

It's been a while since I've read two books in one week- which is almost sad to say for some reason, but there it is.

Anyway, first I read BLACK DOVE WHITE RAVEN by Elizabeth Wein, author of CODE NAME VERITY and ROSE UNDER FIRE. So... so. I loved CNV like crazy. RUF was also good but not as- I think it had something to do with knowing how the book would end right from the start. Unfortunately, I liked BDWR the least of the three.

Here's what I did like: the setting, ie: the Ethiopian setting (because some of it takes place in the US too). It's a place I'd never read anything about. To go along with that, the book is set in the 1920s and 1930s and I loved the history. The best thing about the book was the characters. Elizabeth Wein has a gift of making vibrant, full-of-life, relatable characters. I loved Em and Teo and Rhoda. Even Delia, although she was in such a short amount of the book, really jumped off the page.

Here's what I didn't like. Nothing happened. At least, that's what it felt like to me. We see Em and Teo as kids, we learn about their time in the States, we learn about their time in Ethiopia. But nothing really happens. Which isn't true- stuff does, every once in awhile. But to me this could have been such an epic story and it just... wasn't. :( This really makes me sad because I wanted so badly to love it.

After BDWR I read THESE BROKEN STARS by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner.

OHMYGOSH I LOVED THIS BOOK.

The book sort of starts out like Titanic in space, but then the two MCs Tarver and Lilac end up stranded alone on a deserted planet. I just... I don't even know what to say. I don't even really know why I loved it so much I just did.

This is the book I've been waiting for- the kind that keeps me up reading late into the night. No book has done that for me in awhile. Funny enough, it's sci-fi which is one of my least favorite genres. But this book was page-turning, tear-dropping, read-on-the-floor-of-the-movie-theatre-while-waiting good. Yes, I really did that- I was so near the end I couldn't help myself. Definitely a must read.

What have you been reading lately?

Friday Loves: THE PARADISE

One of my extremely awesome CP's, Michelle Merrill, and I have pretty much the same taste in TV, namely period dramas. She recommended to me a show called THE PARADISE and I'm so glad she did because I love it!

*The trailer makes it seem a lot more racy than it actually is*

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this show, or what it was even about. I pretty much just saw the costumes and was like, SOLD. Ohmygosh, the costumes. The FASHION. Seriously, major SWOON. Especially Katherine Glendenning's entire wardrobe. Oh to get to wear those clothes! *dies*

Katherine Glendenning played by Elaine Cassidy

Anyway, here's what Wikipedia says about the show since they sum it up better than I could (which I should be able to do being a writer and all, but whatever).

Series 1 begins in 1875, and portrays the lives and loves of the people who work, shop and trade, in and around the first English department store. The owner of The Paradise department store is widower John Moray. Moray was once a draper's boy in Emersons, the small shop that grew under his managership into The Paradise, which has come to dominate the high street to the detriment of small shopkeepers nearby.

Into this world comes Denise Lovett, from the small town of Peebles in Scotland, whose uncle Edmund is one of the shopkeepers struggling to survive. Denise takes a job at The Paradise and is soon seen by Moray as a rising star, to the annoyance of Miss Audrey, the head of ladies' fashion, and of Clara, a fellow shopgirl. Moray is financially dependent on Lord Glendenning, whose daughter Katherine is determined to marry Moray and sees Denise as a direct threat to her ambitions.

Denise is such a great example of a female character who is strong yet doesn't overstep her bounds (usually). At first I wasn't quite sure about Moray- sometimes he seemed a little sinister and sometimes totally sweet- but he became clearer as the season went on. The show took little twists that I didn't see coming and I thoroughly enjoyed all eight episodes of season 1. I've just started season two and am already bummed that they cancelled the show after just 2 seasons. *sad face*

Anyway, if you like period dramas, check this show out. It's a winner!

Wednesday Writes: Fingers Crossed

I had a whole one paragraph post ready for last week about how I was still plugging away at JAR OF HEARTS revisions. I decided not to post it cuz who needs even one paragraph to say what I just did in one sentence?

Anyway, I finished those revisions last week. It wasn't anything major- just going through beta notes and a major change on one scene. Now it's done and query ready (which I've already started) and I can set it aside for a bit to focus on my NA retelling. So that's what I'm doing now. I started reading through this NA story during the summer but I had to put it aside to do SWAY edits. I'm hoping now I'll have time to focus on it, read it through, make edit notes, and get started on adding a second POV through the story. Lots to do with this one but I've got high hopes for it.

What have you been writing?

Monday Reads: DANGEROUS

Last week I read DANGEROUS by Shannon Hale. I love Shannon Hale's AUSTENLAND, and MIDNIGHT IN AUSTENLAND, but those are the only books I've read by her. I've never tried her GOOSE GIRL or PRINCESS ACADEMY books before. I wasn't sure what to expect with DANGEROUS but I loved the premise and thought I'd give it a try.

Here's what I loved: the characters- Maisie and Wilder especially. Maisie was a fun MC who, despite being a home-school kid with one arm (so I was expecting her to be a bit shy and reserved) was totally witty and strong. She could kick butt mentally (and later physically), but I liked how she still had a girly uncertain side when it came to Wilder. I heard some criticism about that, but I liked it- I think it made her a more well-rounded character. Wilder was of course charming, snappy, and there was a lot to him. I loved how fast-paced the book was. I loved how you couldn't ever be sure who was good and who was bad, and even if you were sure- it wasn't a clear line between the two. I also loved the humor- Shannon Hale is so good at humor and there was lots of laugh out loud moments here.

Here's what I didn't love: my main criticism is although I did like the fast pace, sometimes it was TOO fast. The book barely took a breath, and sometimes it skipped things or didn't delve deep enough into things I would've liked to hear more about. She really could have made this a two-book or even three-book series and the story would have been better for it.

If you like a fast-paced Sci-Fi, check this one out. 

Friday Loves: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

I was thinking earlier about what I was going to talk about for my Friday Loves post. And then it came to me so obviously when I was revising JAR OF HEARTS. In this manuscript, my MC Trevi wants to land the role of Christine in her high school's production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. This book is by no means a retelling, but PHANTOM plays a pretty big part, and I loved drawing parallels between it's characters and my own. I also loved writing about the rehearsals, the acting, the songs. Most definitely the songs. Even revising, I'll listen to certain songs from the musical because I'm either talking about them in that moment, or they just work with the story.

PHANTOM was one of the first musicals I ever saw (LES MIS was the other but I can't remember which I saw first and which second) and it'll always hold a special place in my heart. The music is gorgeous. I love the drama. I love the costumes. I love the movie they made with Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler and Patrick Wilson. I could listen to "All I Ask of You" on repeat (with my eyes closed and my head back while I do, because that's just how you need to listen to it). I saw it again as an early adult and I can't wait for the day when I can take my kids to it and they can learn to love it as I do.

Until then, I've got JAR OF HEARTS, and the movie to rewatch. Like now. 

Monday Reads: MAGONIA

Last week I read MAGONIA by Maria Dahvana Headley. I have mixed feelings about this book. When I finished it, and went to rate it on Goodreads, I went back and forth between giving it 3 stars and 4. Even now I'm not quite sure how I feel about it.

Here's what I loved: the premise, the world, the setting. I've said before that a book is something I haven't read before, but this one was truly UNIQUE. I loved the alternate world in the sky, I loved the bird people, I loved the fantasy of it all mixed with the world as we know it. I also loved the main characters, Aza, and Jason especially. Even Aza's family were interesting and well developed. There were chapters where I was feverishly turning the pages, chapters where I cried, and chapters that had just beautiful writing.

Here's what I didn't love: the first few chapters. I had a really hard time with them. It wasn't Aza's voice- I was fine with that- I just felt like she was telling the reader backstory almost the entire time. That's all it was- Aza talking at me and I got sick of it. I wanted things to happen. Which they did. But if I was a less patient reader, I might have DNF'd it after the first chapter or two. Also, once she made it to Magonia, again a lot didn't happen. She trained. She missed her family. She learned stuff. Great. I think she could have done all that with more stuff actually going on. And the end. Again, it felt a little... small. SPOILER COMING. Even though it was technically the end of the world, I didn't get the intensity of it. I wasn't scared or worried for her or Jason or anything. I missed those emotions in the end.

I ended up giving the book 4 stars because it really was a beautiful read, and I'm sure I'll pick up the next one because I'm interested to see what happens with Aza next. I've heard of a couple of people who DNF'd it, but for the most part people LOVE this book, so definitely check it out if you haven't already.

Right now I'm reading DANGEROUS by Shannon Hale- a fast-paced and funny sci-fi. What are you reading this week?

Friday Loves: BACK TO SCHOOL

It's BACK TO SCHOOL time!!! Not for me, of course, but for my kids. This year is extra special because ALL FOUR of my kids are in all day school (Grades 1, 3, 5, and 7)!!!

At first, I was bummed about back to school. I wanted more summer and more mornings to sleep in. It seemed like the weather went bad as soon as school hit (although today is pretty nice so I'm not complaining). I wanted more time to hang out with the kids and do fun stuff.

Now that they're at the tail end of their second week back, I'm getting into the swing of things and enjoying being back on my schedule. (If you can't tell, I schedule myself like a drill sergeant). It's crazy having most of the day to myself. Last week I did a lot of shopping (and pedicure-ing). This week has been all about getting back to exercising, and lots and lots of revisions. It's been pretty awesome. I'm so so lucky right now that I don't have to go find a job and work all day while the kids are at school. SO LUCKY. That may change, but for now I'm enjoying this TIME I have where I can get everything done in a day that I need to without being in a rush. It's AWESOME.

So what do I love? BACK TO SCHOOL! Why do I love it? BECAUSE IT ROCKS!*

*clearly I was never a cheerleader

Wednesday Writes: Back in the Saddle

Like I said on Monday, I've finally gotten back in the swing of my normal routine, and it feels GREAT. Yesterday, I was so productive I almost passed out. ;) 

One of the things I'm back on track with is my writing. I didn't ignore it all summer (as evidenced by my RSW posts), but it's nice to be back to my regularly scheduled "writing time" every day. This week I've been working on JAR OF HEARTS, my YA mystery. I tweaked the query, wrote up some Twitter pitches for #Pitmad on Thursday, and did some revisions. I received edits from a beta reader a bit ago and I'm making my way through those. Hopefully I'll be done in a week or two, MAX. Crossing my fingers that I get some faves at Pitmad too since this will be JofH's first time out in the world. Eeek! 

Monday Reads: JANE AUSTEN RUINED MY LIFE

Happy Labour Day!

Even though it's a holiday, I'm trying to get back on track with, well, EVERYTHING. Starting with my regularly scheduled blog posts: Monday Reads (which I kept up with during RSW), Wednesday Writes, and Friday Loves.

So what did I read last week? JANE AUSTEN RUINED MY LIFE by Beth Patillo. I rarely buy books I've never read before, especially by authors I'm not familiary with, but this book had me at the title. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to what I wanted it to be. It was okay, I enjoyed the story and it was a fast read, but the ending was a little unsatisfying and I found myself annoyed at the MC at times. I wanted a lot more fun and a lot more romance. I DID, however, love all the Jane Austen related stops the MC makes through the book. Places I'd love to visit one day but may never get the chance, so it was cool to read about them and experience them through the MCs eyes. 

Now I'm reading MAGONIA and it's an interesting read.

What are you reading this week?

Ready. Set. WRITE! The End and Monday Reads

So I totally thought last week was the last week of Ready. Set. WRITE! but nope- we had one more to go. Which is good because I had a goal that HAD to get done.

HOW I DID ON LAST WEEK'S GOALS

Finish second round edits on SWAY: CHECK! Took me five really late nights, but I did it.

MY GOAL FOR THE FALL

If I don't make it into PitchWars, my plan is to get JAR OF HEARTS ready to query and then revise my NA retelling.

ONE WORD THAT SUMS UP WHAT I REVISED

Better. Because the manuscript it, much better than it used to be.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE I FACED THIS WEEK

It was the last week before school, so I wanted to do as much with the kids as possible. Thus, the very late nights of revisions.

SOMETHING I LOVE ABOUT MY WIP

You know, despite working on this manuscript for years (I wrote the first draft back in 2011), doing multiple drafts and working with CPs, betas, and now my editor, I STILL LOVE THIS THING.

Thanks to Jaime, Erin, Elodie, Katy, and Alison for another great Ready. Set. WRITE! I couldn't take part in the manicures part this past week but I'm hoping once the kids start school next week I'll be able to get a pedicure done to reflect SWAY. (Pedicure because my fingernails are way too bitten to be manicured!)

MONDAY READS

I finally finished the HEROES OF OLYMPUS series with the final book THE BLOOD OF OLYMPUS this week. I missed Percy's POV in this final book, but it was a great wrap-up to the series. Now I'm reading JANE AUSTEN RUINED MY LIFE by BETH PATILLO.

Friday Loves: WHEN WORDS COLLIDE

A couple of weekends ago I got the opportunity to attend a Calgary writers/book conference called WHEN WORDS COLLIDE. I heard about it through the NaNoWriMo emails I still receive and I'm so glad I did because I had a great time. It's a three day conference at a very reasonable price and it features a lot of Canadian authors and small publishers. Best of all this year they had a couple of big names too: Diana Gabaldon (OUTLANDER) and Brandon Mull (FABLEHAVEN).

My eleven-year-old daughter and Brandon Mull

I'd personally never read Brandon Mull before, but I'd heard of him because my eleven year old daughter loves his Fablehaven books. She decided to come to the entire conference with me and we went to every panel/class that Brandon Mull was part of. He was by far the highlight of the conference because he was just so entertaining. All of his books at the conference sold out, and one of the booksellers told me that people were saying that they came for Diana Gabaldon but were staying for Brandon Mull.

My photo with Diana Gabaldon wouldn't attach for some reason, but you can find it on Twitter: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CMfytcWU8AAIcyk.jpg:large

Diana was great too. I didn't attend any of her classes but I listened to her keynote address which was pretty awesome. I also got my copy of Outlander signed. Brandon Mull signed all five of my daughter's Fablehaven books, and we ended up buying two more of his books- THE CANDY SHOP WAR 1&2 and he signed those as well.

I also did my first ever live pitch to an agent, which wasn't successful, but oh well. And I had two different manuscripts in the live-action slush, both of which got picked apart by experts- but in a good way! I learned a lot.

It was a pretty awesome weekend and I'll definitely be attending next year as well. Hopefully as a panelist as well as an attendee. If you live in the Alberta area, it's definitely something to check out. 

Ready. Set. WRITE! (week 12) and Monday Reads

It's the last week of Ready. Set. WRITE! I missed the very first week (and last week too) so I never made a BIG goal for the summer, but here's what I've been up to the past couple of weeks.

HOW I DID ON LAST WEEK'S GOALS

I didn't check in last week, so going back to week 10, I finished all my goals. Yay.

MY GOALS FOR THIS WEEK

Finish my second round of edits on SWAY.

ONE WORD THAT SUMS UP WHAT I REVISED

Different. I worked on both SWAY and JAR OF HEARTS (one an adult romance, one a YA creepy mystery) so I think that pretty much sums it up.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE I FACED THIS WEEK

Family. Just kidding, they're not a challenge. But I had a reunion out in the boonies and therefore did no revising WHATSOEVER. 

SOMETHING I LOVE ABOUT MY WIP(S)

So, this might seem a little random, but I love my WIP playlists. I just finished working on round-two edits for SWAY and I still have music on in the background. A certain song will play, and it immediately takes me to that WIP, or a different one, and I just smile thinking of them. I really love that.

And a big thank you to Jaime, Erin, Alison, Katy, and Elodie for organizing this. I need to have my butt kicked into gear over the summer and RSW is the best for that. 

MONDAY READS

I read THINGS WE KNOW BY HEART by Jessi Kirby which I thought was a really sweet story and totally reminded me of the movie RETURN TO ME. Now I'm reading the last HEROES OF OLYMPUS book THE BLOOD OF OLYMPUS.