What's Up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk that allows us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's going on in our crazy writer lives.

What I'm reading

I think I'm at that point in my edits where I can't be bothered with someone else's story, because I've had no interest in reading books this past week, which is soooo not like me. Although, late last week I read Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy, which was a really cute book. I felt like I was left with some unanswered questions and the ending was wrapped up really quickly and I would have liked to dig into that more, but still, super cute. And it nails that whole boyfriends and friends that are boys dilemma that is so common with teen girls.

What I'm Writing

I'm dotting the I's and crossing the T's on my latest edits. A few minor, tiny changes and feedback from betas and I'm all set. Yikes.

What Else I've Been Up To

My ::cough:: 29th ::cough:: birthday is in 91 days. The reason I know this is because I put a countdown clock on my phone with those stressed out little emoticons around the number 29. Now, I'm sure most of you think this sounds like a crazy idea, but I have a plan! If I have to look at the days dwindling down to the big 2-9, then I am much more likely to get my lazy butt back to the gym. And so far it's worked. So working out again is what I've been up to. I'm also maybe, probably making myself crazy, but whatever.

Also, I've become obsessed with the show Twisted on ABCFamily and I've been catching up with that OnDemand. Ugh. So good.

What Inspires Me Right Now

See above, folks. I'm one of those Five-Year-Planners and a Do-This-This-and-This-Before-a-Certain-Age people and it's making me nuts. But right now, I'm inspired by trying to accomplish things that I've always wanted to do. Putting a time table on it isn't very smart, but it's something.

So. What are YOU up to?

What's Up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk that allows us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up.

What I'm reading

So I've actually taken time out to read in the last week or so! Actually, it's more like I had two days off and read two books while I had the time. Yes, I should have worked on edits more but honestly you guys, my brain needed a break. And Abbi Glines heard my call, man. I started reading The Vincent Boys series a month or so ago and since then I've been plowing through Glines book. They are just so readable. I'm finishing the Fallen Too Far series now and it won't be hard. It's almost like you sit down and accidentally read the whole thing in a few hours. So, so readable.

What I'm Writing

Same edits, different week. I'm actually a day out from finishing the first round of edits. I'm just at the end now, so everything I've changed is catching up to me, so this is the hard part. Which is still kind of awesome when you think about it.

What Else I've Been Up To

Work, work and more work. I have a few days off this week, so I'm hoping to not only finish my edits but clean up my apartment. It seriously looks like a group of frat boys live here. I also need to clean out my closet, which is one of my favorite things to do, so hopefully I can put my life back together a little bit this week.

What Inspires Me Right Now

Comic-Con! I've never had the opportunity to go out to Comic-Con in person but I follow it closely -and with as little jealously as I can- every year and this year didn't disappoint. Between all of the Marvel movies, Tom Hiddleston showing up in his full Loki costume, The Veronica Mars movie, Batman joining Superman in the next Man of Steel movie AND the City of Bones panel, I was a teensy bit overwhelmed by all of the awesomeness. But it's also so inspiring to see all of these fun, creative people putting their talents on display. Hopefully, maybe, someday I can actually go and let my nerd flag fly.

So. What are YOU up to?

What's Up Wednesday!

I saw this meme over at the super fantastic Jen Pickrell's blog, and since I literally couldn't think of a single interesting thing to blog about this week, I'm doing it!  Also, it's just a really cute way to keep up with that everyone is up to.

What I'm reading

The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines.  I take book recommendations very seriously, okay?  And when I saw multiple tweets from people who just couldn't quit this series, I knew I had to check it out.  I'm just starting the first one but I'm pretty pumped about it.

What I'm Writing

Woe is me.  I'm actually editing right now, so I haven't gotten a chance to write anything new.  But I want to, and more importantly, I think my soul needs it.  Once I get through these edits, I plan on writing something even though I don't know what yet.  Remember last week I talked about summer reading?  Well, there's also nothing I love more than summer writing.  And it is time, my friends.

What Else I've Been Up To

Besides reading over everything I've written, editing and beta reading, nothing much.  Work has been busy, as usual.  My normal TV shows are all off the air for the summer, although True Blood starts soon and I'm hoping things are better than they were last season.

I think I've mentioned that I'm a huge movie lover, but only when I actually go to the movie theater.  It's hard for me to sit on my couch and watch a movie, but I'm still not talking about how many times I went to see The Avengers last year.  It's possible I'm the one who made it the biggest movie ever, I'm just saying.  But this summer is packed full of good movies.  I saw Iron Man 3, which was amazing but not as amazing as Star Trek Into Darkness.  In the next few days I'm going to see Now You See Me, which gives me major I-Wish-I'd-Thought-of-That feelings.  And then the new Superman comes out!

So, yeah.  You'll know where to find me this summer.

What Inspires Me Right Now

Well, my best friend since I was eleven is having her second baby this coming Tuesday.  And it's a boy!  Her first child is a sassy, amazing little girl and I'm so, so excited to meet this little (not that little, he's almost 7 pounds already and he's still hanging out in there! He'll be showing up via C-section) guy!  I'm inspired by my best friend for being so calm in the face of having two kids, because I'm overwhelmed by my two cats.  But I'm also inspired to write really good books that these two, along with my niece, (who is 17 and the best kid ever) can read, love and be proud of.

An Agent Story

You know how sometimes you research an agent and you see something, just a little something, that makes you think, "We could be good together!"?  Well, I thought that a few months ago, when I found the bio of Becca Stumpf at Prospect Agency.  It was this one line in her bio that said, "Fantasy/SciFi is not just for nerds anymore, so let's bring it to the masses!"  Of course, I'm 100 percent nerd, but I'm the kind of nerd that's constantly trying to get people to come see the next Marvel movie with me, not just because they're awesome, but so I can enlighten them.  Know what I mean?

So anyway, I felt that I could really get on board with the whole bringing Fantasy/SciFi to the masses with MISFITS, so I crossed my fingers and sent the query.  Well, guess what guys???  I am now represented by the amazingly bright, helpful and fun Becca Stumpf!

It was a big decision and I had some other things going on, but one phone call with Becca sealed the deal.  Number one, she's really knowledgeable, great to talk to and she loves MISFITS -and let me tell you- I've been waiting a loooong time for that!  Number two, she laughs a lot and makes me want to sit and have coffee with her just to talk about books and other fun things.  But also, I really feel good about working with her.  I think we're really on the same page about my books and my career, not to mention that right when I logged on to my e-mail to tell her I wanted to work with her, she e-mailed me to check in.  Like, at the very same time.

I'm not one to talk about fate or anything... but come on!

So now it's time to get to work.  I'm excited and a little (a lot) overwhelmed, but I'm ready.  Also, anything that can be documented will totally be documented here.  To show people what it's like, of course, but also to serve as proof that this is actually, finally happening.

So my last post about queries and how hard it is?  Totally true, but please don't give up.  Seriously, just don't, okay?  Okay.

Thoughts on a Friday

Okay, so you know you haven't blogged in a really long time when your blog host changes the entire layout of things and it took you five minutes to figure out how to post something new.  Whew!

Anyway, the Semester That Will Probably Kill Me did not, in fact, kill me, but it was hairy there for a while.  I was hoping to graduate this summer but due to mix-ups and the universe's hobby of making my life more complicated, I have to make it through the fall semester.  The bright side is that the classes I have to take are fun, besides one math, but I'm in denial about that right now, and it won't be as intense as this one.  Look who is focusing on the positives! *pats self on the back*

So I plan on finishing up revisions on HOOD now that I have a little more free time along with beta reading and reading new books because, you guys, I haven't read a book in over a month!  I know.  I flew through the last two books of the Hunger Games when the movie came out (my feelings on that series would take another blog post, maybe two) and since then I haven't touched a book.  I'm remedying that this weekend.

Since I do have more free time, I'd looove some book recommendations.  I have a small pile that I need to get through right now, but I'm hoping it won't take long.

So, what should I read?

Getting back on track.

I'm not going to lie... I slacked off on my writing duties in December.  I was VERY busy baking and eating and Christmas-ing.  Also normal life stuff, but mainly eating.

I've made some headway into my revisions but the tough stuff lies ahead, so I'd really like dive back into those very soon.  Like right after I write this.

After that, my plan is more revisions!  I have huge, huge revisions to do on KC (secret title laugh here).  I'm looking forward to them but they also feel really daunting at the same time.  They'll take a while, for sure.

Then I need to do another round of revisions on my NaNo book.  There are plot holes-a-plenty in that one but I find myself thinking about it all the time, so I feel like I'm on to something with it. (Random: I've written whole instead of hole so many times today! What's the deal, brain?!  Also, why am I typing hole so much?)

So three books and three sets of revisions! Yippeeeee.

I'm going to be SO READY to write something new by spring.  Which is good because my December to Remember, write-every-single-idea-I-had-down thing worked and my notepad on my phone has a lot of titles of Book Idea 1, 2, 3 and so on, in it.  If I'm being honest, after I finish the MISFITS revisions, I'd really like to write one idea I came up with in December, but I can't just stick to the fun stuff all the time.  In theory, these revisions could be done by March-ish and then I can write like a crazy woman into the summer.

My writing goal this year is to write three books, which is actually the same goal I had last year.  I came up one short in 2011 though, so I'm determined to make it happen in 2012.  I actually want one of them to be the MISFITS sequel just for my own enjoyment, so we will see!

Do you make writing goals?  And if so, what are they?

Brandy