Highlights From 2013

I suppose most people have put 2013 behind them by now, but before I join them in putting the year to rest, I have a few reflections. It was a mostly positive year, with one dark cloud which will continue to loom over my family in 2014. Though I may not always be able to see the sun on a dark, cloudy day, I have faith that it still exists on the other side. So, in no particular order, some of my highlights and favorite things from 2013.

1. Writing - What would I do without words? Without characters and stories to create? Probably succumb to watching HGTV 24 hours a day. That channel is seriously addicting.

2. Squash pie from Wilson's - I discovered this pie right before Thanksgiving and had to go back to buy one for Christmas. I may have accidentally hid it in the back of the refrigerator on Christmas until after we had eaten dinner and dessert. Such a shame that the family was too full to eat any.

3. Speaking of refrigerators...My new refrigerator! - After my ol' faithful 20 year old fridge froze its last ice cube a few days before Christmas, it was time to put it to rest. My new one is shiny and white and doesn't have handles. It's sparkly with it's LED lights and oh, so clean. I never thought I'd become enamored with a kitchen appliance, but I'm smitten.

4. Pope Francis - I love that this simple man of faith is leading my Church and I'm hopeful for its future.

5. The University of Notre Dame

6. My family - There were so many joyful  moments that made my heart soar this past year: birth of a new baby, wedding with a story behind it that makes me tear up every time I tell someone (and the addition of our Chloe), my parents moving back from Florida, celebrating sacraments together: First Communion, Confirmation, Baptism - we are truly blessed. There were/are some difficult events that we struggled with and will continue to face in 2014 but we're strong, resilient, and hopeful.

7. One of those joyful family events...My son running, finishing, and in his category, winning a marathon.
He trained last summer, often running 8 to 15 miles in the heat. This past fall, on his fall break from college, he flew home and ran in a local marathon. His time, just under 3 hours, qualified him  for the Boston Marathon in 2015. He is such an inspiration to me and I'm so proud of him.

8. My friends, J and T, blog about their child and how she has changed their lives in the best possible way. It's a peek into their private lives and the little joys that come with their child's discoveries and growth. Their posts put a smile on my face as I remember my own brood when they were that young. I look forward to every post!

9. Downton Abbey - Yes, I am bandwagon jumper on-er. After mispronouncing the name of this hit show for two years (kind of like how I mispronounced Hermione's name until I listened to a Harry Potter audiobook. Doh!), my oldest daughter and I decided to borrow the DVDs for the past 3 seasons to see what all the hype was about. Well, it only took a few episodes to hook us and I'm so excited about season 4. Can't wait to find out what happens to the residents and staff of my favorite English residence.

10. My comfy Clarks. Worth every penny.

What were some of your favorite things or moments of 2013? I'd love for you to share them in the comments below.

Favorite 2013 Reads

My Goodreads reading goal for 2013 was to read 26 books. To my delight, I surpassed this goal in the fall and reset it for 32. As of December 31, 2013 I finished reading 39 novels! It was a great year for YA fiction and it's going to be hard to narrow down my favorites, but I suspect that some of mine are on your favorites list as well. In no particular order:

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein - I love a book with a gut-wrenching twist.

Just One Day/Just One Year - Gayle Forman is back! Just sayin'.

Fangirl - I categorize this as NA. Another great book by Rainbow Rowell.

Shine - Lauren Myracle - How did I neglect reading this for so long? Wonderful!

Prodigy - Marie Lu - The Legend series; Most trilogies I've read or started reading have a weak book. Not this one. Champion will be my first read in 2014.

Days of Blood and Starlight - Laini Taylor, enough said.

Wintergirls (reread) - Laurie Halse Anderson - Perfect.

The Fifth Wave - Rick Yancey, I love your writing.

Chaos Walking series - Patrick Ness, I love yours, too.

The Cuckoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith - Jo, you sneaky devil! Refreshing. Renewed my love for mystery/detective books with great characterization.

And because Neil Gaiman's brilliant, even when he's writing a blog post, The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Good creepy stuff!

I'll keep my 2013 list visible on the right of this homepage for a few more days in case you're looking for recommendations for your 2014 TBR list. After that I'll post the list under my Books Read tab where you will find my 2012 and 2013 list. If your're interested I will be adding my 2014 reads to the right sidebar on this page as well as what I'm currently reading.

Also, a special shout out to my two friends who were published this year. Donna K. Weaver and Donna Hosie.
I'm so proud of these women and happy to count them as friends. I wish them continued success and can't wait to see how they'll use their talents this year.

What were your favorite reads of 2013? Were any of mine on your list? What must read book should I add to my 2014 TBR list?

Finally

The shopping is done
Presents have been opened and put away.
Family has been hosted.
The broken refrigerator has been replaced.
My time is my own for a week.

Looking forward to getting back to writing
and reading
and decluttering,
sleeping and breathing
and catching up with family, friends, my characters.

I've been allowing 2013 to wind down, putting it behind me, and looking forward to 2014 tentatively. This year has the potential to be really great or devastating with not much room for in between.

I choose hope and faith, shielding my heart from fear.

How was 2013 for you? Are you looking forward to the new year?

Interview with Donna K. Weaver

I'm thrilled to welcome a long time friend and author of A CHANGE OF PLANS to my blog today. Donna and I met in cyberspace long before either of us began our writing journeys. We both share a passion for Harry Potter and were on the staff of The Leaky Cauldron website together, though in different areas of the forum. Donna has worked so hard to achieve her dream of writing and publishing a novel and I'm extremely happy for her.

Before getting to know Donna in a short interview, here's a look at her debut book.

When Lyn sets off on her supposedly uncomplicated and unromantic cruise, she never dreams it will include pirates. All the 25-year-old, Colorado high school teacher wants to do is forget that her dead fiancé was a cheating scumbag. Lyn plans a vacation diversion; fate provides Braedon, an intriguing surgeon. She finds herself drawn to him: his gentle humor, his love of music, and even his willingness to let her take him down during morning karate practices. Against the backdrop of the ship's make-believe world and temporary friendships, her emotions come alive.

However, fear is an emotion, too. Unaware of the sensitive waters he's navigating, Braedon moves to take their relationship beyond friendship--on the very anniversary Lyn is on the cruise to forget. Lyn's painful memories are too powerful, and she runs from Braedon and what he has to offer.

Their confusing relationship is bad enough, but when the pair finds themselves on one of the cruise's snorkeling excursions in American Samoa things get worse. Paradise turns to piracy when their party is kidnapped and Lyn's fear of a fairytale turns grim. Now she must fight alongside the man she rejected, first for their freedom and then against storms, sharks, and shipwreck.

Interview with Donna

1. Do you ever look at yourself in the mirror and pinch yourself thinking, "I'm a published author!" I still can't believe it. It's funny because the book went live on Amazon early, and my sister-in-law got and read the book. Yet I hadn't received my own copies of it . How ironic that someone else held my baby before me?

2. What was your inspiration for A Change of Plans?
A dream. It had one with a guy and a girl on an island with the huge tree and a tree house. In the dream, they were strangers, though.

3. What is your favorite part of the writing process?
I don't outline in the traditional way. My outline's a 50,000 word first draft. I love sitting down to write and seeing where the story takes me. Even when I've thought I knew where the story was going to go, I'm frequently surprised.

4. What are you currently working on and can you tell us a little about it?
I'm editing a companion novel to A Change of Plans. It stars a secondary character--Jori--and begins about 80 pages into ACoP, where the characters go different paths. It's been an interesting experience, both writing a parallel story that goes beyond where ACoP ends but also writing from a male point of view. I'm also working on a short story about Lyn's best friend, Elle.

5. Other than writing, what's your favorite thing to do in your spare time?
When I'm alone, read. When I'm doing something with my husband, we like to go to movies or play video games.

6. Tell us a little about your writing process. Plotter or Pantser? PoV preference?
Since I talked about my Panstering earlier, I'll address point of view. I was actually 12,000 words into ACoP as third person, but I could tell it wasn't working. I'd never really considered writing in first person because it seemed so ... personal? Even though it's not. But once I started writing in first person, it was the right fit for this story. The other 4 1/2 books I've written are all third person.

7. Are there any "must haves" you need while writing? (favorite snack, music, comfy chair cushion...) Quiet. I don't mean silence. I love having music that fits the characters or scenes. I just can't have people talking to me when I'm writing. I used to share my office with my husband, but he's a regular Chatty Cathy, and I couldn't take it. Now I have my own office. Which comes in handy since I got Dragon software for the last NaNo (that's when I wrote Jori's book). No way could I talk a story if I had an audience.

8. You knew I had to ask this...Who is your favorite character from the Harry Potter series and why? Harry. I love that kid. I loved learning his history as the story unfolded. Jo was so wonderful the way she eased us into Harry's back story and showed us things even he hadn't known about. I remember when I was reading Prisoner of Azkaban, and I realized the screaming he heard around Dementors was his mother's death cries. Or how happy I was that Harry's Patronus took the form of James's Animagus because of the connection it gave Harry to his father. Or the scene in the hospital at the end of Goblet of Fire (that didn't end up in the film) where Mrs. Weasley held Harry as he cried--almost like a mother. *sniff* Dang. Now I'm going to have to go back and listen to the books again--for like the bazillionth time.

Thank you, Donna for stopping by. Congratulations! I can't wait to read your book!

For more info about Donna K.Weaver, you can visit her at her awesome blog, Weaving A Tale or Two.

A CHANGE OF PLANS is now available at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Rhemalda Publishing
Goodreads page
Facebook page

2013 Book Love

Is it me or is this going to be an amazing year in new novels? There are so many books I'm anticipating this year, not to mention those from past years I haven't read yet. My "To Read" List never seems to shrink! And I wouldn't have it any other way. Below are several books I'm looking forward to reading.

Just One Day by Gayle Forman
It's been tough waiting for a new Gayle Forman novel, but finally, it's here! If I Stay and it's sequel, Where She Went, are must reads for anyone writing for teens. Just One Day is currently available and I can't wait to read Forman's latest YA contemporary. Release date: January 8, 2013.

Prodigy by Marie Lu
I recently reread Legend to refresh my memory and to prepare for Lu's second book in the trilogy, Prodigy. Legend is a quick-paced novel with two main characters that I really cared about. It was as good as I remembered it to be the first time around. Release date: January 28, 2013.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Just released on February 5, 2013, this is book 2 of the Lunar Chronicles. I thoroughly enjoyed the imaginative Cinder and have been anticipating Scarlet ever since.

Mind Games by Kiersten White.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in White's Paranormalcy series and I'm currently reading the third, Endlessly. Mind Games has been described as very different from that series. Release date: February 19, 2013.

Arclight (May 1, 2013) and Premeditated (October 8, 2013) by Josin L. McQuein
If you follow writing blogs, Josin has been a regular in the comment sections over the past few years. She's smart, knowledgable about the process of writing and publishing, and wow, can she write. The writing community knew it was only a matter of time before she would land an agent and get a book deal. And what a year for her! Her debut, Arclight will be released this spring and in the fall, Premeditated.

The Spirit of Nimue by Donna Hosie
My dear friend, Donna will be releasing the last book in her YA ebook trilogy this May. I'm currently in the middle of reading (and loving!) Book 2, The Fire of Merlin. It's a fun adventure involving time travel, romance, and hot knights. For more information on her series visit Donna at Musings of a Penniless Writer.

Transparent by Natalie Whipple May 21, 2013
I've been a long time follower of Natalie's blog and am thrilled that she will finally realize her dream of seeing her debut novel on bookshelves. Release date of May 21, 2013.

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Stephanie's novels are like eating chocolate. You want to savor every delicious word. I adored Anna and the French Kiss and thoroughly enjoyed Lola and the Boy Next Door. I can't wait to get my hands eyes on her next novel! Release date: tentatively, summer 2013 (according to her blog)

Written In My Own Heart's Blood
If you're a fan of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, she expects a Fall 2013 release date for her latest installment. To say I loooooove this adult series is an understatement. Jamie and Claire are one of my favorite literary couples of all time and I'm anticipating (with trepidation) book 8. Trepidation because I'm not quite sure how many more years Jamie and Claire have left together. They're not exactly newlyweds at this point, if you know what I mean. I've already started a 10 month reread of the previous books as I prepare for Book 8. And believe me when I tell you I need 10 months, they are door stopper books of between 800 and 1000 pages each.

I've saved the best, imho, for last.

The Final Descent by Rick Yancey *****
THIS is my most highly anticipated read for 2013. The Monstrumologist series by Rick Yancey was my favorite literary find in 2012. Categorized as YA Horror, it is a blend of literary prose, extraordinary character development, and believe it or not, humor, with a Dickensian feel. I absolutely loved the first three books: The Monstrumologist, The Curse of the Wendigo, and The Isle of Blood, as did my 13-year-old daughter. Yes, they contain descriptive, gruesome scenes - hence the category of horror - but don't let that deter you from reading them. The novels focus on the complicated relationship between the two main characters, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop and his 12/13-yr-old orphan/assistant, Will Henry, and the doctor's unusual line of work - monstrumology. The stories unfold at a slower pace than most YA novels, howeverYancey's rich and thought-provoking prose completely pulled me into this story, and made me gasp, cringe, laugh and cry. Absolutely brilliant! The 4th and sadly, the last book in this series, The Final Descent, will be released in September of 2013.


What are you anticipating in 2013? Have you read any of those already released? Inspired to read any of the previous works by the authors I mentioned above?

Dusting Off the Blog

It's nice to be back after the holidays. I've been reflecting on the past year and the best word I can use to describe 2012 is that it was emotional. Although I won't get specific, my family experienced some wonderful highs and some difficult lows. But all in all, the year ended on a good note where the highs outweighed the lows.

November's NaNoWriMo proved to be what I needed to kick start my current WiP. For some reason I could not get past the first couple hundred words - they simply weren't working. Even though I didn't reach 50,000 words, I finally pushed past the beginning and ended up with 10,000 more words than I had on October 31st.

We've been having quite a bit of computer issues which involved buying a new hard drive, making sure my writing was saved, which it was thanks to a previous back up, and transferring files to a new hard drive. Don't let the techy talk fool you. What I didn't mention is how long I had my sis-in-law on the phone while I panicked about about clicking anything for fear I'd lose files or transfer a virus to the new computer). I spent a productive night this week editing what I had written so far and I feel like I'm moving in the right the direction. I'm looking forward to finally having a free weekend to work on this. No working title yet which is a bit frustrating but I'm confident it will come in time. Usually, I have a title by this point, but so far...nothing. And so I'll continue calling it YAGS (Young Adult Ghost Story) for now. If that awful name doesn't inspire me to come up with a title, nothing will!

My goal this year is to finish YAGS, type THE END and send it to a few willing beta readers. I'm itching to move toward my pursuit of publication, and this year should be the perfect year to make some big steps in that direction.

Also, I hope to spruce up the blog over the next couple of weeks. I'm ready for a change.

Do you have any goals for 2013, writing or otherwise? Do share. I'd love to read about them.