Gettin' back on it

There are three things I want to do today. Notice I said want. Not need. Not have to. Want. That's very different from the To Do list of laundry, dishes and other chores awaiting me.

1. Read - I have two books in progress and plan on finishing both today so that I can start Maria Geraci's Bunco Babes Tell All.

2. Write - I have a shifter (of sorts) novella that's about halfway done. I really want to finish it and get it submitted. I don't like having unfinished stuff hanging over my head. Will I finish it today? No, but I want to get started on it again.

3. Bead - I've gotten some incredible beads in the last few days. Peacock pearls so fat and shiny they look like candy. Rondelles of misty green prehnite. Faceted sterling silver beads. I want to create!

What's on your Want List for today?

I Finally Read A Book!

With all my focus on writing lately, reading has been put on the back burner. Last night, I finally read a book. And a remarkable book at that. If I Stay by Gayle Forman is a YA that talks about the choices of life and the meaning of family. It almost made me cry, and that's saying something because books rarely have that affect on me.

Check it out if you get a chance. You won't be disappointed.

What have you read lately?

Work Day #2

I got my edits done yesterday, all 215 pages of them! And while that is a major accomplishment, getting it done meant not doing other things. I'll be doing those other things today.

I have 2 contest entries to judge (longish ones) and a long chapter to critique for one of my RL CP's. After that, I hope to write a few pages on the novella I thought I'd be finishing this week. I won't be, but I'm not complaining. Getting that partial done was paramount.

In other news, my second attempt to read 50 books in a year isn't going so well. I've read one and a half. I'm not going to fret about it, though. There's just a lot more writing being done this year and that's a good thing!

Also, the new season of Survivor starts tonight! You know, because I need to watch more tv. *insert eye roll here* What are you doing today?

50 Books In A Year - 2008

• 50. The Scarlet Letterman
• 49. Some Like It Wild
• 48. Steelflower
• 47. Magic Burns
• 46. Night's Rose
• 45. Tempt The Devil
• 44. The Girl She Used To Be
• 43. A Great And Terrible Beauty
• 42. Poison Study
• 41. Now You Die
• 40. Devil Of The Highlands
• 39. Queen Of Dragons
• 38. From Dead To Worse
• 37. All Together Dead
• 36. Definitely Dead
• 35. Dead As A Doornail
• 34. Dead To The World
• 33. Club Dead
• 32. Dead In Dallas
• 31. Dead Until Dark
• 30. Dark Desires After Dusk
• 29. Dark Deeds At Night's Edge
• 28. This Year's Model
• 27. New Moon
• 26. Lover Enshrined
• 25. Then You Hide
• 24. Roasting In Hell's Kitchen
• 23. Wicked Deeds On A Winter's Night
• 22. No Rest For The Wicked
• 21. Lady Beware
• 20. The Serpent Prince
• 19. To Taste Temptation
• 18. A Hunger Like No Other
• 17. First You Run
• 16. The Spymaster's Lady
• 15. The Bleeding Dusk
• 14. Mine Til Midnight
• 13. Rises The Night
• 12. The Life of Pi
• 11. A Thousand Splendid Suns
• 10. I Want Candy
• 9. Enchanting The Lady
• 8. Ink Exchange
• 7. Into Thin Air
• 6. Hit Reply
• 5. Highland Guardian
• 4. How To Be Bad
• 3. The Sea King
• 2. The Rest Falls Away
• 1. Highland Rogue

Can I get a woohoo?

I did it! I read 50 books in a year and have actually started on book #1 for 2009 because I plan to do it again. It's pretty awesome to accomplish a goal like that. Too bad it wasn't lose 50 pounds in a year. *sigh* But I digress.

Other than a run to the post office and Lowe's, today begins my new writing regime. I'm going to try to write for 3 uninterrupted hours. That means no email, no checking blogs, no games, etc. If I start to twitch I intend to seek medical help. But seriously, I need to get more disciplined and this seems to be a good way to move toward that goal. How do you police your writing time? What time of day do you write best? I haven't totally figured that out yet.

I also started the Master Cleanse today. I did this last year and lost 17 pounds in 10 days. Granted, that's mostly water weight (okay, and poo), but it's a great way to kick start a diet. And I'm hoping to lose about 10 in 7 days this time to really get me pumped up to get back to working out and eating right.

What's your Monday look like?

Christmas Sales...

So I hit Target this morning to see what fabulous sales I could find. It was a little underwhelming saleswise, although I did pick up some gifts for next year's Christmas for the kids. Got Hotrod some iPod speakers for $2.50, which seemed like a good buy to me. Other than that, the crowds weren't too bad until it got later in the day (I was in there for about 1 1/2 hours) and then I called it quits.

Hotrod and I are going to a movie tonight. Not sure which one yet, but hopefully Quantum of Solace. We are woefully behind on movies. Obviously.

Now it's back to reading for me so I can make my 50 books in a year goal! And at some point, I need to clean the house. Exciting life I live, no? What are you up to today?

Great Read!

I just read the most amazing book - The Girl She Used To Be by David Cristofano. You know when you're reading and you stop to reread a phrase because it awes you as a writer (and you deeply wish those words had come from your brain)? That's this book. In spades.

Unfortunately for you all, this book doesn't come out until March 2009. Go to Amazon and pre-order. You won't be disappointed. Reading a book like this makes you a better writer.

In a nutshell, it's the story of girl in the witness protection program, but it's so much more than that - a story of finding yourself, of realizing freedom, of falling in love, of understanding fear and forgiveness and moving on. It's just amazing. I don't want to say more for fear I'll ruin something.

Do yourself a favor. Get this book.

Happy Monday!

It's December and that both thrills and frightens me. I love Christmas, but the amount of "stuff" that remains to be done before the year is over boggles my mind.

Mostly, I need to finish the book I'm writing, get it polished and turned into my agent. Hotrod is out of town for a few days, so I'm hoping I can really get some pages done to make up for my pitiful lack of writing while we were up at my folks this last week.

We're also traveling again this month - a mission trip to Costa Rica. Then there will be some Christmas prep when we get back, parties to attend, ballet recitals to see, etc. This is just a busy, busy month. (Not to mention I have 7 more books to read to hit my goal of 50!)

Today, before I can write, I've got to run errands (we have no food in the house since we've been gone a week). Then I'm gluing myself to the laptop and getting intimate with the keyboard. What are your plans for today?

Please Pass The...WHAT?

I had a great, albeit too short, weekend. Saturday was spent at a booksigning that took place at a local mall. Much fun was had by the five writers/authors in our group, even though we started the day by having lunch at a rather curious place. The restaurant we ate at featured a menu where every plate was 475 calories or less. Great! However, there wasn't a pat of butter to be had in the whole joint. They don't stock it, cook with it or serve it.

My dislike was immediate. I almost don't trust a restaurant that doesn't use butter. Granted, the food was really good. I just couldn't get past the butter thing.

I made up for that on Sunday afternoon when Hotrod and I indulged in the chili and cornbread I'd made for lunch. Mmmm...boys and girls, I can cook. Just saying. I also finished one book and started another. I am pushing really hard to make that 50 book year end total.

My one and only major goal this month? Write "The End" on my WIP. That means approximately 133 pages. Very doable. No NaNo, no fast draft, just regular writing. Any of you doing NaNo? Any other big monthly goals?

Why Kristen Can't Read

"50 books in a year? No problem! I read that much in my sleep."

Um, actually, I don't. I don't read nearly the amount I thought I did. Consider me woken up and the coffee smelled. Despite the fact that I'm a speed reader (I've read 1000 words/minute with 100% comprehension since tested in 8th grade), life requires a lot of time, too. Plus, there's that whole writing thing I do.

I find it hard to read too much when I'm deep in my writing process. My brain doesn't want any characters but the ones who currently occupy my thinking. I also try not to read anything paranormal/fantasy while writing since my stories always have that bent and I worry about being influenced or unwittingly "borrowing" something.

Still, I've done a good job plowing through the Sookie Stackhouse books, even tho they're squarely in the paranormal category. They're different enough that I don't think there's any chance for crossover into my own work. Do you have these same issues with your writing/reading habits? Or is it just me? Do you pick genres to read that are opposite what you're writing?

I don't know if I'll get my 50 books this year, but I'm certainly going to try. If I can finish writing/polishing my WIP by the end of Novemeber, then December will be a reading-palooza.