Month of October Goals

Wow! Has September already come and gone? How is that possible? It just barely started. And that means that October is here and I have to report on my goals from last month. I felt far better last month than I did during the summer. What a relief!

Anyway, here's how my September goals panned out:

• Finish beta'ing my sister-in-laws book CHECK and by golly it's a great book. Be ready to read stuff by Robin LuBean King, kids
• Read Insurgent  by Veronica Roth SUPER CHECK and wow, what a great book! It's official, I'm back into reading.
• Keep pluggin along with my new project, SPHERICAL (a dystopian novel) CHECK. I didn't do much but it's coming along
• Edit one of my own works No check, I am waiting to get my second book BOUND back from a CP
• Be social CHECK. I even went on two dates with the same guy. No interest there, though. And I spent time with friends, so that's great
• Go camping with my sister CHECK Refer to the blog post I wrote about the camping trip

So, here's looking October straight in the eyes. But I have to tell you that I started a new job. Today is my fifth day on the job. I will be learning this job, so I might be overwhelmed with it all. I hope my goals won't stress me out more. Anyway, here are my goals:

• Read BEYONDERS: SEEDS OF REBELION by Brandon Mull
• Finish listening to DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum (audio books are awesome)
• I'm going to save writing more of SPHERICAL for NaNoWriMo, especially with all I'm going to be doing this month
• If I have time, I'll edit some or all of another project
• Start my new job, love it, and learn it fast
• Find a new place to live in Salt Lake City before I'm driven mad by the long commute
• Enjoy my half birthday tomorrow, October 6, 2012. Yes, I celebrate my half birthdays. What can I say? I love birthdays!
• Recuperate from spraining my ankle. Silly me

What are your goals for this month? Have you read any good books lately? And how is life treating you?

*Mwah*

    Writing. Jewels.

Month of September Goals

Hello, followers! How's it going? I hope I find you all well on this Friday (or whenever you read this). I've got to admit I didn't do super hot on my goals this month. However, I was getting over a roller coaster ride of a crazy summer. So, I'd say all is well. Here's how I did with last month's goals:

• Move on August 18 and get settled into my new place Check. I like my new place. It's funny cuz my old commute to work took me 15 minutes. My new commute is 5 minutes total. Somehow I'm late for work even though I'm closer, when I was early before. *shakes head* 
• Read Beyonders: Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull. I bought it. Does that count? haha
• Edit a bit of my own works I started working on a new project. That counts, right?
• Enjoy me some Netflix and time with loved ones Super Check. I socialized a lot more than usual and spent some time with family. As for Netflix--it turned into Hulu. I met an author (Natalie Whipple) at a book bloggers/author get-together a couple weeks ago. She recommended me watch a Korean drama called "Boys Before Flowers". Oh my gosh! I watched all 25 episodes in about 2 weeks. Love it. You definitely should check it out, too. Beware, it'll suck you in. So funny story: my roommate/coworker sat in on watching the first episode with me. She is obsessed with it now, but we are both on different episodes. We'll sit in the same room watching it together but not the same episode. haha
• Beta a tweeps book if she needs my help. She's not ready for it to be read yet.

Well, now for September's goals:

• Finish beta'ing my sister-in-law's book (I'm so proud of her)
• Read Insurgent by Veronica Roth (I decided Beyonders can wait)
• Keep plugging along with my new project, SPHERICAL (a dystopian novel)
• Edit one of my own works (not sure which one)
• Go on a couple dates (I have no idea who'll be the lucky man/men, though... haha)
• Be social (writers tend to be solitary beings sometimes, or is that just me???)
• Go camping with my sister Guess what? I've already accomplished this one. I went Wednesday-Thursday of this week. Nice

So what are your goals for this fabulous autumnal month? Are you excited for fall blowing in? I am!

Writing. Jewels.

I’m Excited to Read Books: 2012 Edition

With 2012 here and kicking, I’m getting super excited for this year’s book releases.

Here's my list o' books I can't wait to read:

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Endlessly by Kiersten White

Arise by Tara Hudson

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Third book in the Matched series by Ally Condie

And Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris (no cover yet)

I'm salivating here. Can't wait to devour these books!

Which books being released this year are you dying to read?

Writing. Jewels.

Fahrenheit 451

I’ve been eating up a lot words lately. With work, revising my own book, writing blog posts, tweeting, eating, sleeping, enjoying ice cream, having some sort of social life, twiddling my thumbs, day-dreaming about having my very own puppy, etcetera, I‘ve still been able to read the following books:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Almost finished DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

Now that I look at the list, it doesn’t look very long at all. Sigh. But it is was it is and seems like a lot more than I should be able to read under the circumstances. I’ve got to have time to brush my teeth and shave my legs, ya know. TMI all the way! Plus, I'm beta reading for one of my Tweeps. I keep myself busy.

Anywho, I love reading. A lot. It’s a part of my life I could never, ever give up. Which brings me to the audio book I’m listening to: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The premise of the novel is books are outlawed and burned if found. (Pretty Dystopian if you ask me) In the society, thought has been diminished to practically nothing due to the lack of being educated through reading. And the lack of real social interaction. As well as the lack of looking around to see what really is happening in the world. Life’s “happiness” is based around robotic actions that truly won't bring lasting joy.

Its made me think about all the books I have, will have, and currently am devouring. If someone told me I couldn’t own them, read them, enjoy them, what would I do? Would I hide them in my air conditioning shaft? Would I succumb to the maddening law? Part of me says I would give in because I’m a pretty law-abiding individual—except when it comes to the speed limit, of course. Another part of me says I wouldn’t. Couldn’t.

It’s difficult to decide which path I would choose—the one I love or the one I know I’d hate.

Reflecting upon this thought brings me to a decision: I can’t live without books. I can’t live without feasting upon a story that lulls me away to a far away land, driving my imagination wild. Reading has become a large part of me, and I’m not willing to surrender it. I can’t. I won’t. Because I love it too much.

Now I pose the question: What would you do if you found yourself in such a society?

And the Winner Is...

First of all, I want to thank everyone for entering my very first ARC giveaway contest. I hope to have more in the near future. I really can't believe the response I received--that made for a hard decision. I'm more happy than I probably should be. hehe. I can't believe I have so many followers now. Thank you everyone. This was totally a collective effort to get me over 100 followers. Cheers!

Now, you probably have already scanned down the post to find out who the winner is, and I totally don't think less of you for having done so. I would have done the same thing. In writing this, I want to add a little suspense. I'm mean but in a really angelic way. 

So, lots the entrees talked about how they love dystopian books. Others, discussed how they loved The Hunger Games series and can't wait to get their hands on another book of similar genre. A couple people said they'd share the book with others. Some wrote poetry, even haiku. A few were writers and really needed a break from the madness of writing. One person's stuffed animals were jealous of my stuffed animals. One said if she didn't win this ARC, she better get one of my book's ARC. I'll have to see what I can do on that one. I sort of need a finished manuscript and a publisher first. hehe.

All in all, I loved your entrees. They were so fun to read. But I must choose one winner. And the winner is: 

Audrey! For this really creative reason why she should win an ARC of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth!

"If I were Mr. Darcy, Divergent would be my Elizabeth. At first, I wasn't really sure about her, she had a great cover and danced well, but nothing awesome enough to tempt *me*. But after a while, I began to see her everywhere, see the great stuff to be said about her, and soon learned she was everything I liked in a book. Sure enough I began to fall in love with her. And then after entering contest after contest and being rejected (in the rain, even!), I feel this is the final showdown Longbourn... please think of Mr. Darcy. I don't think he can handle another rejection from Elizabeth. 

=D Thank you so much for the contest!"

I giggled when I read her entry. Thank you so much Audrey for your creativity. I will email you later on today to get your address to mail you the pretty ARC.

I wish I had a whole box of ARCs to give everyone that entered, but alas, I could only choose one person.

Thank you for entering. Much love to all my followers and visitors, too. 

PS: There will be no "What I've Learned Wednesday" this week for obvious reasons. So, I pose this question to you: What have you learned in the process of writing?

Time is Running Out

My blog posting creativity is greatly lacking today. It's a Monday morning. I'm tired. I'm beginning a new work week. Where's my creativity, guys? It probably will come back. I do have to admit that I was listening to my iPod this morning and a Michael Jackson song came on. Can't remember which song it was, but I was totally rocking out in my bathroom as I did my hair. I felt like one of those 70's dancers. I probably looked pretty funny. Who cares, though. I was having fun. Maybe I'm not as tired as I think I am. Perhaps some creative juices are flowing. Wahoo.

Well, I hope that your creative juices are going strong today. Why? With some creativity, you totally could win an ARC of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth. If you haven't entered the contest I'm holding to win the said ARC, what are you waiting for? Follow this link to fill out the form.

You have until 4:00 p.m. mst TODAY. Get to it kids. I will announce the winner on Wednesday, March 30, 2011.

Since time is running out for the contest, I will share Muse's music video for the song Time is Running Out. Such a great song.

Have a really nice day!

Randomness on my Bloggy Friend

I'm pretty much in a giggly mood today, and pretty sure that everything I post today will make absolutely no sense, but I post anyway. Hopefully, I can get some laughs out of you on this fabulous Friday!

First of all, I went to dinner last night with the lovely, authoress Morgan Shamy. I know you’re all jealous, as you totally should be. The two of us had so much fun. Laughing, talking about writing, and encouraging each other to keep going. Seriously, I want Morgan to be my new best friend. What luck that we live like 15 minutes away from each other.

I have decided that the writing industry is by far the coolest industry ever. I love the bonds of friendship formed here. I love the creative atmosphere. I love how writers are all rooting each other on.

Now, I want to thank all of my new followers for joining my Bloggyworld and Twitterworld. With great surprise, between Saturday and today, I have gone from having 79 blog followers to 127. That is phenomenal. I could not have done it without you! Thank you for stopping by and sharing your love with me. Gracias. Merci. Danke. Arigato. Xie Xie. Grazie. I’m multi-lingual, too! Hehe

Whatever you do, don’t forget to enter to win an ARC of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth. The contest closes Monday, March 28, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. MST. Follow this link to enter.

Last, this video makes me snarf every time I see it. Enjoy the Homestar Runner Fun! What’s your favorite Homestar Runner clip? Let me know cause I want some more giggles today!

ARC of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth Contest Begins...

In celebration of reaching 100 followers on my blog, I'm holding an ARC giveaway contest. The lucky winner will get a *sparkly* ARC of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth. Follow this link to fill out the entry form.

Contest Rules:

• Contest closes on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. MST
• Its open Internationally.
• The happy winner will be chosen by having all the needed points (5) and has the best and most creative response to the question.
• The winner will be announced Wednesday, March 30, 2011. 

Thank you for helping me reach 100 followers. I couldn't have done it without you! Seriously, I am giddy and happy and all of the above!

GOOD LUCK!

My stuffed animal, Mr. Monkey, said he'd protect the book for the time being.

However, a group of my other stuffed animals felt left out. They will be protecting it, too! The book is in good hands until it reaches yours.

Thank you again!

ARC Giveaway Contest

Once I get 100 followers on my blog, I'm doing my very first ARC Giveaway Contest. The ARC, of which is in my possession as I type, is DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth. I will have more information about the contest on Monday, March 21, 2011. Follow my blog and if you're on Twitter for a chance to win!