My Songs Know What You Did

I've been working on my supersecret WIP and it's been tough. Sometimes the scenes come out no problem, and sometimes I struggle with what should come next. I'm also struggling with the MC because she's nothing like I'm used to writing.

Music often helps me with my WIPs. When I was working on Sway, I constantly listened to Michael Buble because his music just fit. Some of his songs helped shape different scenes, or helped me to get into Sway's world.

I'm not someone who spends time creating a playlist, though. Instead, I keep my ears open until I hear a song that just WORKS. With my WIP, there's been one from the start that is sort of the theme song for this MS.

On My Own from Les Miserables

I love this video- even though it doesn't show the whole song, the clips from the movie are very moving.

This week, I've found a second song I can add to my WIPs playlist. Yay! Here it is, now on constant repeat during my writing time:

My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light 'Em Up) by Fall Out Boy

 

Just yesterday, as I was listening to my iTunes playlist, I stopped suddenly during this Imagine Dragons song and pressed repeat. I've loved their album since I bought it, but yesterday the words hit me and they're perfect for my WIP.

 

Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons

 

What are the songs for your WIP? Can I steal them and use them in mine?! :D

Surprise Me

So life got crazy busy all of a sudden and I've got about two seconds to answer today's Road Trip Wednesday question:

What's been your most surprising read of the year so far---the book you weren't sure about going in that really swept you off your feet?

So, I read a lot. And I have a terrible memory. Which means I don't remember what I read last year let alone last month (hence, my list). And even if I do think, oh yeah, I read that, I rarely remember what happened. Sad. But true. (Hence, rereading.)

There's a lot of books though that surprise me. Most of the time, I pick up books either because their cover is pretty and the premise sounds interesting, or I've heard other people blog/gush/tweet etc about them. Sometimes, I don't even know what a book is about, I've just heard it's good. Usually, I'm not disappointed. That being said, there are a few that really surprised me. (And because I barely remember what they're about let alone why I loved them, this is just gonna be in list format with no explanations, sorry.)

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks 

 

 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 

 

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

 

 The Selection by Kiera Cass

Apollyon

First off, can I tell you how excited I am that I made it into QueryKombat, all because of my fantabulous nickname!

Since I didn't get in based on my query, I'd love for any and all to pop on over to Michelle's Blog and give me some crits. You have to wait until all 32 match-ups are up and the judging comment is posted, but then have at 'er! I would love that. You can't vote for me, but you can tear my query to shreds which I'm totally okay with. (I believe that the judges will reply to the 1st comment posted- which is the "judging comment". After that's up, anyone can comment on the posts, before the judges actually do the judging. If that doesn't make sense, Michelle has explained the ruled better than me on her blog.) I'm the second match-up, and my nickname is SWAY ME BUBLE.

Anyway, on to Teaser Tuesday. I'm still on my Jennifer Armentrout kick, reading the latest book in her Covenant series: Apollyon. This time, I stuck to the rules and randomly picked a line (or two, or three). Since this is a fourth book, I really wanted to stay away from spoilers!

I ground my teeth. "You can't have me. I'm not-"
"You're not his, Alex. You don't belong to anyone but yourself!"
He was wrong, so wrong. (page 44)

Dance Like You Love It

What's been weighing most on my mind hasn't actually been writing this week. Instead, I've been stressing about something I probably shouldn't take so seriously:

Dance.

My oldest takes ballet and jazz, my middle daughter started ballet this year. Lately, I've been considering switching dance studios but I can't make up my mind if I should or not. This has been pressing on my mind all week, bugging me, stressing me out, causing lack of sleep and major annoyance.

Yesterday I realized that it's not the studios themselves that are making this decision so hard-- it's ME.

No matter what, every dance studio will have its pluses and minuses. What I'm having problems with is just how much I want my daughters to be involved. Dance takes time and money. Aside from classes, studios always want the kids to do exams and be in competition. Part of me wants the girls to do this, the other part says- it's too soon, they're too young, they don't need to just yet. Then I argue with myself that I want them to be the best they can be and these things will only make them better.

I love dance and I want my girls to love it to. (And no, I'm not a crazy dance mom- if they decide they'd rather do something else, I'm totally good with that.) My love of dance didn't come from getting high marks in exams or winning medals in competitions. My love of dance came from the teachers, the music, the choreography, performing, costumes, applause, friends in class, and the knowledge that I could do something, that I had a talent.

I'm starting to realize that it probably doesn't matter what studio they go to. I want them to learn technique and discipline, but I want them to have fun too. They don't have to be the best, they don't have to win a ton of medals. What I wish most for them is to be happy. I want them to love what they're doing, no matter what it is.

A Girl Can Dream

It's Road Trip Wednesday day again, hosted by YA Highway. This week they want to know...

Conference season is here! We are getting all excited for BEA and ALA (check out the get-together we have planned with Stacked for ALA!), and we want to know: What authors would be on your dream author panel?

Maybe one of these days I'll get myself to a real writers conference. (Not just a day thing, which I've been to and was, in fact, real, but... you know...) Until then, I can only dream up who I would have on a dream author panel. Mainly, this lady:

If you don't know who this is, then you're either an alien who just landed on our planet, or a person who's brain was removed and replaced with robot parts.

Who wouldn't want to meet J.K. Rowling? Then maybe some of her genius would rub off on me. Or maybe we'd become besties and she'd share her billions with me and introduce me to all her publishing friends. (I know, I know, or maybe pigs fly.)

Really, I'd love to see any author whose book I read and loved on an author panel. It would be great to hear about how the author came up with the book, what they loved about writing it, what their creative process is, what their pub story was like, what they're working on next, what they're like as a human being and not just as THE AUTHOR.

A few in particular I would love to meet because I think their books are full of the funny, are Meg Cabot, Rick Riordan, Kiersten White, Sophie Kinsella, Ally Carter, and Jennifer Armentrout.

Oh, and since this is a DREAM author panel, can Jane Austen be there too? Or maybe just her. Because I've got a lot of questions. And that would be awesome.
 

Deity

It's like I'm on some kind of Jennifer Armentrout kick. Actually, I just happened to have bought a lot of her books at once so I get to read most of the series back-to-back, except Sentinel which comes out in the fall. (Is that the last in the series, does anyone know?)

So for Teaser Tuesday I'm pulling out another great Covenant Series quote:

"But you have nothing to fear." He guided my chin down with gentle fingers. "When will you learn?" His voice was heavy, gruff. "You're the only person who has control over who you become. You're too strong to ever lose yourself. I believe that. Why can't you?" (page 63-64)

What are you reading this week? Once I'm finished this series, I've gotta catch up on some 2nd and 3rd books of a few series.

The One That Got Away

Oh, YA Highway. Must you go there??? Sigh. Here's this week's Road Trip Wednesday:

 

What book is your 'one that got away?'

Do I even have to answer this? If you've been around my blog a time or two, you already know the answer.

My poor, poor Daze and Knights.

Even though I've shelved it, my brain doesn't want to let it die. I often find myself thinking of the manuscript, the characters, the plot. I wonder what of my two different versions I would keep and what I would cut if I rewrote it again. I think about self-pubbing, but then slap myself in the brain because I would never self-pub a book I'm so unsure over. I always thought Daze was 'the one.' Turns out I was wrong, but I still can't shake it.

So, I guess Daze isn't the 'one that got away' since it still hasn't left me. Or, it got away, but for some strange reason, I can't stop chasing it.

This is what I SHOULD be doing! If only Daze was a killer bunny.