What’s Up Wednesday

What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly blog hop hosted by the lovely Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk. Please check out their blogs to join in the fun!

What I’m Reading


I just started Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch. I love Donna Tartt. To anyone exploring the realm of New Adult, I highly recommend her first novel The Secret History, about a small-town boy who becomes enthralled in a strange and exclusive group at his university. I’ve read some opinions that The Goldfinch won the Pulitzer because The Secret History should have won ten years ago. I haven’t formed my own opinion yet. Tartt has the rare gift of beautiful, literary prose voiced through youth. The main character, in the beginning, anyway, is a thirteen-year-old boy. For someone who reads mostly YA, it’s a huge shift in pace, but the emotions and the story are right there with my normal choices.

What I’m Writing

I broke the 12,000 word mark, and the fifth chapter, on my WIP. I’m in love with this story, yet I’m not nearly as far as I’d hoped to be by now. But it’s all good, because I was sidetracked by The Writer’s Voice. It’s an amazing contest hosted by Brenda Drake, Mónica Bustamante Wagner, Kimberly P. Chase, and Elizabeth Briggs, based on NBC’s The Voice. If you want to get a glimpse of a day in the life of an agent, take a look at the live blog hop on any of the sites above. There are 139 queries and first pages, and the talent is mind-blowing. I am so honored to be chosen by Kimberly Chase for her team, along with fellow WUW gal Alison Miller! 


What Inspires Me Right Now

Music has been my inspiration lately. It’s funny; I tried writing this WIP to some of my Perception playlists, and it was not happening! The Lumineers are working better for this one, and the occasional Death Cab and Twin Shadow. 

What Else I’ve Been Up To

I’m thrilled to be leading a new SCBWI critique group in the Jacksonville area. Our first meeting is this Saturday, and we’ve had lots of interest online. For me, my writing life is usually compartmentalized away from my regular life with friends and family. But I’m ready for worlds to collide, and I can’t wait to meet and dig in with other local writers.

And finally, I know I just wrote a post about sharing too much about my children, but I can’t help myself. Son #1 had a piece of art chosen for an art show. I am so proud of him, and so excited! The show is being held at a local hotel, and afterward, the pieces will stay on display. Yay!

I can’t wait to catch up with everyone else!