Goodbye May

May wasn't entirely...horrible. It was more of a rollercoaster Lots of new things, lots of old things, lots of weird sense of...waiting.


Just like 2019, I wanted to make some resolutions and (try to) stick to them. As a reminder, here were my updated resolutions.


2020 Resolutions:

     (1) Write [almost] every day

     (2) Don't stop reading

     (3) Complete something (e.g. a manuscript)

     (4) Share love of books/writing
     (5) Be kinder to myself

(1) Again, everyday. Well, every single day until I ran out of editing to do with my manuscript. I'm giving it time to settle/simmer and give myself time to breathe before I got at it again.

(2) Books read this month: 5. On the on up there.

(3) Like I said above, giving my time to let my manuscript settle. But I got a lot done. Changed the tense (to present). Changed the POV (to first). Changed the ending so it might....might work better now.

(4) Posts this month (including this one): 9.

(5) May was better at exercising (near the end). But those 12-15 pounds I gained over the past 2-3 months isn'g going away easily (why would it D: ). But I'm back at work, and it's feeling great.


Anyone still holding onto their resolutions?


Any exciting June reads?
Anything I should check out?

#socialdistancing #coronavirus #newyearsresolutions #goodbyemay #hellojune #hello2020 #keeplearning #writeeveryday #dontstopreading #completesomething #getprofessional #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Alex In Wonderland

I bought "Alex in Wonderland" about a week ago (during a slight guilty book buying spree--after I told myself that I wouldn't be buying any books until I got thru some of my TBR pile (I failed myself again yesterday and bought three more books, a series, if that helps)).

N E Way. "Alex in Wonderland" by Simon James Green. Seriously, so good. So freaking cute. So freaking full of so much second-hand embarrassment (sooo freaking much). But some much fluff. And so much character growth.

Alex is like seriously a gay disaster. I feel like I say that a lot about a lot of characters, but honestly, he has redefined gay disaster. Because he's a freaking disaster. And hella gay.

["In the town of Newsands, painfully shy Alex is abandoned by his two best friends for the summer. But he unexpectedly lands a part-time job at Wonderland, a run-down amusement arcade on the seafront, where he gets to know the other teen misfits who work there. Alex starts to come out of his shell, and even starts to develop feelings for co-worker Ben... who, as Alex's bad luck would have it, has a girlfriend.

Then as debtors close in on Wonderland and mysterious, threatening notes start to appear, Alex and his new friends take it on themselves to save their declining employer. But, like everything in Wonderland, nothing is quite what it seems..."]

NOTHING is what it seems.

Go read this book. Please, go. Do it now.

Do it for the idealist, middle of nowhere, practically the British-equivalent of a redneck town (a sea side town, just short of London). Do it for the quirky amusement park (who doesn't love old claw games). Do it for the gay (with pride month coming and all).

#alexinwonderland #gayinwonderland #gaydisaster #simonjamesgreen #pridemonth #socialdistancing #coronavirus #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky

ANOTHER book I've been trying to get through over the past few months of being unable to read. Mackenzi Lee's "The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky."

Holy freaking hell.

Like honestly, not good and so cute. Our boys Percy and Monty talked it out again, a few times (got lucky--in many ways--a few times). And Felicity there to be a bomb ass feminist icon.

Set between Lee's two masterpieces (between the gay yearning hours and the becoming a pirate/doctor/animal savior), still on their perfect little island getaway, Monty and Percy struggle and stumble through being a new couple, after years of mutual pining. They have to figure out their next steps in life (in London) and in love (in the bedroom).

Will Monty make their first time absolutely perfect and romantic and everything Percy deserves? Or will the anticipation and build-up completely ruin the mood (will Monty completely ruin the mood)?

Only slightly Rated R. More implications and innuendos than anything. From what I remember from "Vice and Virtue," V&V was more Rated R than "Getting Lucky." But still so freaking perfect and cute and another must read (MUST READ).

Makes me want to reread "Vice and Virtue." And "Petticoats and Piracy." Even though my TBR list is enormously long (and growing).
Though I also really, really want to reread the "Captive Prince" series.

#thegentlemansguidetoviceandvirtue #thegentlemansguidetogettinglucky #theladysguidetopetticoatsandpiracy #mackenzilee #captiveprince #cspacat #socialdistancing #coronavirus #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Tweet Cute

Another book I finally (FINALLY--finishing that last stage of my manuscript) got to reading (or finishing--I started it back in November, I think--whenever it came out) is "Tweet Cute" by Emma Lord.

Not only was this book so freaking cute, it had a few of my favorite things: classic tropes, secret romances, modern twists, food.

Like honestly, if I wasn't trying desperately to lose the 10-15 pounds I gained during this pandemic, I would be baking THE HELL out of some Monstercake.

["Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate ― people on the internet are shipping them?? ― their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected."]
How many more books can I burn through before I got back to work (part time) on Tuesday?

#tweetcute #emmalord #bigleagueburgers #girlcheese #nowiwantagrilledcheese #ormonstercake
#socialdistancing #coronavirus #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Almost Midnight

Rainbow Rowell once again hit it out of the freaking park (am I surprised?--no).

I finally got around to reading "Almost Midnight." Took me a grand total of 50 minutes. So freaking amazing.

If you haven't read these yet, you need to. Now.

["Midnights is the story of Noel and Mags, who meet at the same New Year's Eve party every year and fall a little more in love each time . . .

Kindred Spirits is about Elena, who decides to queue to see the new Star Wars movie and meets Gabe, a fellow fan."]

I loved both of them, but I kind of loved Midnights more? I don't know if it was the #friendstolovers trope or the actual kissing (Kindred Spirits was so freaking adorable, but no kissing). So great. So cute. So fluffy. Just totally Rainbow.

#almostmidnight #midnights #kindredspirits #rainbowrowell #shortstories #starwars #countdown #socialdistancing #coronavirus #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Westing Game

I don't remember a lot of books that I read in middle school, but I remember reading "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin.

We would read it in class (7th grade), read a few chapters a day, out loud. So that we could discuss it together and get through the mystery together and get to the plot twist together.

I remember when we got to the plot twist, got to the part where we figured out who don it, the entire class was S H O O K.

I freaking loved this book. It was during that time where I was still completely obsessed with "The Boxcar Children" so mystery books were totally my thing. So naturally, I had to buy it a few months ago (and only got around to reading it recently--all in one day--182 pages will do that).

["A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger—and a possible murderer—to inherit his vast fortune, one thing's for sure: Sam Westing may be dead ... but that won't stop him from playing one last game!"]

Rereading this book yesterday, I remembered the plot twist, but I forgot everything leading up to it. And I seriously forgot how freaking confusing this book is. So confusing. So many layers. So many side stories. So many subplots.
So FREAKING well written. As a reader, you love gems like this, where everything, absolutely everything, ties together.
As a writer, you hate how these make you feel (as if you could never do something this elaborate).

Did you read "The Westing Game" in middle school?
What middle school books do remember making an impact on you?
Have you reread any books lately from your middle school days?


#thewestinggame #ellenraskin #turtle #childrensbooks #childrensclassics #middleschool #socialdistancing #coronavirus #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Percy Jackson on Disney+!!!

Jumping on the celebration bandwagon!

Who is excited as all freaking get out for the news that Uncle Rick shared last week?
Who is going to absolutely binge re-read the book series right before the the tv series finally comes out?

I mean, I know we have a long, long, long time until the first season comes out (casting hasn't even happened), but this fandom has really come together in the last week with all the new posts and art and theories and excitement.

I can't wait for this series to get what it deserve, for the fans to get what they deserve, after everything.

If you haven't read the book yet, do it. Like now (so you have time to re-read it--also because the secondary series and spin-off serieses are just also really really good).

What's one thing you desperately one from the Disney+ series?

#percyjackson #rickriordan #unclerick #percyjacksonandtheolympians #percyjacksonandthelightningthief #disney+ #socialdistancing #coronavirus #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

IMPORTANT Writing Editing Update

Okay, don't freak out, but here it goes. I think my manuscript is almost ready to start sending out.

Trying to be positive and confident in myself and my writing abilities. But ya know, anxiety and self-doubt (hiya) like to stay close.

But it's almost ready. Just a few steps away.

Now, I find myself in need of a little guidance. I need a few readers to help me proof my piece (looking for things like consistency and whether or not things are just all around 'working').

[[[          My manuscript, "Two Moves Ahead" is a queer, magical realism YA romance novel following Cyrus Lux and Chander Nox. 
          Cyrus was born from the sun, and Chander was born from the moon. With a feud to rival that of the Montagues and the Capulets, their two families quarreled and clashed for centuries.

          After a massive, property-damaging food fight at their high school, Cyrus, Chander, and their friends work off their community service hours doing maintenance at a kid's summer camp. Strange situations and spilling secrets bind Cyrus and Chander together. With a few complications, confessions and confrontations along the way, they fall in love.]]]

I have a list of questions and concerns to help you (well, to help me) continue to fine-tune my novel. If you are at all interested, please send me a message, and we can discuss this thing further.

Please note, I'll only be able to have a very small handful of people read it. I would love to have all of your opinions/comments/critiques, but I don't want too many cooks in the kitchen, if you will.

Also, please note, I have to know you in real life to have you help me out. I love all of you, but this is my baby and I need people I trust.

Thank you!

PS...weird editing note, when I switched POV and tense (from third to first and from past to present) I lost fifteen-ish pages. not upset (I really like the changes). just weird (didn't expect that much of a page change--went from 451 to 439).

#almosttherefolks #anyonewanttovolunteerastribute? #writing #editing #writerproblems #editingproblems #socialdistancing #coronavirus #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Writing/Editing Update

Be Warned: This post contains a small rant (and some bragging).

I wrote Every Single Day in April (all but one--but you get me).
I wrote 121 pages in April. 121 pages. 121 paged added to my manuscript. And not shitty-first-draft stuff, like quality stuff, stuff I'm really proud of.

Honestly, I'm really proud of myself in general. Writing every day. Writing 121 pages in a month. I think I deserve a well-earned pat on the back.

In addition to THAT, I FINALLY finished adding the last of my pen-to-paper edits to my computer.

That edit took my like 6 months. 6 months. Because I had to delete two characters, add one more. Deleted about 5 scenes. Add at least 10, probably more. Make several of the pages, near the end, look less like a movie script and more like an actual novel.
It was hard. I cried a few times. I got so frustrated trying to figure out how to fix SO MANY FREAKING THINGS in this that just didn't make sense, things that wouldn't/couldn't work, things that just didn't flow.

Before these edits, my manuscript, in all of its shitty-first-drafts glory (more like shitty third draft) was 189 pages. It's now 451 pages.

Granted, it still needs a lot of work. A lot. I plan on changing the point of view and the tense.
And then I need to go over the words I overuse. I need to clarify a few more things. Nit-picky kind of stuff, ya know?

But holy freaking shit. I'm so happy. I'm so proud of myself.

Last night, I might have bragged a little about it (which I feel like I deserved), and my parents were like "oh, I thought you finished that thing a long time ago." :|
I've tried explaining the writing process to them so, so, soo many times. To try to get them to understand how FREAKING HARD and INTENSE it is to write a book. How it takes even the best of authors years to write a good book. But they pretty much ignored me, weren't really receptive to any of it (my tens-of-thousands-of-dollars worth of debt MFA meaning nothing suddenly).

Okay, rant over.

Back to YET ANOTHER round of editing.
Wish me luck.

#thestruggle #writing #editing #writerproblems #socialdistancing #coronavirus #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks