Kody's AMN Cover Reveal

If the title doesn't intrigue you, perhaps that partially hidden expression will. This looks, to me, like the PERFECT book to relax with at the beach or on a blanket at the park. Now just need the good weather to come along.

Kody's also giving a copy of the ARC away. If you haven't seen her post, head over to check out the details, then come back to leave a comment here for an extra entry. Good luck and happy reading! :)

Everyday I'm Tumbling

So, I went to the Island of Misfit Tumblrs, picked out an adorable, fluffy newborn and have proceeded to feed and water daily. So far. Hopefully will end up with a nice little Tumblr who snuggles with my toes at the foot of my bed and protects the house from strangers.

Come on over and say hi, if you get the chance. :)

Most Anticipated Books of 2012

It's the final day in the end-of-the-year blog circus hosted by Sarah Enni. Today's topic is my favorite (since I'm a sucker for everything new and shiny): What are my most anticipated books of 2012?

There are loads of books I'm dying to read and/or get into other people's hands. Here are just a few.

1) Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard. This is one I've read and lovedlovedloved, and I can't wait for spring 2012 so I can buy it for and recommend it to others. This coming-of-age tale weaves together the best of romance, travel and art.

2) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. "Implicated for a crime she didn't commit" is always going to grab my attention. Add to that Rossi's worldbuilding and a love interest with special abilities and his own quest and this is a book I'm excited to get my hands on.

3) The Selection by Kiera Cass. Drama, competitions, ballgowns and castes. It's the kind of guilty pleasure I love savoring while relaxing with chocolates in a steaming bubble bath. I think the cover says it all (oh, hello layers and layers of ruffles).








4) Crewel by Gennifer Albin. Adelice can weave the strands of time and human activity. But she doesn't want to. Tell that to the government demanding she's handed over to become a Spinster. 'Nuff said.



5) If I Lie by Corrine Jackson. A contemporary (yay!) about a girl with a boyfriend serving in Afghanistan and the other boy she kisses, compounded by honor, traitors and secrets. I look forward to tearing up over this one.

6) The Statistical Propability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. A boy (British! Named Oliver!), a girl, an airport and a trip across the pond wherein the MCs contemplate first love and second chances. Love it.

What are your most anticipated books of 2012???

RTW/Blog Circus: Top Five Books of 2011

It's time for another Road Trip Wednesday . . . and another entry in the end of the year blog circus hosted by Sarah Enni. Today's topic asks about my top five favorite books of the year.

I have not read nearly as much this year as in years past. Not published work, at least. In fact, my plan over winter break was and is to catch up on some of the most buzzed about books of the past two years. Eek! Though I did read more than three books this year, I'm going to limit my top five to my top four so that it's representative of the books I liked the very best.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder: A girl out of hope, a mom desperate for a cure and a magical town at the end of a road few can find (with a boy whose own sadness binds him to the town) combine for an emotional and satisfying read.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman: New to me this year (though not pubbed in '11), this much lauded story is everything I'd heard it would be. Well-written, heart-string-tugging and satisfyingly resolved.

Nothing by Janne Teller: A haunting story from Denmark, this existential tale questions the very nature of happiness and reasons for living. The pacing and escalation of conflict is masterful--and disturbing.

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez: As a violin player, I immediately connected with the main character of this story (though I didn't play anywhere near her level). Music, intense competition and romance with the last person she should have feelings for drives this story.




What were your favorite books of 2011? Check out YA Highway and the rest of the circus participants for more best books of the year.

Sarah Enni
Corrine Jackson
Erin Bowman
Kaitlin Ward
Kate Hart
Kathleen Peacock
Kirsten Hubbard
Kristin Otts 
Lee Bross
Lindsey Roth Culli
Phoebe North
Stephanie Keuhn
Sumayyah Daud
Veronica Roth

Top 5 Albums of 2011

The waning of the year means it's time to look back at the events, people and notable notables that defined the year in the best of ways and the worst of ways.

It has been a definitive year for me.

Today, I sit here writing this post and eating Black Forest Cake for breakfast. On other mornings of the year, I was shivering with excitement about my book deal, dealing with the frustration of long distance, admiring my engagement ring, wishing I had one more hour of sleep after a long night out, wishing I had one more hour of sleep because the I didn't have the energy, emotionally or physically, to meet the day in front of me and always, on every day, there was books and music and reading and writing and thinking about writing.

It's a beautiful way to live.

So, to assist in the reminiscent moments, Sarah Enni organized a blog circus with one top five topic per day until the end of the year. Today, I look back on five of my favorite albums to keep me company as I wrote, brainstormed, revised and, sometimes, angsted. For the most part, I listen to playlists, rather than full albums, but there are artists whose songs come up over and over again on multiple lists. They are:

The Joy Formidable: The Big Roar

The Welsh band delivered and album that provided atmospheric, emotional songs interspersed with high energy riffs that suited whatever mood I was in and whatever project I was working on.

Ryan Adams: Ashes and Fire

The newest album by southern folk rocker Adams is one of his best, returning him to form not heard in years. Nearly every song of this album made its way to my WIP playlist, with a sound nailing the coming of age anxiety and discovery of the novel's MC.

Bon Iver: Bon Iver

Whether I wanted to be lifted, haunted, moved or driven to higher states of feeling, Bon Iver offered a soundtrack for that. The unique, flowing melodies and voice-from-the-depths-of-human-experience narrated more than one writing experience.

The National: High Violet

I've been listening it since last year, so it's not new to me, but The National's album still got plenty of playtime during my writing sessions. Bloodbuzz Ohio, Anyone's Ghost and my favorite, England, got a lot of play.

The Head and the Heart: The Head and the Heart

Upbeat energy, so-true-it-hurts lyrics and raw revelations made this album one of my favorites of the year. The band hit the scene with Lost in My Mind, but Down in the Valley, with its inspiring hopefulness is my fave.

Honorable mentions include those bands and songs I listened to over and over again, although I didn't always approach the entire album.

The Moth and the Mirror: Live in Stereo

Hey Marseilles: To Travels and Trunks

Ray LaMontagne: Everything (as in, everything. that's not the title of his album.)

Gem Club: Acid and Everything

Rachel Sermanni: The Bothy Sessions and Song for a Fox

M83: Midnight Sessions

For your listening pleasure, a couple more I'm obsessed with:

and

That's a wrap! What were your favorites of the years? Check out the rest of the Blog Circus participants for more music mayhem.

Sarah Enni
Corrine Jackson
Erin Bowman
Kaitlin Ward
Kate Hart
Kathleen Peacock
Kirsten Hubbard
Kristin Otts 
Lee Bross
Lindsey Roth Culli
Phoebe North
Stephanie Keuhn
Sumayyah Daud
Veronica Roth

Cancer-Destroying Nanoparticles--Created by a 17 Year Old

What were you doing when you were 17? I was in my second year of college and, quite frankly, I thought that was a bit impressive. But that's nothing compared to what Californian Angela Zhang has been up to. The teen won the top prize in the Siemens Foundation's annual science competition with her research into a nanoparticle that targets and destroys cancer tumors, without harming the healthy cells around them.

FREAKING AMAZING, NO?!?!?!?!?

The team prize went to teens from Tennessee who used gaming software to help develop a program that would help those with prosthetic limbs walk.

You know who should read this ten times over? People who scoff at teens today, people who worry about leaving our future leadership to today's young people. Because, these young people? They're researching cures for cancer and developing programs to promote ableism.

This is good. This is brilliant.

And it's just one of zillions of reasons I think teens are awesome.

About Blogging

I've been having a great discussion this morning with my YA Highway besties about blogging and why authors so often fall away from blogging after they get a book deal. (Our conversation was inspired  by Elana Johnson's recent post, though by no means was it about her post or her own blogging choices. Elana is absolutely amazing and I've wondered more than once how she manages to do it all!)

So, not blogging. Is it lack of time? Lack of inclination? Lack of motivation? The feeling we have nothing to say or that the advice we want to impart has been done *so* many times? I don't know, probably a mix of those things and more. Maybe it's even the reality that, even though aspiring authors are encouraged to blog, many of them don't like it, want to do it, make it a priority, etc. They do it because they're "supposed" to, but once the agent or book deal comes along, it doesn't feel like such an immediate necessity.

For me, it's a combination of being busy and not feeling like I have anything relevant to say.

The solution?

Blog when I want. I stress when I hold myself to a blogging schedule. It isn't a priority for me what with family, life, art, home, other work, deadlines, communication and, even, blogging at YA Highway being higher on the importance scale. So I'll blog when I feel inspired, when I have some moments to jot down my thoughts or want to share something with the few folks who (very kindly!) read my blog.

Blog about what I want. My favorite author blogs are those that present content beyond the writing process. That can be anything from travel writing to remodeling, from celebrity musings to sociopolitical ideas, from brief ideas to elaborate infographics. So I'm not going to limit my blog to the writing process. It'll be about whatever I want. It's possible that, in this way, I can feel more like my friends and readers are getting to know me and I can get to know them.

Having said that, the writing and publishing community are big parts of my life, so expect to occasionally see my thoughts on books or revision craziness and, of course, Road Trip Wednesdays. Other big parts of my life are my family (which I've always been hesitant to blog about--it's just a reality of being a rather private person), food, travel, sports, art, music and whatever else catches my random fancy.

In that vein:

I went to a midnight showing of Breaking Dawn last night. It was with a group of girlfriends and we had a blast. I snarked when appropriate and giggled throughout the entire childbirth scene. I think my favorite part of the movie, however, was SMeyer's cameo. Those fascinate me. The camera always focuses on her for this one, drawn-out second wherein she takes up the whole frame, then moves on. I'm laying the law down right now: if any of my books ever are made into films, I'm so demanding a cameo. I will play a tree. Oh yes,  I will.

I am not a patient person. It's been nearly 5 months since I filed my K-1 fiance visa and the wait is killing me, day by day. There is the distinct possibility that I utterly despise the faceless entity behind immigration. HURRY UP, USCIS!!!!!!

I'm excited to be with my family, including my far-away fiance who is crossing vast oceans to be with the family, for Thanksgiving. My mom recently moved and I've spent more than one day in tears over the idea of a Thanksgiving away from my family. It just isn't normal for people like us, who have always gotten together for this important holiday. I recently put together the T-day menu with my mom. I think it's drool-worthy, if rather basic:

Appetizers:
Deviled eggs
Spinach dip
Artichoke crab dip
Veggie tray with ranch dip
Assorted crackers, chips and breads

Dinner:
Rosemary, Thyme and Sage Roast Turkey
Brown Sugar and Cloves Spiral Ham
Turkey gravy
Ham gravy
Sausage Cornbread Dressing
Herb Dressing with Apples and Walnuts
Cranberry Orange Relish
Crescent Rolls (my sis-in-law makes the best!)
Rustic Sourdough Rolls
Mashed Potatoes
Honey Ginger Carrots
Bacon and Cranberry Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
Creamed Corn
Roast Broccoli and Cauliflower with Parmesan and Pine Nuts
Garlic Sea Salt Green Beans
Sweet Potatoes with Praline Topping
Greens and Baby Spinach with Pears, Hazelnuts and Blue Cheese Dressing

Desert:
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie with Cinnamon Syrup
Lemon Meringue Pie
Chocolate Guinness Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
Strawberry Gelatin and Ice Cream

What are you planning for next week? A big menu? Time with family? Watching some football? Sleeping in everyday of the break? Working that horrible Black Friday?

Have a super weekend and amazing Thanksgiving, everyone!