So today's ultrasound was pretty ambiguous. My numbers are looking good, and there was development, but still no fetal pole or heartbeat. They're having me come in again next week; by then, we should definitely know whether this is a viable pregnancy or not.
Agh, this is torture.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
ultrasound
I have an ultrasound today. Wish me luck!
Hopefully this whatever in retrograde won't impact anything negatively.
Hopefully this whatever in retrograde won't impact anything negatively.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
you've convinced me - first 1500 words
I'm taking this post down for tweaking. Thanks for the great comments!
Friday, January 23, 2009
aaaah, astrology
My horoscope:
Being more grounded is necessary today to make the right decisions for your future.
*snort*
Right.
Being more grounded is necessary today to make the right decisions for your future.
*snort*
Right.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
a seventh happy thing
Full requests from big agencies!
Thank you so much to Sara, Marty, Sam, and Renee, who all dropped everything last night and gave me last minute advice on my manuscript.
That's an eighth thing that makes me happy - great writer friends.
So my baby's off in cyberspace, and I feel sick.
Thank you so much to Sara, Marty, Sam, and Renee, who all dropped everything last night and gave me last minute advice on my manuscript.
That's an eighth thing that makes me happy - great writer friends.
So my baby's off in cyberspace, and I feel sick.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
happiness is an orange before bedtime
Wow, this has been a popular topic. I’ve been tagged by Shelli, Casey, and Chandler and instructed to write about six things that make me happy. I’m hesitant to tag anyone else because I’ve taken so long to do this, and I’m sure most people have already done it. So, how about this? If you haven’t blogged about things that make you happy, and you want to do so, consider yourself tagged.
On with the show!
1. An orange before bedtime makes me happy. It’s the perfect nighty time snack. Not too heavy, and when you’re finished, you can lay the peel on your bedside table and smell the orangey goodness as you drift off to sleep.
2. A good TV series on DVD makes me happy. I can’t stand having to wait a week to find out which tie Chuck will be wearing or whether Jim and Pam actually end up together. So my idea of bliss is spending a weekend curled up in comfy blankets, watching a season of THE WEST WING or SIX FEET UNDER.
3. Of course, writing makes me happy. It doesn’t happen every time I put my Butt In the Chair, but when I reach that streak of awesomeness, I’m flying high. And what’s even cooler than writing that phenomenal scene is reading it later and realizing it really does rock.
4. My husband makes me happy. Marriage is tough, but it’s so worth it. Someone to laugh with, someone to cry with… you know the cliché. But seriously, the biggest thing that makes me happy is making my husband smile.
5. Hope makes me happy. As I listened to Obama’s speech today, I had to cry a bit at the knowledge that I’m bringing a baby into a world that I believe can and will be a better place than it has been these last few years.
6. Lastly, reading your blogs makes me happy. So thank you.
On with the show!
1. An orange before bedtime makes me happy. It’s the perfect nighty time snack. Not too heavy, and when you’re finished, you can lay the peel on your bedside table and smell the orangey goodness as you drift off to sleep.
2. A good TV series on DVD makes me happy. I can’t stand having to wait a week to find out which tie Chuck will be wearing or whether Jim and Pam actually end up together. So my idea of bliss is spending a weekend curled up in comfy blankets, watching a season of THE WEST WING or SIX FEET UNDER.
3. Of course, writing makes me happy. It doesn’t happen every time I put my Butt In the Chair, but when I reach that streak of awesomeness, I’m flying high. And what’s even cooler than writing that phenomenal scene is reading it later and realizing it really does rock.
4. My husband makes me happy. Marriage is tough, but it’s so worth it. Someone to laugh with, someone to cry with… you know the cliché. But seriously, the biggest thing that makes me happy is making my husband smile.
5. Hope makes me happy. As I listened to Obama’s speech today, I had to cry a bit at the knowledge that I’m bringing a baby into a world that I believe can and will be a better place than it has been these last few years.
6. Lastly, reading your blogs makes me happy. So thank you.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
where dreams and reality converge
About five years ago, I had a strange dream. I was in the hospital, in labor, working hard. But when I was finished, the doctor held up a book instead of a baby.
This became a reality only a few months ago (uh, not literally). I was pregnant, but in the end all I had to show for it was the first draft of a novel. After my loss, I put all my effort into Drawn to You. By immersing myself in Chloe and Shawna's world, I could escape the pain of my own.
Well, here we go again. It's exciting and scary. This time, I won't put away my writing in favor of daydreams of our future life. I can create a baby and a new world at the same time. However, the book is the only thing I truly have control over.
This became a reality only a few months ago (uh, not literally). I was pregnant, but in the end all I had to show for it was the first draft of a novel. After my loss, I put all my effort into Drawn to You. By immersing myself in Chloe and Shawna's world, I could escape the pain of my own.
Well, here we go again. It's exciting and scary. This time, I won't put away my writing in favor of daydreams of our future life. I can create a baby and a new world at the same time. However, the book is the only thing I truly have control over.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
my thesis and other riveting things
I must begin this post with a squee! of jubilation. This morning I sent in the first three chapters of my thesis to be torn apart by my committee. Also, I submitted grades today, so I am past the mountain of many papers and can start concentrating on writing and critiquing again (sorry, critique partners, for the hiatus). ALSO, we got out of school early today. So it's a perfect day to catch up on blogs and give feedback to my friends' novels.
Oh, and also, my uncle sent me an awesome writing care package with a guide to literary agents, Janet Evanovich's HOW I WRITE, and Rhittenberg and Whitcomb's YOUR FIRST NOVEL. I'd been eyeing these books at B&N, so yay that I didn't buy them and yay that I get to read them now!
Okay. I've been promising a post on my thesis and the YA books I've been reading for it. So, without further ado...
MY THESIS IN A NUTSHELL
English teachers often use YA literature to teach about social issues. In the nineties, there was the big push for teaching tolerance and eliminating prejudice by having kids read books written by and about minorities. C.J. Bott wrote a book on using books to educate students about the dangers of bullying. My thesis is similar in that I'm having students read YA novels to explore the issue of teen violence. Specifically, I want to focus on the causes and effects of teen violence, and I want students to become more aware of the warning signs of people who need help.
Originally, I was just going to focus on school shootings. I picked out SHOOTER by Walter Dean Meyers, GIVE A BOY A GUN by Todd Strasser, AFTER by Francine Prose, BIG MOUTH AND UGLY GIRL by Joyce Carol Oates, and NINETEEN MINUTES by Jodi Picoult. I realized, though, that I needed to broaden my scope to investigate other types of violence, such as date rape, cutting, and suicide. I've incorporated books like TWISTED and SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson, THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher, CUT by Patricia McCormick, and WHO KILLED CASS MCBRIDE by Gail Giles.
My students will do a book project on one of these books. I hope to put them into groups of three or four kids all reading the same book. Throughout the unit, we will have class discussions and do journal entries over topics related to teen violence. I hope to have a counselor available at discussions so the kids can ask questions they have.
Overall, I'm very excited about the project. It's wonderful to be studying something I can use in the classroom. And it's something I believe in. I hope, through education, we can help kids to recognize and put a stop to the cycle of violence. I also hope they will be better able to recognize when someone's in trouble and realize when it's time to get help.
Do you have suggestions of any other YA books that might fit my thesis?
Oh, and also, my uncle sent me an awesome writing care package with a guide to literary agents, Janet Evanovich's HOW I WRITE, and Rhittenberg and Whitcomb's YOUR FIRST NOVEL. I'd been eyeing these books at B&N, so yay that I didn't buy them and yay that I get to read them now!
Okay. I've been promising a post on my thesis and the YA books I've been reading for it. So, without further ado...
MY THESIS IN A NUTSHELL
English teachers often use YA literature to teach about social issues. In the nineties, there was the big push for teaching tolerance and eliminating prejudice by having kids read books written by and about minorities. C.J. Bott wrote a book on using books to educate students about the dangers of bullying. My thesis is similar in that I'm having students read YA novels to explore the issue of teen violence. Specifically, I want to focus on the causes and effects of teen violence, and I want students to become more aware of the warning signs of people who need help.
Originally, I was just going to focus on school shootings. I picked out SHOOTER by Walter Dean Meyers, GIVE A BOY A GUN by Todd Strasser, AFTER by Francine Prose, BIG MOUTH AND UGLY GIRL by Joyce Carol Oates, and NINETEEN MINUTES by Jodi Picoult. I realized, though, that I needed to broaden my scope to investigate other types of violence, such as date rape, cutting, and suicide. I've incorporated books like TWISTED and SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson, THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher, CUT by Patricia McCormick, and WHO KILLED CASS MCBRIDE by Gail Giles.
My students will do a book project on one of these books. I hope to put them into groups of three or four kids all reading the same book. Throughout the unit, we will have class discussions and do journal entries over topics related to teen violence. I hope to have a counselor available at discussions so the kids can ask questions they have.
Overall, I'm very excited about the project. It's wonderful to be studying something I can use in the classroom. And it's something I believe in. I hope, through education, we can help kids to recognize and put a stop to the cycle of violence. I also hope they will be better able to recognize when someone's in trouble and realize when it's time to get help.
Do you have suggestions of any other YA books that might fit my thesis?
Friday, January 9, 2009
WHAT HAPPENED TO CASS MCBRIDE by Gail Giles
Last night I snuggled up in bed around 7 p.m. (yeah, I know) with the intent of going to bed early (so I'd be refreshed to attack my mountain of papers). I found a stack of books I'd bought a while back, and so I grabbed CASS with the intention of reading a chapter or two before I went to sleep.
Talk about hooked! At the beginning of the book (stop reading here if you don't want spoilers for the first couple of chapters) you find out a girl is BURIED ALIVE. The rest of the book is a combination of finding out what the hell happened and whether she'll make it out. Yeah. So I finished the book in a couple of hours and still fell asleep in time to not be a total wench to my kids today.
Good book. Seriously. Anyone who can hook you like that has got to be talented. She uses three or four different POVs. It's kind of funny because in DTY, I went to two POVs, and I'm using three in THE PURPOSE. Hmm. Guess that can frustrate readers. But it's also a cool structure. Anyway, it really did work.
So tomorrow I swear I'll make the rounds and catch up with everyone. This week has just been insane. I'll also post more details about my thesis and the books I'm using for it.
Yay! Have a good weekend!
Talk about hooked! At the beginning of the book (stop reading here if you don't want spoilers for the first couple of chapters) you find out a girl is BURIED ALIVE. The rest of the book is a combination of finding out what the hell happened and whether she'll make it out. Yeah. So I finished the book in a couple of hours and still fell asleep in time to not be a total wench to my kids today.
Good book. Seriously. Anyone who can hook you like that has got to be talented. She uses three or four different POVs. It's kind of funny because in DTY, I went to two POVs, and I'm using three in THE PURPOSE. Hmm. Guess that can frustrate readers. But it's also a cool structure. Anyway, it really did work.
So tomorrow I swear I'll make the rounds and catch up with everyone. This week has just been insane. I'll also post more details about my thesis and the books I'm using for it.
Yay! Have a good weekend!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
superediting
I hope I'm growing as a writer by editing all of these student papers. My student teacher watched in amazement today as I whipped through the papers, fixing fragments and run-ons, adding commas, taking them out, making subjects and verbs agree, crossing out redundant phrases, eliminating passive constructions.
I'm serious. My skills had better be honed by the time I actually get a few moments to, you know, sit down and work on my own stuff.
This weekend's all about my thesis, though. Someone commented that they'd be interested in hearing about the YA books I'm studying and will be teaching to my students. I'll post a list this weekend, and maybe you can share some titles I've overlooked.
I'm serious. My skills had better be honed by the time I actually get a few moments to, you know, sit down and work on my own stuff.
This weekend's all about my thesis, though. Someone commented that they'd be interested in hearing about the YA books I'm studying and will be teaching to my students. I'll post a list this weekend, and maybe you can share some titles I've overlooked.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
it's not you, it's me
I just received my very first query response (I sent out just a few before realizing DTY still needs a lot of polishing). Form rejection. I'm not sure how to feel. Proud, because now I'm a REAL writer with REAL rejection? Mortified that I sent out even one query so early? Dejected, because how dare I even think I could write in the first place? Relieved, because if I got a request right now, there's no way I'd have time to drop everything and give DTY the editing it needs before I send any more out? Hopeful that some other agent will see what this one didn't?
Mostly I just feel tired.
I have to finish my thesis proposal (first three chapters) by Monday. Wish me luck!
Mostly I just feel tired.
I have to finish my thesis proposal (first three chapters) by Monday. Wish me luck!
Monday, January 5, 2009
an assortment of things
I'm too tired to think of any unifying theme. Went back to school today, and man is it hard to go from staying up until 2 a.m. and sleeping until noon to waking up at 5. So here are various things I'm thinking about.
1. Crap! I have a lot of grading to do! And I just got a student teacher, and you would think those two things cancel each other out, but no. Having a student teacher only compounds my busyness.
2. I finished John Green's LOOKING FOR ALASKA last night. It really deserves its own post, but it's been around for a while, so I trust you can find many comprehensive reviews out there. But I will say it rocked. The ending really made me think differently about some of those crappy things that happened to me last year. I will definitely read his other books.
3. I'd like to join the next Secret Agent contest over at Miss Snark's Next Victim's blog (too tired to even create a link), but the thing I really want to enter (MATCHED) isn't finished. But since she's only taking the first 50 entries, I guess I'll be lucky to submit anything. When I'm feeling less exhausted, I'll look at revising the first 250 words of DTY (which I'd been planning to do anyway) to submit. Good luck, the rest of you!
4. I'm too tired to think of anything else. More later, when I'm not drooling at the thought of bedtime.
1. Crap! I have a lot of grading to do! And I just got a student teacher, and you would think those two things cancel each other out, but no. Having a student teacher only compounds my busyness.
2. I finished John Green's LOOKING FOR ALASKA last night. It really deserves its own post, but it's been around for a while, so I trust you can find many comprehensive reviews out there. But I will say it rocked. The ending really made me think differently about some of those crappy things that happened to me last year. I will definitely read his other books.
3. I'd like to join the next Secret Agent contest over at Miss Snark's Next Victim's blog (too tired to even create a link), but the thing I really want to enter (MATCHED) isn't finished. But since she's only taking the first 50 entries, I guess I'll be lucky to submit anything. When I'm feeling less exhausted, I'll look at revising the first 250 words of DTY (which I'd been planning to do anyway) to submit. Good luck, the rest of you!
4. I'm too tired to think of anything else. More later, when I'm not drooling at the thought of bedtime.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
today i must honor...
Sara! She is seriously an amazing editor. She picked out tons of things I didn't notice on my first time through and suggested really fabulous, concrete ways to strengthen my writing. Plus, she thought of a brilliant plot twist to add to the story.
So, thank you, Sara, for beta-reading DRAWN TO YOU!
So, thank you, Sara, for beta-reading DRAWN TO YOU!
Friday, January 2, 2009
procrastination station
So I know one of my favorite ways to procrastinate is surfing the blogs of writers who've landed agents and sold books. We all love to read success stories, so I spent the evening gathering a few for you. Come read this post whenever you want a little zap of inspiration. It will happen to you, too, someday. Just keep writing.
So, in no particular order:
Rachel lands an agent
Rachel sells her book
Serenity lands the same agent as Rachel!
Carrie Ryan gets an agent
Carrie, on having an agent
Carrie sells her book with an awesome title
Jim McCarthy, on signing Carrie
Aprilynne lands an agent
Aprilynne sells her book
Kiersten lands an agent
Kiersten sells her book
Kelly Gay lands an agent
Kelly gives more details about her agent
Kelly sells her book
Suzanne Young sells her book
Rhonda Stapleton, on finding an agent
Rhonda's book deal
Jen Hayley lands an agent
Jen realizes she now has an agent!
Jill Myles sells a book
Maureen Lipinski's book deal
Chandler Marie Craig gets the call
Chandler has an agent
Anna Jarzab's path to publication
Lisa and Laura's journey
Elana Johnson's story
Michelle Hodkin's book deal
Feel free to direct me to any other fun stories. I'll post more of "the call" and "the sale" stories as I find them.
So, in no particular order:
Rachel lands an agent
Rachel sells her book
Serenity lands the same agent as Rachel!
Carrie Ryan gets an agent
Carrie, on having an agent
Carrie sells her book with an awesome title
Jim McCarthy, on signing Carrie
Aprilynne lands an agent
Aprilynne sells her book
Kiersten lands an agent
Kiersten sells her book
Kelly Gay lands an agent
Kelly gives more details about her agent
Kelly sells her book
Suzanne Young sells her book
Rhonda Stapleton, on finding an agent
Rhonda's book deal
Jen Hayley lands an agent
Jen realizes she now has an agent!
Jill Myles sells a book
Maureen Lipinski's book deal
Chandler Marie Craig gets the call
Chandler has an agent
Anna Jarzab's path to publication
Lisa and Laura's journey
Elana Johnson's story
Michelle Hodkin's book deal
Feel free to direct me to any other fun stories. I'll post more of "the call" and "the sale" stories as I find them.
hook, line, and sinker
So I'm still thinking about hooks. Miss Snark's First Victim is having another Are You Hooked? contest pretty soon, and I'd like to enter something. I didn't do so well last time.
I think I need to make the beginning of DRAWN TO YOU more hookish (I'm hoping you betas will let me know if you agree), but I'm not quite sure how to go about it. I do like the beginning because I feel like it does a nice job of setting up the characters and conflict, but I don't have an opening line that punches you in the gut and makes you want to read more.
My friend, KMart, and I were discussing whether a hook like that is absolutely essential. He said it is a nice thing to have, but then you've gotta have solid prose to back it up. He also posited that if a reader is engaged by the characters right away, she'll want to read on.
So, what do you think? Is a hook-y first line essential? A hook-y first paragraph?
By the way, I just bought the book HOOKED to help me out with this dilemma. I'll comment on it later, once I've read a bit more.
I think I need to make the beginning of DRAWN TO YOU more hookish (I'm hoping you betas will let me know if you agree), but I'm not quite sure how to go about it. I do like the beginning because I feel like it does a nice job of setting up the characters and conflict, but I don't have an opening line that punches you in the gut and makes you want to read more.
My friend, KMart, and I were discussing whether a hook like that is absolutely essential. He said it is a nice thing to have, but then you've gotta have solid prose to back it up. He also posited that if a reader is engaged by the characters right away, she'll want to read on.
So, what do you think? Is a hook-y first line essential? A hook-y first paragraph?
By the way, I just bought the book HOOKED to help me out with this dilemma. I'll comment on it later, once I've read a bit more.
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