BRB Crying. Or, How ALLEGIANT By Veronica Roth Destroyed Me In The Best Way.

Some of you may know that this book has been the source of CONTROVERSY and FEELS. Not only is it the ending of a (hugely successful) trilogy, it's the ending's ending that got tongues wagging.

I managed to avoid spoilers before sitting down to read ALLEGIANT. 

I'm so thrilled I did. 

I was genuinely surprised by the ending.

I cried while reading it.

I cried after I finished the book.

And I feel a strong need to thank Veronica Roth for destroying me. 

I think this ending is going to haunt me forever, not just as a reader, but as a writer. Especially as a writer. Stories that resonate and linger and cling to my bones often have authors who do the unthinkable. In ALLEGIANT, a character tells another the following two words: "Be brave." It's a story for the story's sake, not its fans' sake. I wouldn't have it any other way. Veronica Roth's bravery, as well as that of the countless authors I admire, has taught me that I should never conform with whatever I can conjure. No. It's not enough to write. 

It's enough to write bravely.

Even if it destroys you. Even if it destroys those who trust you to pick them up and give them the happy ending they envisioned. Fiction isn't one thing. It doesn't provide the same answer over and over. Sometimes, it doesn't provide answers at all. I'm at peace with that. I think I always have been.

I'm going to try and write as bravely as I can. I hope you do the same.

In Which I Vow To Read More Books

So. Last year, I set a reading goal of 30 books.

I read 25.

Not only did I not meet my goal, I also didn't want to set that particular goal in the first place. I like to read more than 50 books a year. Unfortunately, I couldn't juggle my reading schedule with WIP revisions and thesis writing and work, so I settled for 30. I didn't even read that amount.

This year, things are going to be different.

Yes, I did set a specific amount of books to read: 35.

No, I won't limit myself to 35 if I find it possible to surpass it. Other authors fuel me to get better. Their stories dazzle me with their genius. I need that kind of magic in my life. I crave that kind of magic in my life.

So here's to 2014 and goals and books and magic. 

Oh, and Nutella. Can't forget about the Nutella. 

 

In Which I Celebrate Sherlock Day

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEARRRRRRRRR!!!! 

Second of all, SHERLOCK SEASON 3 BEGINS TODAAAAAAAAAAY.

In the U.K.

*sobs*

BUT fear not. I'm still celebrating. Because Sherlock.

So. Even though I have to wait a while to see the first episode AND I must avoid Tumblr like the plague, I've chosen to keep an upbeat attitude about this whole thing and just rewatch the super sadsies final episode of Season 2. Because Moriarty. 

#Moriartyismyeverything

So. If you don't watch Sherlock, we can still be friends, but you should really get on that. Like, right now. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I must go pretend Tumblr doesn't exist and get reacquainted with some of my favorite Brit peeps. :)

NaNoWriMo: Are You Doing It?

NaNoWriMo is upon us, folks. This means some of you will spend the month of November writing about 2k words a day. 

*bows down to you* 

I wish I could participate this year, especially since I've never plunged into the NaNo waters, but I won't be able to. I'll be switching between revising my current WIP and brainstorming/plotting my next one (which I'm totes excited about). 

Someday I'll NaNo. Maybe I'll even have a quick change of heart and NaNo this year! You never know. I could end up with a finished draft of a book I was hoping to write next year. Or I could just... not write it until next year.

Oh, the possibilities...

So I'm curious: are you doing NaNo this year? Have you ever done it? If you're participating, do you have any tips/traditions you swear by? What are you going to work on? 

Things I've Been Doing Instead Of Blogging Like I Should

So. I've been a terrible blogger. TERRIBLE, I tell you. My last post was in August, so yeah. TERRIBLE.

Here are a few Things I've Been Doing Instead Of Blogging Like I Should:

1) Revising the fourth draft of Le WIP.

2) Writing my Master's thesis.

3) Taking care of them:

Luna (pinned down) & Freya (pinning her down). Ah, life...

4) Eating the same dish at my latest Mexican restaurant obsession:

Nachos with churrasco. The churrasco's hidden somewhere under all that guac. *drools*

 

5) Watching a lot of TV and finding new shows to fangirl over, such as:

Hellooooooo, Mr. Crane.

6) Reading very few books instead of a lot of books, which is shameful and I'm sorry.

7) Working. 

But I've had enough, folks. It's time to get back on the blogging horse. Starting with this post. I hope to be around a bit more often than these past two months. So yeah. Expect some fangirling in the near future.

Have a great week! :D

Cover Reveal: ALL OF YOU By Christina Lee!!!

So. Covers. I heart them.

I'm thrilled to say that I get to participate in the uber-awesome Christina Lee's cover reveal for her debut NA novel,  ALL OF YOU! 

*drumroll*

*more drumroll*

*even MORE drumroll*

Okay, okay. Here's ze cover:

Swoony goodness, no? *fans self* Not only is the picture hawt, I am OBSESSED with the color scheme. It adds that extra hawtness to the already hawt cover. :)

Want to know what ALL OF YOU is about? Here's ze blurb:

In this powerfully emotional debut New Adult novel, Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He's irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.

Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating—she's perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother's bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.

When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him—for just one night. But he won't accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.

Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.

So she needs to make a choice—let Bennett go or finally let him in.

#awesomeblurbisawesome

Make sure you buy your copy of ALL OF YOU on September 17th!! And go celebrate today's cover reveal with Christina! *dances*

YA Highway + Free Books/Critiques = Epic Giveaway Of Epicness

So. YA Highway. I love those ladies. You should, too.

One reason why: they're celebrating FOUR YEARS of awesomeness with an insane giveaway! 

ARCs? You bet. 

Books? Of course. 

Query/chapter critiques by both authors and agents? Oh, yeah. 

So hop on over to YA Highway and go enter!!

Happy Thursday :)