Why I Shouldn't Be Adding Books to my TBR Pile...

So, yesterday I had y'all help me figure out which books I should order with my mad money Amazon gift card.  It seems Matched was mentioned by nearly everyone, so I think if I don't win it in a blog contest I entered over at Novels During Naptime (yes by mentioning it I am decreasing my chances, but if you aren't following Karen, you should be), Matched will definitely be on my list.  As for picking the other two... gosh.  So. Hard.  Across the Universe will probably make it (Again, assuming I don't win it in a contest), and I'm torn between Anna and the French Kiss, Firelight, and The Iron King (Actually I'm torn between more than that and the longer I wait the more my list will change (hello... Desires of the Dead??)

Here is a quick grainy photo I snapped of my bookshelf this morning:

My insanely handy husband (maybe I should be calling him Handy??? :) built this for me a couple years back (I think he could sell them...), and it's still unfinished. I cannot decide what color to paint it!!! I tested out some reds and they all looked hideous, tried chocolate brown but the books would get lost on such a dark color. So there it sits. Just plain wood.   

Anyway, there are quite a few holes you see on my shelf because of the reorganizing I did for the sake of this picture, which I'm thinking should stay to inspire me.  Let me draw your attention to the large section mid right:

Blogging friends, I give you my TBR pile.  Now... this collection has been building for several years, some of them bought back when I had a steady paying job and I frequently took my lunch breaks at Borders (hey, they sent me the coupons... and now that they are facing bankruptcy, I sort of blame my old company for laying me off and keeping me from spending money there), some of them (7) I won in blog contests (it really does pay to enter them {ok, I see Twenty Boy Summer made it in that stack... that was an accident. I've already read it, but I won a copy last week along with 4 others and apparently didn't take it out of the stack}), some of them are loaners (those three books with the glare are The Vampire Diaries books my friend is letting me borrow--she read them when she was a teen so they are beat up and smell nice and old the way I like my books!), many of them were bought with gift cards I got for birthdays and Christmases. . . (can you tell I'm making excuses--trying to make it sound like I did not spend $300 on all of these hahaha).

No matter how I ended up with them, the point is, I have them, and I haven't read them... and there are a lot more of them than I thought.  So... no more book buying after my Amazon certificate unless I'm going to meet an author (hello Rachel Hawkins (of Hex Hall fame) on March 4th!) until I make a SERIOUS dent in this pile!!!!  

Anyone else have a ridiculously large TBR pile haunting them??

A Nice Problem to Have... But I Still Need Your Help

It's becoming a tradition for hubs and I to collect our spare change throughout the year in a milk bottle/carafe thing and come January (at least this year and last year it was January) we split up the coins at the local Coinstar machine.  Instead of taking straight cash (for which they charge like a 9% fee), you can get an eCertificate to places like iTunes, Amazon, GAP stores, etc...  Last year, I put all my money into iTunes, but this year I got smart and split it up and it was miraculous how it worked out--$25 to Amazon, $25 to iTunes!!  (Hubs couldn't find a place he wanted so he took straight cash of $55 and some odd cents which he will probably take to some outdoor store to buy a new Duck Decoy)
Not too bad for a year's collection in a milk bottle!! Who knew?!?!

So here's my problem: narrowing down my choices.  Obviously I am going to get books from Amazon because to this brain, that's all they sell ;)

Some of the titles I'm considering:

    

   

The list really does go on and on.... because there are still so many books that have yet to be released--I'd just need patience for that!!  (plus I really should be looking out for my 2011 Reading Challenge we're going to host at bookrushed.com! But I'll do a post on that later this week ;)  Let's not even mention the STACK of books in my TBR pile here at home and the new stack of books I've won from blog contests (a post on that coming as well!).

So, what say you?  Any votes for which 3 books my list should be narrowed down to??  Feel free to throw some at me that aren't on the list--if you loved it, tell me.  

1/11/11 = Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Today is 1-1-11, also known as the day Beth Revis' debut Across the Universe hits the shelves!  Many of you have been waiting for today, but for those of you who have yet to be introduced (and for those of us that love book trailers and author videos), take a gander at what the awesome people of Penguin sent over for me to share with you!

Check out the book trailer:

And here's a video of the author giving an exclusive look at the massive ship that serves as the setting:

Here are some super important links!  And if you don't follow Beth's blog, you should--she rocks!

Link to Beth Revis’ author website, blog and Twitter:

Website: http://www.bethrevis.com/

Blog: http://bethrevis.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bethrevis

Link to the Penguin Teen website, Twitter, and Facebook:

Website: http://www.penguin.com/teen

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/penguinteen

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/penguinteenbooks

Be sure to explore the official site for Across the Universe.  It's super high-tech!  The entire ship, Godspeed, is explorable.  This isn't a book that you'll have trouble picturing the setting because here is your chance to hop on the ship yourself and look around.  I had no idea it would be so massive.

Want a sample?? Check out the exclusive 111 page excerpt from Across the Universe, only available from 11:11 AM Eastern to 11:11 PM Eastern on 01.11.11 HERE! 


And if you aren't following my new team blog 






yet, hop on over and check it out!  Big pre-launch giveaway going on!!

Winner! And Secret Revealed!

Thanks to everyone who entered my blogiversary giveaway!  Hopefully next year I'll be able to whip up something much more fabulous, but according to random.org, the winner that has won the $15 Gift Card to Amazon is....

Jen from Unedited!

Is that girl lucky or what?! :) 

And now for the big secret (that I see 19 of you are already in on...), my critique girls (Kim and Kristi) and I have been working on a TEAM BLOG since October and we're finally ready to share it!  Head on over to

and check out our PRE-LAUNCH GIVEAWAY!!  Never heard of one of those?? Well, we are odd girls so get used to things that other blogs don't typically do ;)

Blogiversary Ends SUNDAY! And Monday's Secret!

Not only will I be announcing the big winner on Monday the 10th, but I will also reveal a HUGE secret that me and a couple of my bestest blog buddies have been keeping since October...  It's been hard, but the wait is finally almost over (we are pretty much about to burst)!

GET EXCITED!  It's gonna be HUGE! EPIC!

So check back Monday for the winner and a secret!

Happy Weekend!!  (and Gig 'em Aggies!! WHOOP!)

ENTER IF YOU HAVEN'T YET!!

Are We Living Up to Our Potential?

There is something about this time of year (ahem. the very beginning of one) that makes me look at everything I've done (feels like a lot), everything I've wanted to do (even more), and everything I'm not doing (way too much).  Do you ever feel like you are capable of so much MORE than you're actually doing, but aren't really sure how to go about doing said "more"?

Inside me, I feel like I can be a published author.  I can SEE my pretty hardback on the YA NEW RELEASES shelf.  I can see myself on a book tour meeting new faces and getting wrist cramps from signing books (mine!).  

Inside me, I feel like I can be a wedding photographer.  I can SEE all the pretty brides in their pretty white dresses in all the photos I'd be editing.  I can see that one amazing shot I caught by accident making it on the cover of ... some magazine that has wedding photos.

Inside me, I feel like I can have a tight little body like Buffy and Veronica Mars.  I can SEE myself shopping for smaller clothes.  I can see myself fitting in them.

So what am I doing to get myself out of the way???  Here are some things I've been trying--maybe it can help you get yourself out of your way too.

1) Don't expect it all at once, or soon--progress takes TIME.  It's a PROCESS (unfortunately).  I can't query before my book is done being written!  I can't put my butt in smaller pants until my butt IS smaller (I know some people don't wait, but I'd like to).

2) Write things down--I have a list I keep at my computer that I can see daily to remind me of everything I'm working for.
a) Write 1000 words per week (minimum) with the goal to
b) finish Anemone and query it;
c) do something active daily (and I write ALL THIS down in a little notebook along with everything I put in my mouth) and so far this year I have kept up with it;
d) study spanish (I have Rosetta Stone for both Spanish and Italian... why not DO IT?);
e) Find someone to be a second shooter with at a wedding--this takes the major responsibility off of me as I'm learning.  The pictures I take would essentially be THEIR'S, but I'd learn a lot and wouldn't have to edit a thing.

3) Don't give up when results don't slap you in the face!!! This is my biggest issue... the follow through. We live in a world of microwaves and fast food--instant gratification.  The process of reaching our long term goals don't work like that (hence the word LONG).  Find a process that works for you and stick with it.  

We owe it to ourselves to make 2011 OUR YEAR--to get out of our own way and make things happen.  We can live up to our own potential.

What are you keeping yourself from doing, and how can you change that?  

Plugged Back In, and Giveaway Reminder

How is the first Monday of the year shaping up?  Hard to get motivated?  Excited about the clean slate?  Both??

Don't forget about my Blogiversary Giveaway (I think I accidentally called it a contest... I always get those mixed up.. but whatever  :) that ends at MIDNIGHT CENTRAL on January 9th.  It looks like we'll only have one winner--I'm not holding my breath on reaching 300 followers by then--so the winner will get a $15 gift card emailed to them for Amazon. If you haven't entered yet, you might as well!

ENTER HERE 

I had a nice unplugged New Year's weekend at a friend's parent's ranch near Waco.  Did some knitting, reading, picture taking, and lots of good eating!  Here are a few pictures:

Kissed by a cow!

A curious donkey named Rebecca.

Sunset...

Super old tractor likely left by the previous previous land owners.

First time one of my sun flares gave me a polygonal shape vs round... must be the lens filter...

Sunset again...

My friend's dad owns a car dealership in Waco and this is part of one of their old signs they have out at the ranch.

Some really cute pink berries--no clue what they are.

Holly with a color effect for funsies... so long Christmas... see you next year!