Class of 2k14 Website Launch, and New Author Page

HELLOOOOOO friends! I have two exciting things to share today, so let's get to it!

FIRSTLY, my debut author group CLASS OF 2k14 has a SPIFFY WEBSITE! And to celebrate, we're giving away a $100 gift card so you can buy BOOKS!

Check it out and enter to win HERE!


Also, I finally created an author page on FB to avoid spamming my friends when I get to announce ALL THE THINGS. The link to my spiffy new page is HERE!

HAPPY JULY!! Sunscreen is your FRIEND! ;)

Summertime and the Reading is Easy

It's hard to believe that this time next year, people will be able to buy a physical copy (or ebook) of my book, stick it in their beach bags, lay it on their towels, and, yannow, read it. I've had some time to get used to the idea. Over the past few months, I've done the revisions and I'm working on the copyedits right now. But most days I'm just like, IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?

That's one of the reasons I haven't posted anything lately. I've been so confused about what to do with this space. I'm really paranoid about coming across as a braggy-bragster-bragpants about the whole publishing thing, and lately it's pretty much all my brain has room for.

But today, my brain is also pondering summer books!

Last year, I read Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard, which I really enjoyed and felt it an appropriate beach read for the travel-y aspect, as I was, in fact, also traveling. And soon I plan to read How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer. It sounds absolutely adorable, and it has one of the funniest openers I've seen. A summer internship at a Disney-like theme park? YES PLEASE.   

What's on your reading list this summer? What are some past favorites?

Agent-Author Chat! Me and My Agent!

The lovely Krista Van Dolzer at Mother. Write. (Repeat.) asked if Marietta and I would be interested in participating in her blog series, "Agent-Author Chat." I'm a long-time follower of Krista's blog, so I jumped right on that opportunity!

I'm excited to announce that today is the day and the interview is UP! Head on over HERE to read my answers to my agency's form submission, what about my story captured my agent's attention, as well as my agent's very wise querying advice.

And Krista recently announced her own book deal, so make sure to give her a big congrats!!

The Class of 2k14 Debut Author Group!

Just a quick HELLO to YOU! I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend and took some time to  remember those who have sacrificed so much for this country. We are forever thankful and our hearts go out to your families.

In exciting news, I'm part of the Class of 2k14!! We're a group of twenty authors debuting next year, and I couldn't be more excited about ALL OF IT! The website is coming together nicely and I'll announce the launch as soon as it's live!

In the meantime, FOLLOW US ON TWITTER!! I'll be running the Twitter account on Fridays so feel free to bug me! FUN TIMES!

Iron Man 3 and Writing Full-Time

1. Saw Iron Man 3 over the weekend. Loved it. Must see it again. It's a great character study too. I love how flawed Tony Stark is. And how hilariously awesome.

2. Sigh.

3. ALMOST caught up on all my photography edits, and I have one last straggler of a session this evening. Once I'm done with these edits, I will be...

4. A FULL-TIME WRITER?! It was sort of an accident. I didn't intend on leaving my part-time office job, but it became necessary for reasons that don't have much to do with me. So for the foreseeable future, I'm going to try out this idea of a...

5. Daily Schedule. Yep. I have a major time management problem, so I've printed out some daily worksheets broken down in time increments. I'm anxious to roll out this efficiency plan next week!

Have you seen Iron Man 3 yet?!

Suffering Loss (Why I've been MIA)

Dearest bloggy buddies. Can I just hug each of you and tell you that you are loved and appreciated and beautiful and talented?

Remember when I called upon your visual opinion as to which of my photography prints I should donate to an auction benefiting my friends for their medical expenses? It was believed their little girl was born with an underdeveloped brain and wouldn't quite be at the level of other kids her age--maybe a year or two behind. So many unknowns, time would tell more.

But it turned out to be more than that, a neurodegenerative disease of the mitochondria, and ten-month-old Jamie Faith passed away on April 10th, surrounded by family and friends that love her dearly.

It's so hard to know what to do, what to say, to friends going through the loss of their child. My husband and I were there for this baby's birth (well, in the waiting room at the hospital) and at their home when she left us. I was honored to take her newborn pictures, as well as pictures of her last moments--the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.

At the memorial service, a family friend spoke and said that Jamie touched so many lives without ever saying a word. And it's true.

She will be missed.

Praying for strength, peace, and healing.

Friday Five - Like a Love Song, Wii Dance, and Revisions

1. I - I love you like a love song, baby. And I keep hittin' repeatpeatpeatpeatpeat. Oh, Selena Gomez. The first time I heard this song, I didn't get it. At all.

2. But it kept coming up on Just Dance 4 for the Wii (we won the Wii in a raffle at a benefit!), and suddenly I was addicted. I am determined to get a perfect score on this song, as well as Call Me Maybe, and Maneater. But I am a terrible dancer. It's still fun though!

3. My revisions are done and turned in to my editor! The changes weren't TOO major, but they took some time, and I'm pretty happy with the result. So now I wait. I'm getting good at the waiting.

4. Anyone watching The Voice this season? We skipped the last couple seasons, but with the judge switches, we decided to give it a shot and we're hooked! Blake is hilarious as always and there is some serious talent out there! I already bought Savannah Berry's version of Safe & Sound (she's from Houston, y'all!) and I have my eye on a few others.

5. Some of you may remember my 2013 good eating/fitness goal I set in January, and I did really really good! .... until my book deal. And I admittedly have done a little too much celebrating. And once you taste that sugar, it's hard to knock it again. BUT I've joined a DietBet for April and I'm getting back on track! How are your goals going this year?