A Squirrel Amongst Lions

Is Summer Here Yet?

On the cusp of Valentines and I'm itching for summer. Though it is closer for me than most, since I live in SoCal. (Southern California) My mother called, told me Tennessee got four more inches of snow. I felt this relief because Tennessee hasn't seen a good snow in years. Not like when I was a kid where is snowed at least seven to ten times through the winter. The last few years, lucky to see one snow. This will be the third and it makes me breathe a little easier, that global warming stays at bay. But I digress...

There's just something about hot sand between your toes, cool waves crashing at your ankles and sun kissed skin. Laying on the beach, tuning out the world and letting the sun warm you is purely sensual.

First, I always download music. It feeds my soul, my muse I guess. No I don't do playlists for books, but there are songs that liven me when I'm not writing, electrify me almost. And books, four to be exact, that I purchased Saturday night and they all shared the same theme, summer. I didn't notice until yesterday but my habits of late speak to me in volumes. And I realized something. I love YA, reading it, writing it, craving it. Because inside this XX year old body lives a sixteen year old girl who refuses to grow up.

So here are a few songs I've downloaded and the books I've purchased and I have to say, that sixteen year old wants a second chance because the first time around sucked.

Music...(Artist - Song Title)

La Roux - Bulletproof (Let me just say, I don't do Techno and these first four are...go figure.)
La Roux - Tigerlily
Silversun Pickups - Panic Switch
Metric - Gold Gun Girls (Downloaded the whole Fantasies album, pretty good)
Dan Auerbach - When the Night Comes (Slow mellow rock, reminds me of Stand by Me meets Wonderful World)
Sam Roberts - Love at the End of the World (This song is like Johnny Cash meets KISS. Sorry couldn't find for playlist, check iTunes)

DISCLAIMER: I'm infamous for loving a single song and very rarely love a group as a whole so know that these particular songs move me, not necesssarily the artist.

Books...

Body Surfing by Anita Shreve

Nice smooth book with gentle emotional pulls. Other reviews say Harlequin Romance/Nicholas Sparks, I read neither and enjoyed this. Started and finished it on Sunday. See my review Friday.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Almost finished with it and I find it spellbinding, magical and all things sixteen. I can't wait to review this book. New favorite author.

Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly

"What better time than summer for a little romance?" Says the hook on the back cover, I can only hope.

The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

1915, Niagara Falls and Romance. Saw a review on a blog recently so I thought I'd give it a try. Barnes and Noble Hardcover on sale for $3.98 Who could resist?

Sexy, Graphic & Naughty

Okay the edgy title made you click but here are a few blogs I wanted to share...barely riskay but heated.

Anissa Off the Road - Let's Talk about Sex, Baby...
Oh the controversy of sex in YA novels. Do or don't? I'd love to be real in my book but society keeps me stifled. What about you? Feel free to discuss on Anissa's post. (or here)

Cassandra Claire - Graphic Novel Updates - with pictures!
Hot guys gone novel. Graphic novel that is. Did you love the City of Bones, Ashes and Glass? Well you will be happy, impressed and maybe a little turned on by the graphic novel pictures for her famous Immortal Instruments Series gone Graphic. I'm not a graphic novel fan but after seeing this, I might be one. (on a side note, I personally think the graphic novel images of the Twilight series is well, um...odd looking. They look half asian, half opossum. OH and there she said it, something negative on her post that will one day bite her in the...)

Suzanne Young - The Naughty List is out...Today!!!
It looks like a good read and maybe some bad boys will get spanked. (okay, way to perverse)

Keep your Saturday clean!

Every woman should have a Patch.

After reading Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, I needed a cold shower. Not because there was anything edgy or provocative, well unless you count this hot kiss on page 301:

"His hands slid up my neck, searing hot. Pressing his thumbs gently into my throat, he tipped my head back. I felt this lips come against mine so hard he stopped whatever name I'd been about to call him from coming out. His hands dropped to my shoulders, skimmed down my arms and came to rest at the small of my back. Little shivers of panic and pleasure shot through me. he tried to pull me against him, and I bit him on the lip."

Grrrr.... Patch has to be the baddest, hottest, love interest I have ever encountered. They don't make bad boys like him anymore. Or how about moments before, when they got caught in the rain and she describes him taking off his wet clothes, in the dark on page 285. MC, Nora says:

"My clothes are soaked. I don't have anything to wear."

I hear the sound of we fabric sliding like a squeegee over his skin. "Lucky me." His shirt landed in a wet heap at our feet.

Lucky girl I tell you. Too bad this was a YA novel. Sigh.

Hush, Hush, one of many stories about fallen angels lately, tops my list of good reads. The main character Nora did not light a fire in me necessarily but her love interest Patch sure did. Her best friend Vee had me cracking up out loud from time to time. At one point, this bitch of a girl, skinny popular thing gives Vee some crap for being plus size. This is Vee's response:
"You've got food stuck in your teeth, " Vee told Marcie. "In the crack between your two front teeth. Looks like chocolate Ex-Lax..."

Trust me, the girl deserves it, she is down right mean.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to attending the Hush, Hush book signing next week. Becca Fitzpatrick will be in my area, check out her schedule an see if she plans to be in your neck of the woods any time soon.

She has excellent descriptives and colorful verbs. You will enjoy ever ounce of Vee and you'll wish you could enjoy every ounce of Patch. If you haven't done so, check it out.

Have a delicious weekend everyone! See you dolls on Monday. I'm off to download some more indie tunage on my iTouch.

Blog Lovin' All Around!

Hurry up because there are lots and lots of blog contests out there so, here I am making a shameless plug trying to get me some free lovin's.

There are tons more...check out Shooting Stars to see a list.

Throwing in the towel and calling it quits!

No, I'm not giving up on my writing, NEVER! Bwhahaha!

After reading Suzette Saxton's post over at Shooting Stars last week, "Permission to Quit" (Sir, yes Sir!) I find myself asking the same thing. When do you give up on reading a book that you have to force yourself to finish? When in a book, is it a fair point that you say; "Ok, this book ______, I'm not going to finish it." Lately, I would fill in the blank with; stinks, blows or drags. Sure, I do not expect every book to be "OMG, what happens next!" but I at least want to look forward to reading just a few minutes before I go to bed. Recently, two books wore me down and I found myself skipping around, flipping a couple of pages and not really missing much in doing so. I finished them because, I didn't have anything else to read.

So how do I save myself next time from the dreaded, ugh, I have to read that? When do you cash in and call it a day?

Roller Coaster Book Giveaway!

If you want this book... or this book... go here.

Diana over at Writing Roller Coasters has a really cool giveaway to celebrate her 100+ followers mark. Now if your not reading her stuff you should. She has wonderful insight and advice on writing. And lucky me, gets to have her as a critique buddy. *cue warm sunshine*

"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever. "

A quote by Lance Armstrong (paraphrased I believe.) Beyond the pain of exercising this speaks to me on all levels, especially writing. Exercise or writing, no matter how painful it can become, push through it.

Void over at Into the Void posted a quote on his blog the other day:

"Those who do not find time to exercise now, will have to find time for illness later."

He asked his ~~stalkers~~ followers to apply this exercise quote to writing and either comment or blog about it. Exercise and writing are my two favorite loves. Besides the hubby and kids of course...Well, unless it's screaming like a banshee, bouncing off the walls day then I reserve the right to put them third on my top fav's list.

First exercise, I love love love exercise. *needle scratches record sound* No wait, I hate hate hate exercise BUT, (you only have a big BUT if you don't exercise) I love love love how it makes me look and most importantly, feel. Alive, strong, healthy, free, happy, all positive highs I get afterwards. I have a semi-strict schedule: 1 day per week - 1 hour trainer and 1/2 hour cardio, 1 day per week - repeat trainer session/cardio by myself, 2 days per week - boxing class, 2 days a week - 1 hour intense cardio (minimum burn 800 calories.)

Included with that exercise, no heavy carbs after 3pm: no sweets, breads, pasta, rice, or potatoes. No don't freak, I eat all those foods, carbs are our friends but after 3pm they turn into fat. They are like the cute little Gizmo, fuzzy, sweet, lovable, feed that booger after midnight and it turns into a nasty Gremlin. REPEAT AFTER ME: Carbs are good, post 3pm carbs bad. (If you want to know why, email me and I'll explain it.)

Now, back to Void's quote. In the last two years I have been to the doctor...twice; skin rash and viral infection in my lungs. As a matter of fact in the last 13 years of knowing my husband, he has gone to the doctor twice; a spider bite and a cold. Our children, who are very active in sports, have only missed school once this year, 24hr stomach bug. Despite tons of kids, friends and family surrounding us who are always sick, even dear friends who have had the swine flu. Point being...Void's quote speaks truth: take the time to exercise or take the time to be sick. I choose exercise.

Now relate it to writing. Just like exercise, if you're not writing you will lose your muscle, your strength, your skill. Writing is the say way. Some people say write every day, crap or not. I don't agree with one blanket statement for everyone because we all live different lives. But I do think, just like my physical exercise, you need to schedule it in or you won't do it. The more time I spend writing in my WIP the easier the words flow. When I take too many days off, just like when I do from the gym, I find it hard to get going again. You would be surprised at how quickly your muscles will weaken if you don't use them. Same with your brain. (Try doing long division with your fourth grader and you'll figure than one out quick.)

Pick a writing schedule and stick with it. Caitlin Kittredge wrote a great post "Write Here, Write Now." Which I found out about from YA Highway. A few things that hit home with me: set goals and just write. Setting goals, whether 500 words a day or per week, set a realistic goal. So you may start slow on the treadmill at 3mph (hehe, sorry Void) but at least you're on the treadmill. You can always tweak your schedule and adjust it as your life changes. But exercise or writing, you can't expect to get better if you're not doing it.

Your turn. Tell me how Void's anonymous quote relates to your writing.