Spring Writing Bootcamp Check-In #10

It's the first YA Buccaneers Spring Writing Bootcamp check in for May and yes, I'm a day late - but only because I was tagged by the ever awesome Kathryn Holmes to participate in the My Writing Process blog hop that's been going around -- and my post went up yesterday. You can read it here -- or, yanno, just scroll down one more on my blog. 

Everyone is saying this and I have to agree: I can't believe it's already May. We've covered two months already in our Spring Writing Bootcamp and so much has been accomplished by all! But...we've got one more month to go, so batten down those hatches, man the torpedoes, and hang on to your boot straps! Because we pirates have LOTS in store for you! 

MY MAY GOALS:

1. My birthday is coming up this Thursday, so my goal for the first day of May is to just ENJOY THE DAY!
   UPDATE: My birthday was wonderful! Born and raised in Seattle, I've never been to the top of the Space Needle...but my husband changed that on my birthday! AND! it was sunny and 85 degrees!
2. New WIP NOTG writing goal:
   Minimum of 10,000 words for the month.
3. Continue to read / finish CP's MS!
   UPDATE: I finished my second read through on one of my CP's newest manuscripts last night and am compiling the notes to email her today - be on the lookout, Heidi!
   Also, I'm waiting on TWO other CP's to send over manuscripts they said they'd be sending over. Eh-em. I'm waiting. Yep, still here. *cough*
   Red rover, red rover, send your manuscripts on over!
4. Host / participate in a Word Sprint or two! 
5. Same goal as April: Cheer on the awesome that is Team Rainier!
6. Read 5 books minimum. 
   UPDATE: One book down (Heidi's MS) and 4 more to go! 

Soooo Bootcampers, what do you  have up your sleeve for May?

Spring Writing Bootcamp Check-In

My last check-in for April! You can see what everyone else is up to in today's YAB post!

APRIL GOALS:

1. Work on my new YA Contemporary / Adventure WIP: NOTG 
   UPDATE: I haven't had a chance to do much on my WIP over the past few days, but...I will for sure have time to get to this in the coming weeks! I'm really excited about this new story and lots of great ideas are hitting me at the oddest times (gotta love my note taking app on my phone for cases like this!) - here's to a productive May!
2. Continue to read / finish CP's MS!
   UPDATE: I was hoping to have my CP's manuscript done this past weekend, but with celebrating 90th birthday parties, ferry rides (see my chilly ferry pic there to the right!), and all kinds of other things, I didn't hit this goal - but I will get this finished, this week!
3. Host / participate in a Word Sprint or two! 
   UPDATE: Last week I hosted THREE FOUR Word Sprints! Many of you wonderful writers joined me and we got so much done, in so little time! I may pop in for an impromptu word sprint this week, who knows?
4. Cheer on my fellow Team Rainier writers!
5. Read 5 books minimum. 
   UPDATE: I'm still reading DREAMS OF GODS & MONSTERS by Laini Taylor (that is a LONG book!) in addition to my above mentioned CP MS. Not sure if I'll hit my goal of 5 books for April, but we'll see!

MAY GOALS:

1. My birthday is coming up this Thursday, so my goal for the first day of May is to just ENJOY THE DAY!
2. New WIP NOTG writing goal: minimum of 10,000 words for the month.
3. Host / participate in a Word Sprint or two! 
4. Same goal as April, cheer on the awesome that is Team Rainier!
5. Read 5 books minimum. 

It's the last month of our Spring Writing Bootcamp so what are your goals for May?

Spring Writing Bootcamp Check-In

Yes, I know it's Tuesday...and I'm a little late checking in.

It's been a crazy few weeks / months, but as of last Friday, things will hopefully begin to settle down a little. Maybe. 

Regardless. I have high hopes for getting some serious writing and reading done. And I've already managed to check off a few things from list of goals!

APRIL GOALS:

1. Work on my new YA Contemporary / Adventure WIP: NAME OF THE GAME (NOTG). 
   UPDATE 4/22: I wrote an entire chapter on Saturday. Not sure where in the story it will go (somewhere up close to the beginning), but I wrote it - and it was so much fun!
2. Continue to read / finish CP's MS!
   4/22 UPDATE: I'm almost finished with the first pass / read of one of my CP's newest MS's - and I love it - you hear me HS? I LOVE IT! I've got two other CP's that I'm dying to read for (one is a re-read on a story that has been LONG OVERDUE - yes, KFO, I'm talking about YOU! And one CP that I'm finally getting to read an entire story for, for the very first time - yes, BG, that's YOU!).
3. Host / participate in a Word Sprint or two!
   4/22 UPDATE: Yours truly will be hosting THREE Word Sprints this week: Wednesday - Friday, all of them at 2pm EST. Join me?
4. Cheer on my fellow Team Rainier writers!
5. Read 5 books minimum. 
   4/22 UPDATE: So far I've read FEVER and SEVER by Lauren DeStefano, to close out that series - which I thought was okay. I started in on the beast of hardbacks - what is 613 pages of DREAMS OF GODS & MONSTERS by Laini Taylor, and I'm about halfway done. And as mentioned above, I'm almost done with my first pass on a CP's newest MS - so that means I still have ONE more book to finish before this month is done!

MAY GOALS:

1. NAME OF THE GAME writing goal: minimum of 10,000 words for the month.
2. Host / participate in a Word Sprint or two! 
3. Same goal as April, cheer on the awesome that is Team Rainier!

How is everyone else doing? I hope your writing and reading is coming along for the month of April...but not to worry, we still have May ahead of us, too!

What's Up Wednesday: 07.17.13

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by my ever-so-lovely YA writer friends, Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk. The idea? Well, it's a great opportunity to touch base once a week with all of our blog friends and let them know what's up. Should you wish to join, head on over to Jaime's blog and sign up with the link widget at the bottom of her post! 

WHAT I'M READING:

I'm participating in the YA Buccaneers Reading Mutiny Challenge for July - our version of a themed monthly bookclub - and this month it's around books all about ADVENTURE! So I picked up several from the list and just started reading WANDERLOVE by Kristen Hubbard on Sunday. If you'd like to join us, we'd love to have you (just click on the link for YA Buccaneers above!) - and of course, there are prizes involved!!! 

While running, I'm reading Jennifer Echols GOING TOO FAR. I'm really enjoying her books - perfect summer reads!

WHAT I'M WRITING:

Writing Goals for this past week:

1. Relax. 
2. Send WTWF off to my CP's to have at it with their red markers! 

I sent off WTWF to my first round of CP's last week and have already received feedback from a couple of them that finished it SUPER FAST!

It's all exciting stuff and of course, I've received some great comments so far!

I plan on sending it out to my second wave of CP's this week, if not early next week!

So, writing goals for this week remain the same:

1. Relax. 
2. Send WTWF off to my second round of CP's to have at it with their red markers!

Oh! And if you're in need of some inspiration to write today - join the YA Buccaneers Word Sprint! Two rounds being hosted on Twitter tonight - the first is at 5pm PST and the second at 6:15pm PST! #YABWordSprint

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW:

All the amazing feedback I've been receiving from my CP's on WHERE THE WATER FALLS.

Each one of us has those moments where we wonder why it is we're even doing this silly thing called writing -- and sometimes it takes the encouraging feedback from others, to keep us going. 

That moment was happening for me over this past weekend and it just happened to be around the same time one my CP's left me a voicemail -- she had read my MS in one day and rushed to call me. And I kid you not, her voicemail actually made me well up with tears. Everything she said was so awesome and I loved every second of it...and needless to say, I'll be saving that one for those days when I wonder why it is I'm even attempting to write. <3.

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO:

Today is my wonderful CP and fellow YA Buccaneer, Heidi Sinnett's birthday!!! So a BIG shout out to Heidi - I hope you're having a WONDERFUL birthday today!!!

In other news, my husband is headed out of town for a couple of days on a guy's trip - which will leave the house here pretty quiet - but, he'll be back early Sunday morning just in time for us to venture into the city for the Bite of Seattle! A weekend where all the restaurants of Seattle converge and offer up their fares of great food, all in one location! And it's awesome. 

SO, WHAT'S NEW FOR YOU TODAY?

What's Up Wednesday: 06.05.13

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by my ever-so-lovely YA writer friends, Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk. The idea? Well, it's a great opportunity to touch base once a week with all of our blog friends and let them know what's up. Should you wish to join, head on over to Jaime's blog and sign up with the link widget at the bottom of her post! 

WHAT I'M READING:

THE 5TH WAVE by Rick Yancey - and holy @!#$! am I loving this one! Just started it Sunday night and managed to polish off more than half the book in just a few hours!

As well, while I'm on the elliptical, I'm reading Abbi Glines CEASELESS - and so far, it's a great wrap up to a fun to read series!

WHAT I'M WRITING:

Still cracking away at the final pages of my first draft of WHERE THE WATER FALLS. I'm so close to being finished, I can see the light! But...other projects have kept me busy as of late, so I haven't had the chance to finish off that last chapter just yet.

However, I brainstormed around it yesterday and think I know how I want it all to end. I've got two different thoughts in my head, so worst case, I write both two chapter endings and see which one sticks!

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW:

The great friends I've made in the writing community.

And no, I promise, I haven't been drinking.

It honestly amazes me how many wonderful people I've met since I started down the path of this crazy adventure and decided to write seriously - almost six years ago.  

Critique partners that have become more than just a CP, but also fantastic friends: Bridgid Gallagher, Heidi Sinnett, Kris F. Oliver, and more recently, Sara Biren - I'm talking about all of YOU!

There are days when I don't know what I would've done without all of these great people. And considering how this year started out, each one kept me sane, when it would've been so easy to find myself fighting the restraints of one of those fancy white jackets with all the brass buckles.

Thankfully, I know without a doubt, they'd never let me be alone in a cell of any kind - padded or cinder block!

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO:

Speaking of the a-mazing and talented, Bridgid Gallagher - well...

Let's just say I solemnly swear that WE are up to no good!

We're brewing up something spectacular and it's a pleasure to work with such talent. And I can't wait to share all of the goodness with the rest of the world!

Soonish, I promise. 

But I will say, I'm VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY!!!

SO, HOW'S YOUR WEDNESDAY SHAPING UP? WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ALL ABOUT IT, SO WON'T YOU JOIN TODAY'S WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY???