April Check In

What I'm Writing

Writing the second draft of my book, a new YA thriller. I enrolled in an online class to help brush up on a few things (also to give myself steady deadlines to meet), and I'm really glad I'm workshopping this book. It's a bit strange, but most of my more-stranger ideas tend to do well when they go out to editors. 

What I'm Reading

I'm finally getting to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone after everyone I've ever encountered has raved of this book. I'm, like, 40% of the way through and am NOT disappointed!

What I'm Listening To

In a super pop mood this week!

What I've Been Up To

Puppy wrangling and writing--mostly with Lucy at my feet. Hopefully with the weather warming up, I'll get a chance to do more than just work!

Lucy found a new place to sleep while I write.

A photo posted by Valerie Cole ❤️ (@valeriecoleya) on Apr 18, 2016 at 6:14pm PDT

What Lucy Has Been Up To

Getting into trouble! Mostly because she's starting to get comfortable and feels at home, which makes me happy. This morning she discovered how to unroll the toilet paper--what a fun game (for her)!

No string, Lucy! 😠

Do you think Lauren will understand when I tell her the puppy ate my plot?

A photo posted by Valerie Cole ❤️ (@valeriecoleya) on Apr 15, 2016 at 6:15am PDT

Mid-Spring Check In

What I'm Writing

Right now, trying to figure out my story is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and watching it all slide down...

— Valerie Cole (@ValerieColeYA) April 6, 2016

Yeah, writing is hard. I won't lie, sometimes I'm convinced none of my writing sticks and I'm running out of noodles.

I have a pretty solid first draft of a new young adult manuscript. I've been trying to tackle more commercial plotlines. Things that could be considered thrillers or high-concept. My brain is so good at emotional story arcs, but when I have to figure out how a resolution works out or raise stakes, I fizzle out.

The good news is that I had a couple of really great critiques come in and set me back on track--hopefully in the right direction. I'm sitting here in front of a blank cork board with a stack of Post-its and I'm ready to replot my entire book.

What I'm Reading

What I'm Listening To

What I've Been Up To

Pretty much 99% of what I say now:
What are you eating?
Ah-ah-ah!
Oh my god!
On the pad! On the pad!
Noooo!
No bites!
Omg so cute#newpuppy

— Valerie Cole (@ValerieColeYA) April 6, 2016

Well, this little monster has been keeping me on my toes for the last week. Meet Lucy, our new puppy! We brought her home last Tuesday and my life has been full of: puppy wrangling, accident cleaning, ah-ah-ahing, and attempting to look away for oooooone second to work. It's impossible. That face makes it all worth it, though.

Lucy is home!

A photo posted by Valerie Cole ❤️ (@valeriecoleya) on Mar 29, 2016 at 8:57am PDT

January 2016 Check In

Hello, hello! 

This month is almost over and I'm finally sitting down for a check in. Personally, I'm thankful for this impending snowstorm of doom that is about to rain down on us. There's been so much to do this month and I'm ready for a weekend of eating soup and binge watching Grey's Anatomy.

What have I been up to, you ask?

1) Well, Project Blue--my newest manuscript. My seventh, to be exact. And, there's something I've learned from working on multiple projects: each one will feel different. Like, really different. There's some that have taken everything in me to write. Two manuscripts ago, I had to set up any type of reward system I could just to get one word down on the page at a time. It made me wonder if I even liked writing sometimes. But Project Blue isn't like that. It makes me giddy and excited. I love everything about it--even the hard parts. 

I've been doing a lot of writing and researching and re-writing, and am hoping to have a killer first draft soon. I'm so excited to share it and have my peeps read it (and of course poke holes in it so it resembles Swiss cheese). 

2) I also decided to scale back on giving myself so many expectations this year. One big one was how many books was I going to read. I read a lot, and I participated in GoodReads' Reading Challenge like it was my own Olympics. I can't manage to track how many calories I eat daily, but I can log every single page I've ever read in my GoodReads app. This year I decided to bail out. I'm going to read, but not be so focused on that number. And, also DNF books if I want or just read the parts I want. You know, read like an un-obsessed person might.

What am I reading now? The History of Love--a book that was recommended to me six years ago and has been at the top of my TBR list since!

3) Also, puppies. We lost our sweet Nelly girl last month, right before Christmas and I have to be honest, my heart is still broken. The other day I was out running errands and I found myself Google Mapping the nearest puppy shop and drove straight there. I got my fill of puppy kisses, but realized just how much work going from an extremely chill senior dog to an over-active brand new puppy is going to be. Not that I'm not up for the task, but Shannon and I still need some time to prepare and get ready. Meanwhile, I can't promise not to be that crazy lady who shows up in Pet Shops just to pick up puppies and talk about my heartbreak.

Until next month, friends. Bunker down from the snow and godspeed!

December Check In

Heyo! I hope everyone is having a fantastic holiday season. There's nothing more exciting than all the frenzy and finality December can bring. 

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving at home in Baltimore with my family. Not only did I spend lots of time with my favorite cousin, Sara and her new husband, but we threw her a baby shower (in which I promised her a blog mention). Our cousin Crystal made all the food, which included bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese, meatballs cooked in grape jelly (is this a Maryland thing or does everyone make this?) and a pretty epic cake. 

My reading has slowed down considerably, only because things have been so busy. However, if you're looking for something new to pick up, consider:

ALL AMERICAN BOYS, by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Keily. A duel-narrative of two American teenagers--one white and one black--and how police brutality affects their lives.

THE BOSTON GIRL, by Anita Diamant. Follows the life of a young woman born in 1900 to Jewish immigrants in Boston and touches on pieces of history I hadn't read much about before: World War I, the flu of 1918, and the Minnesota orphan train.

THE SACRED LIES OF MINNOW BLY, by Stephanie Oakes. A story about a girl who escapes from her Kevinian cult at the price of both her hands.

Lastly, and most sadly, we lost our sweet pup this month. Nelly was my trusted cocker spaniel for the last fourteen years. I've owned her my entire adult life and she's spent many nights sleeping under my desk while I wrote stories and blog posts and query letters. To be honest, I'm not sure what to do with the hole she's left by my side. While I figure it out, I hope this year brings a bit of peace and some healing. And I hope it brings you joy and love.

October Check In 2015

Hello, hello!

I waited to write up my October check in post this month because things were so busy. I've been writing (of course), but trying to figure out the best way to make this "full-time writing thing" work best for me.

It's helped a lot to listen to Sarah Enni's First Drafts podcast and get a feel for what other writers do to make the daily demands of creativity work for them. For me, I'm finding, it's different almost every day. When I have a deadline (either self-imposed or agent-assigned), I can buckle down and work, but those other days when I'm free to just create? It's hard.

Over the summer, I wrote a 22-page outline for my next book. It covers everything plot-related, and some character arcs, which is great. But, I've been struggling with these two main characters of mine and trying to figure out who they really are--especially this one named Miles. Sure, you can give a character a name and a sassy attitude and just go with it, but underneath it all you need to know who they really are. Miles wasn't talking to me. I tried to give him a backstory, but it felt so generic. After all, how many I've-known-him-since-kindergarden stories are already out there? I wanted more from this character, and he refused to tell me.

Sometimes when I get stuck like this, when the character won't come to me, I go out into the world and find them. Yesterday, I was at the gym and Miles walked right by and jumped on the treadmill in front of me. In fifteen minutes I had him all figured out, and realized how much I love this exercise in character development. Because when you can see the person right in front of you, and can observe how they carry themselves, how they look around at the world, it's easier to figure out what their hang ups are and their place in the story. So, if you try this method, let me know how it works for you!

In things I've been reading, check out Aaron Hartzler's What We Saw! I was so impressed by his writing and the strong message this one carries about rape culture, especially in small town, high schools where everyone wants to look away.

Wolf by Wolf is also very exciting and so different--especially if you're into reimagined WWII stories (with motorcycles and wolves!). Fans of The Scorpio Races would like this one.

Faking Normal was my favorite contemporary this month. I have a huge writer crush on Courtney Stevens.

That's it for me this month. It's time to get back to writing. :)

Currently Reading - July 2015

Happy July! I spent the day with my family in Baltimore. We even saw the fireworks from the boat and I got this awesome shot.

 I hope your summer is full of writing and reading. Here's what I'm up to...

What I'm reading: Right now, I'm reading Bone Gap and listening to An Ember in the Ashes. Both are so good. Especially Ember--the writing is so solid and the plotting is so tight. I'm so excited there was a sequel announced.

What I'm watching: I'm not a huge TV watcher, but summer programming is the absolute best because my two favorite shows come on--American Ninja Warrior and Big Brother!!

This year I'm totally rooting for Meg and drooling over Clay. This show is a huge commitment, but I'm obsessed. My Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights are spent texting BFF Kelly about game strategy.

What I'm stitching: This super cute Mockingjay pin for my cousin. It's really hard keeping all the colors straight, but I think it's coming along really well.

What else I'm up to: revising my manuscript. I'm putting myself on a pretty intense writing schedule for the rest of this summer and I'm excited to dive in.

Currently Reading - June 2015

Hello, hello! I hope everyone is having a fabulous start to their summer. I've been really busy.

What I've been reading

I'm just finishing up The Witch Hunter, which is fantastic! I've been reading a lot more fantasy this year and have Court of Fives and the Mara Dyer series on my plate next.

What I've been writing

I've been working on the same book for over a year now and am so ready to start something new! But the one good thing about wrapping up a project is getting to work closely with my agent, Lauren. She has an awesome editorial eye and makes the writing process feel less solitary and more fun.

What I've been stitching

Turn down for w...oh, crap. I'm out of room! Still trying to figure out how to pull this one off without scraping the whole aida.

Also, check out this one I did last month. I absolutely love it and would like to think I was the first to stitch Trap Queen on a cross stitch.

What else I've been doing

My dad got a new boat this month and we've been spending a lot of time down at the marina. I miss Maryland so much. Love or hate, it's always been home. We've been doing a lot of drives from Philly to Baltimore this spring.

 Have an awesome June!

Currently Reading - May 2015

Last week I was going through my shelves and getting really overwhelmed. I have sooooo many books! And I want to read allllllll the things! 

Jodi Meadows suggested I pull out a few books and make a smaller TBR pile, which then turned into our summer reading challenge. Here's what I picked out:

• Read a book you really want to read. For me, that's The Miseducation of Cameron Post. It's been on my dresser for months, and I always keep saying it's next.

• Read something little. I bought What Hearts...six years ago? And, I'm guessing because it's small, it keeps getting shoved to the back of my shelf.

• Read a book you've had forever. I've been dying to read September Girls for so long now.

• Finish a series. For me, it's the Mara Dyer series. I need to read books 2 and 3.

• Read something new. Bone Gap!

• Read something your friend wants you to read or they'll disown you. BFF Kelly always reads my book recos right away and The Boleyn Wife was the ONE thing she's ever given me and asked me to read. Being a good rec'er goes two ways.

• Read an old ARC. I cheated and chose two. Between You & Me and Beneath a Meth Moon.

• Read an adult fiction book. My mom gave me The Poisonwood Bible soooo long ago and she's always wanted me to read it.

• Read a friend's book. Vivi Barnes' Olivia Twisted!

• Read Nil. Jodi and I both had this on our TBR shelves and decided it's the best way to reward ourselves for a finished book challenge.

What are you reading this sumer?

Currently Reading - April 2015

Hooray! Spring is here, finally. My windows are open and I'm eying my muddy front yard and getting anxious to get our outdoor area spiffed up so I can spend more time outside reading and writing.

I read a lot in March, and was really excited to cross off a few titles I've had on my list forever.

• And We Stay was really cool in how it used Emily Dickinson and poetry to parallel the main character's grief. 

• Tell the Wolves I'm Home was also a great literary read about a teenage girl's grief after her uncle dies of AIDs. 

• Devoted examined a girl's faith after she left her Quiverfull religion.

• The Murk was a terrifying middle grade that takes readers into the depths of the Okefenokee swamp.

• Watch the Sky asked how blindly you'd believe everything you've been told.

Up on deck for April, I have:

• The Good Girl, which hooked me right away. I've already devoured 1/3 of it last night.

• I was so excited to get The Devil You Know. I'm a total Trish Doller fangirl and have been waiting for this book foreverrr!

• And I'm really excited to have Girl in a Band on my Kindle. 

What are you reading this month?

For Your TBR Pile - Inside the O'Briens

Inside the O'Briens
By Lisa Genova

Published: April 7, Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster

From GoodReads: Joe O’Brien is a forty-four-year-old police officer from the Irish Catholic neighborhood of Charlestown, Massachusetts. A devoted husband, proud father of four children in their twenties, and respected officer, Joe begins experiencing bouts of disorganized thinking, uncharacteristic temper outbursts, and strange, involuntary movements. He initially attributes these episodes to the stress of his job, but as these symptoms worsen, he agrees to see a neurologist and is handed a diagnosis that will change his and his family’s lives forever: Huntington’s Disease.
Huntington’s is a lethal neurodegenerative disease with no treatment and no cure. Each of Joe’s four children has a 50 percent chance of inheriting their father’s disease, and a simple blood test can reveal their genetic fate. While watching her potential future in her father’s escalating symptoms, twenty-one-year-old daughter Katie struggles with the questions this test imposes on her young adult life. Does she want to know? What if she’s gene positive? Can she live with the constant anxiety of not knowing?

As Joe’s symptoms worsen and he’s eventually stripped of his badge and more, Joe struggles to maintain hope and a sense of purpose, while Katie and her siblings must find the courage to either live a life “at risk” or learn their fate.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC!

My Thoughts:

This tweet sums up all my thoughts about this book:

I hadn't read Still Alice, but was aware of it once it started to appearing on all the movie award nominations lists (Currently, I am number 98 on my library's waiting list for the book).

So when there was an opportunity to read Inside the O'Briens, I snatched it up like the last cupcake at a bake sale. I love patient stories--especially ones that bring to life what it's like to live with illness. My love for medical writing and patient education goes way back to my earlier writing days. Inside the O'Briens takes a look at how a disease can disrupt an entire family and make them question their places in their family structure.

Watching Huntington’s Disease change Joe from being a protective and strong-willed father of four to the unstable patient was heartbreaking. His Boston pride beamed from this book. I loved not only the way Lisa Genova portrayed the city, but the working class, as well. Joe's role as a police officer was firmly rooted in his identity within the social structure of his family, but also his town.

Even more so, Katie's journey from flakey youngest sibling to firmly standing up for herself and her future was heartbreaking and awe-inspiring. I love that she wrote positive affirmations on her walls with a black sharpie. My favorite scene was when she decided to paint over them after having a very emotional breakdown, only to discover her family rewrite each one for her. 

The O'Briens were a very loving family, strongly rooted in their religious believes and blue-collared upbringing, but they weren't perfect. It was interesting not only to learn more about this incredibly debilitating disease, but to watch how the threat of it challenged each one of characters' futures. 

Currently Reading - March 2015

I think one of my favorite things to blog about is what I plan to read in the upcoming month, and then admitting to what I actually read instead. 

February was one of those months. I'd meant to tackle these:

But instead went for these (also, I love how they all fell into the same color scheme):

I'll blame it on Liane Moriarty. Last month I was reading What Alice Forgot when a co-worker spotted it on my desk. We started talking about how great her books were and my co-worker leant me The Husband's Secret. I loved it. In fact, I just bought Big Little Lies so I'm completely doing an author binge.

Sarah Addison Allen is one of my most favorite authors. The Girl Who Chased The Moon is my top, top, top favorite book ever. I'd had First Frost for a while and as soon as I'd finished Moriarty's book, I wasn't ready to switch back to YA. I love Sarah's use of light magical realism, her world building of sleepy southern towns, and her quiet and brave female characters.

I pre-ordered Mindy Kaling's book back in 2011, read a fourth of it, and never picked it back up! I have no idea why. It's strange how your mood affects your reading. I wanted to cross it off my list.

In addition, I just finished Lisa Genova's Inside The O'Briens, which was fantastic. She wrote Still Alice, which I haven't read (or seen the movie), but have on my list. So when Simon & Schuster offered me an eARC, I jumped at the chance (review to come). 

This tweet says it all:

Here's what I have on deck for March:

Jennifer Mathieu's Devoted, which I'm super excited to read because it's based on the Quiverfull religion (think the Duggars).

Agency brother Robert Lettrick's The Murk. Robert's debut, Frenzy, gave me nightmares for days. So I'm excited to jump back into his world.

April Lindner's Catherine, which I picked up at the author's signing and am excited to read. She had me at modern day Wuthering Heights retelling.

Currently Reading - February 2015

<3 It's February! <3

Not only is February the month of love, but it's officially one month closer to spring. I could not be more thrilled. I hope everyone is battling the snow and wind and winter weather warnings we've been having the last few weeks. Hopefully everyone has gotten some great reading time in.

Here's what I've been reading.

I set out in January to read: 

• CLEOPATRA: I tried twice and just couldn't get into it. I'm not giving up on this book, though, and am going to put it back in the TBR stack so I can give it another go later. 

• I did finish HOW TO BUILD A GIRL, which was fantastic! 

• And WHAT ALICE FORGOT made me a Liane Moriarty fan. I'm currently reading THE HUSBAND'S SECRET, which a co-worker lent me. 

I also got to read these ARCs (Thanks to Algonquin and LBKids!)

THE WALLS AROUND US delivered everything I love about a Nova book: creepy and fantastic.

KISSING TED CALLAHAN was a great read and explored a different side of teen relationships. 

MY BEST EVERYTHING was a great debut that I couldn't put down.

The plan for February is to dig into these books, as well as a few more eARCs I have on my Kindle.

Currently Reading - January 2015

Hello!

I hope everyone had an awesome New Year! I was in NYC again hanging out with BFF Kelly. We fondued and watched Dick Clark's Rocking New Years Eve on her couch. It's kinda crazy to watch everything going on in Times Square on TV from a few streets away. (Seriously, though. How was Taylor not cold as hell in that outfit? Also, did that make me sound old to ask that?)

On New Year's Eve, I got up early to finish my last book of 2014 (Deerskin by Robin McKinley, which was fantastic), which put my total at 130.

Since I'm spending the first part of 2015 finishing up a manuscript, I set my goal for 100 this year. I figured I'd slow my reading roll down so that I can tackle a new challenge. I'd love to read more non-fic, historical fic, and basically anything non-YA this year. So I have a few different titles lined up for January.

I also made a rule that I am NOT buying any new books until I get through my insane TBR pile. That means 2015 reads are going to be on the back burner for me (for a little while). I had the opportunity to read a lot of titles I was dying for this year (All The Bright Places, Under A Painted Sky, The Last Time We Say Goodbye), and am so grateful for the friends and publishers who allowed me access to their ARCs.

So this is how I'm starting off my New Year in reading. How about you?

2015 Reading Challenge

Valerie has read 2 books toward her goal of 100 books.

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2 of 100 (2%)

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My Most Anticipated Books in 2015

Hooray! A new pub year is upon us! Here are the books I can't wait to get my grubby hands on.

Skyscraping by Cordelia Jensen

The Devil You Know by Trish Doller

Violent Ends by Shaun Hutchinson

And here are the 2015 books that I can completely vouch for, because I've read the ARCs and they are amaaaazing!

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Review

The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

Review

Under A Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

Review

Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows