Tuesday Ten: Distractions

Distractions. Thanks to the internet, there are TONS of things to keep us from our writing. Here are ten things I usually find myself doing when I'm SUPPOSED to be writing.

• Twitter. It's so easy to lose an hour on twitter. All I have to do is look through my feed for something interesting and I'm off on an expedition around the web.
  
• The Onion AV club. This offshoot of The Onion posts reviews of tv shows, movies, books, music and more. I generally stick to the TV section. The reviews are funny and usually get right to the point. And when I say they review EVERY show, I'm not kidding. Everything I watch is on there. They've even started reviewing older shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. I love this site!
  
• Netflix. This goes hand in hand with the above. I can't read the reviews if I don't watch the shows to begin with! I can often spend hours rearranging my queue or finding new things to add to the watch instantly section.
  
• Word Bubbles. We've entered the realm of addicting games. Once I start playing this, I am in it for the long haul. Every time I finish, I'm convinced I can beat the score when I play again.
  
• Plants vs. Zombies. Another addicting game. My husband has the full version on his computer, but I usually end up playing the online one on my laptop. Yeah, the ads are annoying, but remember I originally start out editing or writing and float over to something else.
  
• Making playlists on iTunes. Every night before I write I probably spend 10-15 minutes getting together a playlist. Unlike a lot of people, I don't have songs inspired by my WIP. I like to listen to music that matches my mood. It makes it easier for me to write.
  
• Recipe Blogs. Mmmmm. Food. These are bad when it's close to dinner time and I'm hungry and waiting for my husband to get home so we can eat together. Major time waster.
  
• Gardening Blogs. I just started a veggie garden outside and I'm obsessed with it. I'm always looking up plant diseases, ways to make things grow bigger, and anything else that has to do with my plants.
  
• Commenting on other Writing Blogs. I wouldn't really call this a time suck, because I like commenting on people's blogs, but there are definitely times when I'll spend way more time than I need to hopping from blog to blog. I've tried to curb this by setting up a MUST READ section in my google reader. I try to focus on those, and go to the others when I have extra time.
  
• DiceWars. My husband got me hooked on this one. At first I thought it was dumb, but then I learned how to play and I always have a game open so I can play a few rounds. It's sort of like Risk.
  

What are your favorites distractions around the web? (As if I need any more!!)

Tuesday Ten: Music

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Hope you didn't get eaten by the Monday Dragon! Being swamped at work has put the serious kabash on my creativity, so my Tuesday ten is rather blah this week. Enjoy these music related facts.

1. Favorite band of all time: Death Cab for Cutie (yay! new music coming in May!)
   
2. Most played artist according to iTunes: Kelly Clarkson (she's one of my many guilty pleasures. I have all her albums.Yes, I'm a total fangirl.)
   
3. Newest obsession: Bruno Mars
   
4. Wedding song: Better Together by Jack Johnson
   
5. Best use of a song in a television program: Freaks and Geeks opening theme (EDITOR's NOTE: A close runner up was Veronica Mars.)
   
6. Song I could listen to over and over again and not get tired of:Grapevine Fires
   
7. Last album I purchased: Young the Giant (buy it! It's awesome!)
   
8. Favorite song to car-dance/sing to: Forget You by Cee Lo Green
   
9. Band I'm over: Green Day
   
10. If this song comes on, I will ALWAYS change the station: Anything Bob Marley.
    

What's your favorite song? Have any guilty pleasures you're willing to fess up to?

There's still time to enter my giveaway. Win a copy of The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson! Click here to fill out the form.

Tuesday Ten - New Releases: First Quarter, 2011

Today I want to talk about 10 books being released in the next two months (or already released in January) that I'm excited to read.

• Cloaked by Alex Flinn.
  Release Date: Already Released
  Summary: Johnny’s not your average hero. But a little magic changes everything. There isn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. It all starts with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess.
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website
  
• Across the Universe by Beth Revis.
  Release Date: Already Released
  Summary: Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website
  
• You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin.
  Release Date: Already Released
  Summary: He's come to do a job. A job that involves a body. A body wrapped in duct tape found hanging from the goal posts at the end of the football field.
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website
  
• Entangled by Cat Clarke.
  Release Date: Already released
  Summary: 17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with a table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got here. As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget.
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website
  
• The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker.
  Release Date: March 1, 2011
  Summary: Kate Lowry didn't think dead best friends could send e-mails. But when she gets an e-mail from Grace, she’s not so sure. Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website
  
• Clarity by Kim Harrington.
  Release Date: March 1, 2011
  Summary: Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift. And a curse.
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website
  
• Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton.
  Release Date: February 22, 2011
  Summary: Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is. Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run.
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website
  
• Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt.
  Release Date: March 1, 2011
  Summary: According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object—an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas—it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website
  
• Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins.
  Release Date: March 1, 2011
  Summary: Sequel to Hex Hall. In the interest of not spoiling Hex Hall, I'm not going to post the summary.
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website
  
• Wither by Lauren DeStefano.
  Release Date: March 22, 2011
  Summary: Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.
  Goodreads | Amazon | Author Website

What books are you looking forward to?

Tuesday Ten - Tips for Looking for an Agent

Yesterday Liz over at Liz Writes posted about her spreadsheet where she keeps track of certain agent traits. That got me thinking about what I would put on such a spreadsheet. Here are my ten essentials:

• Agent's Name. This one is pretty much a no brainer. Can't query someone if you don't know who they are!
  
• Agency Agent works for. A "no" from an agent generally means it's a "no" for that entire agency. With that said, this will be an easy way to eliminate agents of the same agency.
  
• Twitter Account. Lots of agents are on twitter these days, and following them can be helpful. Sometimes you can catch a comment or two about what kind of submissions they're getting. It's also a great way to get to know an agent and if you'd fit well with them.
  
• Blog. Blogs are another great way to get to know an agent. Most of the time, there are links to some of their clients, which gives an even better sense of who the agent is and who they represent. Blogs are also a great place to catch some tips and hints straight from the agent.
  
• Open/Closed for Queries.During certain times of year, agents are closed for queries. I need to be aware of this, so I don't end up sending a bunch of queries to closed mailboxes.
  
• Genres. This is another big one. Right now I'm working on a paranormal type story and a contemporary young adult. If I find an agent that works exclusively in contemporary YA, it might not be a good fit because of my other story.
  
• Method of Query Delivery. Most agents are making the switch to email only submissions, but I'm sure there are some out there that still want them by mail. On the converse, there are some that might have a submission form on their website.
  
• Additional Pages. This goes along with the method of delivery. Does the agent want the first five pages? Or 10? Or maybe they don't want any pages, but a synopsis. What format do they want it in?
  
• Contact Information. Email or mailing address to send the query to.
  
• Books Recently Sold. This is valuable information when querying. If the agent recently sold something that's similar to my novel, it might not be a good idea to query that agent.

What would be on your query spreadsheet? Did I leave anything out?

Ten Reasons to Read...The Book Thief

Over the month of December I read The Book Thief. Yes, you read that right. It took me the entire month of December to finish it. It's not to say the book was a hard read, or a bad read, it was just emotionally taxing. Now that I'm done, I want to sing the praises of this book from the highest mountain top!



Ten Reasons You Should Read The Book Thief

1. The point of view. I'm usually not a fan of when the narrator addresses the audience, but it works well in this book.
   
2. The creepy foreshadowing. The way the narrator alludes to what is going to happen kept me on the edge of my seat. It reminded me a bit of Stephen King's style.
   
3. Death. Speaking of the narrator. How creepy is it that Death is telling the story?
   
4. Accordions! Leisel's papa plays the accordion for extra money. It's a weird detail to love about a book, but it adds depth to the whole story.
   
5. Rudy Steiner. Besides Leisel, I think Rudy may be one of the best characters I've read in a long time. (Sorry, Etienne.)
   
6. The story. The whole thing takes place during WWII. It's not really a 'war' story, but each character is touched personally by the war in one way or another, and it effects them all differently.
   
7. The emotional roller coaster. Oh man, I think I experienced every emotion while reading this book. There are happy moments, sad moments, moments where you just want to cringe for Leisel, and moments where you want to stand up and fight for her.
   
8. Awards. This book has won a lot of awards and honors, including: ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2007), Michael L. Printz Honor Book (2007),
   
9. Max. I have no words for how awesome this character is and how he brings the whole story together. In the interest of staying spoiler free, that's all I'll say about Max.
   
10. Leisel Meminger. Leisel is the main character of the book, and I just love her to death. She's feisty and tough, but has a soft spot for beautiful things, like books.
    

So there you have it. If you haven't read The Book Thief yet, I suggest you get yourself to a bookstore right away. This is a book that stays with you, and you will certainly want to re-read it.

Related Links

• Markus Zusak's website.
  
• Buy The Book Thief.
  
• Other reviews: Life is Short, Read Fast | Forever Young: A YA Lit Blog | Imperfection is the New Pink
  
• Other books by Markus Zusak - I Am The Messenger | Getting The Girl | Fighting Ruben Wolfe
  

Ten Things I Love About... Winter!

It's Tuesday so that means another list of ten things I love. Thanks to all this snow, I've got winter on the brain. Here are ten things I love about it:

• Boots. I love boots. They keep my feet and legs warm, and they're cute.
  
• Scarves. I have a pretty extensive collection of scarves, but my new favorites are definitely the Gryffindor scarf my husband got me for Christmas and the scarf my sister in law brought me back from Italy while she was studying abroad. Both are really thick and perfect for cold weather.
  
• Oregon Chai Organic Peppermint Chai. Okay, my favorite winter drink is a peppermint mocha, but they have way too many calories, so I opt for something a little lighter. If I make the chai with 1/2 cup of 1% milk, it's only 150 calories. Unless I add whipped cream!
  
• Snow Days. And boy have we been having a lot of them lately. I have the capability of working from home on those days, so it's not an official "day off", but it's still nice to work in sweat pants!
  
• The Holidays. I know they've already passed, but I still love getting together with family and friends over those couple weeks in December.
  
• Work is slow. This is the slowest time of the year in the industry I work in. Unfortunately, it's also known as the calm before the storm. I've been spending most of my days doing budgeting and billing, which isn't very exciting, but I love being able to leave at 5:30 every day!
  
• Shoveling all that snow forces me to exercise. This time of year I find it hard to get motivated. It's dark and cold in the morning, so I find myself sleeping in as late as possible. By the time I get home from work, I just want to lounge on the couch. Shoveling forces me to get in some upper body workouts.
  
• Knee socks! Who doesn't love socks? My obsession with socks is almost greater than scarves. The only thing I don't like are those toe-socks. Ugh, they creep me out!
  
• Cats sleeping in the bed. When it's cold, my cats are more likely to cuddle up with me in the bed. I know it's just because they want to get warm, but I like to pretend it's because they love me.
  
• Curling up by the fire with books that were/are being released during the winter: Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers (Dec 21), Across the Universe by Beth Revis (Jan 11), Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (Feb 15) and XVI by Julia Karr (Jan 6).
  

What are your favorite things about winter? Any books you can't wait to curl up with?

Tuesday Ten - Books I Can't Wait For

Many of the bloggers I follow have been looking back at their favorite reads of 2010. Since I did that last week, I thought I'd look forward into 2011 and list the books I feel like I can't wait another second for.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: February 15, 2011
Summary: The second book in the Hex Hall series follows Sophie Mercer to London where she intends to undergo a dangerous procedure called the Removal, which will rid her of her magic powers for good.
Amazon | Official Site


Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
Release Date: June 14, 2011
Summary:The story of two sisters, their strong bond, and the dead body that threatens to break it. (description from Nova Ren Suma's website)
Amazon | Official Site


Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Release Date: July 12, 2011
Summary: When the steroids that the football are taking have the unexpected side effect of turning the players into zombies, Kate Grable and her friends set out to find the antidote and save their town before it's too late.
Amazon | Official Site


Crossed by Ally Condie
Release Date: November 1, 2011
Summary: Another one I know next to nothing about. This is the second book in the Matched series by Ally Condie. I'm so excited to see what Cassia is up to.
Amazon | Official Site


Red Glove by Holly Black
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Tagline: The cons get twistier and the stakes get higher in the sequel to White Cat.
Amazon | Official Site




Bumped by Megan McCafferty
Release Date: April 26, 2011
Summary: (from Goodreads) When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.
Amazon | Official Site


Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Release Date: January 11, 2011
Summary: (from Goodreads) Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world.
Amazon | Official Site


Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Release Date:September 29, 2011
Summary: There isn't much out there about this book. All I really know about it is that it's the companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss. Since I simply adored that book, I'm definitely picking this one up.
Amazon | Official Site


Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
Release Date:June, 2011
Summary: This is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel. Jackson Pearce did an amazing job rebooting Little Red Riding Hood earlier this year in Sisters Red, so I can't wait to see what she does with this one.
Amazon | Official Site



Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Release Date: Fall, 2011
Summary: Yet another book I have no idea on. Paranormalcy was one of the best books I read in 2010, so I'm sure Supernaturally won't disappoint.
Amazon (not yet available for pre-order) | Official Site


What books are you looking forward to in 2011?