What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My Current WIP (Work In Progress): While I did get the required number of pages revised/edited that I would need to do to keep on track if I hadn't missed a week two weeks ago, I didn't get any extra pages done so I'm still about 50 pages behind where I should be. I'm hoping to get them done along with this week's pages so I'll be back on schedule to finish the revision process.
 
Quote of the Week: "Genius, that power which dazzles mortal eyes, is oft but perseverance in disguise." ~ Henry Willard Austin
 
What I'm Reading: I'm reading Death, Taxes, and a Shotgun Wedding  by Diane Kelly. This is the last book in the Death, Taxes series. I really enjoyed the series. I'm sorry to see it come to an end.

Random Thoughts:  February is usually the coldest month of the winter season in my area. This week the meteorologists are forecasting 50 to 52 degrees for both today and tomorrow. The temperature is supposed to drop back into the 20's for Friday and the weekend, but the two days of warmer weather are a nice break in a cold, bleak winter season

Random Photo of the Week:

                                          The birthday card I made for my brother.

What's Up Wednesday

This week:

My current WIP (work in progress):  No progress last week. This is my last week of working extra hours so I hope to be back to writing next week.

Quote of the Week:  “To be able to direct all of your energy into what matters to you most may seem like a distant luxury today, but with a little planning, you could make this happen.” ~Unknown

What I'm reading: Death, Taxes, and Sweet Potato Fries by Diane Kelly.

Random Thoughts: As I look out my window, I can see the buds on the trees begin to open. It's amazing how much this proof that spring is actually here makes me feel lighter and happier.

Random Picture of the Week:

Another sign of spring. I've spotted the bunny that lives in the neighborhood.

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My current WIP (work in progress): I did 37 additional pages of revisions on Honor Bound last week. About half of those were newly written material.

Quote of the Week: “We have more strength than will; and it is often in order to excuse ourselves that we imagine that things are impossible.” ~ La Rochefoucauld

What I'm reading: I'm reading Death, Taxes, and a Satin Garter by Diane Kelly. This is the 10th book in the Tara Holloway series. 

Random Things: I did very little pleasure reading in November and December, mainly due to lack of time during the holiday season. I missed it more than I realized now that I'm back to having the time to read. 

Random Photo of the Week:  

     Somebody's new favorite spot - The ledge along the stairs leading to the second floor.

 

A Matter of Taste

Reading is very subjective. While in college I was assigned to read Catcher in the Rye. During the class discussion, everyone, including the professor, kept commenting on the baseball metaphors in the story. I sat there wondering if we'd read the same book because I didn't pick up on a single baseball metaphor. Although, I guess I could say in my defense that I know next to nothing about baseball so that may explain why I didn't pick up on those references. But, I digress...

One reader may love an author's work while another reader may say, "eh, it was okay" when referring to that same author's books. I guess you could say One person's treasure is another person's meh.

I know the saying is really, "One person's trash is another person's treasure" but I would never call an author's work trash. Being author myself, I know what it's like to agonize over every word, sentence, and paragraph as we build a snippet of dialogue, a swift vision of a scene, the smell of a setting, or the voice of a yet unknown character into a fully fleshed out living and breathing story.

I always find people's differing tastes in books interesting. My one sister loves James Patterson's books. Me, not so much. My oldest sister loves Stephen King and other authors in the horror genre. Me, definitely not. I have too vivid an imagination and reading horror novels gives me nightmares. I don't watch scary movies either. I love Diane Kelly's Death, Taxes series. A friend tried reading the first book and didn't finish it. She didn't like the main character.

I often ask family and friends about the latest books they're reading or have just finished. I have two reasons - one, you never know when you're going to find that great new-to-you author whose books you can't wait to read. The second reason is I'm curious if they liked the book or not and why. I don't know if it's the writer in me trying to figure out what appeals to readers or if I love books so much that I like talking about them with others.

Do you ask family and friends about the books they read?

This I know for sure...

As I've mentioned before, I'm always looking for books by new-to-me authors. I especially love it when I discover a new-to-me author who has a large back list or has a number of books out in a series that I can read one after another.

I was lucky enough to discover Carrie Vaughn and her Kitty Norville series when she had already released 8 or 9 books in the series. When I discovered Diane Kelly and her Death, Taxes series, she'd already published 5 books in the series.  I just recently discovered Marie Force and her Fatal series. She's published 6 books in the series with the 7th coming out this fall.

The downside of finding a new author who has a number of books out is after being able to read book after book after book in a series pretty soon you've come to the last book that's been published to date and then you're just like everyone else and have to wait (impatiently in most cases) until the next book is released and then usually a year or so until the next book comes out.

So while I'm waiting for the next book in a series I already read to be released, I'm off haunting libraries and book stores looking for that next new-to-me author that has a number of books out that I can read one after another.

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My current WIP (work in progress): I didn't do as well as I'd hoped last week - only 11 pages of new material. I'm pretty sure I've written myself into a corner or at least am some place where my characters don't think they should be. I going to back track a bit and see if I can't pick up the momentum again.

News from the publishing world: Any author will tell you finding ways to promote their books that actually work is hit and miss. Here's an article that may help. 3 Ways Indie Authors Can Use Social Media to Attract Readers

Quote of the week: "Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope..." ~ Bradley Whitford  This reminded me of something a friend would always say when I would get a case of the "I wish..." this would happens. She would say, "Pray to God, but row for the shore."

Health news: According the the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, women who eat 2 large bananas a day lived longer than their counterparts who eat less of the fruit. Bananas are high in potassium and vitamin B6 which are essential to a healthy heart. Vitamin B6 also helps regulate sleep patterns. (I think I'm in trouble - I absolutely hate bananas. :(  )

Random things: I recently discovered the Tara Holloway series by Diane Kelly. Each book is titled Death, Taxes, and (then something). The first book in the series is Death, Taxes, and A French Manicure. The main character is an agent in the IRS' criminal investigations division. The books are upbeat and sometimes laugh out loud funny. And just what I needed. 

 Random photo of the week:

 This is a picture a friend sent to me. She found it on the internet. I love the picture, but can't imagine how painful it was as it runs up the person's spine.