Currently...Summer-izing

It's been quite a while, but I have so much to share that I decided to bring back my "Currently..." segment, in which I let you know what I'm currently up to on a number of highly important topics.

I AM CURRENTLY...

READING:

Novels:
Currently reading: Relax, I'm a Ninja by Natalie Whipple. There are very few authors I would purchase a self-published book full price to read, and Natalie is top of the list. I'm halfway through and it's classic Natalie, which means it pains me to put it down and do life things instead of reading it.
Just finished: Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon. A quick adventure with some seriously disturbing elements and a definite British twang. Review to come.
Reading next: Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau. I actually started this...and then stopped two chapters in when the siren call of Ninja just got too strong to resist any longer. I'll be finished with Ninja in no time at all though, so I'll dive right back in soon!

Manga:
Just finished: Otomen Vol. 18 by Aya Kanno, which is the final book in the series. This was a really cute story about gender roles, and the end was fraught with many aww moments.
Reading Next: Hoping to snag Millennium Snow Vol. 3 by Bisco Hatori and Kamisama Kiss Vol.15 by Julietta Suzuki tomorrow at the bookstore! Kamisama is one of my favorite series, and I've been waiting for more in the Millennium series for several years now - can't wait to see where Bisco takes the story!

WATCHING:

TV: MasterChef is back! I love a good cooking show (as long as there isn't too much swearing ;). Without cable I'm at the mercy of whatever "regular" television offers, but luckily there are always a few good options. And despite the "Seriously?!" moment at the end of the last season, I'm going to watch Under the Dome again. No telling how many episodes I'll give it, but I am a little curious to see where they take it.

DVD: Most of my regular shows have ended for the season (or been cancelled - I'll miss you, The Neighbors *sobs*), but that means all the cable shows I've missed out on are releasing on DVD! And right now there are a slew of Acorn titles, so that means Murdoch Mysteries Season 6, Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries Season 2 (*flails*), and a newly discovered Mr. & Mrs. Murder, which is so good. A "terrific lighthearted crime show" indeed, and the couple is so kooky it is so much fun - highly recommend! The last season of Warehouse 13 also just released, so I'm re-watching Seasons 1-4 before tackling the series end. I am seriously loving so much Claudia in my life right now. <3

WRITING:

I've been telling everyone this summer is for writing, but so far I've been so busy with catching up on life and blogging after my college class that I haven't had much writing time. But when I do...

Project P: Up for Second Draft edits. I actually think I can make something of this novel after all - and sell it.

Project VIN: If I can just push through the tour scene I'm currently bogged down in (they get me every time), I think I can get a First Draft of this New Adult Dystopian down pretty quick. Staying focused and not being distracted by the three other projects that seem equally worth my time is my biggest problem. Currently considering this for my July Camp Nano project, which is definitely going to happen at this point.

BLOGGING:

The summer is heating up not only weather-wise but on this blog as well! Beginning in June, expect this blog to really start hopping!

Blog Tours: I'm signed up for quite a few blog tours via tour websites, publishers, and authors, so be on the watch for some great interviews, excerpts, and giveaways!

Interviews: Speaking of interviews, I'm planning one or two special author interview segments of my own. I only have one author confirmed right now so no details yet, but soon!

And in an effort to offer you, my wonderful Followers, more than just reviews and WoW posts, I'm also adding some new segments to the roster:

Random Thoughts: I'll be sharing fleeting thoughts about anything and everything starting June 1st! As random thoughts are, these shall be sprinkled throughout the week, left for your enjoyment on empty days. Find out more about this new segment tomorrow!

Signature Saturdays: To replace Stacking the Shelves (explanation to come), Saturdays I'll be offering pics of a signed book in my possession along with the story of how I came to acquire it.

The Sunday Post: I've done these before, but they shall return as a regular Sunday feature.

Teaser Tuesdays: I rarely do Top Ten Tuesdays (they take so much time for me to put together), so I'm returning to Teaser Tuesdays instead. Prepare to be teased. ;)

LIFE, THE UNIVERSE, 
AND EVERYTHING ELSE:

Class: My Introduction to Writing Fiction community college class is over! And I'm very happy for it. While it was a very good experience for me to take the class, and I'm very glad I did, I don't think I'll be taking any more. I got great feedback from the group, and now it's time to buckle down and actually focus on my own writing instead of that of the collective. Oh, and for those who followed my grade stress on Twitter, I got a 100% A+. At least that's what the tiny Post-It Note the teacher put in my folder says. Yeah, I still don't believe it either.

Bookshelf: Epic Librarian and a few publishers have been very good to me and I am WAY over capacity shelf-wise. Don't be surprised if you read of my demise under a book draft in the near future. I'm happy to report that I did away with the two huge bags of books taking up precious floor space, though! I've discovered a local teacher who is willing to take books off my hands, bless her - it pays to make friends at book signings in more ways than one. But I still kept plenty of newer titles, so be on the lookout for giveaways soon!


That's it for now! Watch for an explanatory post tomorrow about the Random Thoughts segment, and then the summer fun begins Sunday! :)

New WIP: Project IM

Shortly after last month's post about finishing the first draft of Project P, I settled on Project VIN for my next WIP. After throwing the imaginary confetti, I started printing research, tacking up inspirational pics on my Writing Wall, and sketching an outline. I even drafted the first few chapters, feeling out the story. The aliens were creeping me out, the body count was getting higher, and all was going quite well, thank you very much.

And then Project IM did this to Project VIN:

With a power-packed push that sent Project VIN to the back recesses of my mind, Project IM forced itself to the forefront of my imagination and demanded my full attention. It literally smothered Project VIN, whispering in my ear how Project VIN was boring and needed more research than I wanted to give it right now and really should percolate a while longer and wouldn't it be better as a YA book instead of NA perhaps I should give it some more thought before fully devoting myself to it? Then Project IM flaunted its shiny utopian goodness and lack of research needs and infinite possibilities and sure its female MC was still alluding me but wouldn't it be fun to finally catch her?

So needless to say...I'm now working on Project IM.

Don't look at me like that. I'd like to see you resist it someday.

PROJECT P IS FINISHED

I interrupt my regularly scheduled review for an important announcement that explains one of the reasons I've been neglecting to post reviews this month:

Project P is finished.

I REPEAT: PROJECT P IS FINISHED.

That's right, I actually finished the first draft of Project P - and in a reasonable time (for me)! I couldn't find the exact date that Project P was born, but I estimate mid to late April of 2012. Therefore, I wrote it in about 15ish months.

That's a record for me, people.

And do you know what finishing Project P means???

No, not that I now have a First Draft to edit and polish and try to sell. Project P still needs so much intricate research done that at the moment I don't want to touch it with a ten-foot pole.

It means that I can start a new project.

And not just start a new project, but start it without guilt.

As most of you know, I get at least one new idea a week. But during Project P, I always felt guilty about working on the new idea when I should've been working on Project P. When I'd finally guilt myself into returning to Project P, it would feel more like a chore than a pleasant job, and I would have to take a break from all writing until the interest returned (which is one of the reasons completing it took so long). But I pushed through Project P with great determination, and now that it's finally finished, I can start a new project - without the guilt!

Needless to say, I AM ALL THE EXCITEMENT.

So what's the new project, you ask? Well, I am currently trying to decide between two candidates:

Project VIN - YA/NA Dystopian/Post-Apoc
I'm a firm believer that NA is a good idea, but not as an excuse to feed more smut to teens. Is it too much to ask for an action/adventure story about college-age characters? I think not! My story: 19yo girl struggles to protect and care for her brother during an alien invasion/war. It's rather epic, if I do say so myself, and I'm All The Flails about writing the first third of the story. I currently pitch it as War of the Worlds meets The Matrix.

Project IM - YA Utopian
Yep, you read that right - not dystopian, but utopian. I have actually come up with a "utopian" novel!!! (I think.) It was taking a backseat after I struggled with the opening scene, but I fleshed out the MC the other night, and then the sequel started plotting itself without my permission, and now it's seriously vying for my attention. I'd tell you the premise, but then I'd have to kill you, so I'll keep it to myself for now. ;)

So those are my choices! I've been poking them (and two other candidates I've already eliminated from the running) the past week while I finished Project P, and now that it's done I'm so excited to start something new I can't settle on one. They both feel like "The Story," so I think I'll start both and see which one elbows its way to the front of the line. ;)

Thank you to everyone here and on Twitter who encouraged me during my struggle with Project P - please stick with me for the new project as well! I'm hoping it'll be the one that finally propels me into the world of serious editing (my Achilles' heel) - and publishing. *crosses fingers*

And don't look at me like that. I will edit Project P...one day.