Return of the Friday Four or Five

So, it's been a while since I've done this, but it used to be a regular feature on my blog. I figured I'd try to be better at doing it again. Here's what's on my mind today...

1. My third half marathon is tomorrow morning and I am really nervous. You'd think I'd be getting progressively less nervous for each race, rather than having it get worse. Well, you'd be wrong. I could barely sleep last night (which doesn't bode well for tonight, when I know my alarm is going to be going off at 3:30 am). Then Baby Girl decided to wake up at 6:30am. I'm tired, my stomach is all icky with nerves, and the race isn't even until tomorrow. Heh.

Me and my cute sister Lauren who I'm running the race with. She's a Speedy McSpeedster, so that might be a big part of why I'm so nervous... 

2. I went to Kiersten White's signing for ENDLESSLY at The King's English last night after our packet pick up. I can't believe her trilogy is done! So happy for her and excited to find out how Evie's story ends!

Me (looking like a giant, even though I wore flat shoes) and the hysterical and cute Kiersten White. 

Me (crouching down so I don't look like a giant again) and the wonderfully talented and super darling Natalie Whipple. Her book comes out in May and trust me, you want to put TRANSPARENT on your TBR list asap. It's SO SO good. 

Me, my cute sister, and Stacey from My Pile of Books (and my sweet friend)

3. I finally got a chance to read THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson. I'd heard so many good things about this book and it definitely lived up to the hype. I can't wait for the sequel to come out in September!

4. Thank you all for your amazing response to my last post. Your comments, tweets, rt's, FB messages, and emails meant more to me than I can express. It's so wonderful to know that we're not alone and that so many of us share the same emotions and struggles--and hopefully triumphs someday, too. So, again, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

5. Did I mention I'm nervous for tomorrow? And that I'm already exhausted? Heh, heh. Not good. Wish me luck.... pretty sure I'm going to need it.

So, tell me, what's on your mind today?

Summer is drawing to a close...

If you wonder where I've been, here's a snapshot...

Cherishing my time with this little one. (Or trying to anyway, in between the hectic life of taking care of two young boys and my house and the revision I'm trying to work on for my agent and the half marathon I'm training for [which I signed up for in October in an apparent moment if insanity, but I'm excited to accomplish something that hard], and yeah. Oh, and SHH just found out he's going to be traveling for work again a whole bunch. Yikes. Busy much? Oh my. So if I'm still sporadic with blogging for a while, you'll know why. I am reading your blogs as much as I can, I just don't have any extra time to comment very often, so I apologize for that. But I honestly don't know how I'm going to do it all and still be the kind of mom I want to be. I'm just taking it one day at a time.

However I did sneak out for Kiersten White's signing for SUPERNATURALLY--another NY Times Bestseller! Woohoo! Congrats Kiersten, I'm so happy for you.

So what are you doing these last few weeks of summer?

What day is it again?

So, I'm going along, la la la. Go to the gym, showering before 11 am (woohoo! major accomplishment!), making lunch, cleaning the kitchen, entertaining my kids, thinking about my WIP. Obsessing over how much I wrote yesterday (1500 words for an outline to map out the rest of the book since I was on page 135 and thinking, "um, what should happen next to get me to _____?"; and between 3-4k words on the mss). I am happy about that, but at the same time want it to go even faster. Also, I've spent a good chunk of my day daydreaming of the amazing dinner I get to have tonight. Free meal at Benihana (my FAVE restaurant) for my birthday! But my birthday isn't until Saturday you say? I know, but they changed their policy and now their free birthday meal certificates are only valid Mon-Thurs. Stinketh, but what can I do? So we're going tonight.

And then it dawns on me. Today is Wednesday. Last night I was supposed to do my blog post for today. But in the midst of trying to write and then falling asleep out of pure exhaustion a quarter to who-knows-when, I FORGOT.

Hence, in place of a real post, you get this. A strange, rambling recap of why there wasn't a real post. But may I direct you to a few other amazing posts that are more worthy of your time? Kiersten White's last two posts have been incredible, and worth reading over and over. Check them out here. Also, Brodi Ashton also has a great post you should check out on writing what you DON'T know. And as always, Natalie Whipple's post today is super amazing.

Have a great Wednesday, and don't salivate too much thinking of all the amazing food I'm going to be gorging myself on--I mean, eating--tonight.

Book Signing for PARANORMALCY!

After this post, you will all want to move to Utah. I'm just warning you now. Why? Because there is such a huge support system of local YA authors in Utah, and we are all made of awesome. Right?

On Saturday, uber-cute Kiersten White came into to town to do a signing at The King's English for her recently released (and already New York Times BESTSELLER!!!!) PARANORMALCY. This book is awesome - if you haven't read it yet, you must. Immediately. Go, now. I'll wait.

Okay, anyway...

Here's a whole bunch of the local authors and aspiring authors who came out to support Kiersten. (There were even more not pictured!) In case you don't recognize faces: Back row, left to right: Mary Beecher Campbell, Windy Aphayrath, Elana Johnson, Sara Raasch (who is technically from Ohio, but was in town visiting *waves at long lost name-twin*!), Me (with the b&w hat), Natalie Whipple, Ali Cross. Front Row, Left to Right: L.T. Elliot, Nichole Giles, Carolyn Vawdrey, Bree Despain
Me and Kiersten who is so funny, cute, and nice and I could keep going, but I seem to be gushing, so I'll stop. Suffice it to say that she's awesome, and I'm so thrilled for her well deserved success. Have I mentioned how awesome her book PARANORMALCY is? Ahem.

Afterwards, my friend Stacey (aka Aubrey who is the founder of MyPileOfBooks - awesome book blog I've raved about previously) went for some shopping and frozen yogurt. Yum yum!

See, now don't YOU want to live in Utah? Don't say I didn't warn you... It's okay. You can come visit anytime.

Congrats again Kiersten!