Tag: Haruki Murakami

The End. For Now.

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I woke up mere hours since I passed out from reading feeling antsy. Like I needed to be doing something, like getting ready for work, or working on WIP2.

But then I remembered that today is my day off from the paythebillsjob, and I have reached The End of WIP2.

(Would that also explain why I woke up with Lady GaGa’s Edge of Glory blasting away in my mind??)

Though I’m feeling kind of like this…

…it’s a little short-lived because I know I still have a lot of work to do. But, I’ll think about that another day.

For now, I plan on reading my huge stack of books that I promised myself I would read once the draft was finished (and seriously was the ONLY thing that got me to push through and cobble together scenes last night, and bask in this gloriously sunny day.)

P.S.

For the curious, my to-read list for today includes:

  • Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi
  • Legend, by Marie Lu
  • Two chapters of The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, by Haruki Murakami
  • and whatever my crit partners throw my way. *stares at Kayla*

This will be SUCH a fun day off!

PPS,

Fun times! Random.org has spoken, and I get to give away a copy of Wanderlove to none other than my #accountibilibuddy, Laura! I’m sure that extra Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy entry helped you out šŸ˜€

Speaking of #accountibilibuddies, thank you for all the #badgerbadger love on Twitter, and for letting me badger you! It helped me to focus on writing, for sure! And guess what?? I have LOTS of free time now to hurl these virtual bad boys at you, muahahaha!

SO, What’s been going on with YOU??

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And It’s Leap Day

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So, I felt the need to blog today. As if I needed to put a stamp on this day to recognize that yes, indeed, it’s a 29th day in February and that a 29th day in February is a Rare Day that needs to be Memorialized and Celebrated. Or something.

At any rate, in honor of the fact that I can only really write “February 29” every four years, I’ll share 20 mini-goals toward my big life goals that I WILL make happen by the next Leap Year. I’d write 29, you know, because of The Significance that is Today, but as you’ll see, I already had these 20 mini-goals in mind, and I didn’t want to spend extra time making up nine more, when I could be accomplishing the goals on my current list. Like the first one. I’m sure my crit partners would like for me to get on that one, like now.

(Plus, I kinda hate nines and prefer round numbers.)

In no particular order, except for #1:

  1. Finish WIP2. Query it.
  2. Meet my writing buddies at DFW Con. Be accountable.
  3. Go to my paythebills job Event this year (a BIG deal, trust me!). Be inspired. Go next year.
  4. Go to World Fantasy Con. Be a Fan Girl.
  5. Write and finish WIP5. Because it’s snarky yet sweet.
  6. Write and finish WIP4. Because it’s an overwhelmingly huge fantasy novel, and I love challenges.
  7. Write and finish WIP3. Because it reminds me to forgive.
  8. Rewrite my Hot Mess of a first novel. Because by now I will have the skill to execute its storyline.
  9. Be credit card free. Being able to give generously to people means more to me than amounting crap I don’t need.
  10. Read all of Haruki Murakami’s books. Because his stories are what I want to write, but lack the skill.
  11. Revisit the idea of going to graduate school.
  12. Go on a Disney cruise with my family. Because I want to visit Harry Potter World. I said it.
  13. Grow a vegetable garden. Because paying $4 for a salad is ridiculous.
  14. Return to Maui. Hopefully a few times. Refresh my spirits.
  15. Go on a mission trip. Maybe Brazil, or back to the Philippines.
  16. Learn to surf. For real.
  17. Road trip to more national parks. I missed out on Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone Park the last time.
  18. 90% of my food will come from local, organic sources. For reasons too numerous to share here.
  19. Own a puppy. Because my husband has this need to love and be loved.
  20. Continue to meet my physical fitness goals. Because it’s more fun to DO these things in a body that can keep up with my travel goals!

What milestones are on your list?

Image attribution: Shalom Jacobovitz

Road Trip Wednesday: Best Book of January

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{Road Trip Wednesday is a ā€˜Blog Carnival,ā€™ where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered.

This week’s question: What was the best book you read in January?}

First of all, I canā€™t believe that January is gone, let alone have a ā€œbest ofā€ for it. Iā€™ve been so tunnel-vision-y with My Plan to finish this draft of WIP2 (which is still not done, ahem) on top of the everyday fires I had to put out responsibilities that I had to take care of for the paythebills job (main reason why WIP2ā€™s current draft isnā€™t done yet), that even though I wanted to read so. Many. Awesome. Books. I just couldnā€™t.* I had to do the Grown Up Thing and Prioritize. *pout*

So, despite acquiring a bunch of books, most of which were sponsored by my friends and family via birthday presents (THANK YOU ALL!), I only really read three books: Anna Dressed in Blood, by Kendare Blake; Pandemonium, by Lauren Oliver; and The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green. (If you KNEW how quickly I devoured books you would be shocked, SHOCKED by this paltry number!)

I know this is a cop-out answer, but considering I prioritized my life to read these books, I would say ALL THREE were truly awesome. Plus, since they were distinctively different genres/styles, they all fed different Book Cravings that Iā€™d been jonesing for.

If I must, MUST choose one, I would HAVE to choose The Fault in Our Stars, since that book is so life-changing AMAZING. (The fact that I’m choosing to spend my meager pennies to buy another copy to giveaway would ALSO be a great indicator to how much I loved it, I would imagine!)

I will eventually come to the point where I can read more science fiction and fantasy, the genre of my heart, but I am waiting till this draft is winging its way to my crit partners before I indulge. (See how Grown Up I am? See??)

So, what was the best book YOU read in January?

[*Waiting in the wings for me to finish WIP2 are Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi, Legend, by Marie Lu, 77th Shadow Street by Dean Koontz, Inheritance by Christopher Paolini, and 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I. So. Canā€™t. Wait!]