Ah, the end of October. With it brings my favorite holiday, the faint promise of stuffing and candied yams, and chilly temperatures (well, not in the high 90s here, I guess). It also ushers in the beginning of NaNo, and I'm glad to say that I'll be on time this year!
Every Halloween, my boyfriend and I are usually at Knott's Scary Farm or somewhere else along the same ilk. It's silly fun, and most of the time, the mazes are amazing. But we finished all this this year earlier than expected. I don't know, I'm going to sound like a disillusioned teenager here, but everything was so...commercialized. We went to Universal and it was insane, with people waiting in lines for up to two hours. Two hours! We walked away from that with my favorite thing of the entire night being the Transformers ride. Then Knott's was...interesting. First of all, it was disgustingly warm that night, and the indoor mazes didn't really help. Second, there are some strange people out there. Not working in the mazes, just...in the world, in general. It's no secret that I'm not a big fan of crowds, but people are getting weirder. They also took out the best maze and kept the prices the same, and it was a mess. In both parks (Universal and Knott's) I found my smiling politely more than jumping. It all made me feel so old, and I've never been happier of that.
But this year! This year, we're not going to be a theme park for Halloween. Nope, we're going to be in Arizona, marveling at our good luck at being able to see three of our favorite bands: Tool, Primus, and Coheed and Cambria. Okay, only one of those bands is really for me, but I love watching the crowd for the other two bands. Have you ever seen Primus fans? They're wonderful and so high and don't care. Same with Tool. Those people made me so happy, not because they're acting weird, but because they're so into the music and everything around them is so wonderful and they want to share that experience with everyone. Some music crowds make me happy to be in this world.
Anyway! That means that on Sunday, November first, I'll wake up and be able to start typing away. Usually I'm so tired from the night before that I skip the first and wait for the second. Or third. Or maybe even the second week. By that time, I'm so over the story that I have prepared that I just start typing whatever and none of it makes any sense. But not this year. I have a story idea that I've loved forever (really - I'll get to that in a later post), I know where I'm going with it, and I'm so excited to start on Sunday. We're staying at my boyfriend's parents' house, which means I don't have to wake up and get ready for work the next day. I'm already prepared (or as prepared as I usually am), so all I have to worry about is making sure I don't wake anyone while cackling happily over my amazing word putting together skills.
Also, their community has a Starbucks and a doughnut (the little red lines informed me that donut was going to be a no-no in this situation) shop in the same center. Sometimes I love Arizona.
Now, however, I have to worry about packing and getting ready for work. I have to prepare for an interesting drive to Arizona, since we're taking both dogs in a car that is not very comfortable for my overly tall boyfriend. The cat gets free reign of the house while we're gone, so that's going to be fun to come home to. Oh! I'll also have a post on Monday about a new book I just finished. Get ready for some gushing.
Have a lovely weekend, everyone.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Friday, October 23, 2015
Chickens and Puppies and Writing
We have new neighbors.
They're really nice. I've spoken to them twice. They have adorable children, super cute with their round cheeks and giggles over their swimming pool. They also have a German Shepherd puppy that is the cutest thing alive, but barks whenever they're not home, which is always since they're not really living in the house yet and they tend to leave the puppy alone in its CAGE in the backyard. There's also a plethora of workers coming in and out of the house, agitating the poor puppy that then barks uncontrollably, worrying our dogs and me, because I hate hearing that poor thing freak out when I can't calm it down (trust me, I've tried multiple times). Then, as we found out last night around midnight, these nice people also have CHICKENS that like to CROW whenever they damn well feel like it.
I'm not too keen on these people, if you can't tell.
Anyway, because of all that, I've been sleeping in a lot and then waking up all groggy because my natural schedule is all messed up. I haven't had much time to write on the computer, but I've been making up for it at work. That's a terrible thing, but I do my job and I do it well, and when I have a few seconds of downtime, I manage to jot down some notes or a scene, if I'm really lucky. Nothing is really very good, but then I get home and am able to expand and change things on my laptop. It's helping, because I just had an idea for one of my older stories. It might get done for NaNo, but I'm not sure if I want to rush this one.
Mostly, I'm just excited for November. I still have tutoring until well past my normal hours, but only two days a week. That means I should be home before 8 on most nights, and I won't be so exhausted that I just want to go to bed. Everything always seems to work out for November, and for that, I'm ever so thankful. Thank you, NaNo gods.
Then, I guess I went book buying crazy this month because I have three brand spanking new books waiting for me on my shelf. Right now, I'm staring at Career of Evil, and you have no idea how hard it is for me to not throw this computer out the window (or place it nicely back in the office, really, sorry, my love) and curl up with sneaky JK. As for the other books, I pass them every time I go to bed, and they cry out whenever I tell them that I can't read them tonight. I mean, I'm sure they cry. They have to, right? I also have two other books sitting on my nightstand, and it makes me so sad. I have one more book to read for NetGalley and then I'm taking a break. I've said that before, but this book was sent to me because I read the first one in the series, so I can't exactly say no. Also, the first book was awesome, so expect a review for this one next week or so.
All right, I guess I should go be an adult and wait for the repairman. And not smother my cat with kisses because she won't stop meowing. And not listen to the new Adele on repeat until my ears bleed. And not freak out over Panic! At The Disco tickets because I'm a 32 year old woman.
We all know I'm going to do all those things.
They're really nice. I've spoken to them twice. They have adorable children, super cute with their round cheeks and giggles over their swimming pool. They also have a German Shepherd puppy that is the cutest thing alive, but barks whenever they're not home, which is always since they're not really living in the house yet and they tend to leave the puppy alone in its CAGE in the backyard. There's also a plethora of workers coming in and out of the house, agitating the poor puppy that then barks uncontrollably, worrying our dogs and me, because I hate hearing that poor thing freak out when I can't calm it down (trust me, I've tried multiple times). Then, as we found out last night around midnight, these nice people also have CHICKENS that like to CROW whenever they damn well feel like it.
I'm not too keen on these people, if you can't tell.
Anyway, because of all that, I've been sleeping in a lot and then waking up all groggy because my natural schedule is all messed up. I haven't had much time to write on the computer, but I've been making up for it at work. That's a terrible thing, but I do my job and I do it well, and when I have a few seconds of downtime, I manage to jot down some notes or a scene, if I'm really lucky. Nothing is really very good, but then I get home and am able to expand and change things on my laptop. It's helping, because I just had an idea for one of my older stories. It might get done for NaNo, but I'm not sure if I want to rush this one.
Mostly, I'm just excited for November. I still have tutoring until well past my normal hours, but only two days a week. That means I should be home before 8 on most nights, and I won't be so exhausted that I just want to go to bed. Everything always seems to work out for November, and for that, I'm ever so thankful. Thank you, NaNo gods.
Then, I guess I went book buying crazy this month because I have three brand spanking new books waiting for me on my shelf. Right now, I'm staring at Career of Evil, and you have no idea how hard it is for me to not throw this computer out the window (or place it nicely back in the office, really, sorry, my love) and curl up with sneaky JK. As for the other books, I pass them every time I go to bed, and they cry out whenever I tell them that I can't read them tonight. I mean, I'm sure they cry. They have to, right? I also have two other books sitting on my nightstand, and it makes me so sad. I have one more book to read for NetGalley and then I'm taking a break. I've said that before, but this book was sent to me because I read the first one in the series, so I can't exactly say no. Also, the first book was awesome, so expect a review for this one next week or so.
All right, I guess I should go be an adult and wait for the repairman. And not smother my cat with kisses because she won't stop meowing. And not listen to the new Adele on repeat until my ears bleed. And not freak out over Panic! At The Disco tickets because I'm a 32 year old woman.
We all know I'm going to do all those things.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Scott Jenkins' Road to Wonderland by Charlie M. Matthews
Hello again everyone! If you can see the banner above, you know what day it is. It's Wonderland day! This time, we have Scott Jenkins' story, and what a story it is.
Synopsis:
Scott Jenkins is charming, smooth, full
of ambition and he has plans. Plans that don't involve being a 19-year-old
builder, working long hours at his father's construction company, hauling
wheelbarrows or stacking bricks in an underpaid job. But as with most things in
Scott's world, the dreams and ambitions he has set himself never really go to
plan.
When Scott's best mate, Ethan
Walker, hits rock bottom, everything changes overnight. After years of trying
to figure out his purpose in life, he now knows what he has to do, and more
importantly, who he has to save. Tiptoeing on the outskirts of a world filled
with drugs and violence, Scott ends up walking down roads he never even knew
existed. What was once a simple life, suddenly seems incredibly complicated -
especially with the arrival of a forbidden love who is determined to make
things even more difficult for him.
Follow Scott on his journey to
Wonderland, where friendships are tested, relationships are destroyed and a
dangerous woman leaves the guy who once thought he knew exactly, what he
wanted, in the pits of despair.
Road to Wonderland Series book 5
(all books are standalone reads)
This book was all kinds of wonderful. I love that I felt like I'd known Scott forever (since he's popped up in the other books), but now I got his part of the story. Scott Jenkins is the type of boy you love so much that you just might hate him. He's sweet and smart and sexy and knows that he's all those things, and that you're thinking all those things. Sometimes he seems absolutely clueless to the effect he has on women, but you're never quite sure if it's a game or just his adorable nature.
What I truly loved about this book was the friendship between Scott and Ethan. Since I've been cheering for Ethan since day freaking one, I loved seeing him at his most vulnerable from his best friend's point of view. I loved watching Scott struggle next to Ethan and support his hero, because that's what you do with friends. The friendships in these books are ridiculously well written, and Scott and Ethan might be my favorite friends. They both went through some trouble and they came out the better for it, and they're still together.
This book is very much like the others: it's so hard to sit by while Scott messes up his life. You want to reach through the pages and shake him awake, to tell him that there are other women out there, to tell him that he should probably get his life together. His story is so romantic and so uplifting, but so, so very sad at the same time. He wants to get all he wants, but at what cost? And does that cost even matter to him?
I know I say this every time, but this is definitely my favorite book of the series (until the next one, or until I reread all the others).
Goodreads Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26039001-scott-jenkins-road-to-wonderland?ac=1
Buy Links:
Author Bio:
Charlie M Matthews is a hopeless romantic, lost in her own
world of fairytales and adventures. A lover of art and painting, she'd happily
hang up her everyday clothes in exchange for a paint smudged shirt. In the
confines of her attic room, she is able to create a world that is unlike no
other. Mixing fantasy and fiction to generate a piece of work that she could
lose herself in.
Charlie is a mum of three, living on the outskirts of
Oxfordshire. Born and raised in Reading, she switched the bright lights and
traffic jams for a quiet life in the sticks a little over 5 years ago. Between
school runs and generally just being a mum, you'll most likely find Charlie at
the local hair spa. Flipping through magazines sporting the latest colour
craze, or mixing colours and arranging up-do's, sparking her creative side.
With her wild imagination and passion for reading, Charlie
stumbled upon a new love.
Writing...
What started as a distraction from the crazy thing that is
'life', soon became all too real. She no longer dreamt, about the day her words
would be published for all to see because that day was finally happening.
Social Links:
Twitter: @C_MMatthews
The Road to Wonderland Series:
Giveaway
Monday, October 12, 2015
Hello October!
Okay, yeah, October has been around for about two weeks now, but it gets my general sentiment. It's the thought that counts.
This is a week later than I wanted, but, honestly, things were not syncing fast enough for my taste. While I thought about work when I last posted, I didn't think of all the things I would have to do for work. Reading books, making packets, trying to learn about a test that I didn't know existed until a month ago. It's been exhausting and frustrating, mainly because I'm spending so much of my home time worrying about things that I should just leave at work. But, nope. That's not my style. I have to brings those things home and freak out about them here.
It's not fun.
Not to mention that I see my boyfriend a total of an hour (if I'm lucky!) during the weekdays. And I don't get to Doctor Who until Friday or sometimes right before the new episode airs. Also, did you know that Cops is still on and we're currently obsessed with it and it plays a million times a day and I just want to sit around and watch all the episodes?
Yeah.
So. Things. What are those important things that I mentioned in my last post?
Well, one of those things I can't talk about right now. It's nothing related to writing or a book deal or anything like that. Wouldn't that be nice, though? Someone to call me and say, hey, Bree, we magically read that book you haven't finished yet and we'd love to publish it, okay? Here's a bajillion dollars so you don't have to work anymore.
At least my imagination is still intact.
No, that important thing will come later. But the one I can talk about is that my boyfriend has joined a sprint car team crew. If you have no idea what sprint cars are, join the club! Just kidding. That was me about two years ago. He tried explaining it to me and I just nodded, smiling, because I thought he was insane. Then he showed me videos and I thought he was even crazier. But now...now I love it. I thought about looking around the internet for a good example of sprint cars, but there's just too much out there. Google it.
Anyway, for the last year or so, we've been talking about what we can do to help some of these teams. This is an expensive sport, and not everyone that does it is a Rockefeller. We've given money and bought shirts and all that normal fan stuff, but that didn't seem like enough. So when my boyfriend was, effectively, handed a golden ticket a few weeks ago, he took it. A team needed help in the pit area with getting the car ready, keeping it going, and all that other crew-type stuff. My boyfriend, handy man that he is, volunteered and the team snatched him up.
Does it add another piece to the plate? Yes.
Does it stress me out that he's going to be working in a potentially dangerous environment? Yes.
Is he deliriously happy because this is something that he's wanted to do since he was a child, and so I'm so, so, so excited for him? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.
All this means is that we're going to be busy on the weekends. And that we have to change our eating habits, which have been...less than stellar. That means I have to meal plan and cook, which I don't mind in the least, but it sucks that I can't cook it so it's hot when he gets home. It also sucks that it's about a thousand degrees in California (seriously, I'm going swimming after I finish this) still and cooking is ridiculous in a house with no air conditioning.
But I'm making it work. Because I have to.
One of the other things that I can talk about is changing my writing habits. I've been trying to write everyday, but schedules have other ideas. Still, I've committed myself to finishing one of my stories. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but it kind of is. I get so invested in a story and then...another idea pops up. And then another. And then I forget what my original story was even about.
This is not a book I wish to publish. This is just something fun that's been floating around in my Word files for about three or four years now. During my downtime at work (really, I make the kids do about an hour of TOEFL testing so I can let my brain catch up with the day), I fleshed it out into a for reals story and now it's going. I'm hoping to finish it by the end of this month so I can be ready for NaNo next month. There was a scary few days when I thought I wasn't going to do it this year, but I love it too much not to.
I think that covers all the important things. I'm going to keep this thing updated at least once a week, and I'm thinking that it might be on Thursdays, because those are my less busy days in the morning. I'l still post book reviews every now and again, but my reading has slowed considerably because of this whole schedule mess. But I won't give this up. This helps me, weirdly enough.
Just get ready for more sprint car talk.
This is a week later than I wanted, but, honestly, things were not syncing fast enough for my taste. While I thought about work when I last posted, I didn't think of all the things I would have to do for work. Reading books, making packets, trying to learn about a test that I didn't know existed until a month ago. It's been exhausting and frustrating, mainly because I'm spending so much of my home time worrying about things that I should just leave at work. But, nope. That's not my style. I have to brings those things home and freak out about them here.
It's not fun.
Not to mention that I see my boyfriend a total of an hour (if I'm lucky!) during the weekdays. And I don't get to Doctor Who until Friday or sometimes right before the new episode airs. Also, did you know that Cops is still on and we're currently obsessed with it and it plays a million times a day and I just want to sit around and watch all the episodes?
Yeah.
So. Things. What are those important things that I mentioned in my last post?
Well, one of those things I can't talk about right now. It's nothing related to writing or a book deal or anything like that. Wouldn't that be nice, though? Someone to call me and say, hey, Bree, we magically read that book you haven't finished yet and we'd love to publish it, okay? Here's a bajillion dollars so you don't have to work anymore.
At least my imagination is still intact.
No, that important thing will come later. But the one I can talk about is that my boyfriend has joined a sprint car team crew. If you have no idea what sprint cars are, join the club! Just kidding. That was me about two years ago. He tried explaining it to me and I just nodded, smiling, because I thought he was insane. Then he showed me videos and I thought he was even crazier. But now...now I love it. I thought about looking around the internet for a good example of sprint cars, but there's just too much out there. Google it.
Anyway, for the last year or so, we've been talking about what we can do to help some of these teams. This is an expensive sport, and not everyone that does it is a Rockefeller. We've given money and bought shirts and all that normal fan stuff, but that didn't seem like enough. So when my boyfriend was, effectively, handed a golden ticket a few weeks ago, he took it. A team needed help in the pit area with getting the car ready, keeping it going, and all that other crew-type stuff. My boyfriend, handy man that he is, volunteered and the team snatched him up.
Does it add another piece to the plate? Yes.
Does it stress me out that he's going to be working in a potentially dangerous environment? Yes.
Is he deliriously happy because this is something that he's wanted to do since he was a child, and so I'm so, so, so excited for him? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.
All this means is that we're going to be busy on the weekends. And that we have to change our eating habits, which have been...less than stellar. That means I have to meal plan and cook, which I don't mind in the least, but it sucks that I can't cook it so it's hot when he gets home. It also sucks that it's about a thousand degrees in California (seriously, I'm going swimming after I finish this) still and cooking is ridiculous in a house with no air conditioning.
But I'm making it work. Because I have to.
One of the other things that I can talk about is changing my writing habits. I've been trying to write everyday, but schedules have other ideas. Still, I've committed myself to finishing one of my stories. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but it kind of is. I get so invested in a story and then...another idea pops up. And then another. And then I forget what my original story was even about.
This is not a book I wish to publish. This is just something fun that's been floating around in my Word files for about three or four years now. During my downtime at work (really, I make the kids do about an hour of TOEFL testing so I can let my brain catch up with the day), I fleshed it out into a for reals story and now it's going. I'm hoping to finish it by the end of this month so I can be ready for NaNo next month. There was a scary few days when I thought I wasn't going to do it this year, but I love it too much not to.
I think that covers all the important things. I'm going to keep this thing updated at least once a week, and I'm thinking that it might be on Thursdays, because those are my less busy days in the morning. I'l still post book reviews every now and again, but my reading has slowed considerably because of this whole schedule mess. But I won't give this up. This helps me, weirdly enough.
Just get ready for more sprint car talk.
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