What I'm Reading Wednesday #14 (December 13, 2017)

This week finds me still reading Extracted by RR Haywood.  I started out strong and then lost a little steam along the way.  I am still hopeful that I will meet my goal of 32 books this year.  I have a couple of weeks left.  Fingers crossed!

Here's my progress so far:
2017 Goal: 32 books

Books Read = 28/32

Books from TBR list: 6

Series completed: 0

*Erin's Book Challenge #6:  8/10  0/Bonus Round (Final Score)
**Erin's Book Challenge #7: 5/10  0/Bonus Round (Final Score)
BC = Book Club book

January

1.  Midair by Kodi Scheer

*2.  And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (TBR)

February

*1.  Christine by Stephen King

2.  The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens (yup, I started a new series)

March

1.  The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens (second book in the series)

*2.  Wonder by RJ Palacio (TBR)

*3.  Matched  by Ally Condie

*4.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (TBR)

April

*1.  The Ancient Ones by Kirk Mitchell

*2.  The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

*3. The Breaking Light by Heather Hansen

May
*1.  11/22/63 by Stephen King (TBR)

2.  Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
3.  The Vines by Christopher Rice

June
0 books read :(

July
**1.  Yo by Ricky Martin
**2.  Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

August
0 books read :(

September
1.  The Passage by Justin Cronin (TBR) (BC)
**2.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (TBR)

October
1.  Dualed by Elsie Chapman (BC)
**2.  Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig
3.  Breathe by Sarah Crossan (BC)
**4.  Little Town Lies by Anne Strieber

November
1.  Portrait Revolution by Julia L. Kay
2.  Interference by Amélie Antoine
3.  Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
4.  The Night Bird by Brian Freeman
5.  Skinny Liver by Kristin Kirkpatrick

December
1.  Art and Soul Reloaded by Pam Grout

Currently Reading:
Extracted by RR Haywood
The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

What are you reading this week?  How are your reading goals going?

I'm Sorry, NaNoWriMo. But It's Over...

Dear NaNoWriMo,

I'm sorry but it's over between you and me.  We've had a good run, but you're just not the right fit for me anymore.

I want you to know that it's not you; it's me.  Really.  You're a fantastic challenge!  Every year you help thousands of people to write novels.  Some folks even end up as published authors because of you.  I honestly don't believe I would have ever tried writing a book if it hadn't been for you.  Now I have three partial manuscripts and many more ideas banging around in my head waiting for their turn to meet paper.

I remember when I first met you.  It was 2009.  I was laid off, depressed, and searching for purpose when all of a sudden you came along.  You inspired me.  I planned.  I dreamed.  I wrote over 12,000 words.  That was the most I had written in a long time, maybe ever.  You gave me hope.  I am forever grateful for that.

I have clung to that hope for eight years now.  Every year I think I can do it.  I believe I can do it.  I can write 50,000 words in 30 days.  But it's time I admitted the truth, to you and to myself.  That kind of writing is not my style.  It does not work for me.  I prefer a more laid back approach to writing.  If it takes me years to finish my first draft, I'm ok with that.

So, I'm sorry NaNo, but it's over.  Next November I will ignore all the people chatting about you online.  I will go about my normal routine without you, and everything will be ok.  I will keep writing, but on my schedule.  You will move on and help thousands more people realize their dream of writing a book.

It's for the best.  I promise.
Love,
Lisa

Interference by Amélie Antoine

What it's About:  

Gabriel and Chloé are young, married, and in love.  They live a near perfect life until Chloé, who is very athletic, mysteriously drowns.  Gabriel is left to deal with the tragedy alone.  He joins a bereavement group where he slowly learns to deal with his wife's death and meets a beautiful photographer, Emma.  As Gabriel and Emma start to build their relationship, new revelations about Chloé emerge, changing Gabriel forever.  Will Gabriel be able to move on and start a new life with Emma or will Chloé's death haunt him?

What I Thought:

Wow!  Wow!  O. M. Goodness.  This book!

I almost put this book down.  I almost stopped reading.  I almost gave up.  But I am so glad that I kept reading.

Each chapter of Interference has three parts, each one written from the point of view of one of the three main characters.  The story is revealed to us through the experiences of each of these characters.  In the beginning of the book, one of these characters is already dead.  I found this detail very annoying at first and almost stopped reading the book (I don't always like books that are narrated by ghosts), but I am glad that I kept reading because the twists and turns that the plot takes kept me guessing until the very last page.  I think this book is the best example of the unreliable narrator I have ever read.

I don't want to give away any details.  No. Spoilers.  Which is really hard to do when talking about this book.  O. M. Goodness.  You just have to read this book.    You just have to read it.  

2017 What I'm Reading Wednesday #13 (November 29, 2017)

November was a great month for reading.  I've already read 5 books this month and I still have another day.  Only 5 more books and I will meet my goal for this year!  I walked to the library today, so now I am reading three books at the same time.  I'm sure it will work out :) Anyway, here is my progress so far... 

2017 Goal: 32 books

Books Read = 27/32

Books from TBR list: 6

Series completed: 0

*Erin's Book Challenge #6:  8/10  0/Bonus Round (Final Score)
**Erin's Book Challenge #7: 5/10  0/Bonus Round (Final Score)
BC = Book Club book

January

1.  Midair by Kodi Scheer

*2.  And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (TBR)

February

*1.  Christine by Stephen King

2.  The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens (yup, I started a new series)

March

1.  The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens (second book in the series)

*2.  Wonder by RJ Palacio (TBR)

*3.  Matched  by Ally Condie

*4.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (TBR)

April

*1.  The Ancient Ones by Kirk Mitchell

*2.  The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

*3. The Breaking Light by Heather Hansen

May
*1.  11/22/63 by Stephen King (TBR)

2.  Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
3.  The Vines by Christopher Rice

June
0 books read :(

July
**1.  Yo by Ricky Martin
**2.  Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

August
0 books read :(

September
1.  The Passage by Justin Cronin (TBR) (BC)
**2.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (TBR)

October
1.  Dualed by Elsie Chapman (BC)
**2.  Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig
3.  Breathe by Sarah Crossan (BC)
**4.  Little Town Lies by Anne Strieber

November
1.  Portrait Revolution by Julia L. Kay
2.  Interference by Amélie Antoine
3.  Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
4.  The Night Bird by Brian Freeman
5.  Skinny Liver by Kristin Kirkpatrick

Currently Reading:
Extracted by RR Haywood
Art and Soul Reloaded by Pam Grout
The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

What are you reading this week?  How are your reading goals going?

2017 What I'm Reading Wednesday #12 (November 15, 2017)

today by loca4crafts

I am well on the way to reaching my reading goal for the year and I still have a month and a half to go!  Anyway, here is my progress so far... 

2017 Goal: 32 books

Books Read = 25/32

Books from TBR list: 6

Series completed: 0

*Erin's Book Challenge #6:  8/10  0/Bonus Round (Final Score)
**Erin's Book Challenge #7: 5/10  0/Bonus Round (Final Score)
BC = Book Club book

January

1.  Midair by Kodi Scheer

*2.  And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (TBR)

February

*1.  Christine by Stephen King

2.  The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens (yup, I started a new series)

March

1.  The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens (second book in the series)

*2.  Wonder by RJ Palacio (TBR)

*3.  Matched  by Ally Condie

*4.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (TBR)

April

*1.  The Ancient Ones by Kirk Mitchell

*2.  The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

*3. The Breaking Light by Heather Hansen

May
*1.  11/22/63 by Stephen King (TBR)

2.  Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
3.  The Vines by Christopher Rice

June
0 books read :(

July
**1.  Yo by Ricky Martin
**2.  Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

August
0 books read :(

September
1.  The Passage by Justin Cronin (TBR) (BC)
**2.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (TBR)

October
1.  Dualed by Elsie Chapman (BC)
**2.  Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig
3.  Breathe by Sarah Crossan (BC)
**4.  Little Town Lies by Anne Strieber

November
1.  Portrait Revolution by Julia L. Kay
2.  Interference by Amélie Antoine
3.  Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

Currently Reading:
Skinny Liver by Kristin Kirkpatrick
The Night Bird by Brian Freeman

What are you reading this week?  How are your reading goals going?

NaNoWriMo 2017 Update #1: It's not going well

Oh, NaNoWriMo, how I love you, and how I hate you.

Why do I do this to myself?  Why do I come back year after year and attempt to write 50,000 words in a mere 30 days?

It's the definition of insanity, right?  Trying the same exact thing over and over again, expecting different results?

I really thought that this year would be different.  I am not working, so I have all the time I could possibly want.  In the past, time has been one of my big excuses for not doing well in NaNoWriMo.  

"November is a really busy month for teachers."

"Thanksgiving really throws me off my game."

"I just don't have the time to write 1,667 words every evening after working all day."

Well, now I don't have that excuse.  I have been home every day of November, so far.  I have been sitting in my living room, less than 10 feet from where my computer lives.  I have multiple notebooks and pens sitting on a table next to me.  I have no excuse!

I even made a fantastic and beautiful NaNoWriMo tracker in my bullet journal.
Inspired by Boho Berry.  She's amazing!

You can see from the photo: It's not going well.

Maybe NaNoWriMo is not for me.

As you can see, I have written a total of two days so far this month.  Yes, you read that correctly, two days!  That's a total of 1,681 words.  Almost halfway through the month, and I have only 1,681 words written.

Maybe I will start a writing spurt mid-month and reach my goal by the end of the month.  Writing spurts are a thing, right?  I sure hope so because I need a NaNo miracle!

What about you?  How is NaNoWriMo going for you?

Do you believe in NaNo miracles?

NaNoWriMo 2017

NaNoWriMo and I have some history.  I first discovered the challenge in 2009.  I had been laid off from my job and I was excited to find something to occupy my time.

It.  Was.  A.  Disaster.

First I lost my planning notebook while subbing.  Then I got my job back (which was a good thing) and, all of a sudden, I had no time to write (which was a bad thing).  Needless to say I lost NaNo that year, but that did not stop me.  I have a lot of ideas and I keep coming back to NaNo to explore them, either as a traditional participant or as a rebel.

Last year I took a break from NaNoWriMo and this year I am back!

NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, occurs every November when large numbers of people attempt to write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days.  Many of those people are successful; many even write more than the required 50,000.  I, however, have never won NaNoWriMo.

But this year, I am confident!  

• I had surgery in early October and I will be at home recovering for the whole month of November, which means I have all the time I need.  
• I have an interesting concept stolen from a nightmare that a friend had.  It involves flying tarantulas.  Yes, you read that correctly... Flying.  Tarantulas.
• I even have one full week of planning time before November begins.

I am pumped!  Wish me luck.

By the way, if you are interested in following my progress, stop back by this blog for updates, visit my NaNo author page, or follow me on Twitter.

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year?  

Tell me about your novel and add me as a writing buddy!

The image "Tarantula Arachnid Nature Wildlife Hairy Spider" by Max Pixel and "Wicca" symbol are both licensed under Creative Commons Zero - CC0.