Currently: On Fear

LOVING

It’s official: I am addicted to sheet masks. This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that wearing one makes my husband scream like a girl, douse me in holy water, and chant, “The power of Christ compels you!”

I mean, it mostly has nothing to do with that.

They make my skin all soft and glowy, like the “after” shots of an acne ad. I bought Tony Moly’s masks at Katy Upperman’s recommendation and was pretty sure she was having an exaggerating day, but it really did make me feel 76 percent prettier.

And then Alice sent me the loveliest birthday present, including my favorite lip balm and a gorgeous necklace that I can’t photograph right now because it’s last night and super dark in my house. It also included a couple sheet masks, one of which made me look like I’d just worked out—but in a good way. Like the way celebrities look after the gym.

READING 

I’m on a hot streak—back to back books I absolutely loved. Considering The Raven King and The Rose & the Dagger come out today, I’m 150 percent sure this will continue. Go me.

So I finally set aside time for Jessica Love’s In Real Life, which I read in one sitting and then immediately wished I’d gone slower to make it last longer. This book is all sorts of adorable. I’m a sucker for pen pals meeting in public, and on top of that In Real Life offers up some really great characters and a fun twist I’m not going to reveal. And the romance? Oh man. It’s Stephanie Perkins cute.

Next up for me was Elizabeth Briggs’ Future Shock, a YA sci-fi thriller with a group of (mostly) delinquents, a mysterious mission, and nonstop action. The goal: travel to the future and collect data on new tech—though things don’t go quite as planned. My favorite part of time travel novels is the moment everything clicks together and you can see how the past and future are entwined. Future Shock didn’t disappoint. I also loved the characters, especially Elena, who was supremely badass, and Adam. Nerdy, awkward, sweet-as-sugar Adam. If you liked Karen Akins’ Loop, you’ll like this.

WATCHING

Three cheers for the new season of Game of Thrones! I loved the first episode, but I want to go on record right now and say that if they kill off Tyrion I might send a herd of White Walkers to HBO studios.

LISTENING TO

This is the perfect song for my male POV in my current WIP. And not just because it’s called “Thief” and he’s a thief.

THINKING ABOUT

Fear.

Am I ever not thinking about fear? I mean, I guess so. Like when I’m thinking about pizza. Or when I’m thinking about Matthew Daddario’s perfectly appropriate eye rolls as Alec Lightwood in Shadowhunters.

But aside from that, fear.

So naturally I’ve been all fearful while trying to write my current WIP. What if it’s not good enough? What if I don’t love it as much as Gray Wolf Island? How is it possible to write so slow?

Then the lovely Liz Parker (aka the personification of my sanity) reminded me that I wrote Gray Wolf Island super slow and whined about it the whole time. Okay, she’s to nice to say whined, but let’s get real: I whined.

Which turned out to be a good thing, because I was able to reread my blog posts from my Gray Wolf Island–drafting days and remember that, yes, I wrote that slowly. Also, I was all angsty about it. Basically everything I’m feeling right now, I was feeling back then.

It appears my writing process goes something like this:

1. Think I’m going to write perfect words super fast.
2. Realize the words don’t pour our perfect.
3. Realize getting the prose right slows me down.
4. Worry I write too slow.
5. Believe I am a hack.
6. Angst.
7. More angst.

So, yeah, it’s my thing and I think I need to work through it so I don’t let fear mess with my head. And so I can actually write. I might do a post about this in the future if I can get it under control. In the meantime, send hard alcohol.

ANTICIPATING

I have never anticipated anything as hard as I am anticipating The Raven King. But I bought mine autographed, and the last time I did that, my copy took a while to get to me.

In the meantime, I will not be thinking about Gansey or the thing Maggie Stiefvater promised to do to him.

Also, should any of you spoil the ending, I will be forced to send you links to the most disgusting health-related Google image searches I can find.

WISHING

This is not a test. I have an actual book. ON ACTUAL GOODREADS.

I am not freaking out, per say. Just enjoying how immensely cool this is. Like the professional I am.

Ahem.

So, yeah, Gray Wolf Island is on Goodreads. You can add it to your to-read shelf if you’d like. Or you can add it to your authors-who-overuse-gifs list. It’s really up to you.

What’s new with you?