The Ending

The ending is the hardest part to write for M2. I just can't get it down. I've changed it on every single draft, so you can better believe it's rough. Going through what I wrote for my third draft was overwhelming; I just didn't know where to start. How could it be fixed? What should I keep?

Not sure how to tackle it, I closed my eyes and just imagined it. And instead of working in the draft and making changes, I decided to just put pen to paper and wrote it out in a summary style.

Then I felt it, that little click within you that lets you know it fits. This is the ending that the book wants and I just finally figured it out. I have major rewriting to do, but I know it won't need major changes after I get it down. The story's complete and it's finally come full circle. All I need is to execute it.


It's funny. This whole weekend I worried about it. I went running to help clear my mind and get inspiration but came back with nothing. Sunday I was in a funk and just didn't know what to do and over wine told one of my writer friends about my finicky ending. Little did I know it was just waiting to come me.

Better late than never I guess!

The Kate Spade Surprise

I am the luckiest girl in the world. I have the best boyfriend ever. Here's why:


Yesterday was a typical day. I went to work. Then Michael took me out for lunch during my lunch break. I drove home after work, but was stuck in traffic for like an hour. By the time I got home I only had like 5 minutes before I had to meet with my writing partner. Michael was so sweet he fixed me up dinner (I can get really cranky whenever I skip/delay a meal). I swallowed it whole in like 3 minutes and left.

By the time I got home, Michael was still out at a barbeque so I got into comfy clothes and relaxed by watching the premier of Big Brother (I'm a huge fan of the show.)

When Michael came home he had leftovers of Hello Robin cookies from the barbeque. So there I was, stuffing my face with cookies on a typical night in front of the tube.

Then Michael pokes his head from the bedroom and says, "I got something for you," and unveils a brown satchel. Immediately I knew there was a purse inside, but I was so shocked I just stared. He handed it to me along with a note:


Turns out, after meeting me for lunch, he went to the mall and got me this beauty:


He completely blindsided me with the surprise! I love it and am proudly sporting it today. My boyfriend has such great taste and I'm so glad he's all mine.

Book Review: Easy (Contours of the Heart #1) by Tammara Webber

I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.


Overview:

Rescued by a stranger.
Haunted by a secret
Sometimes, love isn't easy...

He watched her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her savior...

The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he'd worked so hard to overcome, and the future she'd put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart.

Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth - and find the unexpected power of love.

A groundbreaking novel in the New Adult genre, Easy faces one girl's struggle to regain the trust she's lost, find the inner strength to fight back against an attacker, and accept the peace she finds in the arms of a secretive boy.

Review: This is my go-to book that I'm recommending to everyone and anyone who'll listen. I don't read New Adult as often as Young Adult books, but I think that'll soon change with books like this one. Thank goodness for Goodreads, because I don't think I would have found this book otherwise.

So where to begin? I finished this in like two nights. Webber does a great job with characterizing, pacing, and creating authentic dialogue. "I felt like I knew these people," I told Michael after reading it, to which he replied, "You know they aren't real, right?" I shook my head. "They are real! They're alive in these words!"

When you can feel like that after a book, you know it's great. I fell quickly for Lucas and became so proud of Jacqueline by the end of the novel. And once I finished I felt empty because the story was over. It really made me think about my own novel and made me wonder if my characters were vibrant enough that readers would feel attached.

Then I found out there's a book two in Lucas's point of view and my emptiness went away :P Just downloaded it on my kindle and can't wait to read it!

If you like comtemporary romance with a badass good-hearted hero, pick this up. You won't be disappointed.

Winter to Summer Writing Progress


This was me writing and taking a shameless selfie during the Winter. I had just finished the first draft of M2 and was working on the second. I didn't let anyone read a single page.


This was me this weekend. It's summer. Draft three is done. It is finally being read and critiqued.


And now, I am one third done with my fourth draft revisions. Draft Four. Can you believe it? I've taken many breaks and felt like giving up in these past eight months, so I've written this post to remind myself of this great feat I am undertaking and to encourage myself to keep going.

I've heard some writers say that you have to learn to love the process of writing to be a writer, and I'm trying to do just that. It's not about the end game. It's about the words, the characters, and their story.

Summer Solstice Celebrations

The weather's finally starting to look up and feel like summer here in Seattle, and I couldn't be any happier!

Michael and I kicked off my 3-day weekend with our favorite, Bottlehouse. I always love dessert with wine and their strawberry rhubarb with a shortbread cookie did not disappoint!



On Friday morning I met with my writing critique partner over coffee to go over edits on our manuscripts. Instead of our usual hour, we talked for almost three. So many kinks to work out! I'm just so thankful for our writing partnership, I feel like I'm learning so much from that I have a feeling draft four will bring my manuscript close to where I want it to be. Afterwards, I sat down to write on Michael and I's new dining table.

Check out our cool wine art!
Friday night we took it easy and went to eat vegetarian thai and grabbed drinks and dessert on Broadway. Once we came home, I watched the Delirium's pilot episode on Hulu. Loved Emma Roberts in it. I can't believe Fox passed on the show!

Yesterday, we went out for breakfast and took it pretty easy before going to his sister housewarming party which was a blast. After, Michael and I went to Ballard for our date night and went to The Walrus and Carpenter for dinner. This place is such a gem and as great as we remembered. For my first time there, check out the post here.


We started off with oysters. Let me just say vino verde and oysters pair so damn well together.


 Then these babies below just about blew my mind:

smoked herring croquettes
 Michael really loved this one:

spicy sausage
 Then we just had to get the steak tartare. The last time I had it was two years ago in Paris.

steak tartare
Dessert was a no-brainer for us. We fell in love with this dessert the last time we came so we just had to get it again. By far, one of he top desserts I've had in Seattle!

maple bread pudding
 When we got home, Blaire immediately started scenting our shoes and demanding rubs. Looks like this little guy missed us!


This year will be my first official year in Seattle. Last year I was in and out switching back and forth to Sacramento, so it will be interesting where this summer takes me. I do have my sights on eastern Washington though. Anywhere there's wine, I'm totally there.

Here's to one heck of a summer :)

Book Review: We'll Always Have Summer (Summer #3) by Jenny Han

I rated it 2.5 stars out of 5.

Overview: It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever

Review: Too predicatable. Han changes POV again by including Conrad's side instead of Jeremiah's making it known that Belly and Conrad will end up together. I guess how they get there is the part worth reading. I read this trilogy because it was an easy quick read that was entertaining. It's what my co-worker would call 'trashy romance novels,' that you just gotta read once in awhile. In my case, it was the YA drama I had to get out of my system.

If you like drama where two brother's are fighting over one girl, then this trilogy is for you. Otherwise, I'd pick up Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before for a cutesy fun romance.
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