Have You Ever?

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
~Harriet Tubman

Have you ever …

- Had a group of fictional people feel as real to you as the friends you talk to on a daily basis?

- Struggled through a few rough writing days, where the words simply refused to flow with ease and instead insisted on being stubborn, only to have them followed up by a frenzy of typing that catches even you completely off-guard? Amazing what can happen when you let go and simply follow the characters’ lead. 2154 words today? Kinda makes me want to jump up and down.

- Laughed out loud while reading a book because the author – and character – is so witty?

- Been SO IN LOVE with the beautiful weather (happy spring!) that you rolled down the car windows, turned the volume up on Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger,” and sung along like you were actually at her concert?

- Made a new friend who quacked you up (ha!) with his antics?

- Cried from a television show? (I’m looking at you, General Hospital, and your beautifully sad scene with Patrick and Emma yesterday.)

- Helped work the merchandise table for a singer whose music is like a ray of sunshine?

- Resolved to turn an insanely frustrating experience into something motivating? And cheered yourself up by buying three new nail polishes “just because” and for no reason more?

- Bought movie tickets almost a full week before the film’s release day?

- Cheered out loud because you won a Scrabble game?

- Admired and felt inspired by Mother Nature’s beauty?

Me, too.

Tuesday’s Tunes: Querying Edition.

“It’s an endless ride
Sometimes it takes you up
Sometimes it tears you down inside
But it’s the butterflies
That keep you feeling so alive…”
~David Archuleta, “Elevator”

When Caryn and I were chatting last week and she suggested a “Songs to Query To” for Tuesday’s Tunes, I immediately fell in love with the idea and couldn’t wait to brainstorm a list. It was such fun to see how many lyrics relate to the emotional roller-coaster that is the querying process – and so tough to narrow them down for this post! Below is just a sampling of my favorites:

“Elevator” – David Archuleta: This song is an ideal way to describe the craziness that defines querying. Seriously, you’d think it was written with that sole purpose in mind, that’s how closely some of the lyrics align. Because it DOES feel like an endless ride sometimes, the elevator going up and down, up and down, up and down some more. It’s hard, so hard, to always go with the flow when so much of it is beyond your control, but it helps to remember those butterflies that keep us so alive – the wings of inspiration that our books and characters become to us. They make the ride so worth it.

“The Story” – Sara Ramirez: Okay, this one may not correspond as specifically, but there’s no denying that the emotion behind the lyrics so passionately sums up exactly what we feel as writers. I firmly believe that each manuscript we create leaves a handprint on our hearts – and, like Sara sings, they also leave imprints on our face, lines that help tell the story of who we are. For our characters, we’d climb across the mountaintops and swim across the ocean blue. Querying is no easy task, either, but we do it for them, and for ourselves, too.

“Misery” – Maroon 5: This is Caryn’s brainchild and the reason why I HAD to do this post, because the song was just begging to be included. Favorite part: I wrote you a hundred letters. Seriously, could it be ANY MORE PERFRECT? Nope, didn’t think so.

“Crazy Dreams” – Carrie Underwood: This one is for the day when agents fall in love with our book-babies, make THE CALL, and all our crazy dreams come true. For the day when wild magnolias bloom. And until then, for the times when we need a reminder that a bad day should never be enough to talk us into giving up. Persistence and passion, hard work and hope – here’s to wishing it all turns into crazy dreams lived out loud every day.

What songs would make your must-listen list while querying? What songs inspire you to dream big and work hard?

Taste of Spring.

“The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other.”
~Arthur Rubenstein

Two words: March eighth. Two more words: Seventy degrees. And two more: Absolutely beautiful. The normal high temperature for this time of year hovers somewhere around the fifty degree mark, so when our meteorologists mentioned that today would be a preview of warmer weather to come – and, of course, bring with it a happy, carefree, inspiring touch of spring fever – I knew there was no option but to get outside and soak it in. Soak in the sun, soak in the warmth, soak in the zip of adrenaline that this season of renewal and rejuvenation brings for so many people.

But first, it was (finally!) time to give that same sense of promise back to my main character. After two weeks’ worth of scenes that have been so emotionally draining and very difficult to write, words cannot begin to express the joy I felt at being able to instill a spark of hope back in her life. To be sure, she still has a long way to go. Her family has a long way to go. They have wounds to heal, strength to find, tragedy to turn into triumph. That doesn’t happen overnight, or even in a few weeks. For Sofie and company, it’ll take a long time. But today the tide began to turn. The waves of torment began to recede. The crest of faith, of love, of healing from the hurt, it began to rise up. The darkness began to be broken by rays of light. And writing it? Getting to bring my characters out of their heartache a little, giving them a getaway that helped them just breathe … it was a gift. It was also something else: a reminder that putting them through so much was worth it. For as trying as it was and will continue to be in the future, for as much as I wish I could make it all better for them, they need to do that for themselves. I’m having such a blast watching it start to happen now.

And, after 1834 words were written today, I also had a blast enjoying Mother’s Nature beauty.

Sunny cerulean skies + a bench under a tree’s canopy + MOCKINGJAY = <3

So pretty – can’t wait until the flowers bloom!

I heart cutesy bookstores.

Add in a fudge brownie/twist custard gelati from Rita’s Water Ice (thanks for the idea, Hope!) and you have a recipe for a lovely day. How about y’all? What’s your favorite way to spend a day that bursts with the promise of spring? And, because two days of research and writing about Washington DC’s Cherry Blossom Festival has me yearning to see it in person – who wants to go with me? I’ll be your best friend forever … ;-)

Power of Print.

“Write it down in your own handwriting.”
~Eugene Ormandy

New Horizons.

“We all have possibilities we don’t know about. We can do things we don’t even dream we can do.”
~Dale Carnegie

So … I meant to post last week, truly, I did. But then I got derailed – by a book people have been raving about for over a year, by a story so compelling it was impossible to stop reading, by characters so full of courage and heart that you can’t help being inspired by their journey. If you’ve seen my twitter commentary lately, you’ll know that I’m talking about THE HUNGER GAMES. Nearly every minute that wasn’t spent working was spent flying through this novel. I may or may not have even entertained the idea of reading a few pages while out to lunch on Friday, as we were waiting for our meal to arrive. That would’ve been totally normal and acceptable, right? After starting CATCHING FIRE yesterday, it’s already obvious that it’s going to be every bit as addicting. It’s a true talent to hook readers from the first page, but Suzanne Collins accomplishes that with ease. She makes it seem effortless.

My enthusiastic reaction to these books (seriously – if you haven’t read them yet, do yourself a favor and jump into the world of Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and the others) has been met with surprise by some people. First, those who can’t believe it’s taken me this long to discover them. Second, those who can’t believe I’d actually enjoy a story like the one Suzanne paints in this trilogy. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to, not in the slightest. It was curiosity that initially drew me in, not a fervent interest in the actual plot. So many people have offered glowing recommendations of these novels – including others who normally trend toward a very different kind of book – that inquisition eventually took over. What is it about this story that captures the imagination and attention of such a plethora of people? What is it that’s so intriguing? How can a tale woven with threads of such violence be enjoyable to read? How can you not cringe at the idea of teenagers dueling to the death while the whole country is forced to watch?

I did cringe. Several times. There were passages I chose to skim quickly and others that made me misty-eyed. Isn’t that the sign of good writing, though? That it makes us feel? That it makes us understand, empathize, ponder, consider? That it transports us into a world the author’s created and makes it seem like we’re there right alongside the characters? Perhaps even more than all of that, though, good writing takes these characters and ties them into our thoughts. Even when I wasn’t reading, I found myself wondering about Katniss. About Peeta. About the main characters, the secondary ones, the minor ones. A week ago, if someone had said that I’d speed through the book and pounce on its follow-up the instant it showed up on my Nook, I’d probably have laughed. Now I am glad, so glad, that I decided to give this story a try. It is so far from the genres I normally read that it wasn’t even on my radar for a long time. But just as we’re always looking for ways to stretch ourselves as writers, we should do the same as readers. We should be open to possibilities, because that’s when possibilities open themselves up to us.

It’s funny how life and serendipity work: I’ve found the exact same lesson shining through to the forefront in my writing the past several days. Friday and Saturday were spent working on the most difficult, emotionally-draining chapter I’ve ever had to write. Breaking my MC’s heart broke mine in the process. Destroying her life was torturous. I’ve known these scenes were coming since the planning stages – have been dreading them and their aftermath for the cast of characters – but I never expected to have such a visceral response to writing them. I literally couldn’t stop shaking afterwards. Yet, at the same time, it was also an awesome experience, because I could feel myself growing as a writer with each word. A few years ago, I never would have dared to write a chapter like that. I wouldn’t have trusted myself to tackle it and I wouldn’t have felt comfortable putting any character, much less one who has become like a friend over the course of three novels, into such distress. But she will be stronger for it. And you know what I learned this week? So am I.

It’s intimidating sometimes, to take the path less traveled and immerse ourselves in the unknown. It’d be so much easier to stick with the familiar. But if we don’t push the boundaries, how can we break them down? How can we reach new horizons? How can we find the possibilities and the dreams that we didn’t even know were burning inside us, just waiting for their sparks to be unleashed? Sometimes stepping beyond the comfort zone is a beautiful thing.

With that said – I’m diving back in to CATCHING FIRE now. There goes the rest of my day…

Some Kind of Wonderful.

“We may not have the storybook ending, but we will have some kind of wonderful. I promise you that.”
~Matt Winters, via Barbara Freethy in Some Kind of Wonderful

I have always been traditional when it comes to reading books – give me one I can hold in my hand, one whose pages I can flip and whose smell (you know, that fresh, delicious new novel smell) can tickle the air as the words tickle my mind. But when I was given a Nook earlier this year, my opinion changed. Why not try this eReader thing? I’m so glad I did, because otherwise, Barbara’s Some Kind of Wonderful may never have found its way into my orbit. And this story is worth reading. The journey is worth going on, right along with the characters … and speaking of those characters, they’re the type who draw you in, who make you ponder, who cause you to feel. If I had to describe this novel in one word, that’s what it’d be: feel. You feel for the characters, all of them. You feel for their struggles, for their decisions, for their challenges and triumphs. You feel all their possibilities and are inspired to imagine the same for yourself.

What would you do if a mother abandoned her baby on your doorstep? That’s the question asked of investigative reporter Matt Winters – and, in turn, of his neighbor, designer and bridal shop owner Caitlyn Devereaux. Ever since a childhood that was rough on a good day, painful and scarring on most, Matt has tried to close the door on his past. But those scars? They may fade, but the bruises remain. And when he realizes that this little sweetheart left for him to take care of isn’t a stranger? That she’s actually his niece, the daughter of his sister Sarah – who he hasn’t seen since they were placed in separate foster care situations over thirteen years before – well, that’s when Matt realizes the past can’t always be shut away. As he enlists Caitlyn’s help to watch over baby Emily, she begins to learn the same lesson. Burying the wounds only makes them hurt worse. With Matt and Emily, though, she lets her wounds start to heal. She lets her soul start to heal.

Together, Matt, Caitlyn, and Emily become their own kind of family. When the baby makes her presence known with a middle-of-the-night screaming fit, they take her up on their apartment building’s roof, steering by the stars. When it becomes clear that Sarah’s not coming back for her daughter, at least not anytime soon, they tackle a baby store, complete with tiny outfits, massive stuffed animals, and all the warm fuzzies that come from buying so much for someone so little. Emily may be tiny, but she quickly fills a large – and important – part of their hearts. As we watch this beautiful love story unfold, not just between Emily and her caretakers, but between those caretakers themselves, we also learn about Sarah. Her life has been difficult, filled with roads she regrets taking and mistakes she’s worried will define her. Through her burgeoning friendship with Reverend Jonathan Mitchell, we discover all she’s gone through – and, in the process, we see the ways in which a mother’s love prevails. It protects, it preserves, it prides.

This is a story about overcoming obstacles. It’s a story about reconciling who you were with who you are – and, most importantly, who you hope to be. The past can be difficult to confront, and when that happens, the future becomes intimidating. Matt’s afraid to put down roots for fear of growing something real and then losing it. Caitlyn’s afraid to let herself love for fear of falling too hard, opening herself up too much, and being unable to have the one thing she wants most dearly in the world. Sarah’s afraid of history repeating itself and making the same mistakes with Emily that own her mother did so many years before. Jonathan’s afraid of being unable to follow in his father’s footsteps, worried that his prints are too small to measure up. But, as their journeys take them down new paths, unchartered ones, they all come to learn a lesson everyone should take to heart: when the sky is darkest, the stars are twinkling extra brightly. And the past? It can’t stop us from creating a beautiful future.

This is a feel-good book. It’s a fairytale come to life. Yes, the timeline is really fast. Yes, the revelations all come at the same time. No, it probably wouldn’t ever happen like that in real life. But that’s what we’re looking for in a great book sometimes – an escape, a joy, a happily-ever-after, the best kind of wonderful.

Tuesday’s Tunes: Valentine’s Edition.

“Mama, you taught me to do the right things,
So now you have to let your baby fly.
You’ve given me everything that I will need,
To make it through this crazy thing called life.”
~Carrie Underwood, “Mama’s Song”

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Whether you’re celebrating with a husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, little dear heart, or your family and friends, I wish you all a day – and every day – filled with sunshine, smiles, laughter, and love. May your hearts always be overflowing with happiness and may life’s miracles strike a resonant chord. Speaking of which … for today’s Tuesday’s Tunes, I thought it’d be fun to feature two of my favorite love-related songs.

“Save The Last Dance For Me” – Michael Buble: There’s something a little bit magical about this song – maybe it’s the melody, the lyrics, the feel-good vibe that surrounds you as you listen. Maybe it’s all three. Maybe it’s more. Whatever the case, there’s a reason this is played so frequently at weddings. When you find someone who makes you feel like you’re floating, who makes you believe that fairytales aren’t just for storybooks, who better to share the music with, right?

“Mama’s Song” – Carrie Underwood: Love isn’t just about soulmates. It’s about family and friends, about all the people we adore and all the bonds we weave into beautiful tapestries. Carrie’s gorgeous song explores the relationship between a new bride and groom and also the unconditional connection between a mother and daughter. It’s one that many people can’t put into words, but she so eloquently sets it to music. Times change, we all grow up and spread our wings, and through it all, the people we love most want nothing more than for us to fly.

What’s your favorite Valentine’s song?

Know vs. Don’t vs. Want.

“Before you begin to write a sentence, imagine the scene you want to paint with your words. Imagine that you are the character and feel what the character feels. Smell what the character smells, and hear with that character’s ears. For an instant, before you begin to write, see and feel what you want the reader to see and feel.”
~Othello Bach

Last week, I had the pleasure of spending a couple days in New Jersey with my friend Christina, her husband Tom, and their beautiful daughter Jane. It’s hard to believe that sweet baby girl is almost ten months old – she was just born! Where does the time go? She is so full of personality now, so charming, vibrant, and eager to explore every single thing about her world. We read stories (because this honorary aunt couldn’t resist buying her some books!), played out in a fresh coating of snow, walked and walked and walked even more (seriously – how is she old enough now to be able to cruise around only holding on to someone’s hand?), and, my favorite part, shared lots of snuggles. Pretty sure my heart melted when she scooted over, cuddled against my chest, and gave me a kiss. Love, love, love that little honey.

Seeing how she’s blossomed made me think of the baby I wrote about in Dear Ellie. Not having a child of my own yet (oh, but the baby fever!), I did a lot of research for that book about the different milestones, characteristics, and behaviors of infants. It was such fun, and I genuinely loved writing about that little miss and her interactions with the cast of characters. But even as I worked, I couldn’t help wondering sometimes: is this true to form? Having never been in this situation myself, how can I really know how a new mom would react? How an infant would give cues and bond with her parents? It was a dichotomous journey that involved a balance between research, understanding my characters’ personalities, and imagining how/why they would act in certain ways. So whenever I get to spend time with sweet Jane, it’s always interesting to me to see how my fictional Ellie compares.

My conclusion? What every parent already knows: each baby is different. There are similarities, sure, but each little one is their own person. They discover things in their own way, in their own time, and that’s what makes it so special. No two parenting experiences will be the same. No two parenting experiences should be the same. The all-encompassing, high-flying love, though? How your heart opens up in ways you couldn’t understand before, how everything is brighter, deeper, fuller? That seems universal. Even without a baby of my own yet, I get that. All this has me wondering: do we write only what we know, what we’ve experienced and lived? Or do we delve into the unknown and craft stories about things that are unfamiliar, lives that aren’t yet ours?

Personally, I like to incorporate both. With my first manuscript, there was SO MUCH about my main character that I could relate to, and even though I hadn’t ever been in her particular circumstance, her motivations were completely understandable. With my second – and, subsequently, its two sequels – the premise was one I really couldn’t relate to at all, and the main character differed in many ways. Kaitlin can attest to how concerned I was at the outset, worried I wouldn’t be able to do justice to Sofie and her journey. Know what? Writing that book turned out to be one of the most amazing, inspiring experiences of my life. I will forever be grateful that I decided to take a leap of faith and go for it. It’s been more than a year and a half now – two finished manuscripts and one in-progress draft – and the thought of not having this cast of characters take up residence in my head is kinda unfathomable.

Is it helpful to write what we know? Sure. It brings an authenticity to the words, a feeling and emotion that’s inherent. But when we write about what we don’t know, what we want and hope – for our characters and maybe even for ourselves – there’s a magic in that, too. So who says it has to be one or the other? Why not a combination? As much fun as it is to tie-in real-life events in fiction writing, it’s equally enjoyable to create new ones. As much fun as it is for me to set three of my four manuscripts in Atlanta – a city I fell in love with after visiting in 2009 – it was equally enjoyable to make the island of Nantucket, where I’ve never been, an important part of the story, too. As much fun as it is to write what we know, it’s equally enjoyable to explore what our characters know, what they live and what they want. What their dreams, hopes, and ambitions are. And isn’t that what writing’s all about?

Writers – do you gravitate toward what you know, or do you explore different worlds? Readers – do you prefer books that take you on similar journeys to your own life, or ones that transport you somewhere else entirely?

11 Things.

“To dare every day to be irreverent and bold. To dare to preserve the randomness of mind which in children produces strange and wonderful new thoughts and forms. To continually scramble the familiar and bring the old into new juxtaposition.”
~Gordon Webber

After an adrenaline-filled writing week that included one especially frenzied day (flash of inspiration for a scene that doesn’t come into play for another two-hundred pages or so – I never, ever write out of order, but this was positively yelling at me to be told), two new chapters, and a scene yesterday that almost made me cry with happiness for my MC (and with sadness because it’s going to be brutal having to bring her world crashing down), the plan is to actually relax a little this weekend. And what better way than with the “11 Things” survey that’s going around the blogosphere? The lovely Hope and Sylvia both tagged me, and I’m looking forward to answering their questions.

But first, as per the rules, eleven random things about myself:

#1: I am a total early bird – my definition of “sleeping in” on a weekend is 8:30, but truthfully, I’m usually awake somewhere closer to 7:30. In the past fifteen years, there have been less than five times I’ve slept later than 10:00, and those were after events like weddings or concerts.

#2: My nails are always polished. ALWAYS.

#3: My first concert was the Spice Girls, back in 1997. It was before the days of buying tickets online – you had to go to an actual Ticketmaster outlet – so my mom and I camped out in Strawbridges’ parking lot for something like three hours to be at the front of the line. The show sold out in under twenty minutes, and our seats were way up on the second level and across the arena from the stage, but I was beyond excited to be there. And when the group had their reunion tour four years ago? I didn’t think twice about buying third row seats. It was one of the coolest experiences ever.

#4: I purposely set my novels in cities or towns where I’d love to visit or move. It’s such fun to live vicariously through the characters.

#5: There’s a permanent dent on my right shin from an accident five years ago. Being the epitome of grace, I somehow managed to slam right into the plastic sidebar of a suitcase. My skin turned about four different shades of purple, it took weeks before I could walk normally again, and even though the doctor disagreed, I swear it was fractured.

#6: Scarves are my favorite accessory, and my collection of them is a bit out of control.

#7: I never went to summer camp as a child – just wasn’t my cup of tea.

#8: My writing desk is seashore-themed. Along with framed pictures with people who inspire me (family, friends, and my two favorite authors), there’s a lamp with ocean waves and seahorses, a starfish-shaped decorative dish, and a plaque with a seashell and dream quote. Makes me feel like I’m working by the coastline every day.

#9: I have total baby fever and cannot wait to have a little one of my own someday.

#10: I have a phobia of flying and won’t set foot on an airplane. Cars and trains all the way!

#11: Red pandas and polar bears are my absolute favorite animals. The Philadelphia Zoo has a few of them, and they are seriously the cutest ever.

Now on to Hope’s questions:

#1: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? Airplane phobia notwithstanding, I would love, love, love to visit London. There’s something very compelling about it, and it’d be such fun to see all its famous sights and places. Now, if only a cruise company would offer trans-Atlantic trips…

#2: In 5 years you’ll be… 33. By then, I hope to be a published author, happily married, and a Mama. Nothing would make me happier.

#3: Coffee or tea? Gingerbread lattes all the way! I also need to try Starbucks’ White Chocolate Mocha, because it looks D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!

#4: Celebrity crush? Gotta go with my GHers – Brandon Barash and Jason Thompson are the definition of adorable.

#5: Accomplishment you’re most proud of? Having written three novels in the past two years (working on my fourth now!). Writing is a part of my life that feels as natural as breathing, so it’s easy to take it for granted sometimes, but when I stop and think of where it’s taken me, I can’t help feeling a little proud. No matter where this journey goes or what path it takes, those book-babies have changed me for the better.

#6: Favorite food or restaurant? JoJo’s in Ventnor, NJ. So many special memories of family vacations at the shore include that place, and it’s always a treat to go back now.

#7: What is your guilty pleasure? Does it make me totally lame if I can’t think of any?

#8: Tell something you can find in your purse at any given moment. My wallet, car keys, tissue pack, antibacterial hand sanitizer, lipstick, and a mini writing journal.

#9: Favorite Disney movie? 101 Dalmatians. My mom took me when I was a little girl – it was the first movie I ever saw in a theater – and that will always make it special.

#10: Favorite meal of the day? Dinner.

#11: What language do you wish you spoke? I can speak a bit of Hebrew, but I’d love to be fluent in it.

And Sylvia’s:

#1: What was your first job? I was a consultant at Arcadia’s writing center for three and a half years and enjoyed every minute. If we’re talking post-college jobs, it would be a production assistant at WPVI-TV, Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate.

#2: What’s the best place you’ve traveled to? Atlanta! I spent almost a week there during the summer of 2009 and absolutely fell in love with the city. It has a charm and energy that’s indescribable. Fingers crossed for a return trip sometime soon.

#3: What’s your favorite color? Any shade of turquoise, but especially aquamarine.

#4: What’s your most prized possession? Oh boy, this is hard – not sure I can choose only one! All my pictures, an overflowing box of lunch notes that my mom wrote me every day when I was in school, a blanket Gram was making me before the horror of last year, and autographed books from my favorite authors … yep, definitely impossible to narrow it down.

#5: When’s the last time you danced? It’s probably telling that I have no idea, huh?

#6: What time do you wake up in the morning? 7:00-7:30 during the week and 7:30-8:30 on the weekends.

#7: PC or Mac? Currently a PC, but she’s on her last hurrah and I have my heart set on a Mac for the next laptop.

#8: Share your favorite recipe. I don’t have the recipe typed up, but it’s my Gram’s chicken soup. My mom carries on the tradition now, and it’s seriously my all-time favorite food. So good.

#9: What’s the last thing you bought? This! “Believe in magic” and “Tell stories” right next to each other? Could it be any more perfect?

#10: How did you come up with the name of your blog? I actually didn’t. My awesome friend Amanda created the blog for me as part of a Hanukkah gift a few years ago, and she’s the one who titled it that. I owe her a million, because this blog has become a treasured outlet over the years and has introduced me to some wonderful people. Truly, I can’t imagine not writing it now.

#11. What’s your first memory from childhood? Hmm, I don’t know if it was the first, but I remember my parents taking me to Sesame Place when I was three. I was really shy as a child and wouldn’t go up to Big Bird or Cookie Monster for a picture. My mom had to go with me!

Okay, your turn!

#1: What’s your favorite quote?

#2: Who’s your role model and/or mentor?

#3: How many places have you lived, and where is your favorite?

#4: Have you known for years what you want to name your children, or do you believe that you have to see the baby first before deciding?

#5: What’s your dream job?

#6: What’s your favorite book? Why?

#7: Would you ever consider adopting a child?

#8: Have you met any celebrities?

#9: Give me a tour of your ideal home – where is it, what does it look like, who lives there with you?

#10: Have you ever had an experience (or several) that’s truly defined who you are?

#11: If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be?

Tag, you’re it!

* Caitlin @ Bold Choices & Colossal Dreams

* Caryn @ Caryn Caldwell

* Megan @ here i go with all my thoughts

* Kate @ Kate’s Place

* Lauren @ Perfume and Promises

* Sara @ Travel & Tunes

* Erin @ Travel, Eat, Repeat

* Rachel @ Wordstream

* Kristan @ Writing Dreams Into Reality

* Kaitlin @ Creative Writing Major

* Katie @ Yearnings and Learnings

Okay, this may be the LONGEST BLOG POST EVER. It was super fun, though! Link me to your own 11 Things or leave an answer to some of the questions in the comments section!

Tuesday’s Tunes: Playlist Edition.

“So consider this moment
As defining who you are…”
~Jordin Sparks, “The Cure”

Over the past couple years, I’ve talked a lot on here about how interconnected music and writing often are. It’s why I decided to include “Tuesday’s Tunes” as a regular blog feature and why certain songs will forever strike a particularly resonant chord with me. Ever since I was a child, books have been about more than just the words on the page. They’re about the pictures that authors paint with the words, the feelings they evoke, the roller-coaster we go on along with the characters. As a writer, I feel that even more innately. Like I told Kelly Clarkson, I always put together a playlist for each manuscript: songs that inspire the characters’ journeys, explain their mindsets, and help bring to the forefront – in both them and myself – the feelings swirling through their hearts and souls. I am the kind of writer who needs quiet to work (which can be really annoying sometimes!), but I often listen to these songs before or after drafting certain scenes. And, for me, these melodies will forever be linked with my characters. I love that. I love it a lot.

I thought it’d be fun to share some of those songs with you. To post them all would make this ridiculously long, so the following are the main tunes for each manuscript – their lead singles, so to speak.

“The Cure” – Jordin Sparks: This song not only captures the essence of main character Emily’s journey in my first novel, With a Little Bit of Luck, but it especially relates to the book’s climatic scene, where Emily’s life is changed forever. It’s been nearly two years, but I still remember the evening like it was only yesterday: I wrote the scene so quickly my fingers actually hurt, then sat in silence as I played the song, put myself in Emily’s shoes, and let myself feel what she was feeling. It’ll always be my favorite moment from working on that novel.

“I Wonder” – Kellie Pickler: This song aligns so completely with the heart of what my second novel, Reflections of Me, explores. It’s a story of adoption, of learning to be a mother while you come to understand what it truly means to be a daughter, of finding proof that family is about so much more than DNA. When I first began writing this, I was worried about being able to relate to main character Sofie, having never been in her situation. All it took was one listen to this song to feel not only what Kellie felt, but what Sofie did, too. I will forever be grateful for that, because it made me understand her so completely … and made me understand myself better, too.

“Like My Mother Does” – Lauren Alaina: My third novel, Dear Ellie, is a diary of the first seven months of baby Ellie’s life, told from the perspectives of everyone near and dear to her sweet little heart. It’s about balancing acts, first forays into parenthood, realizations that sometimes the past doesn’t want to stay behind, and a whole host of other topics. More than anything else, though, it’s about Sofie and Ellie. It’s about a mother, a daughter, and the bond they’ll forever share – so what better song to head up its playlist than this one?

“Stronger” – Kelly Clarkson: I knew this song would be indicative of my fourth novel even before I began writing it last week. While the specific lyrics don’t apply to Sofie’s situation this time around, the greater meaning couldn’t be more on-key. Sofie’s going to have to deal with a lot in this book, more than she can imagine, and even though I genuinely feel awful about putting her through so much, I know she can handle it. I know it’ll be worth it for her in the end, and I know she’ll fight her way through it with grace. She’ll stand a little taller and be even stronger.

Has a particular song ever inspired a project you’ve worked on or spoken so perfectly to a point in your life?