And Let the Querying Begin

Now that I have completed and revised another book I am back to querying. In the beginning I was very optimistic especially when after my brutally honest mom finished reading my manuscript and told me "this is it, this is the one" but after already recieving four form rejection letters my optimism is dwindling. This is a rough business to try and break into and each day it gets harder and harder. If it's not a rejection it's the waiting and the waiting and the waiting. The waiting is by far the worst. I don't know how my computer has not exploded from my countless refreshing of my mail page.  However, I am so confident in this book that I will not allow the rejections to knock down my spirit. It's just all part of the game. I just need to wait for the right agent to come along. Fingers crossed that it will be sooner rather than later.

Now that I have finished my newest book I want to start on something else. I have gone through my notebook of book ideas and several have stood out, but I'm not sure where I want them to go. So I think for now I'm going to do what I hate, wait and see what idea randomly pops in my head one day since that has always seemed to work best for me in the past. I am also still working on two other books, but they have always been the books I work on when I have writers block with another book. I'm all over the place, but for me it works. Also I am thinking about crossing over to paranormal romances since I have several ideas and even though have never written one love to read them. Again we'll see.

Really what I have to do is spend some time catching up on reading. I had to have Crescendo when it came out and regret to say I have only read thirty pages. However, my mom read it and told me it ends pretty open and I know there is going to be a third book so I'm hesitant because I know I'm going to want more and will have to wait forever to get it. These series are driving me crazy but I love them. Hush Hush was a great first book and going into a second book there is always that fear that it will not be as good as the first one.

That's all for now. I hope to have some good news in the future. My fingers have been crossed for so long that I am scared they will become permanently stuck and if they do so be it. A small price I'd have to pay for achieving my dream.

Where has the time gone? I blinked and some how when I reopened my eyes I was in the middle of November. For some reason it does not feel like Thanksgiving is next week. I'm not ready because once Thanksgiving comes and goes Christmas takes over. You all know I am Little Miss Christmas, but this year I am so scared it's going to fly by so fast I am not going to have time to enjoy it. Luckily the week after Thanksgiving I took vacation that way I can decorate, bake, shop and wrap and have a Christmas filled week. I can't wait. I haven't taken vacation since last summer and it'll be nice not having to get up and go to work for a whole week. Just the thought alone is bringing a smile to my face.

This year the night before Thanksgiving I want to go into the city and watch as they blow up the balloons for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I hear it's like watching paint dry because it takes like three hours to blow up one balloon, but whatever. I just want a picture to say I was there. It's one of the things on my list of things to do before I'm 30 which is also coming way too fast for me. In two and a half weeks I will be twenty six. Argh! Scary, especially since I still feel like I'm eighteen. Anywho my boyfriend's thoughts on driving in "You want to drive an hour to an hour and a half to take a picture and leave?" My answer: "Well yeah." He just shook his head at me and because he is awesome I know he will do it. Most of the time he is not really hard to persuade into doing things. Which is great for me because I always have crazy ideas. It's nice to have someone who just goes with it. So hopefully I will get there and I'm saying that because for three years I have been saying it and I always wind up getting side tracked and never have made it. So fingers crossed for this year and of course if I do I will have tons of pictures.

I haven't been reading too much lately. I think it's because school work is kind of over taking me at the moment, but I did finish a book a coupke weeks ago. If I have a Wicked Stepmother Where is My Prince by Melissa Kantor. I've had this book on my bookshelf for a very long time and one night when I was a little paranormaled out I picked up and started reading. Ninety pages later I was hooked. I don't know if I was just so excited to read something about a girl who didn't have a vampire/angel/werewolf/warlock boyfriend but it pulled me in. Unfortunately after muy initial ninety pages it took me a while to finish the rest of the book. I think I suffer from ADD at times because I couldn't focus on it for the life of me. However, I finally finished it and I really liked it. It was also great that it took place on Long Island since hello that's where I live. Once I got to the middle of the book I figured out the plot I knew exactly where it was going and I think that is why it took me awhile to read. The excitement was gone because I knew where it was heading. Either way the characters reminded me of being fifteen/sixteen and it's nice to go back there. The story as I'm sure you can tell by the title is about a girl who compares her life to Cinderella. At times I laughed out loud and I really liked Melissa Kantor's style. If you are looking for an easy, fun book I would really recommend it.

In other Theresa news, my boyfriends cousin came to visit this past week. Since I've been with my boyfriend forever (nine years) I consider his family my family so I was so excited to see her. She is stationed in California so we only see her once or twice a year usually for Christmas. This year she will be on deployment for Christmas so unfortunately we will not be able to get together. So she came home to visit and brought her boyfriend with her who has never been to New York he was born and raised in Texas. Of course we brought him to the city, we had to. It was so awesome to be with someone who has never seen NYC and who actually appreciates it. I feel I've become jaded to a point. I've been there so many times that my mouth doesn't drop open at every corner which his did. At one point he even said to me my jaw is going to hurt tomorrow since I keep opening it so much. I couldn't stop laughing. The best was when we went to Toy's R Us in Times Square and we were on the escalator going up when the T-Rex and Legoland came into view. His mouth dropped open, his eyes widened and it was like a little kid in a candy store. It was Awesome. In this past week I have done more things then I have in the past year and it's funny because the week seemed to go by so slow. So I think that is my problem by not having plans, going out and going to new places my days are blending together and flying by. So I'm going to try and keep my active social life that I discovered I still could have if I wanted. Okay I'm going to stop babbling, but I will leave you with pictures from my day in NYC.

My Friend is One Tough Chick!

Tuesday night I recieved a text message from my very pregnant friend that she was going to the hospital to be induced. After all she was six days late and they believed the baby to be close to 9lbs. I told her to keep me updated. Her last pregnancy took 16 hrs and I was there for the final 4 or so hours, but this time I had class that night and work the next day so I kept posted with text messages. So Wednesday night a little before nine after 25 hours in labor my friend had her baby boy. He weighed in at 8lbs 11oz. I'm a little regretful that I was not at the hospital, after all, I was there for her first child as well as for her sister when she had her son but with the use of technology (aka Facebook) I have already seen pictures of both baby, mother and father.

What I've learned is that my friend is one tough chick. I couldn't imagine being in labor for such a long period of time. I couldn't imagine being in labor period. I'm so happy for her and she can keep having the kids because quite frankly having kids scares the crap out of me.

That's all for now. Going to try and write I've been having a bit of writer's block for the past week or so. It's frustrating because I am so close with beign done with this one particular book and I know exactly where I want the story to go and how it is going to end I just can't get myself to write it. Argh! Sometimes it can be so frustrating. So wish me luck and if you have any ideas on overcoming writers block I would love to hear them.

Halloween Then and Now

Last night I was so excited to see that Hocus Pocus was on. I can still remember going to the movie theater with my mom when it was released back in 1993 and I remember being really scared. I think it had something to do with Bette Midler and the crazy buckteeth she sported for the movie. As I watched the movie I kept finding myself smiling and it wasn't just a tug on the lip, no, it was full on little kid giddy smiling. For the two hours the movie was on I felt like I was nine again. When the credits began to roll I was disappointed that I had to return to reality and then it got me thinking about what Halloween was like when I was younger compared to what it's not now.

Halloween has always been my second favorite holiday coming in right behind Christmas. Now Halloween is no longer in the number two spot it's been replaced by Thanksgiving. Suprised? If your older I doubt it but if your younger I'm sure you are. It's strange really as you get older and as the Halloween costumes made for your size seem to get skimpier every year the holiday just loses its luster. I'm too old to go trick or treating with my friends which to me was the epitome of Halloween and when you take that away what's left? I can go to a bar dressed up and have a few drinks with my friends but other than the costume how is that different than any other Saturday night?

I think back to Halloween when I was a kid and it's funny how many of them I can actually recall. I was a cheerleader one year and went trick or treating with my brother, my cousin and my aunt. I was also Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, a cat, a soccer player, a goth, a hobo and a witch I can't even tell you how many times that seemed to be my costume all of elementary school. I also was a fifties girl one year and I remember being so upset because our wood floors were being redone and we had to stay at my grandparents house a half hour away from home and didn't think Halloween would be the same, but of course my parents made it a Halloween I will never forget.

As I got older and out of high school I did have a few good costumes. One year I was Betty Boop (I really just wanted an excuse to rewear my prom dress). Another year I was an Elf who worked in wrapping and the year I went to the Village Parade in NYC I was Lucille Ball. I think I looked great even had tourists come up and yell it's Lucy and then ask to get their picture taken with me. As an adult that was probably one of my best Halloween's. At frst I was hesitant about going to the Village riding the subway on Halloween and it was the total opposite of what I was expecting. My friends and I met such amazing people on the subway and the costumes! The costumes these people came up with were the most creative and unbelievably awesome costumes I have ever seen. My favorites included a group of guys who were tetris pieces, a hot air balloon, and a milk cartoon with the guys face in the spot where a missing persons ad was (which now is pretty common but then it wasn't and so funny.)

I actually don't know where I am going with this post. In my mind when I started writing I had a direction and now I'm enjoying my recollections of Halloween's Past too much. I guess what my intention to say all along is that I miss getting home from school on Halloween and having my mom help me get ready into my costume and then whether it was just me and my mom trick or treating or me and a huge group of friends going out and knocking on every door ringing every bell until my legs couldn't hold me up anymore. Then the best part of the night going home dumping the candy on the table and after my parents did their inspection rumaging through my loot figuring out what piece I wanted to eat first. Oh man and if Halloween was on a Saturday or Sunday that was a marathon event and they were always the best Halloweens. This year Halloween is on a Sunday and my boyfriend and I have no plans. None whatsoever and I'd be okay with that if we actually got Trick or Treaters because I love seeing kids on Halloween, talking to them about their costumes and see how long they've been knocking on doors, but in our apartmemt complex we have very few kids and we are in the back of the building and if you don't live here you probably wouldn't even know there are apartments in the back. The first year we moved in I went crazy on Halloween buying a ton of candy and not one kid showed. I did it again last year and lets just say I still have Halloween candy in my cabinet. :(

Some people say when you have kids Halloween becomes what it used to again because you are reliving it as your kids are living it for the first time. I guess I'll just have to wait and see since having kids is not exaclty in my near future. Is this true?

Would love to hear any and all comments. What are your favorite Halloween memories? What was yor favorite costume? And as you got older did Halloween lose it's luster as it did for me?

As for the pictures I only have current pics all of my Halloween pictures as a kid are at my parents house.

~Fall has Officially Arrived~

This past week fall has officially started. Technically fall started a few weeks ago, but for me it was this week. It was the feeling in the air, the cool crisp temperatures and the leaves. The leaves have finally began to change into their magnificent colors that I wait all year long for. Fall is by far my favorite season. It is the most beautiful season and the stepping stone to the holidays.

I'm not a morning person but when I walk out my apartment door and look down across the lake and see the sun shinning on all the trees causing a blinding array of color to spread out across the lake like a painters palate I can't help but to smile. It's truly beautiful.

For your viewing pleasure I am going to post my favorite pictures that I have taken in the fall. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

 

Torment by Lauren Kate

I finished Torment and well I'm a little disappointed. I knew going into it that there was going to be another book in the series, but it ends on such a cliff hanger that I was left kind of annoyed actually. Book one, Fallen, was the story of Luce meeting Daniel again, but for the first time in this lifetime and you follow them falling in love Daniel over again and Luce for the first time, kind of. It's a little confusing especially if you haven't read the book. However, regardless of that you get some back story in the first book not much but some and then the second book I was expecting to get the whole story to start to understand the secrets that Daniel has kept from Luce yet you learn almost nothing. While it was good it wasn't what I thought. I think two hundred pages could have been cut out and replaced with more information. I'm wondering if this book was just like the lead in to the next installment, meaning this book while vital to the story line is just a stepping stone to get it started. Which in all honesty kinda sucks especially since the next installment doesn't come out until spring or summer 2011. I don't feel Torment really had it's own plot just another love triangle that I could've done without. I was actually really annoyed as it was developing. I knew it was coming and I was hoping as I turned each page that I'd be wrong. I wasn't.

I remember falling in love with Luce and Daniel in Fallen but in Torment Luce was getting on my nerves. She was so indecisive about everything unable to make up her mind. I wanted to reach through the book and shake her. If you can't make up your mind about one relationship don't jump into another relationship. It also annoyed me that every time Daniel and her did see each other they got into a fight. It kind of made me dread him coming around because I knew where it was going. I know things can't be happy all the time, but everytime he comes around, really? (I'm venting here I just hope it's coherent.) I only hope that in the third installment we will finally have answers to all the questions.

 I was happy to see Arianne return. I loved her character in Fallen and she was just as spunky in this book. Shelby got on my nerves a little bit as well and then with the whole relevation of why she didn't like Luce in the beginning *Spoiler* all because her and Daniel had a thing once upon a time. Which doesn't even really get explained. At all. I'm still confused about that. It was a bit weird. Kind of out of left field. Not expecting it and in some cases I wouldn't mind but for this book it didn't help with the plot it just seemed to be thrown in. So I hope it gets explained in the third book.

I'm not going to say I didn't like it because I did I just hoped for more. I am invested into the lives of these characters and I want to know what will come of all of them which is why I will be on line the day Passion goes on bookshelves.

Time For An Update

I started reading Torment by Lauren Kate a few days ago. Currently I'm on page 305 so I'm close to finishing, but for some reason I can't seem to just sit down and finish it. It's not even like it's not good because it is and I've been counting down the days to get my hands on it. I think it just comes down to the simple fact that I'm a little paranormaled out. It seems every book in the young adult section I pick up these days either are about vampires, werewolves, angels, zombies, ghosts or all of the above. Don't get me wrong I love a good paranormal romance as much as the next person I just want to read something about a normal girl and a normal guy. I'm running out of Sarah Dessen books to read so I'm looking for a new author who writes fun, YA, contemporary with an emphasis on romance. Is that so hard to ask for? I just want to mix it up a bit. Read a contemporary then a paranormal which is what I was doing for a while but I ran out of contemporary books that target my specific wants for a book.

Anywho in other news I spent a day and a half researching agents and sending out more queries. After I stopped getting response emails even if they were all rejections I started to miss them. There is nothing better than the nervous, excited, somewhat disappointed feeling of open an email from an agent. As you click on the email and wait for it to load a million things run through your head. It's a rejection. Maybe it's not. Maybe this is the one. Or not. Wonder if it's a form rejection or if they took the time to explain why the project isn't right for them. You'd be amazed at how many of these thoughts run through my head in a matter of seconds. So I researched, I queried and now the worst part of it all I wait and hopefully can keep myself from obsessively checking my email.

This past Sunday I went pumpkin picking with my boyfriend and my parents. Yes with my parents. I may be 25 but that doesn't mean anything. My parents are a blast and we had such a good time. The day started with a call from my mom asking if my boyfriend and I wanted to go antiquing with her and my dad, believe it or not it's actually something we enjoy. I said yes as long as I could stop and get some pumpkins. Now in my parenst true fashion plans changed as soon as we started heading out to the northfork. We first stopped at the Loing Island Vodka distillery and did a taste testing of seven different vodkas. Then we went pumpkin picking where we all insisted we weren't getting no more than 4 pumpkins per household. We wound up with 17! Don't ask. Then my dad asks me if I want to do the corn maze which of course I'm going to say yes so he goes to my mom and says "your daughter really wants to do the cornmaze so I'm going to go with her." My dad is the biggest kid and my mom knows this yet he blames it on me. I couldn't stop laughing in which I blew up his spot. After that we had an amazing lunch at the Jamesport Manor. The building was beautiful on both the outside and the inside. I thought prices may be a little pricey because of the location, atmospehere and it's elegant dining sign but it was so reasonable and so good. I had a lobster BLT which had fresh lobster they had just got out of the waters that morning, arugula, tomato and an aielo sauce on homemade bread and homemade french fries. Oh my god it was delicious and it was only $18. After lunch we stopped at a winery and then went home. And no we did not hit one Antique shop. However, the day was awesome and I now have 6 pumpkins lined up outside my apartment door. (My parents have a large front yard I let them keep 11 of them). Now I just need some mums and maybe a haystack. Then my fall decor will be complete.

I'll keep you posted on the queries, and as soon as I can get myself to finish Torment which hopefully will be today I will write my review.