What do you want this Christmas or new year?

Sometimes that’s a simple question. Maybe it’s a certain item like a book or a movie. Maybe it’s only about being happy in general. Who doesn’t just want to be reminded that they’re loved at the holidays?

But for wishes and dreams, the new year is especially important to me because it shows how far I have or haven’t gone in the past 365 days. And it tells me where I’d like to end up next year.

In 2011, I made some major life changes. Big ones. Huge. And it made me tired. There were times when I shut down to people and life except for what was necessary to get done.

BUT…

I still completed the edits on my first book after many sleepless weekends and I sent out 25-30 queries before shutting down again. I started to find peace while figuring out exactly what I wanted for myself.

In 2012, I hope I find more peace. I want to be someone that inspires others, makes those around me proud or excited to know me. I want to write three times as much and stop giving up on myself. And I want to stop feeling like I’m not worth much and start expecting more, as a writer and a person in general.

I want to be more. Period.

So where do I start?

Good question. I have until January 1st to figure that out, right?

What are your wishes and dreams, writing or otherwise?

I may not be writing much at the moment — I’m in a down slope to my own creativity — but there are still things that instantly inspire and excite me. Examples? I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to seeing The Hunger Games movie. Suzanne Collins was a writer just like me, but not only did she manage to finish book…she successfully wrote a good young adult series that is being turned into movies. What could be better for a writer than to see their work brought to life? Susan Dennard is a real life friend whose wonderful book comes out in July 2012. I can’t tell you how inspiring it is to personally known someone so talented and who has achieved so much in a short period of time. Plus, I’ve read her book. It’s TOTALLY going to be a huge seller. So when I saw her cover had been released? *EXCITED* And inspired.

Then there is my amazing writing partner Cole Alpaugh, who has not only made me crazy proud as usual with his latest book deals, but he also made a promo poster for his next book.

So remind me…what excites and inspires you?

My muse. I hope.
Crisp nights covered up in warm fleece blankets.
A space heater while writing…which ends up leaving my toes hot, but fingers like ice.
Cold walks with the dog late at night.
More cups of tea, filled with milk and sugar.
More writing than the last few months. I hope.

The Winter Solstice is December 22nd. I’m not sure that I’m ready for winter. Why? Well, I hate the cold and the holidays give me the hives, but besides all that…the year has gone by too fast.

I haven’t accomplished all I’d wanted to this year. Not even close. I ended up jumping a few hurdles I didn’t expect, so I guess I had to shift priorities and adjust, but that’s no excuse for how little I’ve accomplished in my writing lately.

Regular old mundane life has often sucked away my creativity. I have felt unmotivated and discouraged, like I wanted to give up on it all. So I’m forcing myself to write. It’s ok. We all go through this and it will pass. But I hope it passes before the end of winter.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a song. It’s the one that’s been on my mind the most the past couple of days.

WHO IS DOING NANO? WHY AM I SHOUTING? BECAUSE I’M EXCITED! NANONANONANONANONANONANONANONANONANONANONANONANONANONANO!!!

Ok, I’ll stop. But really…get excited, people.

(Funny — I looked like THIS last Halloween.)

(This post really has no other point than for me to update you. And I’ve been boring. )

Pour yourself some tea, light a pumpkin candle and wrap up in a throw blanket. Autumn weather has kicked in full swing and I’m loving it. This is the time of year where I’m most inspired to write. The air even smells different.

So I’m working on Hayes again. I had stopped to begin a new book, but after talking with my writing partner and reading back over my notes? I decided Hayes needs to be finished. For those of you who don’t know Hayes, it’s the second book I wrote. It started as an adult novel, but now it’s being edited into a young adult series. So…lots of work. But man, I love the characters in this book. I don’t mind spending extra time with them.

I miss going to concerts. I haven’t been to that many this year and I’m planning to correct that. *opens online music guide for my city and smiles at a few names heading this way*

I have barely queried recently. I am beyond slow, fearful and timid. I have to fix it. ASAP. But someone new did read The Courtship of Mallory Richards.

“OMG, just finished Mallory. Seriously?! That end is killing me :-S I was feeling all warm fuzzies and then, WHAM, lumpy in the chest.”

(I seem to make most of my betas cry and then they tell me to change my ending. People? If I make you cry, I want to KEEP the ending. )

**And now I’m rambling. It’s been a while since I blogged. I feel rusty. I’ll return sooner next time. **

Cole Alpaugh? Yeah, he’s kind of awesome. I’m pretty lucky to have him as a writing partner. I mean, just LOOK at what he’s done now!! I couldn’t be more proud. Join me in a huge CONGRATS!

NEPA Author Pens Two Book Deal (via this link at BriefingWire.com)

9/26/2011 – SEATTLE, WA — Lake Ariel’s Cole Alpaugh, author of the acclaimed novel The Bear in a Muddy Tutu (Camel Press/2011), has signed a two book deal with Seattle based publisher Coffeetown Press.

The first book, The Turtle-Girl from East Pukapuka, is an adult literary novel about a girl who survives a devastating tsunami by clinging to an old sea turtle’s shell, but is adrift and alone in the open waters of the South Pacific. The child is plucked from the currents by a salvage captain named Jesus, who hums Verdi’s Rigoletto while swilling cheap local hooch, and would rather swap the girl for spark plugs than help her find home. Its release date has been set for June 1, 2012.

Hitting the stores on November 1, 2012, will be Alpaugh’s third novel titled The Spy’s Little Zonbi, the story of a young man recruited by a division of the CIA to pose as a journalist in hotspots around the globe while on intelligence missions.

“Zonbi is about as autobiographic as anything I’ve ever written,” said Alpaugh. “I spent years as a war correspondent and used a few of the places I worked as backdrops. Of course I never did any spying or killed anyone in real life, but it was great fun having my main character wreak some havoc.”

Alpaugh’s debut novel is now in nearly 700 libraries in four countries. You can find him online at ColeAlpaugh.com, or on the soccer field where he coaches his daughter.

Stand back, Chuck. He’s got this. And his last book was just as amazing.

***I’ll leave you with a few Chuck Norris quotes. ***

“I heard the quickest way to a man’s heart is Chuck Norris’ fist.”

“Chuck Norris’ tears cure every disease known to man. Too bad Chuck Norris never cries.”

“Chuck Norris doesn’t call the wrong number. You answer the wrong phone.”

“Chuck Norris doesnt wear a watch. He decides what time it is.”

“Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.”

“If Superman and The Flash were to race to the edge of space you know who would win? Chuck Norris.”

“A roundhouse kick by Chuck Norris is the preferred method of execution in 16 states.”

“Chuck Norris does not need to use spell check. If he happens to misspell a word, Oxford changes its actual spelling.”

“What are you working on now?”

I hear this question a lot from people that know I’m querying my first book.  I need to keep writing while waiting in query hell, right? Of course. But WHAT?

I had started editing the second book I ever wrote. I love the characters and the story, but it’s been around a while. Plus, edits don’t make me happy or distract me well enough. I realized I wanted to be writing new stuff. I didn’t want to dig through my old ideas or edit other pieces. I wanted something fresh and exciting to work on.

I haven’t found it yet.

I do have three book ideas I’m playing around with, but until one of them grabs my attention and makes me feel desperate to write? I know it’s not the one.

I remember that feeling, don’t you? A story idea is just so-so, but then you really think about it some more. Maybe write the first few pages. Suddenly you’re like an addict who will make excuses to go to the bathroom during a party just so you can write down an idea or dialogue line that just popped into your head. (I did this so many times.) I want to get the high again that I had with my other books — where I sat down to write for an hour and 5 hours later realized I REALLY needed to go to bed.

How do you narrow down your possibilities? When do you know that a story idea is THE ONE?

It’s been a long week already…so have some music instead of a long post of randomness.

Dance to this while writing:

Sway along with this:

Change it up with a different beat:

Jam to a Ramones style band:

And when you’re ready to get up from your desk?

Atlanta likes to torture me by having two great events at the same time each year. The Decatur Book Festival and Dragon*Con. I’m not big into gaming or even SciFi, but Dragon*Con is just fun to be around in general. So I was sad that I only joined in for the Decatur Book Festival this year, even though it was great by itself.

I mostly spent my time at the young adult stage, where many awesome writers congregated to hear the panels of authors. (Like Myra McEntire, Libba Bray, Lauren Myracle, Jackson Pearce, Victoria Schwab and Stephanie Perkins…)

Stephanie Perkins was even nice enough to take a picture for me with Rachel and Hayley.

When I started writing again in 2009, I also started connecting online with other writers. I FINALLY got to hang out in person with them! Despite crazy and screwy planning at times — on all our parts — I still had time to go play with Harley and Don.

And I was pleasantly surprised to find Anne in the seat next to me for one of the panels. (with Harley making her sexy face)

I also had a lovely host to stay with — who is a wonderful artist and I’ll link to him as soon as I harass him into making a website — and two of his great friends in from Miami. *a bow to Michael and his friends Roger and Karell*

Thai food, Southern food, delicious brunch, drinks, new friends, old friends…and writing. All in all a win of a weekend.

Now I’ve officially embarrassed him. Why not go full force then? He’ll forgive me eventually.

Cole Alpaugh is my writing partner and dear friend. His birthday is tomorrow and I wanted to say a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a man that has pushed me to keep writing many times. He’s a wonderful inspiration, especially as he continues to make me so very proud on a daily basis. Cole’s a beautiful writer with a talent I envy, but also a friend I’m incredibly blessed to have.

You probably noticed me mentioning his book quite often this year. (Which has been a great success, by the way. He’s even in hundreds of libraries across the US now.) I can’t wait until his next book is published and printed so you all can enjoy more of his amazing words, too.

Happy Birthday!!!

Want to get him a present? Check out his book.

*runs and hides before Cole can come kill me for this post*