Friday Check-In

I am going to hold off on this week's Friday check-in until after the weekend because on Friday I will be at a conference and I am hoping for a fun and productive day. Please keep your fingers crossed!

I will check in after the conference ends.

For now, I want to report that I took the leap to apply for a new job. I haven't seen too many opportunities I have wanted to pursue, so when I do see something intriguing I think it's important to throw my hat in the ring. Gotta' keep the professional energy on the move!

Have a great day!

xoxo,
bex

What I'm Reading

One of the books I have been most eager to read this year is a work of nonfiction entitled, Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian by Avi Steinberg. I had seen a review of it in late 2010 and was interested, but I knew I was hooked when I found it at my local Borders and started reading the first page:

"Pimps make the best librarians. Psycho killers, the worst. Ditto con men. Gangsters, gunrunners, bank robbers - adept at crowd control, at collaborating with a small staff, at planning with deliberation and executing with contained fury - all possess the librarian's basic skill set. Scalpers and loan sharks certainly have a role to play. But even they lack that something, the je ne sais quoi, the elusive it. What would a pimp call it? Yes: the love."

About the author (from his web site): Avi Steinberg is stumped. After defecting from yeshiva to Harvard, he has only a senior thesis essay on Bugs Bunny to show for his effort. While his friends and classmates advance in the world, he remains stuck at a crossroads, unable to meet the lofty expectations of his Orthodox Jewish upbringing. And his romantic existence as a freelance obituary writer just isn’t cutting it. Seeking direction—and dental insurance—Steinberg takes a job as a librarian in a tough Boston prison.

I loved this book and hope Hollywood comes calling. Since Mark Wahlberg and Ben Affleck love to tell gritty stories from their Beantown roots, I hope this book falls into their hands. Anyone out there know how to get it to them?

xoxo,

bex

Friday Check-In

Revisions continue. I did not get my submission in the mail this week -- I had forgotten about the synopsis, which also needed work. I spent some time whittling my eight-page synopsis down to five pages, and now I am back to weaving more passages into the book to help elevate the conflict and the subplot.

These past few weeks at the DDJ have been extremely hectic, so I have struggled with getting my writing done. This week promises more of the same but I am still determined to hammer away at this book. I am not only eager to get this one done but am also excited to start something new!

Keep the faith!
xoxo,
bex

What I'm Reading

As writers, there are tons of things we can learn from sports. I think there is a mental toughness, stamina, and commitment that athletes and writers share, plus we both learn lessons when we don't achieve the outcomes we have worked so hard to create. Run to the Roar: Coaching to Overcome Fear is a book that uses the ups and downs of different aspects of sport to teach life lessons . . . to learn how to lose, to rebound, and to run toward those things we would prefer to shy away from. Written by Trinity College's Men's Squash Coach, the book has a solid foundation. Paul Assaiante has 244 consecutive wins and 13 straight national squash championships. It is the longest streak of any sports team in the country. Ever.

Even if you know nothing about the game of squash, this book will touch you on an emotional, spiritual, and human level. You can't help but cheer for the triumph that is this book.

xoxo,
bex

Friday Check-In

I am starting to run out of time on my revisions, which I think is a good thing. Without some kind of imposed deadline, this kind of tinkering and second-guessing and massaging could go on infinitely. At some point you just need to cross a finish line and have faith that you have done your best and that the effort is good enough to reach the next round.

I am almost done with this last pass and then it's on to the next phase. I hope that this time next week I can report that the pages have gone on to the first stop on the next leg of this journey.

Please keep your fingers crossed!

xoxo,
bex

What I'm Reading

I had some reading time this weekend -- something I love and don't get enough of! -- so I went to my TBR pile and found a book I picked up last summer by the terrific Mary Kay Andrews. I have read a number of books of hers in the past, and I love how her southern charm and humor shine through. She also loves to salvage old stuff, remodel, and renovate and she often writes about these things. As an addict of HGTV, I love how she brings these home projects into her books, and The Fixer Upper is a fun read not only about fixing up an old beauty of a home, but fixing up the heroine of the story. I highly recommend it!

xoxo,
bex

What I'm Reading

I always look forward to am Eileen Cook book. They are always fun and funny reads, and The Education of Hailey Kendrick does not disappoint. The trick of an Eileen Cook book is to take a serious issue and not only deal with it with humor but find a happy ending in there, too.

Eileen is a smart and funny person as well, and it makes me root for her with every book. She has a middle grade series coming out soon and I can't wait!

xoxo,
bex

Friday Check-In

I am still making baby steps on the revisions, but at least I got some work done on an actual work night rather than having to wait until the weekend for some alone time with the book.

I am taking two classes right now, which have consumed most of my spare time. One is work-related and one is writing-related. Both classes are good, but they are two more time commitments I am trying to juggle.

The writing class came highly recommended and I am happy I signed up for it. It's all about finding flaws in your manuscript and trying to triage them and giving the manuscript its best chance before sending it out into the world. It is both timely and a lot of work and makes me hopeful that I can learn what some of my 'problems' are so that the next time I undertake the process of writing and revising a book, it won't take me so long to work my way through it. My biggest hope is for the A-ha moment when I feel like I am finally getting it. Fingers crossed!

xoxo,

bex

What I'm Listening To

I recently saw the movie, Going the Distance, with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long, and there are a few shots in the film where the characters are in a club listening to live music. The band had a good sound and I found myself liking them and wondering if they were 'real' or fabricated for the film. A little research later, I learned that the band really does exist and is called Boxer Rebellion.

I like iTunes a lot and I am grateful when I can buy individual songs so I don't have to waste money on a whole CD if there are just one or two tunes that I like. But when I heard the sampling of tracks from Union, I knew I wanted to purchase the whole thing.

Boxer Rebellion reminds me of some of my favorite bands from the late 80s, but with an updated, contemporary sound. I am psyched to find another band who has whole works that appeal to me. I totally recommend giving them a listen.

xoxo,

bex

What I'm Reading

I turned to another romantic suspense read for my latest escape and Julie Garwood, though perhaps known for her historical romances, has been one of the go-to voices for me in the past when it has come to contemporary stories. Slow Burn appealed to me because it took place in cities that I either love or want to visit - Boston, Charleston, Savannah. Well, and there was a sexy cop involved, too, which is always a big appeal in a romantic suspense. He saves the day and not only gets the girl, but in this case really deserves her, too.

xoxo,
bex

Friday Check-In

I made more progress on my revisions this week, so though progress is slow I am at least moving forward. I also had some breakthroughs while thinking about the next book and am happy with the results of that brainstorming session. It's a lot to try to juggle multiple projects, but I think it's good, too. Working out problems on one book often helps unblock the dam of issues on another book. Getting the creative juices moving is never a bad thing!

Until next week!

xoxo,
bex