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  • Writer's pictureKristina Atkins

WUW: Chugging Along


winter wuw

I’m still working on The Book Thief, and it is still wonderful, but my weekend was unexpectedly busy (aren’t they all like that?) and I didn’t get a lot of writing time in. ALSO, I got this gem in the mail the other day:

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That’s the ARC for my CP Kate Scott’s new book, Counting to D! I’m so excited to read it I think I’ll put Zusak on hold so I can devour this gem. I’ve critiqued two other books for Kate and I have high expectations for this book. Here’s the Goodreads summary:

“The kids at Sam’s school never knew if they should make fun of her for being too smart or too dumb. That’s what it means to be dyslexic, smart, and illiterate. Sam is sick of it. So when her mom gets a job in a faraway city, Sam decides not to tell anyone about her little illiteracy problem. Without her paradox of a reputation, she falls in with a new group of highly competitive friends who call themselves the Brain Trust. When she meets Nate, her charming valedictorian lab partner, she declares her new reality perfect. But in order to keep it that way, she has to keep her learning disability a secret. The books are stacked against her and so are the lies. Sam’s got to get the grades, get the guy, and get it straight—without being able to read.”

Sounds awesome, right? I’ll read it this week and report back next Wednesday.

WHAT I’M WRITING

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who read my incredibly long post last week and then offered encouraging and/or commiserating comments. I appreciate y’all’s support so much! My revisions are coming along steadily, if not always smoothly. I’m so rusty! But I’ve been adding about a scene a day–I have a whole sequence to add. Then I’ll start going chapter by chapter. Some big things that need fixing: the MC’s character arc (it’s all over the place–evidence that I took 2 years to write this first draft), add more side characters, and flesh out the end (which I’ve already mentioned). Dudes, I ended a scene with the line, “Because obviously.” ^_^

And I got my marked up manuscript back from my SIL this week. I’d given her my own semi-marked up version, so she got to read my notations as she made her own. I was skimming through to see her comments, and when I saw this I could not stop laughing:

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The purple is my note, and the penciled “Yes” is hers. Is this hilarious to anyone else? It was really late, so maybe it’s just me.

WHAT ELSE I’M UP TO

Not a whole lot. Trying to figure out what my new exercise solution will be when my gym contract expires next month. I love working out at the gym, but it’s so difficult to get there these with a small one–and it’s only going to get harder–so I think I’m going to get some free weights, bands, and DVDs and just work out at home. Also, I think I’m going to go no ‘poo on my hair, but either the honey water or aloe vera gel/coconut milk route. Anyone done this?

You know, just TONS of super exciting stuff. 😀

WHAT INSPIRES ME

These two songs came on Pandora while I was working out last night and they spoke to my soul:

The Mumford and Sons one isn’t like my life at all, but the emotions in his voice, the lyrics, and the music really touched me. It’s going on the playlist for my next planned WIP.

How’s your week going, you fabulous people you?

#youngadultbooks #reading #creativewriting #youngadultfiction #fiction

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