Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Tell the Truth Tuesday...

It's Tuesday and here are my five truths:

1. I'm sort of over Chuck. I know, I know, Chuck Bass is a legend, an icon, and probably one of the only legitimate reasons anyone is watching Gossip Girl, but he was a little too squinty on the season premier last night. Also, the writing wasn't quite as sharp. Honestly, I spent most of the episode resisting the urge to scream at Vanessa to brush her mother chucking hair.

2. We broke up with StatCounter. I'm not sure if it's a permanent break or the break you take right before you get married, but we definitely needed some time apart. We were spending way too much time obsessing over him. We didn't go crazy and delete the code or anything like that, but I did have my husband change the password to series of letters and numbers that we'd never be able to guess on our own. Today we're feeling strong, but I'm sure by tomorrow we'll be begging for the password and drowning ourselves in Edy's Slow Churned.

3. Stephen King still scares the shit out of me. I'm reading Just After Sunset and I can't put it down. I think the key to his stories is that they're not only scary at a superficial, I've-got-a-serial-killer-chasing-me-level, but they're also terrifying at a deeper, my-baby-just-died-of-SIDS-level. Bottom line, Stephen King is the master and reading his words make me want to be a better writer.

4. Unclaimed Baggage is good. Seriously. It's tell the truth Tuesday and we never lie on TTT. We're closing in on 30,000 words and getting ready to send the next chunk to our beta reading ninja. Very exciting!

5. Sometimes on a beautiful day, when the right song comes on the radio and I've got all the windows rolled down in my car, I remember exactly what it feels like to be 17-years-old. I remember being dizzy with with the knowledge that something new, something life changing could potentially happen every single day. I remember my biggest concern being whether or not my outfit made me look hot. I remember wondering if today would be the day the hot nerdy guy in my AP World History class would finally pass me a note. And sometimes, I remember everything so clearly that I forget that I've got a couple of car seats strapped into the back of my car and that this year there will be 31 candles on my birthday cake.

These moments are exactly why I love to write Young Adult books. Because deep down I'm still freaking out about that time the captain of the football team winked at me in the hallway and I'm still worrying about whether or not I'm going to get my French homework done in time.

How could we ever write anything else?

25 comments:

Frankie Diane Mallis said...

I feel the same way! I'm still remembering things from high school and they are still such a big deal! Seriously I'd go back in a heart beat if I could!

Unknown said...

3. Hooray!
5. Me too. The way you described that kind of made me tear up. Is that wrong?

Danyelle L. said...

You both are so awesome! *grin* I can totally relate to #2. Yay for #4. I can't wait to read. No pressure or anything. O:)

Elana Johnson said...

I love YA books for those exact reasons. And you guys have the brains and snark to bring it all together. :)

JESSJORDAN said...

Now that I'm out of high school, I love having those "feels like I'm in high school again" moments. It's a breath of welcomed air, and I always have inspiration to write afterward. :)

Samantha said...

Whoops. I missed GG last night, but by our review...maybe that's a good thing....

And yayness for number 4.

Sherrie Petersen said...

Broke up with stat counter, huh? Have you started trolling sites that randomly generate numbers and letters for you yet? :)

I resemble #5 only I've got a few years on you...

Corey Schwartz said...

Oh my God. No more Statcounter? I am in shock.

I still feel 17 sometimes (and I am WAY older than you.) Sometimes I actually feel like I am in JUNIOR High school! (you should see the clique moms around here!)

Christina Lee said...

yeah I broke up with stat counter once too- now we're just friends...distant friends.... whoa- almost 30,000-you guys are speedy- or you're on a roll! sounds like it!

the 3rd sister said...

Wasn't Erik (my husband) the captain of the football team? Creepy.

Katie Anderson said...

Ahhh. Statcounter.

He is an emotionally abusive boyfriend, isn't he? I had to let him go one time too. Luckily, he just started dating SF and when I wanted him back, he was more than willing :-)

I love YA too. I'm with Suzanne... You almost made me cry.

Sarah Wylie said...

I haven't read Stephen King. I might to be too much of a coward too.

Yay for Unclaimed Baggage going so well!

#5 makes my heart tingle. Life's too short to remember your age. I don't think I could write anything but YA.

storyqueen said...

I remember what it was like to be thirty-one.......sigh.

I am so glad you are loving your WIP. You are far braver than I am to send it to someone to read before it's done. (But it's really good if can do it. It does provide motivation to go on!)

good Luck!

Shelley

Amy Lukavics said...

Bah!!! I love Stephen King with a fiery passion! Must find this book and read it. Everyone else hated Cell but me and Eddie loved it. To this day, Pet Semetary is the single scariest book I have ever read!

Kelly H-Y said...

I love it! And, I can't wait to read your books ... they're going to be awesome!

Christine Fonseca said...

LOL! I write YA for the exact same reason..and I bet I am a LOT older than you!

Loretta Nyhan said...

Oh, man, I picked up statcounter on the rebound. We're having a torrid affair, the kind that burns out quickly, I'm sure.

Beautiful explanation of why you write YA. I feel the same.

Tess said...

Hooray for loving the WIP - for flowing words and fresh metaphores and meaning and purpose and hope.

sunna said...

I understand about Statcounter, I am considering a trial separation myself. He's just too much of a micro-manager, you know? And I can't stop staring at his ridiculously huge visitor paths.

Hardygirl said...

I love #5! It's amazing how the right song can bring you right back there . . .

And, yeah. I may need an intervention for my stat-counter addiction. Although I'm curious as to why I had about fifteen hits from Brazil yesterday. I have my theories . . . none of them are good. It would definitely be healthier to NOT think about it.

sf

Donna Gambale said...

I drive with my windows down and the radio blaring ALL THE TIME. And I dance while driving ... probably not the safest thing, but it sure makes the ride home better!

XiXi said...

You have more self-control than I. Statcounter is like a drug. The first time you try it, you're hooked. So to be more specific, Statcounter is the heroin of the internet.

Or maybe Twitter takes that title. Which is why I am going to Just Say No to Twitter.

High school was a good time. I miss it a lot sometimes (which is kind of sad to admit, but HEY MY HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE SHIZ AND I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE GOING THROUGH WITHDRAWAL). Now junior high...junior high was a nasty place and I would never go back if you paid/threatened me. You would have to drag me back in chains and also find a way to prevent me from strangling myself in the metal links.

Ryan S. Kinsgrove said...

King is the absolute master of anything he decides (or is told too in his book) write. For a while on myspace my name was the next Stephen King. I really only hope to measure up to some of his earlier work though.

Kerri said...

Statcounter, Sitemeter, someone needs to develop a step program to recover from the addiction. I needs it *precious*!

And can totally relate to warm wind blowing through your hair, feeling like your whole life is in front of you. Usually looking like an old biddy bopping to the Doors or Boston. And then my son says, "Mommy, I want to hear Lady Gaga." That's a reality check =)

Jen said...

Omg, I can totally relate to #5. I swear sometimes I forget how old I really am. I feel like I'm 35 going on 13.

That's a bummer about Chuck. Did you see Ed's weird, new tattoos? YUCK!!

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