Justin's birthday was on Wednesday! Since he is in Afghanistan, we decided to celebrate his big day when he got home. And so, I've been planning a little trip for us to the Shenandoah Valley and I also bought him this shirt, which I hope he likes since he's SUCH a big fan of The Hangover. Gotta love Zach Galifianakis!
Two
While I was browsing around for the right shirt, I also came across this one, which brought me back to my elementary school days. Damn you, Oregon Trail!
Justin downloaded the game onto his iPhone awhile ago--and has promptly beaten it on all levels--but I can't bring myself to play it again. I have many, many wonderful memories of sitting in my school's computer lab and playing Oregon Trail (I always chose to be a banker so I'd have more money) but I have been traumatized by fording across rivers. So many good oxen have been lost! Woe is me!
Three
I was lucky enough to borrow my friend Ellen's copy of LEGEND! (Thanks, Ellen!) Here's the UK/Australian cover. Isn't it cool?
I really enjoyed LEGEND! It was fast-paced, rich in detail, and the heroine was superbly kick ass. I also enjoyed the world-building---it was fleshed-out and felt very full. With a lot of dystopians these days, I kind of feel like the world-building is given short thrift. I'm always left with a ton of questions: why is the world this way? What happened to make this setting possible? Hmm, why doesn't this world make any sense?! But I didn't feel that way with LEGEND. Props to Marie Lu for that!
Four
WIP Update... I'm nearly done with my re-write of Revolutionary! (It's my YA alternate history.) I have about 20 single-spaced pages left to re-write and then I'll tackle two more rounds of revision before sending it off to my beta readers. I'm so close to the finish line yet I still feel so far! The ending of my book is mostly a jumble of scenes, and so I have a lot of fleshing out to do. Le sigh. Still...progress has been made!
Five
I'm afraid I might be MIA from the blog next week. Due to a family emergency, I'll be in Seattle until next Thursday, helping to take care of my mother-in-law who just had surgery. Good news is: I get to spend time with my three-year-old niece Rowan who I haven't seen in over six months! Even better news: Rowan is now potty-trained! So no more diaper-changing for Auntie Caroline. (Although it was kind of cute whenever Rowan would ask me to change her diaper. I felt honored in a strange way!)
So what are y'all up to this weekend? Escaping the heat? Writing? Hunkering down in your revision cave?
