What's Up Wednesday (11) / RSW (10)

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, so we can check in with each other. To join, just check out Jaime Morrow or Erin Funk's blogs for the link widget and sign up!


WHAT I'M READING

I finished reading Stephanie Kuehn's CHARM & STRANGE, and oh it was good. It's a short, tense read that explores a lot of dark, complicated things. The voice is what drew me in and held me captive. Very much recommended.

I think I will post an actual review in the future, but for now, if you were thinking about picking it up, DO IT.

(This is the UK cover, which I think is a little closer to the feel of the story - a bit scary, surreal, and haunting. But the US cover is lovely too. I love the use of silhouettes, the way the forest breaks up the image and the figures.)

I'm still reading Lydia Kang's CONTROL, and I'm enjoying it. Sci-fi lovers, you're going to want to look out for this one. There is definitely more SCI in this one than the other Sci-fi YA books I've read thus far.


WHAT I'M WRITING

I've been slowly pulling those random scenes I've written (in all these different places) together. It's kind of exciting since this is the most writing I've done in... let's just say a long while. It's also kind of challenging because it's a pretty intense set of scenes that involves a particular set of imagery. So I've been struggling to describe similar things in interesting and different ways. I know, vague.

Also exciting is that I wrote a poem - like a not #twtpoem. I haven't written any poetry since...even longer than the last time I really wrote, haha. It was nice to see that I could still do it. In any case, it was prompted by April, who asked me to write her a #twtpoem in celebration of her book release (BETWEEN THE DEVIL & THE DEEP BLUE SEA, which came out the day before my birthday!). Of course, I obliged and the prompt was DEVIL.

This spawned a much longer poem, and actually, I have another one in the works now too. I am quite SURPRISED with myself.

Goal: Finish the second Devil poem and hopefully get those scenes stitched together.


WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

Music! Parachute's new album is out, and while I'm still partial to their last one, I am loving this song HURRICANE.



And then the Sister stumbled upon this amazing (and appropriate) John Green quote from LOOKING FOR ALASKA.

People Rain Drizzle Hurricane Poster Art Print by Mei Lee

I'm also really into the song KING AND LIONHEART by Of Monsters & Men. I love the tune and the story-telling, folklore vibe of the lyrics.




WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO

Eating! Because it was my birthday last Friday. THANK YOU for your sweet birthday wishes (and Alz for blogging)! I ate a lot, which is to say, I was happy. So happy in fact I pretty much celebrated through the weekend. Oh and the Sister got me an amazing cake. Pictures below!

I was also productive this weekend by actually doing some house cleaning. The Sister and I even bought a new vacuum and we were super excited about it. Does this mean we're old? Getting excited about buying household appliances? (The vacuum is pretty badass though...)

The Sister took me to see The Neighborhood the night before my bday. (Photo/ Sister)

The Sister also bought me Sprinkles cupcakes: s'mores & raspberry flavored.

My gifts to myself. Yes, that's Star Wars written like a Shakespearean play.

My AWESOME cake. It's cookies & cream ice cream on the inside.

More cupcakes! My friend bought these for me, along with some cookies.

And that's all. So all in all, a good week. :)


Q4U: What is up with you?