Monday, August 31, 2015

Ready, Set, WRITE! Wrap-Up

Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on wherever we’re at with our writing projects—planning, drafting, revising, or polishing.  This year, your RSW hosts are Alison MillerJaime MorrowErin FunkElodie Nowodazkij, and Katy Upperman.

I can't believe RSW is over! It's been such a productive summer, and I've had fun following everyone's progress. My goals shifted slightly as the summer went on, but I'm super happy with what I accomplished.

My summer goals
Bring my manuscript draft, HALFWAY TO HONDURAS, up to 60k: ACCOMPLISHED! Final word count is 60,400. I've got another 10k or so to go before the story is complete (not to mention lots of revisions), but the hardest part of drafting is behind me.

I shelved my second goal of revising and submitting 2 stories from my thesis. HALFWAY TO HONDURAS kept me too busy, and I didn't want to focus on anything else this summer.

Also I started setting book goals toward the end of summer. This week I read DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT by Laini Taylor, the second book of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. LOVED IT! 

Onto Manuscripts and Manicures!

I didn't go too crazy with my nails because I have zero manicure skills. ;) I found a supercool color (Mutant by CoverGirl - a la Jennifer Lawrence/Mystique) that also reminded me of a place in Belize my narrator wants to visit - the Blue Hole.

There are actually two: one just off the coast that's a scuba hotspot (I based my nail color off this one), and a smaller inland one hidden back in its own little national park. I visited the smaller Blue Hole while on a trip to Belize. It's surrounded by rocky cliffs and caves, and the water was so cold it soothed all the bug bites we'd acquired up to that point!   

Unfortunately I had to borrow this picture from Huffington Post, I didn't visit
the Great Blue Hole myself. Maybe one day!
 
This one I swam in!
And so here are my nails! Nothing fancy but I'm obsessed with this color! 



And finally, an excerpt from HALFWAY TO HONDURAS. This is the opening section.


Carla beats me to the Ice House. I pull into the parking spot next to her Chevy Malibu, the same car we drove to Wawa every morning before first period for sixteen ounce coffees. The car she taught me how to pump gas on. The car that got us to and from show choir parties, flying down back roads at three in the morning to sneak into bed before our parents woke up. The shotgun seat conformed to my back, I rode in it so often.

I walk across the lot and pull open the diner door. Senior year Carla hit a pothole and blew a tire, and while we waited for her dad to come help us with the spare, we sat in the backseat together and cried. That car was everything. It was how we made memories. With graduation just months away, we both wondered if it was a sign. If the opportunities for new memories were dwindling.

If I had known how correct my gut was, I would’ve made us stay on the side of that road forever.


 
 
My "Current Projects" page has also been updated with a blurb about H2H and some fun pictures!
 
Once again, thanks to our lovely RSW hosts and to everyone who participated. I had a fantastic time writing this summer! Let's do it again sometime! 

13 comments:

  1. I LOVE the nail color. That blue shade is my mom's favorite so I'm often on the lookout for things that match that for her. The blue hole is so intriguing. As is your story. Thanks for sharing. This was such a fun challenge. I just followed you on twitter too :)

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    1. Thanks so much, Stephanie! RSW was so fun this summer. :) And I follow you on Twitter now too!

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  2. I'm with Stephanie. That nail color is awesome! And I LOVE THE EXCERPT!!! Makes me want to read more!

    Also, I am in love with this Blue Hole. Belize may be next on my dream vacation list! Thanks for joining us again for RSW and so glad you made so much progress!

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    1. Thanks Alison! I've never been a huge nail polish person (I always manage to immediately chip the polish) but I fell in love with the color and now I miiiiight be getting addicted to doing my nails! And thanks for the kind words about my excerpt. <3

      Belize has the bluest water I've ever seen. Add it to that dream vacation list! :) Thanks again for hosting RSW, Alison, it was so fun!

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  3. Your nails look awesome -- they remind me of Karou's hair! :-) Love your excerpt this week, Kaitlin, and now you've got me wanting to visit the Great Blue Hole. I'm so glad you joined us for RSW this summer. It's been awesome following along with all your accomplishments. Congrats, and best of luck with your writing as we head into fall!

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    1. Karou! :D I have to get my hands on DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS soon. I'm late to the Laini Taylor party but am loving this series!

      Thanks again for hosting RSW, Katy, it's been such a fun summer!

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  4. That nail colour is amazing! Blue is just such a fantastic colour (my favourite) and your nails are a brilliant match to your inspiration! Your excerpt is brilliant too, I really feel for your narrator with all her memories.

    It sounds like you had your summer goals planned out absolutely perfectly! I hope your autumn lets you finish and revise your project--and gives you plenty of time for reading!

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    1. Thanks for the kind words about the excerpt, Pax! Best of luck with your writing as we head into fall, too!

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  5. Oh, I love that excerpt -- and that blue water! You've kicked ass this summer, Kaitlin! 10k to go is so, so close and I, for one, would love to read it when it's done/when you need readers :) And thanks for all your cheerleading comments over the summer -- they've kept me going when I really didn't want to :)

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    1. Thanks so much Becky! I will 100% be looking for beta readers once I put my draft through some serious revisions, so I would LOVE to send it your way. :)

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  7. I am so excited to read all of H2H! Those characters lit up the page and my imagination from the very first time I read about them, and I can't wait to know the full story. :)

    Also: the blue hole pictures are AMAZING! So gorgeous!

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    1. It will definitely be coming your way once I do some crazy revisions (the draft is more than a little messy!) and I can't wait to hear what you think!

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