Friday Reads

It must be a higher form of insanity to keep ordering books when you have a huge to-be-read stack on your nightstand. But they are my one true addiction. What can I say.

Just last night, the wonderful, Amazon box-bearing delivery man brought me:

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate
THE REVISED FUNDAMENTALS OF CAREGIVING by Jonathan Evison
WRITING 21ST CENTURY FICTION by Donald Maass

What are you reading this week?

Cover Reveal Day!

I'm so excited to officially reveal the cover of my next novel, SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY. One of my favorite bloggers, Bermuda Onion, is sharing the cover on her blog here.

Please check it out and tell me what you think.

Also, I now have an official author page on Facebook. Stop by and connect with me there if you wish.

Cheers,

kh

Wordless Wednesday: Cinderella Pumpkin

"Oh, that clock! Old killjoy. I hear you. Come on, get up, you say, Time to start another day. Even he orders me around. Well, there's one thing. They can't order me to stop dreaming." - Cinderella

Cinderella pumpkin from Farmers' Market

Wordless Wednesday: Sneak Peak

Earlier this week, my publisher held a 2013 book preview where select librarians and guests could learn about upcoming titles. Guess whose book is on this table of advance reader copies? Hmmm. Note the green-blue stack of books on the far right. That is my book baby, SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY, and she is due in a mere nine months. As you might expect, I will be consuming copious amounts of chocolate and ice cream as any expectant mother does.

This event marked the first time these copies are making it out into the world, which is very exciting for me to think about. More details and full cover reveal soon.

Cheers!

kh

Wordless Wednesday: Red Door

I was cleaning out an old folder on my desk and this photo fell out. It's the front door of the house I grew up in. Seeing it sent a rush of old memories across my mind. We were always able to tell people, Oh, our house is the only one on the block with a red door. I remember really liking that distinction as a kid. I still do.

This Writer's Life

Half dead or half alive?

I'm sitting outside in the cool morning. Well, it's almost cold for this Texas girl. It was 107 degrees two weeks ago and a thirty degree switch is almost alarming. All I know is that it's the kind of weather that begs you to sit outside and enjoy it.

As I was enjoying the great outdoors, I noticed my poor neglected plants. I don't know about you, but when I'm deeply engrossed in a project,  one hundred to-do's fall away and are forgotten. Like watering plants. Like getting a haircut. Like visiting my little blog.

Well, my excuse is that I've been making steady progress on the next book. I've been trying to get that necessary very bad first draft down on paper so that I can finally discern what this story is about. There's no escaping this part of the journey. Each time YOU pick up a book there are thousands of deleted pages and dead plants behind it. It's true! That beautiful story you hold was once a rebellious smash-up.

I just finished my very bad first draft (aka - rebellious smash-up) and I realized that it resembles my neglected backyard plant. You see, despite a serious lack of attention, this once lovely summer gardenia is still half-alive. It has green sprouts and dead brown twigs. That is how I feel about my first draft. Some things should be fertilized and coaxed into new growth. Something things should just be snapped off and thrown into the compost.

So that's what's been happening in this writer's life. I'm going to try not to commit too much more herbicide.

Hope your day is terrific and includes a great book. Here are a few great books I've recently read:

GONE GIRL
MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTLEPIECE 
AFTER ELI
DEAD END IN NORVELT

Cheers,

kh

Saturday Snapshot: Cover Clues?

I'm good at keeping a secret. However, when you get to see your own book cover...and can't share it with the world for a while, well, it's downright hard. So this picture offers a small, small clue. More to be revealed soon!

In the meantime, these pencils are pretty fun to use.

Friday Finds: What Happened to My Sister

I've been waiting for this novel for YEARS. After I read ME AND EMMA, also written by Elizabeth Flock, I wrote to her expressing my love of her writing and the character, Carrie Parker. Ms. Flock wrote back and said she was working on a follow-up to ME AND EMMA. Today, it arrived at my doorstep and I couldn't be happier.

From Amazon:

Nine-year-old Carrie Parker and her mother, Libby, are making a fresh start in the small town of Hartsville, North Carolina, ready to put their turbulent past behind them. Violence has shattered their family and left Libby nearly unable to cope. And while Carrie once took comfort in her beloved sister, Emma, her mother has now forbidden even the mention of her name.

When Carrie meets Ruth, Honor, and Cricket Chaplin, these three generations of warmhearted women seem to have the loving home Carrie has always dreamed of. But as Carrie and Cricket become fast friends, neither can escape the pull of their families’ secrets—and uncovering the truth will transform the Chaplins and the Parkers forever.

Read an excerpt at Elizabeth Flock's website.

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FRIDAY FINDS is hosted by MizB from Should Be Reading.

Stephen King Interview on Late Night TV!

Did you see Stephen King on the Craig Ferguson show last night? In case you missed it..

Wordless Wednesday: For your amusement...park

More fun photos from our trip to Galveston's new Pleasure Pier amusement park. View more of them here and here.

Nighttime view from the pier.

Wordless Wednesday is a weekly photo meme. View more pics or contribute your own here.