Where I've Been Hiding

*peeks around corner* Well, hello there!!

I’ve abandoned blogging at my own blog. It’s really sad, and I promise it’s unintentional. Life has been crazy. So much so that after a lot of consideration, I’ve decided NOT to host the YA Spooktacular this year. I was planning on it. I spent some time figuring out what I would want to do, and then I got wind of MANY other Halloween events. I think there's enough going on this year that you don’t need the YA Spooktacular. In fact, I sincerely hope there's another blogger out there who wants to take what I've done for the past two years and run with it! I'd love to help out—but I can't plan it. (I can barely blog!!) If anyone wants to, email or tweet me. Because I'd love to pass it on! 

Anyway, what have I been doing?

Well, so many things. 

I live in the DC-area now! That's a fun change. Working, enjoying people, trying to figure it out beyond that because I still have no idea. (Nothing new there!)

Most of my life has consisted of every and all things Spencer Hill Press. I'm editing three books (maybe four by the time you read this—more on that later!) I'm the Intern Wrangler, which means that I'm "in charge" of a whole (or most of) an Intern Fleet of editors and readers and Copy Editors and…it's a lot. But it's exciting and going to be so much fun to get everyone plugged in.) I've also been working with Patricia and Kate to re-structure some things. Basically, it's been A LOT. While I didn't have a job after my move, I spent the whole summer working on SHP stuff and it always seemed like there was more to do. So that.

I've been writing. A very good amount of writing. 

I finished a whole MS, which is in it's second round of edits and about to go out into the query-world. I don't feel like that's right. I feel like I *just* did that, which I guess I did. It's sorta weird. The last MS was a book that I poured my soul into, and the current one is too, but in very different ways. (Funny how books can do that!) Where the last was all dark and beautiful brokenness., the new is all snark and magic. I love it. 

I'm also writing a new WIP that’s a dual POV Contemp. I love it in other ways that don't even touch the previous ones. This one I just LOVE my MCs and it's only because of them I can tell this story. Contemp is different. It's not about building the world, because it's already built, it's about building the characters in the world. Their struggles can be simple, but if it means life or death to them then it means life or death to the reader—but only if you build the character. It's an interesting balance. 

Once I finish that—which I'm hoping will happen through/by/in November (fool's wish, I know!)--then I'm going back to that dark/beautiful broken one to do a few revisions. There are some improvements I want to make for the pure reason that someone pointed them out & they were smart suggestions, and I love that story.

That's where I've been hiding. 

How are all of you?? Update me!

*note: less than one hour after posting this, I decided that I will do the revisions before I work on the current WIP. Just b/c I already know it and that's a smarter decision. Hopefully*