The Goodreads Challenge

Besides being an author and writer, I am also an avid reader. (Don't those two things go hand in hand?)

One of my favorite sites on the internet is Goodreads, where I can mark down all the books I read, make friends with other readers, read and write reviews, and find lots of other good books I want to read.

This year, I once again took part in the Goodreads Challenge. Because it was 2012, I challenged myself to read 112 books. (Last year I read 128, so I figured it would be no problem.)

2012 Reading Challenge

Linda has completed her goal of reading 112 books in 2012!

hide

112 of 112 (100%)

view books

But as the middle of an extremely busy December rolled around, I was a little behind. Eek, could I make my goal? Truth be told, I also had just read about 1/3 of the way through two rather dark literary books, and decided not to finish them. So I didn't count those.

But I did take myself to the library a few days ago, and found some relatively easy, short books that I gobbled up quickly. Was that cheating? No, I don't think so.

But I made my goal! Last night, I finished my 112th book for the year, and I'm already reading another. I might even make 113 for the year.

Here is what I've read this year:

Linda's bookshelf: read

Linda's favorite books »

Here's wishing a Happy New Year, and a Happy Reading Year, to all of you!

May the year 2013 bring you the best of everything!

By the way, I plan to read at least 113 books next year! :-)

A Holiday Wish

Wishing a Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season to everyone!

Thanks to all of you who bought my books, read my books, took the time to review my books, or just stopped by to read this blog. I truly appreciate you all!

During this holiday season, I wish you time to spend with family, time to read, eat, enjoy life, or just reflect.

But most of all, I wish you peace.

Winter Book Blast and Giveaway!

Hi Everyone! This is one of the stops on the Winter Book Blast, sponsored by
The Edible Bookshelf.

This is a Blog Hop! It runs from December 15-23, 2012. I'm giving away a copy of my new young adult novel Six Degrees of Lost at this stop! Details and Rafflecopter entry below. (Be sure and enter both contests - two chances to win this book!)

A new young adult novel set in the Pacific Northwest, filled with lost dogs and cats, rescue horses, rural life, raft trips, boys behaving badly, and a mother in jail. Two teens from entirely different backgrounds, Olive and David, take a foolhardy journey to find out where they really belong.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest open internationally. U.S. winner receives choice of print or ebook. International winner will receive ebook.

Our host - The Edible Bookshelf - is giving away a Grand Prize of a packet of books for your reading pleasure. Enter here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The list below is all of the stops on the blog hop, with lots of books and prizes to win!



So be sure to sign up for all of the contests, then curl up by the fire and enjoy!

Here's wishing you Lots of fun - Lots of good reading this winter.

A Fairy Garden

Look what sprang up overnight in our yard from a sodden bed of leaves, bark, needles, and twigs.

 

I don't know what kind of mushrooms these are, do you?

But it's enough to make you imagine sprites, elves, pixies, or fairies having a party here.

Shhh! Think I'll go pen a fairy tale. *grin*

The Finish

Want to know what the biggest payoff for a writer is?
Huge advance?
Best-selling book?
Fame, Money, Recognition?

Well, granted, I've not well-acquainted with any of those things, so you can take what I have to say with a grain of salt, but I'm willing to bet that most writers, no matter who they are, will agree that the biggest satisfaction they get is actually
Finishing. Something.
Writing that last sentence.
That final word.

Yes, I know there are many drafts involved, and lots of editing, but when you finally get to
The. End.
of a project you've been working on, there is immense satisfaction.

Today, I finished a 10,000 word short story I've been working on, based loosely on a true story of saving a wild kitten. And that wonderful feeling, when you know you've nailed it, got it to the right place, finished the final sentence that wraps it up and says what you want to say - is just a pretty darn good feeling.

I'll let you know when this one is ready to read. It might be part of an anthology or I may do something else with it.

But for now, it sits on my desk, printed out and ready for another read-through and round of editing, but mostly, it is *big yay*
Finished!