Meanwhile, Back at the Blog
Hello, beautiful people! I'm back. How was your December? Mine was fabulous. I've been doing a lot of traveling... and I also received two intriguing packages:(1) My Czech and Slovak Gracelings, published by Ediposs. The Czech cover is on the right. I would tell you what Výjimečná means, except that I don't know! The Slovak title is Výnimočná. If there are any Czech or Slovak speakers out there who'd like to educate me, please feel free to leave a comment! [ETA 6:42pm: both titles are the feminine form of "someone who is phenomenal or exceptional," more or less. Thank you to Marek from Slovakia for the translations!]
(2) A super surprise from my Book Blogger Holiday Swap Swapee, Heather from Tales of a Capricious Reader!
Heather was thoughtful and did her research. Courtesy of my somewhat awkward MacBook camera, here's my loot (starting at the top and going clockwise): pens; hot chocolate; a beautiful little hand-made journal with a Paris theme (perhaps Heather knew psychically that I have events in Paris this spring?); hair ties for my ever-present pigtails; POST-IT NOTES!; an adorable little change purse with an "I ♥ books" theme (this has already gotten a compliment from the check-out person at Trader Joe's, whose first word was "book" -- we had a whole conversation about it ^_^); and, as if that weren't enough, Impossible by Nancy Werlin and Nothing but Ghosts by Beth Kephart!
Thank you, Heather :o)
So, I want to wish everyone a peaceful and thoughtful New Year. This is one of the few holidays I always feel like I can get behind, because I love that it's a time for contemplation and resolutions -- in my case, resolutions that will bring more peace to my life, such as: I will think very carefully about my priorities before I accept invitations to do appearances, and I will forgive myself when I have to say no -- because, after all, my priority this year is finishing Bitterblue, not to mention my personal life. (Um. I mean that living my personal life is one of my priorities -- not finishing it!)
What about you? Do you have a resolution you care to share? Preferably not the kind that is self-denying or self-punishing, as resolutions can sometimes be? ^_^
Happy new decade, everyone.
Comments
I hope you have a wonderful 2010!
My big resolution is to read and post reviews for 100 books this year.
I have several resolutions this year: to work out consistently (not towards any particular goal, but I want to make physical activity a habit), to keep my apartment clean (co-resolution with the husband), blog consistently (the last three months or so of '09 I was pretty good about posting 3 times a week and I want to keep up at at least that level!) and write fiction for at least 15 minutes every day!
My resolution this year is to finish, or at least put in more effort, the book that I am currently writing. Hopefully once that is done I can try to get it published, after all of the revisions and editing of course!
Re the new year, I read this article this morning and liked the perspective>>
Congratulations on your Czech and Slovak editions of Graceling.
I ADORE the change purse and the rest of your booty looks pretty darn cool too.
I must say that I've never enjoyed New Years before the way I did this year. Normally I savior time and greet the new year quietly. This year was different. I was excited for it. Eager even.
My first resolution is to write, and to make time for writing and to forgive myself for making the time to write even when it means saying no to other engagements. My second resolution is to write, and write even when it seems as though it is to no end, and to forgive myself for those moments in which I think it IS to no end because I know that there is always a purpose in writing. After all, if you can't write for yourself and find joy in that, how can you write for the public and find joy in it?
I am from Slovakia and I can speak Czech and Slovak, of course :D you want to know what the title of your book gracelings means in this languages, right? its something like exceptional or phenomenal (but in female gender of meaning, so its sth. like she exceptional) I hope I helped you :) cant wait to read this book, looks great :)
Have a nice day :)
Marek
NEW YEARS!!
Bah Humbuggles...
I want to make a commitment to read for 2 hours every day! (Your books 1st and foremost of course!)
I am excited for an opportunity to become extremely healthy (i dont find getting healthy as self denial... it just plain feels good to be that way- back when i remember it- thank goodness i can at least remember the feeling :-)
And most important and exciting resolution of the year... if it sounds like fun and i wanna do it... i am going to do it!! I am going to make sure i spend 2010 LIVING!!! to the fullest...
here is to an awesome year and finishing the writing of a book!!!
Happy New Year :-)!!!
jeanie
I hope you have a great 2010 and enjoy working on Bitterblue.
BTW, my most recent literary forays were Jim Dale's narration of a Christmas Carol, which is fabulous, and "Charles and Emma" which was an interesting biographical work on Darwin aimed at teens. I don't seem to be able to read much for adults.
I felt thoroughly inspired after reading Graceling (over the holidays). Kristin, I loved the story, tone, pacing, action, emotion, and story world. And now I am on to Fire. Yay!
I'd like to put in a good word here for independent booksellers worldwide. A dedicated, passionate reader/worker at one such store turned me on to Graceling and I will forever be grateful. So I will add another goal for 2010: to buy more books from the independent stores run by people who really love books.
Happy 2010!
to have less stuff
to do more good
I'd also like to have family game nights
and to clear space for myself to create more
I've been too busy.
Happy New Year!
So... 'ditto' :-)
to heather... i have enjoyed the rss feed and am adding to my overwhelming 'to read' list...
Kristin... thats so cool about the addt'l publishings... so very cool...
Happy New Year... again... <3 :-)
Resolution for 2010- recognize the beauty in every day life
My new years resolution is to keep track of all the books I read this year...and that's a big job. lol.
My resolutions for this year are:
1) to get my first novel published (currently with an agent)
2) to finish my second novel
3) to spend more time in nature
4) to spend more time in museums
That's funny, I got hot chocolate and Impossible too. :) I already finished Impossible. So I don't spoil anything, I'll just say that the references made me happy, because I understood them. I just can't really "get" into a book that occurs in a modern setting.
I don't really have a resolution yet. Last year it was to write and maybe finish my attempt at a book. That never happened. Should I say that I'll do that this year, even with the college application process starting this summer? I know it'll probably never get done.
My New Year's Resolution is to finish the book i'm writing. I met a local author who told me to follow my dream. So i'm keen to be published! =D
Feather xx
My second resolution is to land my axle jump. Yes, I mean the figure skating jump. I've been working on it for almost a year, but not really trying yet. I have to at least land it once this year. Happily, I'm starting over private lessons again this January since all the christmas shows are finished. I'm guessing I'll get very close to landing it by the time summer comes up.
I'm excited about 2010 in most every way possible (except the struggle to remember to write 2010 on schoolpapers rather than 2009). Ending eighth grade; starting high school (Eeek!). Ah, an eventful and memorable year is ahead of us all.
Lots of good things and success!!
:-)
No resolutions for me, but I would say goals, like breaking my reading record, and start to work on writing my story/novel; that's if school and work give me a chance :-)
This year however I'm going to write a few select resolutions in the front of a diary (keep a diary is new years resolution number 1). I think my main resolution is going to be to learn to accept my weight or finally do something about it. I also want to commit myself to keeping on top of Uni reading and ontop of My reading.
Good luck with your resolutions everyone, I hope you keep them and they make you happy..xxx
I am in the middle of Fire and can't put it down -- thank you for creating such a beautiful and engaging novel!
I am resolved to do so many things better this year that the list seems insurmountable. So my resolution is to faithfully keep an accurate "To Do" list and cross off at least three items a day, large or small.
I'm a school librarian, and getting a copy of Fire for our school library is going on the list ...
i usually don't make resolutions but last month i was feeling directionless so i thought making them would help me this year. the list is too long so here's a link if you care to look:
http://thejanicechronicles.blogspot.com/search/label/to%20do%20list
But I suppose this year I do have a sort of resolution, though I see it as less of a resolution and more of a really smart thing I should have been doing all along. This year I intend to do my homework THE DAY IT IS ASSIGNED! I never do this and always get swamped during the semester (I'm in Graphic Design, stupidly large workload), so since this is my final semester before graduation (assuming everything goes well), I intend to do it right, especially since it's supposedly the HARDEST one there is.
Oh and hi, I am one of your biggest fans. I am 16 year old girl and I absolutly love your books. They are amazing and I can never stop reading them. I think I have read graceling at least five times since the summer. Most of my friends have stolen the book from me so that they could read it and when they gave it back they agreed that it was amazing. Right now we cant wait for you to finish your nest book and I am going to run to the nearest book store when it comes out.
My biggest new years resolution is that I am going to finish the book I am writing and hopefully people will like it.