My Conclusion On Reading Galleys...

Near the end of 2012 and in the beginning  of 2013, I started to request several galleys from NetGalley and Edelweiss. There were some pretty good ones in there and I was definitely looking forward to devouring the stories. I managed to read some of them and review them. But then I was in the process of packing for my move and reading just fell to the wayside. Then I moved and a couple of the ARCs I started to read ended up expiring. And the ones that hadn't expired yet only had a couple more days or weeks left on them. When I tried to read them before they expired, I just didn't have enough time, or I couldn't get myself invested in the story enough to finish them on time. So, half the galleys I requested did not get read.

As a book blogger, I take my "job" seriously. If I request a book from a publisher with the intention of reading and reviewing it, I want to follow through. To me, it feels like a responsibility I should fulfill. When I can't, it's disappointing in a couple ways--because I can't finish a book I really wanted to read and because I'm letting someone else down.

At first, I was just upset with myself for the irresponsibility in the matter. Then I got to thinking about it and realized something. I liked the idea of galleys and ARCs but the expectations from it are too much for me to handle. I'm not so great with deadlines. I thought I could handle these since I was so excited about the books I received for review. But even when I really want to read a book, I can still have a little bit of trouble with the deadline.

I think I've talked about this before, how I want to read just for the sake of enjoying reading. I want to pick up a book and read it just because I want to, not because I have to. As much as I want to keep up with all these new releases, I'd rather focus my attention on the ones that I've been meaning to give attention to. I mean, you've seen my list of books I've won and gotten free from authors, not to mention the tons I've purchased since starting this blog. I have a lot of catching up to do. Why should I request more? I need to prioritize and follow through on my promises to myself.

Now that I've shared some of my thoughts, have any of you come to the same conclusion? Or do you enjoy reading and reviewing ARCs within a deadline? I'm curious!

Update Thursday #91

Welcome to Update Thursday, my own personal meme of sorts where I post an update of the goings on at my blog, with reading and writing. Feel free to borrow the idea from me for your own bookish musings.

Reading...

Books I Finished:

This Beautiful Thing by Amanda Heath (-Goodreads-)
Impossible by Komal Lewis (-Goodreads-)

 964 of 964 E.E. Cummings poems finished (6 this week).

Books I'm reading:

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (-Goodreads-)

Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook (-Goodreads-)
Desire by Kailin Gow (-Goodreads-)
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky (-Goodreads-)

Writing...

~ If Only We ~ 47,301 ~

~ Before We Knew ~ 11, 449 ~

~ Whatever This Is ~ outlining ~
~ Under Enchanted Skies ~ 1,550/plotting ~
~ Beyond The Horizon ~ plotting ~
~ So I Thought ~ plotting ~
~ Hold Your Breath ~ plotting ~

The latest =  That's right. 3404 words this last week. It seems impressive, doesn't it? Well, it isn't really. Lol. Most of it was copy/pasting from the original scenes I wrote with slight tweaking to match up with what I have been writing. BUT IT SURE FEELS GOOD. I will possibly hit 50,000 by the end of 2012 (*crosses fingers*). I was hoping to have the revisions/rewrites done by then, but I am going to be content with what I have and keep pressing on! It's so nice to get to this part of my story though. This part is the most important part and what I've been working toward all year. I can't wait to finish and share it with you!

Until next time!

Update Thursday #90

Welcome to Update Thursday, my own personal meme of sorts where I post an update of the goings on at my blog, with reading and writing. Feel free to borrow the idea from me for your own bookish musings.

Reading...

Books I Finished:

Among The Nameless Stars by Diana Peterfreund (-Goodreads-)
All The Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen (-Goodreads-)

Books I'm reading:

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (-Goodreads-)

Impossible by Komal Lewis (-Goodreads-)
Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook (-Goodreads-)

958 of 1026 E.E. Cummings poems finished (4 this week)

Writing...

~ If Only We ~ 43,897 ~

~ Before We Knew ~ 11, 449 ~

~ Whatever This Is ~ outlining ~
~ Under Enchanted Skies ~ 1,550/plotting ~
~ Beyond The Horizon ~ plotting ~
~ So I Thought ~ plotting ~
~ Hold Your Breath ~ plotting ~

The latest = 845 words. Not bad considering my week at work! By tomorrow night, I'll have worked 10 extra hours this week. *passes out thinking about it* But I'm actually doing okay, I mean, I'm functioning okay. Sure, I keep getting into this slap happy phase when I instant message my friend Rebecca every day, but it provides for some much needed entertainment for the both of us. Once the weekend hits, I'll be able to catch up on all sorts of everything--emails and posts and reading. I'm actually almost finished with E.E. Cummings, much sooner than expected... I think I majorly miscalculated the number of poems--I went by the table of contents and I think I double counted a couple small sections that had a title, then numbers below them, when I should have just counted the numbers (if that makes sense...). In any case, things are looking up!

I actually wrote out a couple of blog posts I've been sitting on last night after seeing THIS PIN on Pinterest. In case you don't want to click on it, it says, "A year from now you will wish you had started today." It really, REALLY got me to thinking last night and I almost feel like I was the jump-start I needed to make some changes in my thinking and my actions. I can't wait to get those posts scheduled. I hope they can be inspiring to my fellow writers! <3

Until next time!

Update Thursday #89

Welcome to Update Thursday, my own personal meme of sorts where I post an update of the goings on at my blog, with reading and writing. Feel free to borrow the idea from me for your own bookish musings.

Reading...

Books I Finished:

City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare (-Goodreads-)

Books I'm reading:

 The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (-Goodreads-)
All The Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen (-Goodreads-)

Impossible by Komal Lewis (-Goodreads-)
Among The Nameless Stars by Diana Peterfreund (-Goodreads-)

954 of 1026 E.E. Cummings poems finished (25 this week)

Writing...

~ If Only We ~ 43,052 ~

~ Before We Knew ~ 11, 449 ~

~ Whatever This Is ~ outlining ~
~ Under Enchanted Skies ~ 1,550/plotting ~
~ Beyond The Horizon ~ plotting ~
~ So I Thought ~ plotting ~
~ Hold Your Breath ~ plotting ~

The latest = Another 1000 words down, so many more to go... it's like, the never ending story. Not really. My mind is just everywhere lately. I can't wait for 2013 to get here. I need a change. Maybe I just need the weekend to get here. I haven't had the greatest week so far. I mean, some of it is good, but some of it makes me want to rip my hair out. But, I'm okay, don't worry about me. I'll talk more of it Sunday. Maybe things will chill out by then. Anyhow... the next scene in my novel shouldn't be too hard. I just need a moment to sit down and write it is all.

Until next time!

Update Thursday #88

Welcome to Update Thursday, my own personal meme of sorts where I post an update of the goings on at my blog, with reading and writing. Feel free to borrow the idea from me for your own bookish musings.

Reading...

Books I Finished:

~Nothing~

Books I'm reading:

City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare (-Goodreads-)
Among The Nameless Stars by Diana Peterfreund (-Goodreads-)
All The Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen (-Goodreads-)

929 of 1026 E.E. Cummings poems finished (6 this week)

Writing...

~ If Only We ~ 41,983 ~

~ Before We Knew ~ 11, 449 ~

~ Whatever This Is ~ outlining ~
~ Under Enchanted Skies ~ 1,550/plotting ~
~ Beyond The Horizon ~ plotting ~
~ So I Thought ~ plotting ~
~ Hold Your Breath ~ plotting ~

The latest = Still low on progress, but I may have reached an epiphany on how to make the whole thing flow better. I quickly went through what I've written thus far and added in the notes I need to fix it when I finish. I'm hoping this will help motivate me to sit down and write more often so I can get finished soon (crossing fingers for end of 2012).

I keep coming up with more scenes for my new story idea. That thing is a gold mine. I can't wait to focus on that one. And share the details with you.

And I wrote a note in my phone at 1:42 a.m. Wednesday that had me rolling for about ten minutes straight. I would like to share it with you, but I'm thinking about putting it in a story someday. When I do, I'll let you know which line it is.

Until next time!

Update Thursday #87

Welcome to Update Thursday, my own personal meme of sorts where I post an update of the goings on at my blog, with reading and writing. Feel free to borrow the idea from me for your own bookish musings.

Reading...

Books I Finished:

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (-Goodreads-)
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (-Goodreads-)
Dark Waltz by A.M. Hargrove (-Goodreads-)

Books I'm reading:

City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare (-Goodreads-)
Among The Nameless Stars by Diana Peterfreund (-Goodreads-)
All The Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen (-Goodreads-)

923 of 1026 E.E. Cummings poems finished (17 this week)

Writing...

~ If Only We ~ 41,429 ~

~ Before We Knew ~ 11, 449 ~

~ Whatever This Is ~ outlining ~
~ Under Enchanted Skies ~ 1,550/plotting ~
~ Beyond The Horizon ~ plotting ~
~ So I Thought ~ plotting ~
~ Hold Your Breath ~ plotting ~

The latest = At least I did SOMETHING this week. ^_^ And, actually, I've been working on something ELSE too... remember that story idea I've been talking about and how I was trying to figure out a title for it? Well... I finally did come up with a title... want to know what it is? Well... you'll have to wait! I am really excited about this new idea and once I get the basics worked out (and I get much closer to finishing If Only We), I will do a little reveal for you all! I actually was looking through some pictures on Dreamstime recently and I think I've already got a cover for it. Sorry, couldn't help myself... you know what happens when you get into a loop online, you just can't get out! Anyway, I'll tell you more soon.

Until next time!

Update Thursday #86

Welcome to Update Thursday, my own personal meme of sorts where I post an update of the goings on at my blog, with reading and writing. Feel free to borrow the idea from me for your own bookish musings.

Reading...

Books I Finished:

The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin (-Goodreads-)

Books I'm reading:

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (-Goodreads-)
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (-Goodreads-)
City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare (-Goodreads-)

906 of 1026 E.E. Cummings poems finished (30 this week)

Writing...

~ If Only We ~ 40,496 ~

~ Before We Knew ~ 11, 449 ~

~ Whatever This Is ~ outlining ~
~ Under Enchanted Skies ~ 1,550/plotting ~
~ Beyond The Horizon ~ plotting ~
~ So I Thought ~ plotting ~
~ Hold Your Breath ~ plotting ~

The latest = Nothing. That's right. Nothing. Well, nothing on If Only We. I did write a couple notes on things I need to adjust/change with regard to certain details in the beginning, but that was it. I haven't had much of a chance to sit down and get back to writing and revising that this week. I've been too busy getting eBay and Etsy stuff up for sale. It's the time to sell so I must get it going! I have, however, been working on a NEW story idea that came to me recently. I wrote several notes in my phone (I think there were 20 of them) with ideas for the general plot PLUS a few specific scenes. Then I typed them into my computer so I wouldn't forget them. It's going to be awesome! I can't wait to work on this new one when If Only We is complete. I'm still working on a title. I hope to have one soon and put it on the above update.

Until next time!

Update Thursday #85

Welcome to Update Thursday, my own personal meme of sorts where I post an update of the goings on at my blog, with reading and writing. Feel free to borrow the idea from me for your own bookish musings.

Reading...

Books I Finished:

The Evolution Of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (-Goodreads-) 

Books I'm reading:

The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin (-Goodreads-)
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (-Goodreads-)
City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare (-Goodreads-)

876 of 1026 E.E. Cummings poems finished (21 this week)

Writing...

~ If Only We ~ 40,496 ~

~ Before We Knew ~ 11, 449 ~

~ Whatever This Is ~ outlining ~
~ Under Enchanted Skies ~ 1,550/plotting ~
~ Beyond The Horizon ~ plotting ~
~ So I Thought ~ plotting ~
~ Hold Your Breath ~ plotting ~

The latest = I actually did all those words (1700) in one night. It was an epic night. I expected to have at least one more night to write, but not this week. I finished reading a book instead. We'll see how this next week goes... I'm getting into the end of the book, and there were several scenes that I actually did have written during NaNo (I'd say maybe 75% of what I've been doing for the last 15,000 words has been filler scenes in between the important conversations and acts). So my numbers may jump a little bit over the coming weeks, which will be awesome if they do (as long as I can tweak most of what has already been written to fit in with the revised plot). *crosses fingers*

Until next time!