Lemonade out of lemons….amazing, that.

But if you’re a bird, the backyard was where the party was at:

(Juncoes, pine siskins, varied thrushes, and a sparrow or two…)

And this little Anna’s hummingbird sat and watched it all go down:

(In other news, I’m busy working on a bunch of things – a middle grade something and a YA fantasy something – as well as prepping for an upcoming California trip. I haven’t been on a plane in eons, and, well, I’m a bit nervous (bit meaning a lot)…think safe flying thoughts for me!)

While you’re over there, check out some of the other giveaways too – lots of great books and swag to be won! And many thank to Precious for including SHADOWS and Cass in this event – so glad to be part of Dystopian Domination!

The three fiction standouts from my list were NOTHING, by Janne Teller, which is a terrible and difficult and incredible book. Apparently, YA fiction in Denmark is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish. Standout #2 was PLAIN KATE by Erin Bow – oh gosh, I loved this book – this is the sort of fantasy that warms my heart and makes me want to be a better writer. Standout #3 was CRACKED by K.W. Walton, which will be released on January 3 (I read an ARC) – poignant, funny, sad, bittersweet – all the things I love in good YA fiction.

And, an honourable mention: SLAMMERKIN by Emma Donoghue. I admire any writer who breaks rules and doesn’t apologize for it. That is my writing motto for this year: don’t apologize. (It’ll be interesting to see how that pans out, being Canadian and all….)

What I am pleased about is that I read a lot more non-fiction this year. This was the year I discovered Elizabeth Lesser’s BROKEN OPEN, and what a tremendous help this book has been! Every creative person (and really, that means everyone) needs tools to swim through the murk, because there will be murk, and it’s murky (really, this sentence just an excuse to use the word “murk” repeatedly because murk is a fantastic word!). And, the other: THE FOREST FOR THE TREES, by Betsy Lerner, which, I think, is required reading for any writer. Like a writerly friend said, I spent a lot of time wondering how Betsy Lerner could have crawled into my brain – she KNOWS what the murk is like, and she gets it, and then, she hands out anti-murk tools. Betsy Lerner and Elizabeth Lesser, I am so grateful for your books. I hope I get to tell you so in person one day.

This year I hope to read more writing craft books (a stack of them is staring at me right now!), more riding books, and more adult literary fiction. But mainly, I’d like to make a dent in my TBR pile (which has morphed from a pile into several shelves) – the more I read, the more room I’ll have for new books!

So, with that, here’s the rest of the list:

NOT THAT KIND OF GIRL – Siobhan Vivian
NOTHING – Janne Teller
PLAIN KATE – Erin Bow
SLAMMERKIN – Emma Donoghue
GETTING IN TTOUCH WITH YOUR HORSE – Linda Tellington-Jones
ARMAGGEDON’S CHILDREN – Terry Brooks
THE GIVER – Lois Lowry
LANGUAGE OF EMOTIONS – Karla McLaren
HUSH HUSH – Becca Fitzpatrick
INSIDE OUT – Maria V. Snyder
INNER GOLD – Robert Johnson
EPITAPH ROAD – David Patneaude
GAME OF THRONES – George R.R. Martin
A CLASH OF KINGS – George R.R. Martin
A STORM OF SWORDS – George R.R. Martin
DIVERGENT – Veronica Roth
XVI – Julia Karr
BROKEN OPEN – Elizabeth Lesser
THE REVENANT – Sonia Gessler
A FEAST FOR CROWNS – George R.R. Martin
SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS – Browne & King
ROOM – Emma Donoghue
BEYOND THE DANCE – Chan Hon Goh
BLACKBRINGER – Laini Taylor
ROSE SEES RED – Cecil Castellucci
BLOOD RED ROAD – Moira Young
ILLYRIA – ELizabeth Hand
GRACE – Elizabeth Scott
WILD MIND – Natalie Goldberg
THE FOLKKEEPER – Franny Billingsley
TOXIC CRITICISM – Eric Maisel
DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE – Laini Taylor
A DANCE WITH DRAGONS – George R.R. Martin
CRACKED – K.W. Walton
THE FIRE IN FICTION – Donald Maass
WOMEN’S COMPLETE GUIDE TO RUNNING – Jeff & Barbara Galloway
PRETTY CROOKED – Elisa Ludwig
MARIETTE IN ECSTASY – Ron Hansen
BRAVE BATTALION – Mark Zuelke
THE LOST GARDEN – Helen Humphreys
MERLIN’S HARP – Anne Eliot Crompton
THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS – N.K. Jemisin
THE RED MARKET – Scott Carney
THE REVISIONIST – Thomas Mullen
SHE-WOLVES – Helen Castor
THE FOREST FOR THE TREES – Betsy Lerner
THE BODY NEVER LIES – Alice Miller
BANEWREAKER – Jacqueline Carey

And, on a slightly different note, a photo from today’s walk at Englishman River Falls – all the rain here on the west coast made for some seriously raging river-action!

I guess that means….I IS A REAL AUTHOR!

*dances around throwing confetti*

And so, here are the linkies:

Amazon in Canada

Amazon in the US

And, Chapters

Wow. And eek. And wow. Eeek! Wow! (And also, a little nail biting – I’ve had several dreams where no one bought my book, so please, someone, buy my nice little book! Please! Ack! Eek!)

Maybe the days have flown by because I’ve been so busy – lots of written getting done (hurrah!), lots of horse riding happening (also hurrah!), lots of running (hurrah, hurrah, hurrah), and from the looks of things, November’s going to be even busier. That’s not a bad thing, though. I tend to get more work done when I’m busy.

But, it does mean that posts here on this blog will be few and far between. Maybe that’s just the way it’s meant to be – I’m not a faithful blogger, and most days, I have no idea what to write. Honestly, my life isn’t all that interesting to anyone but me, and in the realm of writing things, well, I’m still figuring stuff out, so writing writing-related posts just doesn’t make sense at this point because I’m hardly a font of knowledge.

But, a little bird has whispered that ARCs (advanced reader copies) of SHADOWS may be appearing in the not-too-distant future, and that will hearken in all sorts of other good things…like, actual people that I don’t know reading my book. Um, just the thought of that makes me want to gnaw my fingernails. But (deep breath), that’s what I signed up for, so…bring it!

In the meantime, it’s back to work for me. The super-secret project is almost ready to leave my hands, and I’m getting ready to revisit my djinn project and my bug project and a couple of contemporary YA projects that have been stewing. Words, may you flow unimpeded!

In other words, there’s lots going on behind the scenes, which seems to be how autumn works for me.

Also, brussel sprouts! The return of brussel sprouts makes me very happy, indeed….

And, like most singing students, I’d arrive at my lesson, moaning and groaning about my voice, my voice, oh woe, my voice!

And, my very patient and long-suffering teacher would inevitably deliver the following advice: You’re sick? Then, today, you will learn to sing when you’re sick.

And then, that’s what we’d do.

So, today, when I received news that I would suddenly be under a very tight deadline, I found myself in the kitchen, wondering if I should freak out or not. And, lo and behold, Karen’s voice wandered into my head: Today, you will learn how to write under a very tight deadline.

So, that’s what I’m gonna do.

And, Karen, since I don’t know where you are in the world these days, should you ever read this: thank you!