Diary of a YA Author

Today is @nebrinkley's birthday, but she sent ME presents! (When the Book Dragon sends you a book, it moves to the top of your #TBR pile. Guess what I'm reading next?) #BookMail #bookstagram

Pumpkin spice bread for #Thanksgiving breakfast! I have to say, after all the years I'd spent making pumpkin spice bread at Williams-Sonoma, the Libby's mix (with real pumpkin purée) is hands-down so much better. . Finished muffins are in the front; the two mini loaves are up next. =) #PumpkinSpiceEverything

Getting into the Thanksgiving spirit with pumpkin spice oatmeal for #breakfast. It's an acquired thing, but it's actually not that bad. #PumpkinSpiceEverything

My day job work brother Julian finished writing his 1st novel this past Sunday!! And I got him those pretzels as his reward. I am so proud of him!!! =)

Well, I *was* going to put these in and be Other E for Halloween, but The Boy said he'd never forgive me. (#Coraline freaks him out, the poor thing.)

I got fun stickers & cute Halloween washi tape this weekend, so I'm taking a few minutes this AM to prettify my #plannerlife. (#Planner by @jessicamariedesign, #PlannerStickers by MAMBI) #planneraddict

This weekend's #bookmail! I've been waiting for HOLD since I met Rachel at #DragonCon last month. SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK!!!

Found on Twitter. (I must save this to use later as a writing prompt. I especially like that she specifies a blood type. Insisting on having both kidneys and a healthy liver wasn't enough!)

A 2-hour bus ride to Tampa for a field trip is perfect #AmWriting time. #WritersLife

#SurpriseMail from the Greater Detroit RWA! I'd forgotten I entered this contest. (I also forgot I LOVE HIM, I LOVE HIM NOT was a finalist.) Life and writing and day jobbing get in the way of keeping track of fun stuff like this.

Yesterday's sunrise over South Beach. #NoFilterNeeded My hotel room didn't have hot water, but it had this spectacular view. (Maybe I could only have one?) I've seen the sun set on the Pacific a thousand times, but this was my first sun rise over the water. Beautiful. #latergram

Some of my favorite cosplays of #DragonCon2016. Having so much fun; I'm so glad I came! #dragoncon2016cosplay

It almost seems unfair I don't have all the dots filled in, but the 3rd #WestgatePrep book is DONE!!! Well, the first draft of it, anyway. I spent 5 hours at Panera and another 3 at home working today, and I'm so excited this draft is done. *passes out* *dies* . But the full read-through starts tomorrow, and then the real (but oddly easier) work begins! #author #authorsofinstagram

New #planner #stickers from @planitsouthern! These will motivate me to stay ahead of laundry--just in time for the school year. And I'm super excited about the mini Mason jars to track my hydration. =) WHEEEEE! #planneraddict #INeedNewHobbies

A visual representation of what a month of #AmWriting looks like. I wrote 29,245 words of the 3rd #WestgatePrep novel in July. . August, by comparison, looks very lifeless right now. . #Planner pages by @jessicamariedesign. #PlannerStickers & #washitape Target & Michaels. #authorsofinstagram #planneraddict

Today is a big #AmWriting day, but the 3rd #WestgatePrep book is almost ready for revisions--which means I'll get to reward myself with smiley faces instead of stars! (Shiny smiles = 100 pages; matte smiles = 50.) . But first, I've got to finish writing. I've only got 8-10 more chapters to go, so the finish line is in sight! #AmRevising #NotYetButSoon #Stickers

Currently on repeat as I'm sprinting for the finish line with the 3rd #WestgatePrep book. Love them or hate them, Simple Plan captures adolescence so perfectly in the lyrics of this song. . "To be on the edge of breaking down and no one's there to save you." . *sigh* But we DO know what it's like. #AmWriting