Writing Update... My favorite character

Writing a novel is tough. I feel like one of my students; complaining that I have all these ideas in my head but can't seem to get them out onto the "digital" page.

I'm moving along and making progress:

8767 / 80000 words. 11% done!

But it is slow going with three active boys running around. I thought summer vacation was supposed to be relaxing!

I just finished writing a new scene and I'm loving the way a secondary character is coming to life!

“I’m a coming! Be right with you.” came a low, gravely voice from the back of the store. His hair entered the room before he did; like a dandelion circling his head, jet-black except for a small white streak slightly off center. “What can I do you for today?”

The gruffness of the man’s voice did not match his friendly face. Two shining eyes made contact with me from behind his glasses. He gasped as if in recognition and his feet faltered slightly as he stepped out from behind the counter. I quickly looked at the agents around me to confirm what I had just seen, but they were too busy taking in the shoddy state of the shop. Their mouths hung open in an obvious sign of disgust.

“Wh-Why hello agents.” The man said, his eyes finally registering the presence of the three agents in the room.

There was something familiar about this man. I had never been to see a Tech Mechanic before, and I am sure that I had never seen this man before either – hair like his was something one would take notice of. 

“So how can I help you today?” the man asked, looking from the agents back to me. I continued to study his face to see if it would trigger any sense of remembrance. There were small lines in the dark skin around his eyes, evidence that this man smiled often. His hands looked weathered and worn after a life of hard work. Eyebrows like woolly caterpillars crept along the thick frames of his glasses. He wore a dark blue work shirt with the name Abbit sewn neatly onto a patch on the left pocket. The man’s look was unique and worthy of remembering yet I still had no memory to attach to him. 

I just couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow I knew him.

I have this great mental image of Abbit and he has such an important role in the story. He's not the protagonist, but he is one of my favorites!

Your thoughts? Is Abbit a character you would like to know more about? 

Taco Tuesday... Pizza Rolls!

Today I am sharing my middle son's favorite weeknight dinner...

Now, as you can see, I can not take credit for this recipe. This one comes from the talented minds @ Super Healthy Kids. I found the recipe one day while looking up ways to get kids to eat veggies. My son wouldn't touch veggies with a 39 and a half foot pole! But he loves pizza!

The trick is in the sauce...

All of these great veggies get sautéed then blended with pizza sauce. It's so yummy and you can't even taste the veggies in there! I usually make the sauce over the weekend and keep it in the fridge to use during the week. It also freezes well!

Here's a peek at the process...

For the full recipe head on over to Super Healthy Kids! The recipe includes a recipe for home made pizza dough. I've never made it; I just buy the ball of fresh pizza dough from the produce section at Stop & Shop. Prep can get kinda messy on your counter, but if you make the sauce ahead, this is a quick and easy weeknight meal!

Don't forget to linkup your favorite recipes below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Have a great week :)

My first page - a work in progress...

I woke up with butterflies in my stomach this morning!

In my quest to make this the "summer of writing", I sent the first page of the novel I am working on to published author Dianne K. Salerni (She's the amazing author of the middle grades Eighth Day series). I stumbled across Dianne's blog last week and submitted my first page to her "First Impressions" posts. She posts an unpublished author's first page on her blog, offering up her valuable wisdom and expertise to help the writer make it the best opening page it can be.

So, this morning my first page went up on her blog (cue queasy stomach)! I knew it was far from perfect and I'm so grateful to get feedback from published authors and Dianne's fans. I've got some issues with tense to fix and a little plot editing to do, but nothing I can't handle.

I want to thank Dianne and the other authors on her team (Krystalyn and Marcy) for providing the opportunity for me to grow as a writer.

Stop by her blog to check it out and let me know what you think!

I've read the Eight Day (loved it!) and now I'm on Inquisitor's Mark!

Progress update... : )

6172 / 80000 words. 8% done!

Thanks for your continued support!

Currently July... Working on a Dream

July is here which means that it is time to link up again with Farley for her amazing Currently Party!

I've decided that this summer I will start working on a dream that has been nagging in the back of my mind for a long time now... I'm going to write a novel. YIKES!
I've always enjoyed writing and telling stories. There are tons of ideas floating around in my head, just never enough time to put them down on paper.
But this summer there are no more excuses! I am making sure I set aside time to write.

I'm off to a decent start...

4487 / 80000 words. 6% done!

I've joined in on this 1,000 words per day challenge. Hope I can keep up! Check out my new {WRITING} page for weekly updates.

The hard part comes next... sharing my writing with others. So here goes nothing! This is the paragraph I just wrote (literally 5 minutes ago):

Gram handed me the bacon and toast, neatly wrapped in a pocket of white linen. My breath caught in the back of my throat as I realized that I’d seen this cloth before. My fingers instinctively traced the edge of the fabric till they found the small embroidery along the edge. Feeling each stitch, afraid that I might miss one, I let the name “Grace Elizabeth Maple” pass slowly underneath my fingertips. “My little GEM” Dad had always called her. The pain their absence caused was boundless, but just holding this handkerchief in my hands brought back warm memories and the strength to continue on. 

Once I have more I'll be looking for some readers. Any takers?!

Happy July :)

Sequel Saturday

There is nothing like finishing a good book
& finding out it has a sequel! 

Even better if it's part of a series!

Sequel Saturday celebrates second place,
the books that come behind great books.

So grab a cup of coffee, cozy up on the couch,
& read on about your favorite book's younger siblings.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Welcome to the first post in my Sequel Saturday series!

Today I want to share two sequels I'm currently reading and enjoying very much. The first in each of these series prompted a swift detour form my summer reading list and a rushed order from Barnes and Noble :)

The Variant Series by Robison Wells

I found Variant at the Scholastic Warehouse Sale back in May. It is a fast paced story about Benson Fisher, a boy who has spent his life bouncing from foster home to foster home, until he receives a scholarship to Maxfield Academy. Benson thinks this will be the point in his life when things finally start to turn around... boy was he wrong. Now he is trapped in a school determined to teach him nothing useful and monitor his every move. Maxfield Academy has no adults and the students have formed gangs in order to stay alive. Detention = death in this stunning debut novel. Feedback picks up right where Variant leaves off and proves to be equally riveting!

The Eighth Day Series by Dianne K. Salerni

I ordered the Eighth Day from my classroom Scholastic Reading Club flyer at the end of the school year. It's about 13-year old, and newly orphaned, Jax waking up one morning to a world without people. The following day everyone's back and Jax is left feeling crazy. But with the help of his guardian Jax learns that he is part of a select group of people who have the power to experience a magical Eighth Day, an extra 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday. The story is exciting and rooted in Arthurian legend and magic! It was a big hit in my classroom and I'm sure the sequel will not disappoint!


Check back soon for full reviews on all books featured here!

What are you reading this summer?
Happy reading :)

Taco Tuesday - Overnight Cold Oatmeal!

It's time once again for...

This week I want to share my favorite quick breakfast recipe. Mornings in my house are hectic... trying to get myself ready for work and 3 little boys dressed and off to school means that I don't have time for breakfast. Usually I end up grabbing something super unhealthy, smothered in chocolate, and loaded with carbs...

I found a recipe online somewhere for Overnight Cold Oats and over time I adapted it a little. It is now my go to breakfast every morning!

This is easy to prepare at night after the kids go to bed. It only takes me about 15 minutes and I  usually make 3 at a time. It's a simple recipe and just requires you to mix the ingredients together! The "magic" happens overnight in the refrigerator... The chia seeds soak up the liquid in the jar, making a thick, cold, creamy oatmeal!

Just start with a glass mason jar, add the ingredients, mixing along the way, then cover and refrigerate overnight! (I found the plastic screw-on lids for mason jars at Wal-Mart). The best part about this recipe is that you can change up the flavors however you want! I've used many different flavors of Greek yogurt and different combos of fresh fruit. I like to put a lot of fruit in mine (strawberries are the best)!

Check out the full recipe and some of the flavor combinations I have tried:

Have a great recipe you'd like to share? It could be an original recipe, an old family favorite, or a great Pinterest/cookbook find. Post about it on your blog and link it back here (Click HERE to download the Taco Tuesday Logo for your post)!

I can't wait to see what you're cooking up in the kitchen this week!

An InLinkz Link-up

ENJOY, and thanks for linking up!

The First Taco Tuesday Linkup!

Summer for teachers means more time for blogging! Summer gives us time to spend with our families, reflect on our teaching, and RELAX. And I can't think of a better way to relax than with FOOD.

This summer I want to build upon my stash of recipes for the school year (planning weeknight meals is my kryptonite). 

SO, without further ado I welcome you to...

Since this is the first Taco Tuesday I felt it appropriate to begin with a taco/nacho recipe! (While Mexican food is amazing... Recipes do not have to be Mexican themed to share)

This is a basic nacho meat recipe that is quick and easy to prep and can be served multiple ways.  I like to make a batch on the weekend and serve it up several different ways during the week! I store the meat a tupperware container in the fridge for up to a week.
My favorite is with shredded cheese and tortilla chips!

I like my nachos spicy! When I make this I use HOT taco seasoning and HOT salsa. The best part is that you can customize the level of "hotness" to suit your tastebuds.

Have a great recipe you'd like to share? It could be an original recipe, an old family favorite, or a great Pinterest/cookbook find. Post about it on your blog and link it back here (Click HERE to download the Taco Tuesday Logo for your post)!

I can't wait to see what you're cooking up in the kitchen!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for linking up!