I'm Ba-ack! What Helps You Recharge?

Hello everyone!

I'm back from my week-long break. It was so needed. And I am so excited to be back.


Congrats to all of you who completed the A to Z Challenge! I bow down to you :)


In light of my recent break, I am curious. How do you recharge? What do you do in order to attack something with the passion that you know you have for it?



I don't usually need to recharge when it comes to writing but it was nice to take a break from the web. My eyes, fingers, brain, just needed a break. And now I'm back!

So I'm curious what you find you need a break from on occasion. Is the break a few hours? A day? Longer? Maybe you don't take a break, you dangle a prize or something from a little string that is just out of reach until you reach your goal?

I'm sure I'll need to recharge again sometime in the future and I'm totally interested in what works for you.

And, right around the corner is the Oh Those High School Dances Bloghop! If you haven't signed up already, you should! It's going to be so much fun and there are many prizes to win! You can sign up below and if you'd like to read the rules just click on the Bloghop button on the left.

Unplugging... just for a little while.

Hey everyone!

This new blogger layout has me super confused. I'm sure I'll eventually get the hand of it but geez... just when I figure out the old one they go and switch it on me.

Funny story. Last night I had my first softball game with a bunch of friends. We're a fairly athletic bunch so we thought... why not put together a softball team? Me and three of the other girls carpooled and got to the field twenty minutes early. Five minutes before the game one of the guys called and is like, 'Are you here?'

I was like, 'Yes, we've been here for twenty minutes.' To which he replied. 'We're on field six. Where are you?'

It took two seconds to count the fields in front of me, of which there were only three.

We were at the completely wrong place.

Yeah... we jumped in our car and drove like mad to the fields down the road. Only started like ten minutes late.

So anyways... I'm going to unplug from the blogosphere, just through the end of the week. I've gotten some great critiques back for The Cricket Project and am currently also working on a Contemporary YA collaboration with Jen Morris, not to mention all those other little life things that need to get done. I plan on making the rounds this weekend.

If you'd like a few words of understanding when it comes to the writerly world, click here to see my post which is up on our blog Falling for Fiction.

And if you haven't signed up for the 'Oh Those High School Dances' bloghop click on that cool little button Miss Emily R. King designed on the left side of the screen and sign up! It should be TONS of fun! :)

Poll Results and 'A Moment for Yourself'

Its Friday!! HOLY CRAP! Where did the week go?


Short post today. 


The results of the 'Do you believe in The One when it comes to love?' poll were as follows:


30% Yes
50% No
20% Unsure


I was totally enthralled by your answers and in many ways wish I held the Jewish beliefs Melissa Sugar wrote about. 

I believe that we have one soul mate on earth. I am Jewish and this belief comes from the Kabbalah and it is called B'r sheit, (probably misspelled). The Kabbalah teaches that everyone has one soul mate, the missing part of our soul and the we long to find the missing part of our soul while we are on earth. Before we are born our souls are split in two, half is placed in a male child and the other half in a female, and we spend our lives searching for that one person that completes our soul.

If we are lucky enough to find our true soul mate on earth and we recognize each other and join together as one in union, our love is so strong that it is incapable of breaking and once our souls unite we will become a powerful force in whatever endeavor we take on together.


Many of you said that after you choose someone, they become your One. So there's this idea that, yes, we do have a choice among a few we could be happy with but after we choose one, there is no one else.

That's the boat I'm in.

Thank you to everyone who participated. I love polls. Don't you?

And, since I finished another Self Magazine and always love the things of inspiration at the end, here is what this issue's said:

Slip Away

The only thing better than taking a break from it all is making your way back feeling stronger, clearer and more in control. When you're overwhelmed and you need to escape, allow yourself that luxury. Getting a little distance may be all it takes to feel more focused and appreciative.

Is there really only one?

Another week. Who's excited!?!?!

I am. I guess. Why not be excited? Though I do feel like every time I look over my shoulder another week has gone by. :)

A few things today:

THANK YOU. I know I said that practically everyday last week, but that's because I mean it. I think my query letter is really getting there (is it ever really there? ;)). Because I appreciate you all so much I won't post the newest version here. But, if you're curious how it currently looks, check out my 'Literary Endeavors' tab. Its the first one listed. As always, feel free to lay on the critiques. I am ALWAYS excited to hear what you think.

And I'm also blown away by the offers I've received to beta The Cricket Project! I will most definitely take people up on their offers but first dibs go to my lovely CPs/betas who've put up with my previous manuscripts. :) I'll contact those of you who were interested when the time comes.

Next up is the reason for the title of this post.
I've finished a number of books recently which allude to the idea that there is a single person out there for us when it comes to love. 'The One', as many people refer to it. It is our quest in life to find this one person.

I am not a romantic and, something that probably heavily influenced my beliefs, neither is my mother. I do not believe there is only one person out there I could be happy to spend the rest of my life with.

*Note: when I do get married the plan is to spend the rest of my life with that one person. My belief is that there are a few guys out there that could be 'my better half.'*

So, I'm curious. What are your beliefs on the matter? I realize many of you have already found a special someone, which is totally awesome. My mother and father are happily married for over 25 years, but my mother mentions how even though she's very happy with her life, she believes if she would have chosen a different path, perhaps with another guy, she could have been equally as happy. My dad just smiles and nods. haha. (I repeat. My parents love each other very much. :))

Since polls are fun I thought we'd vote via that. Also feel free to leave a comment. Maybe you'll change my mind ;)

Quizzes by Quibblo.com | SnapApp Quiz Apps

I LOVE You Guys! The Updated Query

So, if no ones told you that you are the most wonderful person lately, I'm telling you now. I am completely overwhelmed and 100% appreciative of all the feedback I got for my query. Seriously guys. *brushes a tear away*

To show you all that I took in everyone's opinions, below is the second draft. It includes the stakes, polishes up a few things and hopefully addresses the feeling some people got that it was for a Middle Grade audience.

As always, opinions are MORE than welcome.

The Cricket Project

Sixteen year old Lyra Altair, a genius by every measure, finds herself thoroughly perplexed for the first time she can remember. Stars don’t fall out of the sky and they most certainly don’t just disappear. But Spica, of the constellation Virgo, is gone.

Lyra approaches her father, the lead astronomer of SEAD: Space Exploration and Discovery. But her questions go unanswered and that is unacceptable. She follows her father to work and uncovers America’s greatest kept secret.

SEAD has developed the StarCatcher - the ability to capture stars and use their energy to grant any wish desired. The more complicated the wish, the larger the star needed. Unless a person is within the perimeter of the SEAD building at the time of the wish, they never know their world has been altered.

AIDS ceases to exist and a war is brought to an end fairly for both sides. But when a terrorist group attacks the world’s largest hotels, the United States’ government has no patience left. They’re going to force the countries which house terrorists to become US territories so the terrorists can be found and the planet will be one step closer to world peace.

The government insists everyone will benefit, but Lyra doesn’t feel comfortable having countries lose their sovereignty via a wish upon a star. She tries talking to her dad, but he pushes it off as the government’s problem, his interests are purely in science. So Lyra turns to the electronic genius of her best friend, Darren, putting both his freedom as well as her own on the line.

Their only hope is to reveal The Cricket Project and let the world decide what wishes are worth the price of a star.

Would you like more traffic? And an update on my writing!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Mine was quite good, thanks. ;)

First things first:
As many of you know, we launched our group blog, Falling for Fiction, last week. We are seriously BLOWN AWAY by all the support we've received already! (And here we thought we were going to be doing the supporting...;))

The purpose of Falling for Fiction (FFF as many have started calling it) is to support YOU. After the A to Z Challenge is over we will be going into our regularly scheduled broadcast which includes a spotlight for new writing community buddies every Friday.

Guess who gets the first Friday?

Yup, ME!

So, if you are new to this wonderful online writing community or you know someone who is, contact me! (kger215(at)gmail(dot)com)

I promise I won't make you do anything too crazy.

Probably just force you to create a video of you singing about where you want your writing dreams to take you.

Not too much to ask right? ;)


But in all seriousness, if you're looking for a little spotlight, a little more traffic to your blog, contact me and we'll get it going.

And if you don't make the first Friday's Spotlight there will be one every Friday. So everyone who wants a shot will get a shot.

Now for the less important part of this post: me. Haha.

I typed 'the end' on my fifth completed manuscript, a YA Science Fiction piece, at 1:30am Saturday morning. It was very exciting. I haven't given up hope on FRACTION OF STONE, my YA Fantasy. There are still some nibbles here and there but I am horrible at the waiting game so I must write the next one as I wait.

At 65,000 words, THE CRICKET PROJECT is my newest baby. I NEVER thought I would write a Science Fiction piece and to be honest, its not very science fictiony. More contemporary with a light sci-fy twist.

Here is the current query. I LOVE constructive feedback so if you think you can make it better, I'm seriously all ears.

And, the ultimate question, does it sound like something you'd consider reading? You can be perfectly honest. No matter how good the writing is there are just some types of stories I don't like. So I won't be offended if it doesn't sound like your cup of tea.

The Cricket Project

Sixteen year old Lyra Altair, a genius by every measure, doesn’t understand. Stars don’t fall out of the sky and they most certainly don’t just disappear. But Spica, of the constellation Virgo, is gone.

Lyra divulges her findings to her father, David Altair, lead astronomer of SEAD, Space Exploration and Discovery. He must understand the phenomenon Lyra isn’t privy too. But Lyra’s questions go unanswered and that is unacceptable. She follows her father to work and uncovers America’s greatest secret.

SEAD has developed the StarCatcher - the ability to capture stars and use their energy to grant any wish desired. The more complicated the wish, the larger the star needed. Unless a person is within the perimeter of the SEAD building they never know their world has been altered.

Elvis is brought back from the dead, AIDS ceases to exist and wars are brought to an end. But Lyra wonders if those with the power to grant wishes have the best interest of everyone in mind. She could talk to her dad, persuade him to make SEAD understand measures must be put in place with regards to what wishes should be granted.

Or she could reveal The Cricket Project to the world and let them decide what wishes are worth the price of a star.

Congrats and Apologies

I'm going to make this post short and sweet because there's lots of wonderful A to Z posts to read out there.

First, if you don't already follow Krista, at Mother. Write. (Repeat), you're missing out. She gives SO MUCH to this writing community. Her 'An Agent's Inbox' contests are some of the best I've ever participated in and have gotten me and others I know many great opportunities with our work.

Well, she has fantastic news! She was just offered representation by  Kate Schafer Testerman of kt literary! She's a wonderful person and wonderful writer. I highly recommend giving her a follow.

And, for the apologies...

I'm not doing the A to Z challenge (well, I am, but over at Falling for Fiction. Feel free to pop on over and check it out.) but I am really enjoying reading all of the posts that those who are participating are doing.

However, since practically everyone is now posting everyday, I'm having issues making it around to read and comment. 

I just want to say I am sorry and I am doing my best and even if I'm not around everyday I promise to make it to everyone's blog as often as I can.

Have a great weekend and Happy Easter!

I'm Angie's Neighbor!!

Hey everyone!

I hope in your A to Z craziness you can find some time to pop over and give Angie's blog, Live to Write...Edit When Necessary, a look.

Angie's playing Mr. Rodgers and I'm answering all her questions to the best of my ability.

Go here to check it out. Hopefully its at least half as enjoyable to read as it was to do. :)

And the Winners of the Double Trouble Giveaway Contest are...

Drum roll please...