Why 2011 Rocked, and Why 2012 Will Too

Things that rocked about 2011:

• I wrote a book that was really, really, really hard to write, and I didn’t give up even when I desperately wanted to. And now I have a finished book that I am really proud of, and I learned so much from the writing experience that I would never have learned if I hadn’t pushed myself to step really, really far outside my writing comfort zone.
• I wrote the first draft of another book that was a lot easier to write but also a lot of fun, and now I am mired in revisions on it but I am excited about those revisions because man, this book is fun. Writing is fun!
• I made a bunch of awesome new writer friends. I went on two writing retreats with fabulous people who love talking about books and writing, and also, you know, the other aspects of life that are fun to talk about too. I got to see a lot of my friends experience amazing and extremely-well-deserved successes with their writing that made me so delighted they might as well have been my own.
• I also read a bunch of fantastic books this year. I’m not going to make a best-of-2011 list because I haven’t read enough 2011 releases because I am a total fail on that front, but here are some of my favorite books I read this year, listed in the order in which I read them: Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart, Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, House of Dead Maids by Clare Dunkle, If I Stay by Gayle Forman, Chime by Franny Billingsley, I Am J by Cris Beam, and Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally.
• Aside from the writing aspects of life, I also have wonderful family and friends who I got to spend more time with than I typically do, and I’m looking forward to that trend continuing, and increasing.

And yes, sure, there were also less-than-fabulous things that happened in 2011, but, I don’t know. It’s New Year’s. I’m feeling good and I’m looking forward.

Speaking of looking forward, here are some of my resolutions for 2012:

• Finish the book I’m currently revising. This will be the easiest resolution on this list to keep, I think.
• Write one other book in its entirety. This will be fun as I don’t even know yet what my next project will be. I have a hundred ideas but I haven’t picked one yet.
• Write the first draft of one other book. This is a stretch goal. I have never written as much in a single year as I am pledging to do here. I’ve never finished more than one book in a calendar year, much less completed yet another draft in that same timeframe, but 2012 will be the year, baby.
• Blog more often. This is a stretch goal too, ha. I am a good tweeter and a terrible blogger.
• Read at least 10 YA books published during 2012. I made this resolution last year too, and I came close, with 9 (and I’m halfway through another one now that I am totally not going to finish before tonight). I am a slow reader, and there are always so many older books I want to read too. But this year I am totally going to meet my goal!
• Read more books with queer characters. See here for more on my 2010 fail on this front.

Happy New Year’s to you and yours! Hope you’re looking forward to 2012 as much as I am!

Catching Jordan released today!

Today is the official release date for one of my favorite books of the year, Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally!

CJ is a fantastically believable and fantastically fun story about an awesomely strong heroine trying to figure out what she wants out of life. And also flirting with cute boys and playing in surprisingly interesting football games.

Here’s what I said about it on Goodreads:

Before I was three chapters into this book, I was already thinking, “Okay, this is so the next Anna and the French Kiss.”

And by the end, I hadn’t changed my mind at all. I mean, subtract France and pastries, add football and a bunch of extra hot guys, and, yeah. That pretty much sums it up.

Okay, not really. “Catching Jordan” stands alone. Hilariously, adorably, touchingly alone.

What made me think of “Anna,” though, was the happy, stupid grin I wore all through the reading of both books. The grin that meant “This book is so much fun, and so true, and so freaking CUTE, and I absolutely do not ever want to put it down.”

Like other reviewers, I am not a football person, but that didn’t matter. I mean, I’m not a hunter, either, but I still liked “Hunger Games” just fine. Miranda does a great job of explaining the football logistics in a way that sounds authentic but still makes sense to a complete newbie like me. Also, it helped that Jordan’s position was quarterback, because that’s one I’ve actually heard of and even vaguely know something about. (They throw things, right?)

But my main takeaway from the book was not related to football, or hot guys, or hilarity, though all of those things play huge roles in the story. My main takeaway was that it was fascinating to read about a smart, ambitious, awesome girl making decisions about her future — what she wants out of romance, what she wants to do with her impressive talents, what role she wants her family and friends to play in her life, and how to start making decisions for herself even when everyone else around her is more than happy to make them for her.

But aside from the deep thoughts aspect, there is plenty of candy in this book. There are 300-pound football players strutting around shirtless! There are cheerleaders playing foosball and talking trash! There is a girl experiencing her sexual awakening and having fun while doing so!

Check it out, I promise you’ll be delighted.

Miranda is also, just coincidentally, a fabulous friend who gives awesome writerly crit and keeps me company when occasion calls for martinis to be drunk prior to Breaking Dawn viewings (which occasion tends to do, because, have you seen Breaking Dawn?)

(Though I should note that Miranda’s willingness to drink with me did not influence my feelings about Catching Jordan. Were that the case I would be actively supporting all my college friends in their various investment-banking-related endeavors and, I suppose, posting about those on my blog instead.)

Anyway, go check out Catching Jordan, you will be delighted I promise!