I'm so bad. But we all love the badies right? Who wants to be the good guy working away to save the world when you could be the evil mastermind mucking up the good guys plans to begin with...you know, and generally not blogging...

Well I'm blaming this leave of absence (haha, see I learned something in college! $116,000-yeah that's how much I spent for four years at TU, thank you financial aide office-officially well spent!) on the fact that I am now working nearly full time! 40-ish hours a week! And who knew it was so dang exhausting? I'm ready to go back to my 25-hour-a-week days where I got plenty of writing and reading done, not didn't home with my legs quaking and not from joy...or walking around in 3 inch heels all day.

But I did have a bit of fun today. Totally had another old guy come in the store to buy a naughty book. The strapping lad of oh, maybe seventy, picked up this lovely little gem all about bondage. And in the ballsy of all ballsy moves, he walked right out of the store without a bag! All the young whipper snappers who come in to the store embarrassed about buying a Playboy obviously need to take a page from this veteran pervs book! If you're gonna buy dirty be proud about it! Hold your head up high as you're walking out with your smut!

Oh, and in totally unrelated news-and because I'm random like that-I found this awesome article from the ladies at Not Your Mother's Bookclub while doing my obligatory daily Google shuffle. It answers a lot of questions that I had about the process of book making after the idealistic making of the deal. Everything from who has to read the manuscript (in short, everyone) to the trying decision of what goes into the decision of whether it will be printed into a hardback/cloth, or a paperback. Very interesting stuff. I just wish they'd reveal who the editor was who participated in the interview. She works with YA which is the genre I writey-do in.

Here are the YA books I've read so far this summer:
The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer (HIGHLY RECOMMEND! This book follows the incidents that took place in Life as We Knew It but can be read without reading LaWKi first. I got five people at work addicted and hand sold all the copies we had in store...waiting for new shipment now.)

Wings by Aprilynne Pike: This was a very interesting story. It's not often I say that I've never read anything like this, but I've never read anything like this. Loved the mix of fantasy and reality in this number.

Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz (HIGHLY RECOMMEND! I've been a fan of Stolarz since Blue is for Nightmares and this book just proves that she is improving even more as a writer. I couldn't put this down! I was left guessing the entire time! Great mix of paranormal and who-done-it-ism! And ended realistically which doesn't happen often in YA so extra kudos. The second book comes out in November. Her book Project 17 just released in paperback and I'm picking that up Wednesday.)

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare: The last part of the Mortal Instruments trilogy. Very enjoyable read and her diction is so lush and smooth that it almost sounds like poetry even when she's writing grotesque descriptions. Yummy yummy yummy.

And of course!
Being Nikki by the fab-u-lous Meg Cabot: Follows the first book Airhead as the main characters gets used to life in the spotlight. This book REALLY picks up the series and gave it a good direction to follow. The last chapters had me squirming and giggling and VERY eager to read more!!! notice the extra exclamation points! Definitely a good beach read.

I know I've read more but can't remember sadly...good thing I graduated because my memory is starting to go. Speaking of which, I've gotta go. My guitar is glaring at me for ignoring it for two days...(I can totally almost play "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz....you know...if "almost play" translated to mean I can play all the chords but my fingers still suck so I have to stop and reposition them each time...because apparently typing an 100,000+ word novel and countless numbers papers is not sufficient enough exercise to make your fingers un-sucky.)

Lots of Love,
Casey

H.A.K.A.S.

P.S. White chocolate Lindor balls are the shiz!