There comes a time in every blogger’s life when they need to talk about themselves.
This time is like…all the time, honestly. Considering a blog generally equals = AN ENTIRE INTERNET SHAPED KINGDOM TO TALK ABOUT YOU AND YOUR OPINIONS. But hush. Technicalities. Today I want to talk specifically about meeeeee, your favourite book dragon, and my life and what I’m currently up to.
I also haven’t done an #AmCurrently post since, erm…February…2016. It’s possible I avoid talking about me BECAUSE I HAVE NO LIFE. But I’ll do my best, like the true warrior I am inside.
As I mentioned in my last monthly recap, I’M MOVING HOUSE.
In fact, as you read this, I am most likely in a car somewhere traipsing across Australia while aggressively listening to audiobooks to block out the fact that I hate travelling. I GET CAR SICK, OKAY? And I hate holidays, road trips, volcanic explosions, etc. etc. I like my warm hobbit hole, my daily routine…my WiFi.
Needless to say, moving house + being a rabid bookworm is a horrible decision really. I have 14 boxes of books. I’m sure I gave away or sold at least 50 too?!??? And then right as I finished sticky-taping up the last book — BOOM — the postman arrived with more books. Bless him. *
And I’m not going to lie: putting books in boxes, dismantling shelves, and trying to choose which books I’ll need to read on the way up is VERY VERY VERY HARD. I am an anxious grape, as I have mentioned, and have a diagnosed disorder (amongst other things) so moving house has been about as distressing as those gorgeous soaps people make that look like cakes, bUT NO THEY ARE SOAP. And you want badly to eat one. But no Cait. No. they. are. soap. And if that’s not distressing to us all, I don’t know what is.
I did have packing assistance from some professional packers.
Not totally sure I’d recommend this service because the smallest packer kept overloading boxes with books and the taller packer kept DECORATING THE BOXES WITH MY BOOKSTAGRAM PROPS. I can’t even. This was right after she made a “fairy garden” and unwrapped my lucky stars because “ARE THESE PRESENTS, CAIT?!” is a question that could only be answered by seeing for yourself, apparently.
I shall also be leaving my smol army (of nieces and a nephew) behind. Which is, obviously, the saddest thing.
And it’s about 2,000kms away. Here is a visual in case you’re from Jupiter and don’t know earth’s geography.
I’m the little dragon holding and evil glowing ball. I might destroy the world at some point. Or I might eat it. Options.
But there are some POSITIVES about moving: I bought a new bookshelf (!!!!!) and I’m going to have a kind of granny-flat / studio-room, which I plan to fill entirely with books and origami and dragon hatchlings. I may also turn into a granny. And I will have more time to write. I’m also bribing myself to stay sane with the promise of buying 3 hardcovers when I arrive. (I’m thinking preorders of Our Dark Duet, Eliza And Her Monsters, and The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice And Virtue??! Sounds good?!)
Is a room tour in order when I get there? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS. **
Also my parental gave me a small suitcase and mumbled something about “don’t forget to pack some clothes for the road trip” and I misheard and just filled it with books because #priorities.
* I’m actually concerned about the local delivery man and postie…like what are they going to do with all this free time that they’re not spending carting books to my house?????
** Blatant and shameless comment bribery. I can’t even with you, Cait.
Guess what happens on the 27th?! IT’S MY 6TH * BLOGVERSARY!
“But, um, Cait,” you say, tentatively as you poke your head in the oven to check your cupcakes aren’t burning because reading my blog always drives you to either distraction, spontaneous combustion, or forced cake-baking. “Cait, don’t you generally do a big celebration with lots of giveaways and an overabundance of all caps?”
First of all, excuse you. All caps are never in over abundance.
And secondly, YES I’M SORRYYYYYYYY. **
After I’m all moved, I’ll do a proper giveaway and celebratory post! However I do want to do a Q&A post! Except the only questions you probably want to ask me is is my aLL CAP KEY STUCK ON FOR GOODNESS SAKES TURN IT OFF, CAIT. And also maybe you want to inquire if I actually have a face. (Spoiler: I don’t. I’m a stack of books on legs.)
However if you do have questions (ABOUT ANYTHING!!) let me have at ’em! Queries about writing, blogging, bookstagram, or questions about meeeee and if I have hair, or my opinion on bread, or if I know where left socks disappear to.
I’ll answer them helpfully.
There’s a google form to submit questions below but if it doesn’t show up, link is here!
Until then I’m just going to eat cake.
I’d share but yet…
no.
* Wow. I suddenly feel really old in blogging years. I can literally feel my bones turning grey and my hair developing rheumatism.
** Okay. I see what you mean.
- How my books are just multiplying while I sleep. And this is a marvellous feat in itself because I barely ever sleep. But seriously, I stay in my Hobbit hole all the time??? WHERE ARE YOU ALL EVEN COMING FROM???
- My 2yo niece keeps micromanaging my life. Like if I’m fixing her a snack, she’s walking behind me going “BUT GET A BOWL CAIT. BUT CUT THE APPLE CAIT. WHERE IS MY BISCUIT CAIT.” Like I don’t know how to fix a snack, omg. She makes up for it by complimenting me though. Every time she sees me she says, “I like your shirt, Cait.” And if that doesn’t melt my cold dead heart, what will.
- Speaking of nieces, there’s a family resemblance, don’t you think? I think so.
- People keep asking me for writing tips and I dON’T KNOW HOW. No seriously. How do you write. I have no idea. There is no way for me to blank faster on any tips I’ve learned than to be asked “can you tell me how to outline???” DUDE. I CAN’T. Hats off to all of you blogs about writing advice. I’m about as coherent as a dead turtle in soup trying to make a bid for freedom.
- You know how people say “things are better shared with someone you love”?? They obviously didn’t mean cake.
- There are only SIX books on my “best of 2017 shelf”. That seems pitiful considering it’s already nearly June???? 2017, please step up your game. However, they are:
I can’t even with how much I love them though. CAN’T EVEN.
ME + A BOOK I’M IN LOVE WITH
- I’ve officially read 111 books this year! Because I’m stress-reading and have no life!!
- I was interviewed on Bookstr which was pretty exciting!! They gave me a pretty lovely write up on how #FABULOUS I am, which I was sooo not expecting and it kind of made my day. Plus 3K shares on facebook?!?????? Dude. I’m famous. I don’t even know why but I accept.
- Contemporary novels are WAY harder to write than fantasy. Pfft to whoever says fantasy is hard. HAHAAHHA. No. You try writing a contemporary when you homeschooled, have never been to hospital, aren’t romantic, a wild night equals losing your book amongst your bed covers and having to search for it, and 86% of your humour is derived from Lemony Snicket and tumblr memes. Someone pls remove me from being an author before I damage something.
- I’ve also been thinking about…how the more followers I get, the less people think I’M A REAL PERSON. Which is nonsense. I don’t have a face, but I’m still real and I have feelings. I have at least 3 of them. Maybe even 4 on a good day, like Tuesdays. Having a lot of followers shouldn’t equal people assuming they can be rude. I care about you all just as much as I did when there were 5 of you.
- Why don’t people like pineapple on pizza???? I…do?? #EqualLoveForPineapples
- My bullet journal is sTILL not writing itself. I’m so done with its rudeness. And it’s also getting monstrously thick, even though I’ve done like 10 pages all up…because I keep using scrapbook paper to hide the fact I can’t art. Or write. What is handwriting. How does one do it.
Me: *zentangles half a thing*
Me: *gets tired halfway thru and abandons ship*
Me: *tries to do a rainbow page with watercolour pencils*
Me: *goes to paint it and realises they were not watercolour pencils*
Me: Ok that’s my art quota filled for the next 65 years.
- Writing is all fun and games until your family asks to read it. It is 6000 x easier to query and sign with an agent and work with professionals than it is to pry a book out of my cold dead paws and hand it over to my family to read. I LOVE YA, FAMILY, BUT THE PRESSURE. DO I LOOK LIKE A RICE COOKER TO YOU? NO. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN AND ALSO ME, THANKS.
My writing life has been INSANE this year.
I’ve been escapism-writing because THIS YEAR HAS BEEN STRESSFUL. So far I’ve written: 8 outlines and 3 novels for a collective of 500,000 words. How? We don’t know.
And I’m so so so so excited for a project I just finished outlining. I’ve mentioned it here and there in monthly recap posts but it’s basically the BIGGEST project I’ve ever tackled. It’s an adult fantasy 5-book series about two con artist brothers who decide to rob 5 countries to distract everyone from going to war. Which goes about as well as you’d think with MEEEEE being the author. [insert evil author glee here] It’s huge, peoples. It’s huge. The 5th book outline was 40,000 words and I think my brain removed itself to Guadeloupe to recover. It’s sassy and full of heist plots and it’s super super dark and I’ve never been more proud of something since I learned how to say “gnat” without pronouncing the “g”.
NOW I NEED TO WRITE IT SO SO BADLY. I’M 99% SURE IT IS THE KIND OF PROJECT THAT WILL NEVER SELL. BUT I’M SO SO PROUD OF IT AND I DON’T EVEN CARE.
And I 100% believe it’s okay to write things for yourself. Because, well, WHO KNOWS if a miracle might happen and you become a bestseller and HBO turns it into the next Game of Thrones 6-season show. But also: everything you do improves your writing. And also helps you to discover just how mean you can be to your characters.
Spoiler: I can be very mean.
I’m considering doing a full post to tell you about so let me know if you’d like that too. SO MUCH COMMENT BRIBERY TODAY. WOW, CAIT.
OTHER PROJECTS I’M HALF WORKING ON:
- I’m editing my contemporary Goldilocks retelling. It’s going about as well as pouring honey on my head and running into a wall.
- Possibly working on another contemporary. This one about a boy who nearly dies, only to return to his hometown and discover his BFF wrote a book starring him, but killed him off at the end and she’s now famous for it and this is severely awkward.
- Half toying with the idea of an immortal who is 50000% sick of being a teen. I mentioned this idea in my recent IDEA BRAIN EXPLOSION POST and it’s caught me so bad.
- Slightly despairing because these are all the ideas I have to write:
I need a holiday from myself.
And before you ask whether I’m a writing machine, or never sleep, or how do I find time? The answer is: exactly.
But the important part? Writing makes me happy [insert me strangling part of brain that is screaming about lies] and excited. SO SO EXCITED. I can’t even with how excited I get about my projects. So I know I’m doing something write. HA HA GET IT? RIGHT = WRITE???
Yes I’ll show myself out.
Hiatus? Just a smidge.
I may have posts scheduled??? But I will be sparse online until I’m moved in. Feel free to comment, email, message — ALL THE THINGS. I’ll get back to you! I’LL MISS YOU, ARGENTINA. Try not to burn down the moon while I’m going because firstly: rude. And secondly: that’s my job.
woah enormous post, oKAY SO I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THAT LIFELY UPDATE. and let me know if you move house often??! also to the writers: do you have any upcoming projects that you’re BUSTING OUT OF YOUR BRAINS with excitement for? what has been everyone’s top reads of 2017??? and is soap shaped like cakes a tragic insult: yes or no?
Best of luck to you!!! I know moving isn’t the best thing but I hope you get settled well! 🙂
Good luck Cait. I hope you have a fabulous life in your new place. Would love to hear updates from your new place. And you have left out why you are moving – new schemes to rule the world? cake factory? grow books in an orchard? I know it is one of the three. 😀
Congrats on the interview. Congrats on completing six years. (I think this whole comment would have only congrats). I have no idea what to ask you for the blogiversary. But if I think of something I will come back and put it down. Since you have done IG tips and writing tips maybe you can do blogging tips? But I think you have done versions of that too.
And you remind me that I have not read ACOL or STrange the dreamer yet. And I don’t even know why. Ugh.
Good luck with moving!
The family resemblance is adorable! <3
I need to get to Gemina! I read Illuminae last year in November and still haven't read Gemina yet! What am I even doing with my life?!
I should write a contemporary book. I went to public school, have grown up often in the hospital and return there fairly frequently (medical issues), can almost sort of be 1% romantic? and 86% of my humor is sarcasm. Still trying to find the other 14%. But…outlining…and having people read it…especially family…ooooh the pressure *shudders and hides under a rock*
The…skin…library? *is disturbed and intrigued*
I've only ever written Sim stories for the most part. I wrote some short stories as a kid and horrible poetry as an angsty teen (seriously, who hasn't?) and have been toying with the idea to write a novel for YEARS….but…fear…and I wanted to read more first. At this point I should just get to it…*one eternity later*
My top reads so far this year include: The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie, Chameleon Moon by RoAnna Sylver, Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray, Noteworthy by Riley Redgate, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, and The Radium Girls by Kate Moore. And those are just ultimate favorites, i've had a good reading year so far…i've only read 26 books so nothing compared to 111 (O.O) but i'm proud and seem to be getting a lot of new favorite books <3
And yes, soap shaped likes cakes is a huge insult. All cake should be edible, how dare it.
I love your posts! 🙂
Cait, you are absolutely fabulous. That’s all I have to say. Fabulous and wonderful and witty and I wish I could write like you! Or be you. I even posted a picture of me without a face recently. Hoping it will help.
I wish you the best in your move and can’t wait to see what 2000km north makes you write about.
Initial reaction upon seeing “moving house”: BUT BOOKS??? I mean. How did you even pull this off? But yaaay you! Moving out is serious business and, even though you’re obviously stressed and low-key freaking out, I’m excited for you! As excited as I am for your blogversary! Six (6!) years, huh. HAPPY BLOGVERSARY YOU FABULOUS DRAGON!! ALL THE CAKES! ALL THE WAFFLES! (See what I did there with the ALL CAPS? *Winks.*) Also? I’m incredibly stoked for The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and it makes me happy that you absolutely loved it. Also also? Damn, you’re serious about writing, miss! You go you! You inspire us!
Ugh, moving is such a hassle! I brought 70 kg of books over with me to Aus so I really didn’t have much room for clothes. At all. XD I wish you the best of luck with moving!
Ahhhhh all your writing projects sound so amazing! I want to read them all. 🙂 Right now I’m over half-way in my edits of Golden Revenge (King Midas retelling meets refugee’s quest for revenge) and I’m loving it, but at the same time banging my head on my desk. Why? Because I have a feeling its going to be a HUGE book. 😀
(By the way, google forms rudely submitted itself before I had a chance to include my blog’s URL, so if you have questions from a Melissa Gravitis, could you perhaps add it if you remember? If not, no worries!)
Good luck with writing and moving! <3
You should move here, we do like pineapple on pizzas! I am sorry you have to move so far away from your nibblings. How many hours is it? And yes, I vote for a full pictorial layout post of your new digs once you are settled in. It sounds like a grand new adventure. You can reply on this one because I am close enough to the top to find it. 🙂
Moving is severely stressful Cait. I KNOOW. But yes I would like a room tour when you’re all moved in. Very much so. And those are excellent hardbacks to buy. I enjoyed Eliza and Monsters a lot and my love for Gentleman’s Guide will never end.
My year has been a disaster writing wise so far. But then I haven’t been doing well mentally either so. *sobs* But you are Queen, Cait. Seriously. I want to read all the things.
Happy 6th Anniversary Cait Paper Fury. 😊🎉🎉 *give you cakes* Can’t believe time flies so flies…it seems I found you like yesterday.. Now, a year went by..
I love your niece pic.. They are so cute :3
Congrats for being interviewed by bookstr 😊🎉
yes! yes! yes! I want a room tour! 😀 And for you to read Eragon, and post about it on here so i can flail with you. unless you don’t flail, which would be a crime. I also want a nice chocolate cake, soft, with no nuts and nothing too sticky, since I just got braces three days ago and my teeth hurt. 🙁 I’m bursting out of excitment because my family is going camping next week, with our best friend family! its going to be so fun! 😀 also my mom said that instead of making me wait a few more years, she might let me finish the harry potter series on my birthday. *rubs hands* *grins*
and soap shaped like cake would actually be kind of nice, if it made you smell like cake. unless it was really realistic looking, then i might try to ea it when I’m not all the way awake and I’m hungry.
Most crazily, ~Olive
Soap shaped cake is definitely false advertising. *Nods*
I’m always in awe of how much writing you manage to produce. I wish I was that quick and concentrated. I’m writing my mess of gothic tropes right now (no, that is not the title). It’s not going particuarly quickly, but I do like the characters. One of them mispronounces all the character names in epic fantasy and if that’s not relatable, then I don’t know what is. 😉
Good luck with moving in and learning to navigate an entirely new place. For the record, the first thing I did when I moved to uni was locate the local library. :’)
I’d love to have the motivation to write like that! I get, like, 10,000 words in to a project then have another idea that I get distracted with? WHY AM I THIS WAY! I also would love you to get published some day because your stories sound awesome? I just… I wanna read them?
1. YES to room tour and to post about your heisty epic fantasy. Both sound awesome, though obviously in different ways.
2. I submitted questions to your Q&A thing and then realized you’d answered one of my questions in the “Thinking about” section. Oops. Oh well.
3. I’m moving this summer too! (Well, it’s winter for you, but you know what I mean.) *hi5s moving buddies?*
4. Please write the story about the immortal who’s sick of being a teen; that sounds fabulous.
Good luck with moving and all the things. {I hate moving. I’ve done it too much and it is always moving across the freaking world, and not across the country]
HAPPY BLOGVERSARY!!!! HAVE ALL THE CAKES!
HOW DOES ONE WRITE THAT MANY WORDS WHILE STAYING SANE??? Congratulations on all the novels and things you’ve written. I am currently outlining two books. One is a contemporary but I have no experience with romantic love like whatsoever. Relationships?? What are those? Honestly, the guys at school are dumb and can’t tell when a girl likes them. @youbff But I am outlining a contemporary novel and a science fiction/fantasy that has major LGBT themes and I am excited!
I WANT TO READ YOUR SERIES!! It sounds so good. HBO should option it for TV. I’d watch.
And how have you read so much?? I’ve read 35 books and I consider it an accomplishment because I’ve been standing in a swamp of work all year long. [School sucks]
Anyways. Good luck with moving and all that stuff. And take a break. 🙂
Congrats on six years of blogging!!!! Also, I adore the Gayle gif you used– that’s one of my favorite videos!!! 🙂
Good luck moving! I’ve only done it once in my life, but it was many many miles and I still haven’t recovered. 😛 I’m sure you’ll be fine though…
I so totally understand about contemporary books. My goodness. Why does it have to be so hard? I am… also homeschooled and have no life, so me+contemporary = disaster.
I keep trying though. I must be insane. XD
OMG, all your writing projects sound so awesome! I can’t even. I would read them all in half a heartbeat. If I had a heart, which my characters repeatedly tell me I don’t. And yes to room tour! Or bookshelves. Honestly, just show me your new bookshelf.
I don’t move house much. The first and last time I moved was because our house got flooded and then condemned. #notfun #verywet #sooomanybookslost #thatwas10yearsago #stillnotoveremotionalchildhoodtraumahere
I have so many projects brimming in my brain it’s about to fall out. Or they are. But probably my brain. I mean, seriously? I’m crawling my way through my WIP Darkspire, which is a post-apocalyptic-y steampunk with super powers, illegal super powers, time travelers, and pyromaniacal psychopaths with soft hearts. WHICH I LOVE. Don’t get me wrong here. But I have to, you know, get off pinterest long enough to actually write? And my brain is going NOW WRITE THIS AWESOME EPIC FANTASY WITH A CURSED IMMORTAL PRINCE AND SAD EVIL WARLOCKS AND CURSED SWAN PRINCESSES AND A THIEVING FIREBIRD WHO THINKS HE’S A DRAGON LIKE HIS ADOPTED LITTLE SISTER. Or how about that one where everyone lives underground and some people have super powers and the entire planet’s about to literally explode because super humans are selfish and evil and making a giant mess and the slightly wicked and lovable MC has type 1 diabetes like me? Or the newest idea, which is basically a Peter Pan retelling in space with shuttles and space mermaids and robotic pixies and cyborg lost boys?
I haven’t even finished high school yet.
#Help.
Your character has type 1 diabetes like you? So does mine! *high fives*
Cool! Always a pleasure to meet a fellow diabetic. *high fives you back*
Good luck with the move. I’ll probably have to move in the next few years, and I’m not looking forward to it. Especially packing all these books. *Glances at shelves and laughs nervously.*
Moving is the absolute worst. I’ve moved almost every year after leaving my parents place (always in the winter too… darn canada) and hello stress! My anxiety doesn’t like it either girl so *passes you cake that looks like soap* chin up 😊
Updates when you’re settled but only if you love us ! And you know, want to. Dragons cannot be controlled by strangers on the internet. (Well, none that I’ve met) so yay! Have fun and good luck with it all 🤓
First, Happy Blogversary! Second, it’s okay-I wouldn’t share my cake either.
Good luck on your move!
Hello, fellow book dragon! I’ve never seen an #AmCurrently post before so I was pretty excited seeing this post. Good luck with moving houses, I’ve never done it before so I’m not sure what it’s like.
HOBBIT HOLES! *Fangirls*
14 boxes of books, are you sure you are a bookworm or just a dragon hoarder?
Your nieces ARE THE BEST. Because who else would organise your dragon life for you?!
A NEW BOOKSHELF? WHERE’s THE CAKE! This calls for a celebration! I WANT A ROOM TOUR, I loved your last because of #asthetics so I’m pretty sure this one will be even more awesome.
A BLOGVERSARY (is this post just a reason for the cake??) THAT MEANS CAKE AND GIVEAWAY AND Q/A! I must ask you all the question since I am a curious bean like that!
*pats CAPS LOCK key* Haha, who cares if my keyboard has died? Fangirling is way more important/. DO A BUJO post, please??? I WANT TO SEE MOREEE!
Whenever my family wants to read my writing, I just back away into a corner, inform that I am allergic to words, and that paper is poisonous. #genius.
CAIT HOW DO YOU WRITE SO MUCHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
YOUR BOOKS ALL SOUND AWESOME????? I LOVE ENORMOUS POASTSSSSSS!!! ME = ENJOYED!
111 books, I’ve read like 42 only. CAIT, YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE SUCH A BAD BOOKWORM! Though I LOVVVEEEDDD your interview on BoKstr and mean, who else is there to compliment your bookstagram which is #gosals.
Favourite reads! INK AND BONE (THANK U |fOR ThE REC!), THE HOBBIT, THE SERPENT KING, Rebel of The Sands (hmm…maybe?) Six Of Crows (&CK), A MONSTER CALLS, The Accident Season (kinda?)CAIT!!! I LOVE EXCITING POSTS LIKE THESE!!! I think I started following your fabulous blogs like way back in um…March last year? Gosh, i think this old feeling is spreading!
Yes to pineapple on pizza!!!! Good luck with the move Cait, hope it goes well and the removal men don’t lose any boxes of books 😮 Also, your books about the brothers stealing from different countries sound amazing and I must read this as soon as it’s written, thank you please :-*
Good luck with the move! The packing and the leaving some family behind is not easy. Definitely would love a room/book tour of your new lair 🙂
I remember moving. this was before i had all of my children (books). Yes i was a very young sprig but i still had like a million picture books and that didn’t stop me from reading chapter books at 5 years old. idk what i would do if i had to pack up all my NEW books.Also i love pineapple but on pizza idk if i could take that. My senses would be thrown off at the sweetness of pizza.
Also YES PLZ PLZ SHOW US YOUR NONEXISTENT FACE AND YOUR NEW ROOM OOPS CAPS LOCK there better
Ugh. Moving. Fun but…moving. So not actually that fun. But adventure is fun! (If you’re a hobbit only making a fresh cup of tea.) I’m excited because now you’ll be living closer to MEEEEE! Now we’re only 13,800 km away from sitting and having tea and cake! -.-
I’ve moved across country a couple times in the last five years. Word of advice: set up the writing room/library first, every time. OBEY ME. Then at least one corner of your new castle will feel like home. 😉 Praying this move doesn’t eat your soul (or left sock)!
Great to see an update post, Cait! Happy Blogversary!! Good luck with moving! I find moving incredibly stressful. But, I would LOVE to see a room tour once you’re all settled in. I would love to read all of your books once they are written and published, they sound awesome. I also used Scrivener when I outlined (though I’m no longer writing), it’s a great program. I don’t understand soap shaped like a cake. Cake is meant for eating, because it’s delicious. Surely a soap looking like a cake is just tempting you with its evil soapish intents?! I wish you all the best with the move and hope you get settled in soon and without too much stress *hug*.
Congrats on 6 years as a wonderful, hilarious, bookish blogger! Somehow I’m surprised it’s only six? Like, haven’t you always been around in the blogging universe??? Clearly those years before when you didn’t exist online were dark, dark times indeed.
Ugh, moving is a pain. I hated packing up my books. Once the boxes were sealed, of course I immediately needed twelve different paperbacks that were inside. Fortunately, we were moving just a few minutes away, so I was still able to get books from my library.
Your nieces are adorable and you’re raising them right. They’ll be bookstagramers (bookstagramars? What is spelling???) in the future.
I’ve had to move three times in the last seven years, which feels like quite a lot to me. As the library gets bigger no matter where we’re living, every time we move, packing it up is the monster job going out and unpacking is the monster job coming in. I’m always so worried about losing a box because I had about 50 last time and trying to keep them in order, never mind finding someone to lift them for me, was a nightmare. I keep mine alphabetical, so you can see how missing a box when putting them back on their shelves might be a problem. 😅
I’d love to see a room tour when you’ve settled, if you don’t mind. We’ve got to see how your books are settling in, right? 😊
Love this post! Your new place sounds awesome, but of course loss of minions is always difficult. I’m impressed with how many books you’re getting rid of! Good luck!
Also, I am totally in love with ALL OF YOUR BOOK IDEAS CAN I READ THEM PLEASE AND THANK YOU.
Enjoy the car ride! Much reading much audiobooking to be had. XD
That is a long move. 😮 I have only moved that far once. (I survived. But I didn’t have 10,000 books. And I only had two siblings at the time. So it’s not the same, really.) Best of luck with it!
(And yes, a room tour would be nice.) 😀
Your posts are great but also problematic because you usually mention about 63 things that I love, and then I have to either pick one and focus on it or write a weirdly long, itemized comment.
Guess which ones I’m going for today.
1. You’re moving! That’s so exciting, but also stressful I’m sure. Hopefully you get some time to recharge in between the bouts of craziness and chaos.
2. Sad to leave your child army! But your nieces are adorable and you’re obviously training them in the WAYS OF THE (book)DRAGON.
3. I read Gemina this year and I feel ONLY LOVE for it! Those illustrations tho. ♥
4. The weirdness of having your family/anyone you know offline read your writing is REAL. And it is scary. It’s like they get to peek into my head and are able to confirm that yep, she’s actually as weird as we always suspected.
5. I don’t really know if there’s a big story to the problems of having lots of followers and having them be mean to you. But if there is, and even if there’s not anything huge and it’s just a small, sad thing, I’m sorry. 🙁
6. KEEP WRITING. YOUR STORIES LOOK AMAZING.
Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh . . . moving . . . I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. I really, truly do. I moved halfway across the country when I was 8, and now I’m in my early 20s and still not quite recovered from that experience. (Okay that was a SLIGHT exaggeration. But the point is, moving = stressful. Especially for smol anxious grapes like you and me. I totally feel you. *offers devil’s-food cake in consolation*
Writing projects? Well, I’m at basically 45000 words in my WW2/Holocaust novel, planning to write a LOT more this summer, and generally super excited about everything 🙂 (Also one of my friends told me I was becoming one of her favorite authors???? *diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiies*)
Oh, and CAIT: I JUST READ “FANGIRL” FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND I CAN’T. I LITERALLY CAN’T. IT WAS A REVELATION. I’M DYING. (Your reviews and recommendations are the best btw *high-five*)
So YES I WANT LIKE A ROOM TOUR WITH PICTURES WHEN YOU ARE MOVED IN!! I also love hearing about your writing, so yes, do aaall the posts. XD And I totally relate to what you said about why it’s so hard to write contemporaries because most of those are me too!! XDDD
BUT WOW YOU’RE MOVING!!! :O Wowness. I hope all that goes well! *has never moved so this therefore terrifies/appalls me* Are you moving by yourself or is your family moving? Just curious. 🙂 Also HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY!!!! I hope you like your new place! 😀 And best of luck on writing aaaall the things! Writing makes me happy too, which means I don’t do it enough. XD
LOVED THIS POST THANKS FOR THE AWESOME UPDATE (with handy mappish dragon pic too)!
YAS I want to see the room tour and the writing posts and all of it! 😀 Currently I’m writing a fluffy/sometimes sad prequel novella to one of my novels, but after that I’m thinking of trying to actually finish my Rapunzel retelling where she’s a murderer which should be quite fun…if I can figure out the characters. 😛
My top reads this year have been Pride and Prejudice, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Blackmoore. None of which came out in 2017, but…hey, they’re great. 🙂
Good luck with the move! I know it can be stressful (ask me how many times I’ve moved in the last 5 years. Spoiler: it’s too many times.) BUT I also know it will be so worth it when you get settled.
I hope the writing goes well for you in the coming weeks! Please don’t forget to congratulate yourself on how far you’ve come! You’re amazing and I can’t wait to hopefully read your stuff someday. All your ideas sound so awesome.
I mini-moved 7 times last year and am really and truly moving this year, and haven’t been able to find books I want when I want them for 2 years – I SYMPATHIZE WITH YOUR STRESS.
And people should not be mean to someone just because what, their meanness will be diluted by the nice followers?? 🙁 I am sad for you.
Also, thank you for getting the I-was-homeschooled-I-NEED-TO-DO-MORE-RESEARCH-FOR-CONTEMPORARY-THAN-FOR-HISTORICAL-WRITING…AUGH.
Also, yes, soap should never, under any circumstances, be shaped like cake. Never.
Oh, I LOVE real life updates!
Ha, so many boxes of books 😀 totally awesome. Hey, I wonder if the postman will bring several packages to your old house here or there? I hope that doesn’t happen. (Now you will not sleep over it, of course. Sorry! xD I guess I’m evil.)
Oh, I see you also have The Ocean At The End Of The Lane. Have you read that one? I haven’t xD and I also have it. I somehow feel like you won’t have xD
OMG, 200 IS so far away! Believe it or not, that’s pretty much.. more than half OF MY COUNTRY. Yep. Really a shame you have to leave your little dumplings as well 🙁 why are your parents moving anyway? You had such a nice koala grove.
When do we get new room pics? So excited 😀
Oh! Blogversary tomorrow!! Congrats in advance! SO AWESOME. You have so much blogging experience, I can’t even. So proud of you, little Cait. When did you start even? You must have been a baby xD it’s so impressive to me when people start something in their teens, and keep it up, and IT WORKS OUT. Cause hell, whatever I did in my teens, it was all crap it feels like. I’m a different person now! I do none of those things anymore.
As for “how do you write”, I feel like there’s a definite connection with emotion there. When you get in tune with a certain emotion, it’s going to be really easy to write a certain piece. But not if you’re just trying to mentally put yourself there. Then it’s like running up a wall. At least, that’s the way it is for me. I’m such an emotional being 😀
Oh, you were interviewed? Better check that out then. Didn’t hear about it 🙂 also, you have lovely hair. Trade? 😀
I love that bit about contemporary novels :DDDD
And I totally think you’re a real person. In my craziest moments I even think I’m your friend because I tweet things to you. LOL 😀 it’s definitely not right if they are rude to you :/ meh. I don’t get people a lot of the time in my life, and things like that honestly do not make me understand them better.
Also, bullet journals = total time sinks. I just can’t even. I’m not saying it’s not awesome, it totally is, BUT MAN. WOMAN. CHILD. CRAZY OUTLANDISH ALIEN. All of those.
By the way, I have news myself. Blog redesign! It’s still crooked, but it doesn’t diminish my excitement.
Moving house is always so exciting! I love moving house.
I’m on the last chapter of Gearbound, and I’m actually just taking a break from writing it at this moment lol. When I’m done, I’ll take a break from it, and work on Bumble Bee.
so far I have four favourite books. I’m picking one from each month of the year, so that at the end of 2017, I’ll have a list of 17 of my favourite books.
Also soap that is shaped like cakes is a sin and blasphemy.
Your contemporary sounds really good!
Okay wow. This post constantly made my jaw drop??? 111 books in 6 months. And ALL OF THOSE WIPs THAT AE WAITING TO BE WRITTEN! You better release one of them soon because you’ve got me officially HOOKED with that enormous list of ideas! The day one of them is published, I will leave everything and run to get my hands on it!!!
I really hope you have a good week. Good luck with the moving of houses, too!
Yea pineapple of pizza!!! Enjoy moving lairs and I’m not even sure my family knows I write book I hide them when they visit which is rarely so no issues to be found!
I get what you mean about contemporaries. It’s hard when you’re kind of an anti-social gnat who stays at home all the time and doesn’t get out into the world. I struggle with writing things like romance and wild weekend parties, too. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever even been to a wild weekend party…
Funny/not-so-funny story: A few years ago, I had to go to the hospital when I had a nasty reaction to a prescription. So I’m lying there in the ER thinking, “I might die. I really might die!” And then some nurse comes along and does something, and the thoughts change to, “That’s so interesting. I can use this!” 😛 Writers are a weird bunch. (P.S.: Obviously, I did not die. It was an unpleasant experience, but at least I got some “research” out of it.)
I didn’t realize you were moving so far! That’s a big deal. I haven’t moved in decades, but when I was a kid we moved a few times, and those were pretty big cross-country moves. I don’t remember it being particularly hard, but an 11-year-old doesn’t have as much crap to pack up and move around as an adult does!
Cake soap… not particularly tragic. I’d probably just keep it for being pretty and sniff it occasionally. I don’t like using bar soap. It’s an OCD thing. (“You want me to rub this porous blob all over my dirty skin, knowing that someone else rubbed it all over their dirty skin? Are you insane?” #liquidsoapftw #soapisnotselfcleaning)
I love all your posts, Cait! I would love to see a tour of your new home, once your all settled. That is the bright spot to moving I think, you get a new bookshelf. I got a new bookshelf when I moved last year:) I don’t like moving though. It is a lot of physical energy and it makes me hungry. I’ve only moved twice in my life, and I only remember moving once (my family moved when I was two.). Also I love the Liza Koshy gif! I love her videos! Bret is my favorite!!!!! I have been in a reading slump and craving contemporaries. I’m currently reading Just A Girl by Carrie Mesrobian. It deal with slut shaming and how it is very one sided to girls/women. Also how slut shaming is a terrible thing! I’ve been liking the book so far, I’m at the sad parts now though. I am also still reading ACOWAR, because I crave contemporaries *me flailing on the ground because I don’t usually like contemporaries*. Soap shaped like cake is not an insult, I think its just cute. I hate having cute things that can be used up though. I want them to last forever. Why are cute things never immortal!!! WHY?!?!?!?! I wish you the best of luck in moving house! Why are you moving, I forget if you’ve mentioned it. *Sending good vibes*
Soap shaped like cakes (or anything pretty) stresses me out because it’s too pretty to use but what else do you do with it?? You can’t just have stacks of old soap sitting around.
Also, funny that you’re moving–I’ll be moving soon too and I’m already trying to choose which books will be allowed to come with me and which will be sentenced to a dismal life of storage in cardboard boxes. The last time I had to pack all my books up was two years ago when I moved to New Zealand for a spell…highly traumatic to look at all the books and go, “Only three of you can join me.”
I hope your move goes well Cait! I can’t believe you were able to give up some books. I am sure you kept the very best ones 😀
( I like pineapples on pizza)
Just a smidge! HAhahaAHhahaha.
I´m also writing a contemporary right now and it´s so hard. Like, how does one describe brown hair in thirty thousand different ways?? I DON´T GET LIFE.
It´d be awesome if you made a new post about your contemporary projects since we always hear so much about baby dragons and dark heists (I totally love those though).
Also you HAVE to give us a new bookshelf tour. A room tour would be fine too, but we do have the same priorities.
Moving sucks. Good luck to you! I know you’ll be awesome and a happy dragon once you get there. Be patient! Love the audiobooks! Use your imagination to get there faster! (It works sometimes? Maybe)
Hm. My Top Reads of 2017? Everything by Sarah Scribbles, particularly Big Mushy Happy Lump. Gemina and A Conjuring of Light. because duh. And Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier because sometimes you need to read a classic book everyone is always telling you to read which you never got to.
Pineapple on pizza: Absolutely magical.
Cake shaped soap: Crime to man
Pineapple cake: The best ever.
EEEEEE, I LOVE THESE POSTS. I love all your posts but I really like knowing what’s going on with my Caken-boo. AND YES, ROOM TOUR. AND YES, POST ABOUT YOUR MASSIVE HEIST-Y SERIES. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO ASK.
I hope moving goes well and you settle in alright! *sends emergency chocolate and cupcakes and blankets*
Whoa, happy birthday! I love your #amcurrently posts, so I’m excited to see them reemerging 🙂
Best of luck with moving house! I’ll be doing it for the first time this September; my family’s moving from a Victorian-esque house to an apartment in the heart of downtown. It’ll be a huge change, but I’m really excited!
Congrats on your writing progress! I’m almost done with my steampunk pirate novel, Karissa Goldlock’s Guide to (Almost) Utterly Everything, after which I’ll probably continue work on my sorcery series?? With school out now, I’ll have a lot more time to write.
UM OF COURSE PINEAPPLE BELONGS ON PIZZA. I am personally offended by anyone who denies that obvious fact.
I had a really good reading year at first, but the last few months have taken a serious dip. Nevertheless, some of my favorite reads have been Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, The Martian by Andy Weir, and The King’s Men by Nora Sakavic. 🙂
Ellie | On the Other Side of Reality
Good luck with your move! And yes soap shaped like cake is an affront!
Best of luck with your move. These sound like very exciting times for you. Enjoy!
I am so glad that I am not the only one who finds it hard to write contemporaries! My struggle is trying to make the story not boring and, much like you, I am a hermit and don’t have much experience with the real world.
Good luck with the moving Cait! I hope you’re able to settle in easily and that you find a great new library. 😉 And I completely agree with Gemina being on your best books of 2017 list so far. 😉
And AHH! Happy blogoversery! I honestly don’t know what I would do without you, my fabulous bookish twin. (Okay, maybe read a bunch of horrible books because you weren’t there to read them first and warn me. But I digress).
Thanks for sharing, and fabulous post! <3
OMG I would love to see pics of your new room! I’ll be moving soon too so I can’t wait to do a room tour on my own blog 🙂
I SHOULD be working on all my writing projects but I’ve been too busy procrastinating by trying to build up my blog and bullet journal and do character studies and…basically anything and everything that is not ACTUAL WRITING. Ugh, the struggle. D:
I’d really love a room tour, or even a whole apartment tour. I think it’d be so cool seeing you take a picture of something mundane and then attach a really amazing caption. You’re really good at that.
Moving away from nieces and nephews sounds rather horrible, but a room tour? YES PLEASE. And goodness, it would be horrible to get carsick. I’m one of those people who could happily read while being a passenger in the car – it worked out great until it came time to learn how to drive and I had no clue what the rules were, etc… since my nose was always buried in a book.
CONGRATULATIONS on your blog anniversary! That’s great. 🙂 I haven’t been following you since the VERY beginning, but close to it… Maybe a year in? Back when you were “Notebook Sisters” and Mime and you co-blogged and all that craziness. I remember being delighted by y’all’s vlog because #accents, and then no more vlogs ever came about and that was rather sad. (Except now Mime vlogs, so the sadness has abated some. But she doesn’t blog about books. So the sadness is still there.)
Anyway! HAPPY BLOG ANNIVERSARY!!!
WELCOME TO QUEENSLAND! Have you lived in the tropical north before? And yes – turn into a granny. A granny dragon. And you can fill your granny-flat with books and make that your granny dragon hoard. Don’t forget to give us pictures. 😉
Contemporary?? I have nooo idea what’s going on out there and no one wants to read about the kind of life I lead xD
HOW DO YOU WRITE HALF A MILLION WORDS tell us your seeecrets (apart from forgoing sleep completely) (yes I now see the flaw in my request). And that idea about the con artists robbing five countries to stop a war – that’s brilliant. When are we going to be able to READ these, Cait?? *turns pressure up*
Finally: You mustn’t burn down the MOON; it’s an innocent life! In an egg! It’s… I…
*meekly takes fangirl self elsewhere*
I have moved nine times in the last six years. If that sounds a little crazy, that’s because it is. I adore my book collection, but unfortunately, moving so often makes it difficult to keep them all! Hence, e-readers and public libraries can be helpful. One day, I shall own a house dedicated just to my own personal library. Hang in there, Cait!
By the way, I would thoroughly enjoy reading more about your story (Glass Monsters, was it called? 😉 When it comes to fiction, I’m a little obsessed with con artists, and my little sister is obsessed with monsters. Should we be concerned?
Happy blogversary!!!
I don’t think they resemble you, Cait. Their faces are a hit horizontal while yours is a lot more vertical xD
I move house every couple of years? In Ireland some people have this renting scheme where we stay in a certain landlord’s house for a certain amount of years. The landlord is supposed to pay for things that get broken and stuff. We pay the government and the government pays the landlord. Yeahh
Also, thanks for reminding me to write.
Well I’m sure this is a great day for you I AM SO GLAD THAT PAPER FURY EXISTS but I admit to being a little distracted because I graduated from high school today and had to give a speech and stuff and had feelings. Anyway, I now have SIX WHOLE GLORIOUS MONTHS before university, so hopefully there’ll be lots of writing? I want to finish the first draft of Lighter Places, outline a few more things like a fantasy novel that I sorta world built for already, and work on lots of short stories and poetry. I have lived in 13 houses in my seven years, so yes? I’ll have to move out of my current house soonish because university (on the other side of the world ugh) anyway I hope that all goes well for you and your books are safe and you make new frinds and feel happy <3 I also want to do loots of craft projects! Like a knitted vest and leather bracelets and also cooking like lemon meringue pie and also maybe a new blog? I like pretty soap but cake shapes are unfair. I hope the moving goes well, and the bookstr article was really nice, go you <3.
I hope that your move goes extremely well. Is it weird that I’m actually a little sad that you’re moving away from your nieces and nephews? I mean, that news should not affect me, right? But I’ve seen them SO much on your blog, I think I’ll miss them. 🙁
I feel like this post had SO much in it and I thought of like 50 million things I wanted to comment on while I was reading. First off, I LOVE the idea of a book about an immortal who’s sick of being a teen. Oh, and I DO love pineapple on pizza. With pepperoni. Yum! And I can completely relate to the fact that allowing your family to read your book is something akin to impossible. Yikes!!
UM WE TOTALLY NEED ANOTHER ROOM TOUR, CAIT. And omg lucky girl a new BOOKSHELF. My best reads of 2017 would have to be… ACOL, Ink and Bone, Simon Vs., and Ari and Dante. And perhaps Bone Gap.
I hate sharing my writing with my family! I’m (somewhat) okay with sharing it with friends, but family… nOOooO.
Also, WOW I wish to be writer-you but also not. Because THOSE IDEAS LOOK SO AMAZING and I totally get what you mean about getting excited about projects, but IT LOOKS EXTREMELY STRESSFUL. (Actually life is like 99% stress and 1% other.)
I’m working on brainstorming a fantasy project. I was inspired only by a character so I had NO IDEA what plot/setting would be. So that’s still getting worked out. And I’m also editing part of an old project for a writing contest. 👍
WE NEED MORE LIFELY UPDATES, CAIT.
HELLO MOVING TWIN!!!
I’m SOOO excited for you as you embark on this adventure!!
I totally feel you about not knowing what books to pack. I have about 15 unpacked “JUST INCASE”. I’m literally moving 2 miles away . . .
Thank you for sharing about your writing projects. I used to get so discouraged when I saw writing advice that didn’t work for me. Writing has been much more enjoyable when I just started doing what I wanted to do and not holding too strongly to all the advice out there.
Happy Blogaversery and best of luck with moving! I’ve beed reading your blog religiously for the last two years or so, but haven’t commented in like a year because I’m shy and feel weird commenting when I don’t have a blog of my own (I tried to make one but didn’t have the motivation to keep it up). Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I love your blog and reading it always makes me happy! 🙂 also, no pressure, but are you ever going to publish any of the those books you’ve written? I’d happily gobble up up anything you write and a lot of those ideas sound awesome! Also I read the dead boy and the paper cut back when you had it on watt pad and it was amazing!
But Cait, the SKIN LIBRARY??? What is this and when can I have it?
Also happy bloggoversary! *throws you all the cake*
I’ve moved a few times myself, the most recent move about 1 1/2 years ago and let me tell you, it isn’t easy. But just think about unpacking all your beautiful books and reorganizing them on new shelves! Also, I would love a room tour when it is all set up. Anyways, HAPPY EARLY BLOGVERSARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eat some cake and buy yourself a new book (or ten). And I just finished A Conjuring of Light AND I DON’T KNOW HOW TO COPE WITH THE SERIES BEING OVER, WHAT DO IT DO???? Okay, and my last comment: you’re not alone, my boyfriend LOVES pineapple pizza. Like, LOVES it. Almost as much as I love reading your blog.
Best luck to you moving out! I’ve been living in the same house since I was born, so I think I’d be super stressful if I had to move; especially for somewhere 2,000km away, like you. I hope everything works out and you settle well in your new home!
As for the best books of 2017, I feel like I’ve added more to “my favorites” this year compared to last year. But that might be because I’ve started reading Harry Potter, and of course I had to add all the books to my “favorites” shelf! They’re soooo good! I regret not reading it sooner.
Your projects always sound fantastic, Cait. I’m constantly impressed by how creative you are, honestly. My favorite would probably be the contemporary one (hey, contemporary biased here!), because books about writers are so phenomenal!
Aww, your nieces are so cuuute!! <3
Good luck with your move, Cait!! I hope everything goes well and I hope you enjoy your new studio!!
OMG I cannot get over how cute your packing assistants are hahahaha omg that’s adorable.
Your studio room sounds amazing! I vote a definite YES to a room tour!! I can’t wait to see!
I’m sorry people have been rude to you! I don’t get it, because you’re the best! I’ll kick them for you AND they get no cake.
Also, totally with you on the pineapple on pizza thing. I love pineapple AND I love it on pizza!
BEST OF LUCK WITH MOVING CAIT! I agree with you – moving is so tiring and annoying but i also find it quite exciting especially when you get a new room! I hope you enjoy living in QLD and OMG your WIP look awesome, I cannot wait to read when they get published (because let’s be real, it’s going to happen!!) and ALSO HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY! (hopefully I spelt that right??)
Thanks for another hilarious post!
Wow, Cait! I hope all goes well with your moving, you’re making quite a trip! But its so nice up Northern Queensland, 🙂
And I can’t believe your outlines are 40,000 words long!!! I just wrote a complete outline which is just over 1,000 words!!! Your outlines are like small novels, I can’t get over this.
p.s. I’ve never heard of cake-shaped soaps before, but they definitely are a tragic insult. why would you even??
Moving is the actual worst. I hate it and I am so sorry that you have to do it. And whoa, that is FAR. (I mean, I had to convert it to miles because Americans and our silly system) and wow. Honestly, I don’t know if I could move that far, because I am kind of averse to all change? And it must be a real pain to change your address on all the things!
Your writing is just… DAMN. I am so impressed. And you ARE famous, that is so fun! But no one should be rude to you! What the hell is wrong with people? Who do I need to beat up? You just let me know, I’m on it.
I don’t have many favorites this year either, and some of my most anticipated have been super disappointing, so I am just basically not okay with 2017 as a rule? It needs to get its act together immediately. Between our “president” ruining everything, no good books, and no The 100 til 2018… can we just call it a year already?
ALSO happy blogoversary! I cannot believe I forgot that! ♥♥
Hope you have a smooth move and that everything goes well! Plus, I’d totally buy that novel about the two con artist brothers, it sounds awesome!
Also, happy sixth blogversary!
Yes! Do a room tour!
Why did they describe you as a bookstagrammer instead of a blogger?!?! Your blog is faaaar superior dammit!!!!!!
Oh, did I miss the reason as to why you’re moving? Like is it your whole family or are you just running away or what? Sounds like a big move, either way!
And ugh, yes to books being a pain during moves. I’ve had to figure out what books to take to London when I moved there and which to stay back and then it’s like each way I’ve gone back and forth I’ve left some here and there and have had to donate others and uggghhhh, it’s too much! I’m currently at the point where I’m no longer allowing myself to buy books in the hopes I can read all my unread ones this next year before I move back to London, but seeming as I don’t read 200 books a year as you do we’ll see how it goes!
Speaking of which, congrats on the feature! You’re such a celebrity. Don’t forget about us little people. 😉 But really, it does suck that the more attention you get the more you encounter people who forget what it’s like to be a respectful human. I hope you don’t pay too much attention to the negativity that sometimes comes your way and remember that you still have a lot of us that love and support you in all you do. Those other people are just jealous.
Your little art updates for your bullet journal were cute. I could never do a bullet journal so haven’t tried, but it’s more of the opposite for me. I’m pretty sure I’d take way too much time trying to make my art look perfect I wouldn’t have time for anything else. So forget half-finished zentangles. There’d only be zentangles and maybe one day of actual bullet journal content 😝
And yes to 2017 needing more great books! I’ve only read Gemina out of the list you provided and YES to that. I do own A Darker Shade of Magic so I really need to hop on that hype train since I’ve only heard good things (and Schwab is amazzzzing). I’ve determined to do so before the end of the year. (Because I actually have only added one book to my favorites shelf this year – Uprooted!)
Happy happy happy blogiversary! I love your blog so so much and I hope I’ll be reading it for many years to come. Also 500, 000 words?! Cait, you are a writing QUEEN!
Megan @ http://wanderingsofabookbird.blogspot.co.uk/
YESSSSSSS ROOM TOUR!!! DO IT!!!!
I apologize apparently my enthusiasm made my Caps button stick……it happens sometimes.
I would totally read your Glass Monsters series, because just that little glimpse had me wanting to pre-order them before their even finished lol (and I have never pre-ordered a book in my life).
My outlining skills are trash to be honest, like I seriously just start the book and then regret not outlining my ideas and where I was headed *laughs to cover up my shame *
Okay so I have never ever moved house. Not once. I have lived in the same house for MY ENTIRE LIFE. That’s pretty intense. That’s a lot of commitment. 20 years in one house. hm.
Of course, this is because I am the ever relatable broke college student who can barely afford to to pay for my OBVIOUSLY necessary caffeine addiction. hahaha I’m cringing at myself 😂
I need a project desperately. I have no ideas!! ABSOLUTELY ZERO. I’m honestly just kind of paralyzed to the point where I’m too afraid to even start something. IT’S SO FRUSTRATING. Equally as frustrating as cake that is masquerading as soap. Not cool.
Happy 6th blogversary!!! If me living in one house for 20 years is commitment, then 6 years of blogging is PURSUING THE THING WITH SO MUCH PASSION AND FERVOR THAT LIVES ARE CHANGED. That’s pretty cool, dude 😛
Contemporary novels are sooo much harder to write! Mostly because I kind of get bored with them… I mean, no magic, no mythical creatures, no dragons??? What is going on?? (Side note: I read and love contemporary novels; I just can’t seem to write them…)
Also, please do post about the wonderful con artists who stop war by stealing things! That sounds fantastic! I need to know more!
Oh, Cait! WONDERFUL POST! Now, to answer: No. I do not move house. House is where I keep all my books! 😨 I have lived here 16 years. The thought of moving PETRIFIES me. And YES on the excitement about current WIP!! Like, i want to LIVE there. Best way I can describe it is: Outlander meets Clan of the Cave Bears (but without the time travel, not so much romance, and no caves)! 😂 Top 5 this year? Upside of Unrequited, Star-Touched Queen, The Girl from Everywhere, Upstream by Mary Oliver, and City of Saints and Thieves. But soap cake? Mmmmm no. I already want to bite into some soap that smells so good, and it doesn’t even LOOK like cake! Anyway, thanks for the update, darling, and I hope the traveling is not too stressful! I totally get wanting to stay in your hobbit hole! (I also read The Hobbit but didn’t list above because, well, reread!)
Good luck with moving houseeeeeee! I hope you get fabulous new bookshelves. Are you going to change your book arrangement? And i’d totally read a room tour. I… don’t really get bookish candles or soap? Like can’t you enjoy books without needing to smell like a fictional character? And soap cake is just disappointing. *cries*
Now that’s out of the way, I’m sorry about the people who don’t think you’re a real person. That’s dumb. And it’s so sad that you’re abandoning your nieces! I bet they’ll miss you and all the library visits. Will it be hot where you live? Is it near a beach? It sounds really awesome to live in a granny flat though. I’ve always wanted one (even though no, I’m not a granny). Also, congrats on that interview! that’s like super cool and YES YOU”RE FAMOUS WOW. I really need to read Strange the Dreamer now. *nods*
Good luck! And a room tour sounds fabulous!
CAAAAAIIIIITTTT!!!
1. I am sorry about the moving and the pain and the carsickness and just ugh. I’m sorry. I feel your pain (okay, no I don’t because I’ve never moved but I’m being sympathetic here?)
2. YAS I would love a tour of your new room also the granny flat/studio apartment thing sounds ah-mazing!!! I want one!!! #jealous
3. Your nieces are adorable and I love how the 2 year old keeps telling you how to make her snacks. Gah, kids are so demanding!! Never having kids… but also they are kind of cute WHEN THEY DO NOT BELONG TO YOU??? I can babysit for brief amounts of time. #motherhood
4. I like pineapples on pizza!!!!
5. Duuuuuuuudddeeee!!! That book idea that you are so in love with sounds legitimately awesome! I SAY DO IT!!! Who cares what sells???? Definitely write for YOU!!!
6. OH MY WORD yes fantasy is soooooooo much easier than real-life ewwwww!!! I CANNOT, SIR. I CANNOT. #homeschooled
7. That gif of the two men dancing = I could watch that forever it is so hilarious ohmyword!!!
8. You have a project simply titled “Moriarty” = I APPROVE OF THIS SO THOROUGHLY I CAN’T EVEN!!!! DO ITTTTTTT!!!
Okay I’m done now.
I loved this post. Obviously. Ahem.
I knew you were moving smushter but I had no idea how far. I think I just assumed you would be around the sameish area. Holy shit, that’s a massive move! Having your own space will be wonderful Cait and I can’t wait to see it. No doubt it’ll be fabulous.
Six years is such a massive achievement. I remember The Notebook Sisters was one of the first Aussie blogs I had discovered way back when. We all knew you were going places and you’ve been such an inspiration for bloggers and readers who want to share their love of books.
And cake soap is disturbing. How can something so delicious looking NOT be edible. It’s a travesty.
I hope mum and dad smushy are doing well, I love seeing your mum on Facebook, she’s such a darling <3
Hope the move goes well for you! Seems like you have a lot on your plate! I rather love the sound of your fantasy series. Please write it soon 🙂
I’m currently looking for Beta readers for my high fantasy pirate adventure and I cannot wait to start querying her in July 🙂 She is my baby – I’ve been working on her for just over ten years now!
A Conjuring of Light is definitely one of the best books of 2017!
Stay well 🙂
I move a lot and trust me when I say that my one year old brother does not help at all!!!! He is not going near my books ever again!!
Good luck with the move! And it’s always so stressful packing up books, but it’s the best feeling when you get to get new bookshelves! And yes I would love to see a room tour!
SO BASICALLY YOU ARE WRITING QUEEN AND I ASPIRE TO BE YOU IN LIFE. I need to get my life together because clearly I am not typing fast enough.
I am also craving cake again… Curiouser and curiouser.
AHHHHH GOOD LUCK WITH MOVING. THAT IS INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL BUT I LIKE THAT YOU GET YOUR OWN STUDIO. Yesssss to a room tour, please and thank you. And omg, you’ve written so muchhhhhh. I’ve barely even BLOGGED this year let alone written fiction. *cries*
Congratulations on moving Cait!! Your new place sounds pretty much like introvert bookworm heaven. My eyes are stars! Also, did you even have to ask about the room tour?
Congratulations on writing so much and I’m also very excited about your five-book series I MEAN THE CONCEPT IS GOLD! Plus your writing is quite dark and I believe it will 100% sell!!
I remember when I had to move into my new house with my endless boxes. It was a traumatising experience but now that you will have new shelves you can spread your wings and growww! Trust me it will be worth it! I can’t wait to see photos from your new place Cait!
I’ve never moved house (except when I was 6 months old so that doesn’t count) so I consider myself lucky 🙈
But I looooove traveling, which, believe me, is COMPLETELY different because you don’t need to move all your books but which ones you’re going to take with you WHICH IS EVEN HARDER.
Also all you writing projects make me want to read them right now???
I have the first part of my finals in two weeks and I’m not looking for it at all cause it’s way too stressful.
But I have my dance show next weekend and everything is fine because we finished two of my four choreographies yesterday 🙈
I totally understand how you feel about being stressed out with moving house! I think I’ve moved every single year of my life for about the past six or seven years, and I only get more books every year so there’s more boxes and the boxes get heavier. On top of that, I thought maybe *this* year would be the year I didn’t move, but it’s starting to look like I was wrong about that, so…I’ll be in the same boat as you soon I suppose!
Where do I even begin though!? OK. So. So. Um. Cake shaped cakes are just a 100% NO from me. I bite anything that looks yummy. As do my kids. I don’t deal with my own tears of disappointment well, let alone theirs on top of mine. And, would cake soaps make you smell like cake? Because then we’d all run the risk of being chased for smelling so sweet. And I don’t like being bitten.
Also. We moved this past December, looks like our lease will be up this year, so we’ll be moving this December. Again. Which is really difficult because I don’t let anyone near my boxed up book babies so have to move them all myself (#backachefordays)
And. PLEASE do a room tour!?
If I only write in response to monthly prompts, and they’re more poetical than novel-y, am I still a writer? This is me getting back into writing after 10+ years of battling the words.
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
I’ll even say please. 😂👍🏼
Cait! Omg pLEEEZZZZ do a big post about the Glass Monsters series. I absolutely adore hearing about your writing. They’re actually my favourite posts that you do, (although I love all your posts) and I always get super excited when I see them because I LOVE reading about other people’s writing, especially when it’s cool AF and comes with great pinterest boards like yours.
firstly, this is what, three months late, so I presume you’re done with moving. so
but your nieces are so cute. and the family resemblance is striking.
I’d love a room tour if you haven’t done one already? I feel like you have?????
your new contemporary (the one about the BFF and the book) SOUNDS SO GOOD I WANT