Saturday, November 26, 2011

another book teaser

so i went to my very first nanowrimo write-in today. i was nervous, didn't know what to expect, so i almost didn't. dan got home from work early, so i packed my binder of edits up and headed out.

what had i been so afraid of? it was great talking to other people who were writing like crazy fiends, just like i am. people who just...get it. they realize the passion for writing, they own their passion, just like i do. i felt immediately accepted and it really inspired me to keep on keepin' on.

Secrets of Truth

by Rebecca Young

Who says you can't go back?

After her father decides that life in Boston isn't all it's cracked up to be, Gabriella Hunter finds herself back in the small town of Hanover, New Hampshire, where she spent the ninth year of her life. Now at seventeen, she just can't seem to be able to let the friends from her past back in, not even her best friend, Cooper Linton.

Gabriella can't figure out why everyone hates Cooper and his friends, and she can't understand why Jackson Palmer is so weird around her. How much can things change in eight years?

A lot.

Chapter 5 Excerpt:

“What are you talking about, Cooper?” I was suddenly uneasy. We were out in the middle of nowhere, my cell phone was in the Jeep and the way that Cooper was acting was making me very nervous. There are a lot of things about Cooper that not many people know…things that I can’t tell you, Jackson’s voice whispered in the back of my mind.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

3 AM Musings

It's three in the morning.

I don't have a sick baby, I haven't been partying like a rock star, I'm not studying for a test.

So you ask, "Why, Beckie? Why are you awake at such an ungodly hour?"

I'm getting myself ready for working nights. While it's just my practicum (*scoffs*-JUST my practicum), I am thinking that this is going to help me prepare for the inevitable night shift that I will have as a new graduate after taking the NCLEX next month.

Next month? How the hell did that happen?

Yeah, nursing school (at least the associate's degree part of it) is over. I finished my last ATI test Friday, had my last final the Friday before that. Now it's onto practicum on the Labor and Delivery floor.

The hospital that I'm going to is 45 minutes away. And it's night shift. But I'm so freaking happy that I'm getting to work L & D that I don't care what the shift is! I don't care that I have to work until 0715 on my birthday, I get to help bring babies into the world! I am really hoping for a good experience, and for a chance to see that this is what I really do want to do with my life.

I'm pretty sure that it is. I went into nursing school knowing I wanted to deliver babies. I'm leaving nursing school knowing that I want to deliver babies. Granted, I've picked up some other loves too - like pediatrics, oncology and that infatuation with how much a patient craps (seriously, it's an amazing assessment).

I've made friends, I've lost friends, I've moved on, I've found myself. I've accomplished something that's pretty damn hard, with a husband and two kids depending on me.

What's upcoming in the future? I don't know. I'm hoping that I will be able to get a job here, but thanks to the 8 different nursing schools in the area, I don't know if that will happen. Thanks to compact states, I can practice in 21 other states with my South Carolina license... New Hampshire being one of those states. I'd love to get my bachelor's degree ASAP, so I'm enrolling for two classes for the spring, just English and Spanish. There's an Assessment class I'd like to take over the summer, and depending on where I end up, I'd like to start my BSN work in the fall.

My ultimate dream is to get my Master's at the University of Michigan (go blue), maybe even my doctorate- Dr. Young, anyone? I know it's a long way off, but my goal is by 35. My goal is to be out of college by the time Lindsey goes into college.

Funny how time flies, right?

Monday, November 7, 2011

Secrets of Truth - Chapter 4

gooooooood morning!

i'm off from school today, snuggling up with my sick husband. the kids are off at school and i'm curled up in my pajamas watching "That's 70's Show" on netflix.

i have lofty goals of cleaning out my kid's bedroom, mopping the kitchen floor and scrubbing toilets, but for now, i'm going to sip my coffee, wrap myself in a snuggie and bring y'all the next excerpt of my book...

THAT I FINISHED SATURDAY NIGHT!


first round of edits begin today.

Secrets of Truth

by Rebecca Young

Who says you can't go back?

After her father decides that life in Boston isn't all it's cracked up to be, Gabriella Hunter finds herself back in the small town of Hanover, New Hampshire, where she spent the ninth year of her life. Now at seventeen, she just can't seem to be able to let the friends from her past back in, not even her best friend, Cooper Linton.

Gabriella can't figure out why everyone hates Cooper and his friends, and she can't understand why Jackson Palmer is so weird around her. How much can things change in eight years?

A lot.

Chapter 4 Excerpt:

Sputtering out a mouthful of snow, I looked up at Cooper who was doubled over from laughing at me. “What part of touch football is so hard for you to understand?”

“Cheat to win, baby,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Filthy cheater.” I spat, wiping the snow off my face.

"You missed some snow, right here…” he said, wiping his glove over my cheek. I stared into his dark eyes, so beautiful against his skin reddened from the cold. His face leaned closer to mine and he pushed a lock of hair away from my cheek. “Gabs…” he whispered, and I closed my eyes in anticipation of his kiss.


Chapter Word Count: 7828

Book Word Count: 26991

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Secrets of Truth - Chapter 3

Secrets of Truth
by Rebecca Young

Who says you can't go back?

After her father decides that life in Boston isn't all it's cracked up to be, Gabriella Hunter finds herself back in the small town of Hanover, New Hampshire, where she spent the ninth year of her life. Now at seventeen, she just can't seem to be able to let the friends from her past back in, not even her best friend, Cooper Linton.

Gabriella can't figure out why everyone hates Cooper and his friends, and she can't understand why Jackson Palmer is so weird around her. How much can things change in eight years?

A lot.

Chapter 3 excerpt:

I noticed that a few people were staring at us, but I couldn’t figure out why. Was it the whole “they never hang with people not in their group thing”? Cooper didn’t seem to notice, or if he did, he obviously didn’t care because he just kept walking like everything was normal. I laughed at his ability to ignore everything around him and playfully bumped into him just as we got to my locker. I was shocked to almost ricochet off him and suddenly go sprawling before he caught me around the waist.
Gosh, you are like a human force field. I can’t even bump into you without being taken out,” I joked as I rubbed my shoulder and took off my coat.



Chapter Word Count: 5454

Book Word Count: 19163

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Secrets of Truth- Chapter 2

Secrets of Truth
by Rebecca Young

Who says you can't go back?

After her father decides that life in Boston isn't all it's cracked up to be, Gabriella Hunter finds herself back in the small town of Hanover, New Hampshire, where she spent the ninth year of her life. Now at seventeen, she just can't seem to be able to let the friends from her past back in, not even her best friend, Cooper Linton.

Gabriella can't figure out why everyone hates Cooper and his friends, and she can't understand why Jackson Palmer is so weird around her. How much can things change in eight years?

A lot.


Chapter 2 excerpt:

“Cooper Linton is your study partner? He talks to you?” the red haired boy at the end asked. I was pretty sure that his name was Jason.

“Um, yeah?” I said timidly. Well, we had talked about studying together. Briefly, and at some point in the future. Actually, it had been more like a thought that had occurred in passing. But why did they have to know? “Is there something wrong with him?”

“It’s just that, well, he doesn’t normally talk to anyone,” Vanessa said, dropping her voice so that I had to strain to hear her.


“Why not?” I asked, curious.


“He’s a loser, him and all those creepy friends of his. You don’t want to hang out with them…any of them. They just aren’t like us,” Ashley said, sounding snotty and superior.

Chapter Word Count: 7384
Book Word Count: 13709

Friday, November 4, 2011

I am WRITING again!

It's November, which means that I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month, affectionately known as NaNoWriMo.

Working on this:

Secrets of Truth
by Rebecca Young

Who says you can't go back?

After her father decides that life in Boston isn't all it's cracked up to be, Gabriella Hunter finds herself back in the small town of Hanover, New Hampshire, where she spent the ninth year of her life. Now at seventeen, she just can't seem to be able to let the friends from her past back in, not even her best friend, Cooper Linton.

Gabriella can't figure out why everyone hates Cooper and his friends, and she can't understand why Jackson Palmer is so weird around her. How much can things change in eight years?

A lot.


Chapter 1 excerpt:

I wanted to know what had happened to my first crush…what had happened that turned him from a sweet boy who would smile at me from under his bangs to this angry man who was more complex than a thousand-piece puzzle.

I shook my head, wondering what his deal was, and then wondered why I cared. I got the things from my locker and then walked to the Jeep alone, trying not to pay attention to everyone standing around talking about me. I didn‘t understand why they didn‘t just ask? With a shiver and a sigh, I climbed in, dropped my backpack on the passenger seat, and started the car. I raised my cold hands to the vents, hoping the heat would start pumping soon. Once the car and my hands had warmed up, I pulled out of my parking spot, passing Jackson as he walked through the lot to wherever his car was. I glanced out my rearview mirror just before I pulled out of the parking lot, and saw him stop and look back at my car. I wondered if he knew it was me. Then, somehow, I figured he did.

Chapter word count: 6118