Happy July!

It's July -- which means we are back!  Everyone here is very excited to be rejoining the blogging world. I wanted to take some time today to make sure that you knew a few things about Tangled, and what the rest of 2013 means for us.

New faces.

We've added some new Tangled Girls to the mix! Asja, Kimberly, Brianna, Chrystal, Lisa and Emma. You can learn more about each of them here. We brought on the new girls because we exist to talk about the whole journey of writing, but since we've started, a lot of us have taken on different roles or experienced new things that aren't just writing anymore.

We wanted to add some diversity to the blog and stick by our commitment to represent various areas of publishing. Now we have soon-to-be published authors, writers who are just starting out, writers who have agents, editors, a publicist, and a fantastic gal in the UK, which obviously means she's awesome. We're really excited for all the girls, and hope that you will connect with them all as much as you have with us over the last two years.

Same purpose.

One thing we'll be doing now is talking about publishing. We have people doing various tasks -- not just writing -- and we want to talk about writing through those routes as well as being a writer. What does a book look like from the editing process? What's it like after your book is out? What's it like right before it meets the world? Or before you ever send a query letter or after you've sent 100? We're really excited to explore some other sides of writing that we've never done before. Hopefully you will be too.

Giveaway! 

We're also having a giveaway!! Keep checking back on this post because we will be adding some books. It will last until July 12 and then we'll be sending the books to the winner. To enter, just leave a comment on this post!

In fact, each day someone posts between now and the 12th, they will link somewhere to this giveaway. You can comment on every post and be entered. Just make sure you leave your email or twitter somewhere so we can find you!

Here are the books up for grabs! 

WILD AWAKE by Hilary T. Smith
THE CAGED GRAVES by Dianne Salemi


Thanks for stopping by and celebrating our relaunch with us!

 

Lindsay's Reads for 2013

2013 is going to be a fantastic year for first books and sequels alike! If I had to pick just one 2013 book that I'm dying to read, though, it would be Rachel Hartman's Dracomachia, the sequel to 2012's Seraphina--an achingly gorgeous and witty YA fantasy that's up for this year's Morris Award. Fortunately, there are plenty more books for me to devour:

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood - Sequel to last year's lovely and fresh Born Wicked, continuing the trials and tribulations of the witchy Cahill sisters in a fascinating alternate-history version puritan America.

The Boy on the Bridge by Natalie Standiford - Soviet Russia, angsty romance, and Natalie Standiford's always brilliant prose. You know I'm all over that.

 The Secret Place by Tana French - agggghhh another Tana French murder mystery in Ireland you guys I can't even help myself.

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill - The Terminator meets The Time Traveller's Wife, with a dash of Mean Girls for good measure? SOLD.

Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn - Promises a wonderful and complex male main character who is LITERALLY at war with himself.

 

I'm Going to Read in 2013....

Since I started working as an editor, my time to read has drastically lessened. Between reading submissions, working on projects -- most of which start coming out this fall! YAY! -- and writing, I don't really have a lot of time to read. HOWEVER, I'm excited because I've set up a reward system for 2013. I have a lot of books to write (Three. In one year. At least!) and since motivation is good, each time I finish a book, I get to spend a whole week - 7 days - reading books. Like, finished real books.

Currently, I'm drafting the sequel to Follow Me Through Darkness --which I have 0 words because we just decided to start over-- and I can't wait to finish it because I really want to read! These are some of the books I'm looking forward to reading this year!  (You can click on the covers to add them to Goodreads and see their descriptions!)

Some more titles without covers:

One by Leigh Ann Koponas
Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
Game. Set. Match. by Jennifer Iacopelli
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

These are just a few of the titles I want to read. I couldn't list them all or no one else would have anything left! :) With so many awesome things coming out this year, I'm really glad I have my new plan.

What are some things you're looking forward to? 

My Dream Year

There are very few things in life I want badly. 

One of them, top of the list, is definitely to write. 

Luckily, I’ve been doing that regularly since a trip to South Africa. It’s a journey but it’s a good one so far. I want to be published, to learn the craft, to teach it. I want to share the stories in my head with people. 

It’s a big dream but for the first time in my life I feel like I’m moving toward something. 

- written June 17, 2010 

This post is supposed to be about 2012, about things that we're looking forward to in 2013, and all I can think is "look at where I came from," and "OMG, I get to do this now."

Life sure works in mysterious ways. In 2010, I would never have imagined that my fun hobby would turn into a passion. That passion would turn in discovery. That discovery would turn into skill. That skill would turn into work. That work would turn into a book deal. But it did.

In 2010, I never imagined it would end up this way (book deal, editor, nanny, author) but here I am and I think that's what 2012 did for me. There were a lot of struggles, but there were even more surprises. Things that happened that I didn't even know I wanted, but now that I have them, it's hard to imagine life without them.

2013 is going to be different. 

I dreamt once, when I was living in Nashville and trying to figure out what being a writer meant, that 2013 would be my year. I never had a clear vision on that specifically, the dream didn't give me details, but I remember telling my mom that some amazing things were waiting and that 2013 was the year my life would change. My mom--who's not really one to look forward like that, but is always one to encourage me to look forward--said to me, "Then, I guess you better get ready because everything is going to be building you up for that moment."

And I definitely feel like it has. I've spent so many of my years, especially in college and after, feeling like Alice in Wonderland--lost in the dark and not really sure where I'm headed. Even after I found writing, I had no idea how it would turn out. But standing here on the cusp of the year I've (literally) dreamed about, I can say that I feel ready--and that I'm beyond excited to see what happens.

For the first time at the start of a new year, I am in a good place. I live in a city that I really love. Have a good job. Have fun and exciting things on the horizon. Have wonderful people and authors and projects coming out. Have a book that I wrote that all of you will get to read. (And sure, it's not until 2014, but it's still a very affirming thing.)

I have high expectations for 2013. 

I know that could be a dangerous thing, but I firmly believe that it will live up to those expectations. I want to live this year. I want to hope and keep dreaming and challenge myself and be challenged and try things that seem like stupid risks or feel out character that stick with me forever. That's my goal for 2013. I want to experience the year instead of dreaming about the next one. (I promise you being content is really hard for me.) I want to live every moment and never take it for granted.

In 2010, I was just starting this journey as a writer. In 2013, I'm starting a new journey as an author. I'm excited to see what lies ahead.

Hopefully, 2012 was my last year as Alice, and 2013 will be exactly what I dream it to be. I don't have a list of goals, but I'm looking forward to the new things--and all the people I get to share them with.