If we were having tea

 

I'm trying to be a little more personal on the blog, so for the second time in a month, let's chat honestly.

I'm still deep in Summer Reading. The summer is half over and it's been really busy. But it's also been full of meaningful moments and getting to see some favorite families now that they have more time. It's nice to catch up with everyone. Who do you need to catch up with?

It's the family reunion week and because of work obligations and being down a full-time person, I'm not attending this year. I will miss the ocean and catching up with all the people and the ice cream. Guess it's time to take a trip to Mel's! What's your favorite ice cream flavor?

It's almost Christmas in July and that makes me want to get started on crafting ideas for the holidays and making Christmas cards. I might have listened to a few Christmas songs recently. I make my Christmas cards, and I send out a lot to family and friends and author friends, so I get started early because they can take a long time. I just bought some new stickers/washi tape and I'm eager to play with them. When do you start holiday crafting?

I've also started reading Christmas romance books - from Netgalley and I'm pretty excited about all the ones coming out this year, especially the number of YA books. I'm not trying to rush over fall (which is my favorite season), but Christmas in July does hit me. Plus, there are so many great looking ones, I never get a chance to read them all. Do you read Christmas romances books all year round or save them for the holiday season?

The produce scare has been changing up my eating habits. I did pick blueberries from a local orchard last weekend. And I used the last of them to bake blueberry buckle (a favorite treat my grandmother used to bake for me). I'm not sure regular berries are safe and I love having berries in my cereal in the mornings. It's also rough because this is the best time of the year for fresh produce. I love strawberries and blueberries in cereal, raspberries in baked goods, and melons. What kind of fruit is your favorite?

I would ask, what's new with you. What do you want to share?

* This idea was taken many years ago from Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner

If We Were Having Tea

 

I haven't done one of these since last year. Maybe I need to start writing these posts once a month. 

I will tell you this year has been similar to last year. We just got back from a trip to Acadia. Summer reading is almost here. I'm nervous and excited about all the programs and all the people. It is the best of time and the hardest of times. It's going to be harder this year because of budget issues and being down a full time person. I would ask, what adventures do you have planned for this summer?

Because of some health reasons, I'm watching certain things I eat and I hate it. I don't bake as much and it's really hard. I miss baking. If you were baking something fun this week, what would it be?

I'm starting to post more bookish posts on instagram. If you're on there - maybe give me a follow? I'm trying to build up my profile. I would ask what types of posts you like to see bookish photos, pictures of my life, or bookish creations with canva? Do you like to take pictures too?

After the article last year in SLJ, I created a YA Romance Book Trope database. You can read more about it here. You can view it here. It's a work in progress, but I hope it's helpful for librarians for displays and whatnot. I would ask, do you like tropes in romance? What's your favorite one?

My blog has gotten many more hits this last year. I'm grateful for you all reading it. I'd ask, what brings you here? Have you read any books I talk about? What book would recommend to me?

I haven't been good at different crafts lately. I was hoping to get back into paper quilling this year, but honestly, I've spent the majority of my crafting time painting. Here are a few paintings:

I would ask, what have you crafted lately?

I would ask, what's new with you. What do you want to share?

* This idea was taken many years ago from Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner

If We Are Having Tea

I haven't done one of these posts in a long time...but here goes.

If we were having tea, I'd tell you:

It's the first full week of Summer Reading programs. I really love the moments I get to spend with families in the summer (and the rest of the year too). We have lovely conversations about books and reading, but also personal tidbits. These moments are special, and they make my day.

But I do have to be honest, summer reading is hard. My library hosts multiple programs a day for different ages. Programming is rewarding, but it's also stressful - especially when I don't read emails right and realize that the library and the performer are talking about two different days. That happened this week; I felt terrible all night and had so many dreams about it.  It turned out fine the next day, but what a mistake to make. As an introvert, summer reading is hard because there are so many interactions; I need a lot of time to recharge. Which is why it's nice to go home to my dogs and relax. I would ask you, what do you do to relax?

I'm reading more this year that I have done recently - some because it's been graphic novels and some because Knightley is getting older and more mature. He doesn't need so much supervision. I never get a chance to read ALL the books I want to, but I've been reading so many great books. I've been trying to read more teen books lately, I feel that I've skewed into adult romances so much that I haven't been reading the teens ones too much. So, I've tried to change that and writing an article for SLJ didn't hurt. I would ask you, what books you've been reading lately that was a five-star read?

I write up a notebook for year, a two-page spread for the month. This year I'm trying to focus on more adventures and moments. I usually use the notebook for half the year and then forget about it. I'm sticking with it so far. Going back to fill in items still counts, right? I would ask, how to you keep track of your big and small moments of the year?

I finally started to take vacations during the summer (summer reading remember?). I just got back from Acadia. That is our happy place - we go there everything two or three years. If you missed, the pictures, take a look. We had such a fun time. I would ask, do you have a vacation spot you visit often? Or do you enjoy traveling mostly to new places?

I would ask, what's new with you. What do you want to share?

If We Were Having Tea

 

I haven't done one of these posts in a long time...but here goes.

If we were having tea, I'd tell you:

1. It's that time of year again - the best and hardest time at the library. Summer reading is amazing because you get to connect with little kids, teens, and adults. You talk about favorite books and recommend books (my favorite part of my job) but you also bond at programs. It's heartwarming and amazing. But it's also really really hard. For an introvert, being social every day (because we have multiple programs every day) is draining. What is hard for you this summer?

2. I shut my Etsy shop - I usually wait until December to agonize over whether it's worth keeping open for another year or not. But there were so many hoops to jump through lately that I just didn't have patience for it anymore. But that doesn't mean I'll stop crafting.  And it does mean I'll give away most of the items I had created to holiday donation baskets where my parents live. It was a sad day for me because of course I feel like a failure, but that's just how things are sometimes. Failure is a part of life and while it sucks, I'm dusting myself off. What do you do after you fail at something?

3. I've been on a couple vacation this year, and I have one more planned for July. It's a family vacation and I haven't seen anyone in a while, so it will be nice to catch up. Are you traveling this summer?

4. I did a brave thing in terms of my writing this month. I'm finishing up a revision. I think my WIP is there - and if it doesn't hook someone's attention, maybe it's not the right time. I have another idea that I've been kicking around my brain for the past couple of years. Once the revision is done, I'm going to turn my attention towards writing that. It's a little bit different for me, but I think it will be really fun to write.  What are you goals for the summer? 

Oh and this was inspired by a post a million years ago by Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner

If We were Having Tea

 Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner featured this on her blog last week. I loved the idea of sharing a little bit more about myself. I don't write too many personal pieces on the blog and maybe it's time I change that. You can see the previous posts too. I'm not a coffee drinker, so I changed it to tea. Hot chocolate works too!

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that this is first summer in 11 years that I'm not running a YA Summer Reading Program at the library. This is both relaxing and sad for me. Relaxing because clearly I don't have to worry about prizes and hosting 3 programs a week, but sad because I won't see my favorite teens this summer. I won't be talking about books with them, I won't be recommending books to them, and I won't be hearing their thoughts on the books they read. It also means that my summer is wide open for plans. What are you doing this summer?

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that this summer, I'm planning a few family vacations. This also hasn't happened in 11 years. I can't wait to sit by the water and READ. What are you planning to read this summer?

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that Romance Writers of America is hosting their annual conference in NYC this year. I've always wanted to go, but never could because of Summer Reading. Since it's super close this year and no plans, I'm going to be there!!

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that I'm writing something very different and very fun, although it's harder than what I've written before. It's also inspired by Taylor Swift. Do you have a favorite Taylor Swift song?

If We Were Having Tea

 Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner featured this on her blog ages ago. I loved the idea of sharing a little bit more about myself. I don't write too many personal pieces on the blog and maybe it's time I change that. I'm not a coffee drinker, so I changed it to tea.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that it's been a month since I quit my dream job...for my other dream job. While I miss being a librarian, I'm still very connected to the library world and that makes me happy.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that it's strange going into the library as a patron. I still go in about once a week. But everything's different. I have to find a new place to park. I have to remember the hours of the library. I have to say hello to everyone. I'm still getting used to this.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that I JUST finished a first draft yesterday of a WIP that I've been working on and off for two years. It's a YA version of Pride and Prejudice with a twist - oh and basketball.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that I'm going to work on the revising the first cozy mystery that I wrote and haven't gotten a chance to go back to in a  couple years. I'm excited about the idea - even though I remember that the ending REALLY needs some work. 

What would you tell me if we were having tea?

If We Were Having Tea

 Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner featured this on her blog last week. I loved the idea of sharing a little bit more about myself. I don't write too many personal pieces on the blog and maybe it's time I change that. I'm not a coffee drinker, so I changed it to tea.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that next Friday will be the last day at my library being a YA Librarian. I've been a YA Librarian for almost 11 years.  I've had some really great moments there: collaborating with co-workers, presenting at conferences, hanging out with teens, and of course talking about books.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that I will greatly miss being a YA Librarian. But I'll still be a part of the community. I love this YA community. I'll still be blogging. I'll still be talking about books on twitter and tumblr. And I'll still be keeping tabs on the librarian world.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you I'm going to embark on a new adventure. It makes me excited and nervous all that the same time. I'm going to chase my dream of becoming an author. I have several manuscripts in various stages that I'm going to work on over the next year or so. Fingers crossed that one day, I will be using this blog to tell you all about my upcoming book!!!

I have plans in the works and I'll share those when they start happening. Some personal goals and some still in the Librarian world. 

If We Were Having Tea (2)

Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner featured this on her blog last year. I used it last year and thought I'd bring it back. I loved the idea of sharing a little bit more about myself. I don't write too many personal pieces on the blog and maybe it's time I change that. I'm not a coffee drinker, so I changed it to tea.

So far the year hasn't been horrific, although there have been some bad parts.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you Health is still an issue. I had a scary incident at the beginning of the year and a small operation. Things look better now, but it's not all resolved.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that I just got back from Florida - a long weekend away and while the weather wasn't as warm or sunny as I would have liked, it was just what I needed to recharge. 

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that I haven't been sending my manuscript out lately. After some rejections, I'm taking a long hard look at it. Plus after this cold winter, I'm not sure anyone wants to be reading about snow and a Christmas tree farm.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that work has still be tricky, but I'm trying to make it better and make myself better - mostly trying to stay positive throughout all these changes. It's not always easy, but I'm sure no one became a librarian because it was an easy job.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that one of my librarian BFFs just got a new job as a Director and I'm so happy for her. 

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that I'm excited for spring and warm weather. I want to be able to go hiking again. I want to feel the sun on my skin. I want to wear my colorful clothes again and flip flops.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that I've been on a great reading kick - reading so many great books and the list doesn't end. I love it! 

How are things going in your life?

If We Were Having Tea

Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner featured this on her blog last week. I loved the idea of sharing a little bit more about myself. I don't write too many personal pieces on the blog and maybe it's time I change that. I'm not a coffee drinker, so I changed it to tea.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you about the terrible year I'm having. There's so many health issues that happened/are happening this year within my family.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you that I had some great moments this year meeting people. I got to hang out with Meg Cabot, who is my author rock star. 

If We Were Having Tea....I tell you that I finished my 6th NaNoWriMo yesterday. This last work was a Pride and Prejudice basketball story set in high school. It was really fun to write. 

If We Were Having Tea....I would also say that I've been struggling querying to agents this year and nothing's worked out. I had a few moments of hope, but that fizzled.

If We Were Having Tea....I would tell you that I had a great time at a writer's retreat early in the year. And I learned a lot from Tera Lynn Childs on the business of writing.

If We Were Having Tea....I would tell you that this year at work has been tricky. I feel like I'm floundering and I'm not sure what to do about it or even if there is anything I can do about it. Early next year, I will have been a YA Librarian for 10 years.I love being a YA Librarian, but the future is so uncertain.

If We Were Having Tea....I would tell you that this year is my 10th wedding anniversary. It's been 10 years of fun, laughter, and love. He is my best friend and he makes me a better person.

If We Were Having Tea....I'd tell you how much I love having a blog where I can talk about books and share my feelings. I mostly talk about the books I love, which is why I love reading your blogs. I like seeing if we have the same opinions on books. Plus I like hearing about books I might have missed.

What would you tell me?