My YouTube Channel, Kate's Book Club has reached 1,000 Subscribers!

I'm thrilled!

So I'm hosting a Giveaway!

Three Winners will get their pick of one of these books!

And One Grand Prize Winner will get their choice of three!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

I have a few very exciting things to mention!

Earlier this week, I celebrated my channel 2 year anniversary on YouTube! 

It was quite a party!

Incredible, clever, quippy, intense, lovable, funny, dark, exciting. These are just a few of the words that describe this wonderful novel!

Amazing book by a wonderful author!

Buy Birthmarked Here:             PreOrder Prized Here:

A few weeks ago I read a really wonderful novel called Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien!

I was so impressed that I had to send this wonderful new author an email.

And ever since, life has been full of wonderful surprises!

Like the day I check the mail and found this in the box!

That's an Advanced Reader Copy of Prized! The sequel to Birthmarked!

I've always wanted the opportunity and the honor of reading a book before it hits shelves and I was ecstatic to find this in my mailbox!

And did I mention that it was absolutely wonderful?

Stay tuned for the review in a few weeks!

But even more incredible are the sweet things that Caragh has done for me the past few weeks.

Yesterday, I checked her website and found this post.

I feel so honored to be mentioned and that she posted a link to my review of Birthmarked at the end.

Thank you so much Caragh!

Everyone definitely needs to read her novels as soon as they can! Fabulous!

I loved this book! Read it! Read it! Read it!

Buy Delirium Here:

Since moving to Vegas, I've discovered quite a few wonderful places.

But I think one of my all time favorites has to be the Library.

I know what you are thinking.

"Katie... You live in Las Vegas. There is entertainment everywhere! Why is the Library even on the list?"

Well, this library is just cool.

You stack the books you want to check out and the scanner instantly knows which books they are!

This library is one of many branches in the area. So if they don't have a book I want, they send it from somewhere else!

And it's got little snack bar too!

Coming from a small town, I'm not used to such technology or selection!

Without this wonderful place, I would have been very bored this summer.

What do you love about YOUR library?

 I had flippy floppy feelings about this book.

Buy Incarceron Here:             Buy Sapphique Here:

I stumbled upon something today that made my mouth drop open in shock. 

Does anything look familiar? No? Let me help you.

It's the same girl!

Thief! Thief!

(Let's not mention that I have no idea who this girl is, and 'borrowed' the image from Google for my own purposes.)

But still! Jorra doesn't have flaming hair! Jorra lives under the water! Flames and water DON'T mix!

Sad.

I know that this was just the cover I created two years ago. And I know that if I ever get published, this won't be the cover they use.

But I feel so violated.

I like my cover better anyway.

Jorra could totally kick this 'fury' girl's butt! Fury is too feminine and soft. My Jorra would totally win in a fight.

I kinda want to read it though... You know... Just to be sure...

- 1st: My sister and I drove the nine hour trip to our home town. -

- 2nd: Played games at my aunt Shaneen's house with the family. -

- 4th: Happy 4th of July! The day started with a parade and ended with a BBQ, family and fireworks. -

- 5th: Hopped in the car for the drive back to Vegas. Nine hours is much too long. -

- 8th: Kevin gets here for his 8 day visit! -

- 8th-16th: Kevin and I did so many things over these 8 days. Like swimming, movies, walking the strip and more. You can check out the full list here! -

- 13th: Interview at Kohl's. Cause I need me a second job! Also, happy birthday Dad! I love you!-

- 16th: Kevin leaves. I cried. A lot. -
- 25th: My sister took me out to eat at Red Robin. Good food! Good company!

- 27th-29th: Stress beyond belief. So glad that lifted a little. -

- 29th: Got the job at Kohl's! Yay! -

Any moment with Kevin. There were so many. If I had to choose. The end of day one of his visit when we realized that we still had seven days left. That was a good feeling!

A toss up between watching Kevin leave or finding out I might have to move home to live with my parents. Both were very awful. And both made me cry. A lot.

Chicken Fingers from Raising Canes. They are SO good. How have I missed out on these for so long?

Also, it's not food, but Raising Canes has the BEST Lemonade ever. Seriously. Try it. Now.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I think this was the fourth time I've read it. Kevin and I read it together. I love this book!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver - So good! I almost passed this one up. So glad I didn't!

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien - I wasn't sure for the first few chapters, but I ended up loving it!

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare - A wonderful prequel to the Mortal Instruments series! I love Clare's books!

Entwined by Heather Dixon - So cute! And surprisingly nail biting! I loved it!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - Read with Kevin. Loved it just as much the third time. He loved it too!

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson - Took much longer to get through than it should have. I didn't love it.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins - Still not thrilled with it. I'm not as numb and exhausted as I was when I first read it. Thanks for reading it with me, anyway Kevin.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - Wonderful! It was fantastic! Alan Rickman's performance was the best part!

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Definitely one of the best cartoons out there, if not one of the best shows period!

The month went from very busy to very very very slow. And all of that down time made me feel very down. I'm feeling much better now. Things are beginning to work themselves out. At least a bit. It's going to take some hard work on my part. And I'm excited to get my hands dirty in August. 

I've been reading a lot lately.

As you may have noticed.

And with every new story, chapter and word, I am more and more impressed with these authors who are able to create such articulate and captivating stories.

The people who sat at their computers, typewriters or notebooks through countless rewrites and edits.

These writers who persevered as they got rejected by publisher after publisher until they finally got their book in print.

And every time I think of their achievements, I look over to the manuscript that is sitting on my bedside table.

It has been almost a year and a half since I last touched it.

This work of fiction that I was so proud of, so dedicated to, just faded out of my life.

Today I picked it up and read the first chapter.

I had a pen in hand and slashed it to shreds.

I made notes in the margins.

I corrected grammar and punctuation.

I scribbled on the pages until they were full.

And I'm not stopping now.

I'm determined to see my novel on shelves someday.

I'm going to be an author.

Just you wait!