In Which Reading Writing Rachel Turns 2!

And oh how times have changed since January 10, 2008!

It's so bizarre to think that two years ago today, I started this blog as a way to A) hold myself accountable IN INTERNETLANDIA, where All Things Truly Matter, Natch, and B) chronicle my attempts at writing my first book. In case you don't want to scroll back through 127 entries, here it is, my very first blog post!:

Welcome!

Hi, there! Welcome to Reading Writing Rachel! I created this blog for the same reason anyone creates a blog- to talk obsessively about ME ME ME!

Okay, that's not 100% true. Although I am an only child, so, you know, it's at least 10% true.

The real reason for this blog is to chronicle my attempts to finally Write The Damn Book. I think it's safe to say I've been a writer since I was about four. That's when I started creating my best Barbie storylines, including one in which Ken kidnapped Barbie's kids, and then slipped a hallucinogenic drug into the water supply of her neighborhood so that everyone believed the kids had been abducted by aliens. No, seriously.

Ever since then, I've loved making up stories, although my plots are a little...tamer now. Since I was about 16 or so, I've probably attempted to write about 50 books. The most I've ever written before now was about 75 pages of a romance novel in college. The least I've ever written was, literally, one sentence.

But now I'm about 150 pages into my first YA novel. It's a sort of Southern Fried Paranormal, or, as I like to say, it's like Flannery O'Connor and Anne Rice had a baby (you know- with science) and then gave that baby to Meg Cabot to raise. That baby would be my book. It's kind of crazy and all over the place right now, but it's finally beginning to resemble an Actual Book.

So this blog is my attempt to document the incredibly frustrating and rewarding process of Writing The Damn Book. It's also where I will probably rant about how hard that is and how doing other things, such as watching epic amounts of Food Network, seem much more fun than writing. I'll also probably have the occasional fun poll. And, side bonus, you'll get my not very enlightening thoughts on life! Score!

So here we are, 2 years later, and The Damn Book is VERY MUCH an Actual Book. An Actual Book that is Actually Coming Out in Actual Bookstores (in 12 Actual Countries) in less than 2 months.

Now normally I try to avoid mushiness or sentimentality or any of that, but I WILL say that 2 years ago, everything was very, very scary. Despite the very cheerful tone of that post, I felt adrift and anxious. I was completely in love with my Baby Hex Hall, but I had no idea if other people might love it, too, or if being a writer was something I could genuinely do for a living. I was pretty sure that The Husband and I were both totally insane and Headed For Maximum Disaster.

But we weren't.

We were headed for Maximum Awesome.

Now I'm not saying that life is all flowers and sausages just because I got a book deal, or that Maximum Disaster will never loom again.

But I did have something to say to anyone out there who may be feeling adrift and anxious, or scared that your life is not going the way you want it to, or thinking that the dream you have is too big, or too crazy, and that is that someday somebody's gonna make you wanna turn around and say goodbye. Until then, baby, are you going to let 'em hold you down and make you cry? Dontcha know things can change? Things can go your way, if you hooooooold ooooon....Oh, wait a second. That is not a deeply felt message from my soul-region. That's a Wilson Phillips song. Funny how often the two are the same...


Wilson Phillips, caught in a moment of composing music to best express Rachel's thoughts through the magic of song. Also caught wearing truly bitchin' hats/vests/boots.

In any case, thank you for coming to RWR any time over the past 2 years! I know I am The World's Worst about replying to comments- heck, I can be The World's Worst about answering my phone. Or responding to people calling my name-, but I AM trying to get better, and every comment is so appreciated!

Have a great Monday, and I'll see y'all Tuesday when we meet Jenna Talbot from Hex Hall! (Who was, 2 years ago, NOT a vampire named Jenna, but a faerie named Lexie! Let's not tell her this, 'kay?)