Tag: if we were having coffee

• If We Were Having Coffee…*

  Posted at 6:52 pm by Laura, on June 7, 2017

  

  *Titled as such even though I prefer tea because saying “if we were having tea” sounds so high brow for a Midwestern American, even if I am an Anglophile.

  Lately I’ve posted book reviews and left it at that, so it seemed like it was time for another one of these posts! And because it’s approaching summer (oh god), I’m gonna use tea gifs! Sound good? Good.

  

  If we were having coffee…I would tell you how I’ve read so many books for fun this year so far, but seem to fall behind on writing reviews for them now. Not that reviewing isn’t fun, or that blogging is a chore. Neither of those things! I’m just…reading more than usual? Both as an agent and as a reader. It’s a great feeling finally going through my TBR, checking out books from the library, and setting out little monthly goals on Instagram. The pressure to read the hottest ARC seems to have fallen away, and I’ve become more selective on ARCs in general, too.

  If we were having coffee…I’d strongly suggest you watch Band of Brothers. It’s an HBO one-season series set in WWII about the 101st Airborne, and it came out in the early ’00s. The Beau strongly suggested we watch it together sometime, and I was a little wary. As much as I love war books, the movies can get intense. And yet, as intense as Band could be, the writing and cinematography and deep character development really grabbed my attention and I couldn’t stop watching. Have you seen this show? It’s so good!

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you how I sold a manuscript and acquired a new client all within the same month and it made me so happy. My other clients are also working on new projects that I’m super stoked to share with the world. Keep sending good vibes to the Team Laura sector of #TeamTriada. Going out on submission with new material is super exciting for all involved!

  

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you about my trip to NYC. The excuse was Book Expo — bought a badge and everything — but I was rarely at Javits (and only received one galley from the floor. All the other galleys that came home with me were directly from editors’ desks to my hands, and that feels far more meaningful). I spent the majority of my time traveling all over Manhattan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner meetings, mid-morning and afternoon imprint-wide meetings, and agency meals. It was so neat to put voices and faces to names, to see and meet the editors in person after years of exchanging emails and phone calls. All in all, this trip was far more fun and productive than previous NYC visits. This was also the first time the agency was all together, in person, in one room. Isn’t that nuts? I loved every second of it.

  Though I’m not a fan of the city itself (cities in general, let’s be honest — they stress me out), I was happy to be with enthusiastic bookish bookworms gushing over the latest novel, our cats, the news, dream travel destinations, and the delicious food in front of us. (That’s one thing cities have going for them: the variety of restaurants and cafes!) PLUS I was reunited with Lindsey @ Bring My Books and ran into Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books a few times. Oh, and flailed about Outlander and Sam Heughan with Sasha Alsberg when she was on her way to see her publisher. Haha!

  

  If we were having coffee…I’d show you what a complete nerd I am by whipping out my phone, opening up the Forge of Empires app, and gushing about the game. Guys, I just reached the High Middle Ages (nearly there to the Late Middle Ages) and I’m so poor now because I’ve purchased so many homes, production buildings, and supply buildings. Time to crank up the supplies!

  If we were having coffee…I’d grumble about my lack of self control when it comes to chips and queso. Oh my god. It’s just bad. Really bad. Like, I crave salt (and cheese) all the time. It’s my baseline. And I love sugar, too, so I’m all sorts of messed up in cravings. But chips and queso is my vice, my sin, my guilty pleasure. About a year ago I tried giving it up and doing more yoga instead but THAT DIDN’T WORK BAHAHA. Help me.

  If we were having coffee…I’d ramble on and on about this trip to Greece I’m going on next summer. I’ve been to cooler climates in Europe, so heading to the Mediterranean in the summer will certainly be something new to experience. Scenes from Mama Mia! and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants keep dancing in mind. Blue skies, white buildings, lots of water, great culture…Have you been to Greece? Any tidbits, advice, or fun facts?

  

  Short, quick, and something to break up all the reviews. Anything new in your life? Have you seen Band of Brothers? Did you go to Book Expo or Book Con (and if so, what’d you snag)? Are you into any particular app game? Comment below!

  If we were having coffee, what would we talk about? Let’s chat!

  Posted in Update Post | 7 Comments | Tagged if we were having coffee, personal

• If We Were Having Coffee…*

  Posted at 12:10 pm by Laura, on December 10, 2016

  

  *Titled as such even though I prefer tea because saying “if we were having tea” sounds so high brow for a Midwestern American, even if I am an Anglophile.

  Ah, yes! Another round of If We Were Having Coffee! This is mostly a moment to vent my thanks (and frustration) over the many blessings (and woes) of the last few months. Grab some coffee, tea, or cocoa, and let’s get started…

  

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you how thrilled I am to not be working in retail this holiday season. Normally December marks the beginning of the never-ending cold (which would lead to the never-ending inability to speak) and constant crankiness and general overwhelming stress. And though I do have some stressors this December, it has nothing to do with customers, illnesses, tinny pop Christmas tunes butchering the ears, management, etc. I don’t know how I lived through four Christmases in retail. It’s like selling your soul.

  To all of you who work retail, I am sending you good health and strength to maintain cheerfulness, and I hope you have beautiful, marvelous customers walking through the store’s doors!

  If we were having coffee…I would gush about how exciting it is to feel established in the library position. I’m ordering bookmarks for my Top 10 Favorite Adult Fiction Reads in 2016 to use on the staff display, preparing the book club’s list of reads for 2017 (that amazing group chose some great books to read and discuss, and I can’t wait to get started), creating displays to set up throughout the year, and looking forward to Genre Study’s (librarian book club) mystery reads in 2017!

  

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you that it’s been an absolute nightmare trying to move into this apartment. Back in November, I provided the complex with all the material they needed with my application, and was told I could move in December 1. On November 30, when I still hadn’t heard from them about picking up the keys and signing the lease, I found out they needed more material from me. (Apparently they’d only just realized I’d marked “self-employed” on my application along with the library position, and that requires a lot of paperwork proving I’m a good citizen who pays taxes and doesn’t lie.) This means my move-in date has been delayed till just before Christmas. Hurray! Let’s add on some more tight schedules to the already packed holiday season!

  *pours Baileys into cocoa*

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you that despite my frustration with the maybe-move, my generous and loving parents have been very supportive, and the Beau has been incredibly helpful throughout all of this. We’ve moved the boxes and furniture around in the living room to fit the tree. The Beau has indulged me with chocolates and French vanilla and caramel cocoas, watched children’s Christmas movies with me, and lets me spend my agent days at his place so I don’t fall behind on work or stare woefully at all of my packed belongings.

  *adds marshmallows to the cocoa*

  

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you about a neat opportunity I had with choir. Normally the section leaders sing one particular service at church as a small chamber choir. They were low on altos (I’m a mezzo soprano and have a weird range) and the director specifically requested that I join for the semester and into the Christmas season. It’s been a lovely experience and a joy to sing with people who, you know, have degrees in music.

  If we were having coffee…I would gush about Tara Sim’s success with Timekeeper! She’s appearing on so many “Best of” and “Top” lists, and the overwhelmingly positive response to her book is fantastic. I’m also very excited for Jared Reck’s A Short History of the Girl Next Door, and all the work going on behind the scenes right now. His cover is gorgeous and so perfect for the novel, too!

  

  It’s not a massive update, but one I still wanted to share regardless. The holiday season can add so much stress, both good and bad, and even though things are okay on my end, you’re more than welcome to reach out and chat about yours! I do my best to find a silver lining in things, and though I’m very frustrated with the apartment situation, I know I’m surrounded by good people who will not leave me out in the cold.

  If we were having coffee, what would we talk about? Let’s chat!

  Posted in Update Post | 10 Comments | Tagged if we were having coffee, personal

• If We Were Having Coffee…*

  Posted at 6:10 am by Laura, on September 2, 2016

  

  *Titled as such even though I prefer tea because saying “if we were having tea” sounds so high brow for a Midwestern American, even if I am an Anglophile.

  You may have noticed I haven’t blogged quite as much this summer. A lot has happened in 2016, and I’ll not pretend I’m the only one experiencing a lot of changes this year. Nearly everyone I’ve spoken to, online and IRL, seems to have had quite a tumultuous year so far, the good and the bad. So coming up you’ll have the pleasure of reading an unedited, walls-down, potentially grammatically incorrect blog post — and I just don’t give a flying rat’s ass about it. I’m typing this the way I’d speak it. So…cheers!

  

  Grab your favorite hot beverage and get comfy. Let’s share some personal updates. (Shock, I know. I try not to do too much of that on the blog!)

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you that my agent inbox exploded after Jared’s book deal and Tara’s ARC drop at ALA. This is wonderful and overwhelming. I couldn’t be happier! One of the best things about being an agent is getting to be the first (or, well, first professional ((“professional,” my gosh)) to read a manuscript, know that it’s a gem of a project, and find the perfect publisher to champion it. The onslaught of mail — and quality queries and manuscripts, too! — only means I have to be even more critical of what I’m reading. My summer has been far more dedicated to my current clients and reading new material. Thus…fewer blog posts.

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you about my new part-time job as a reference assistant at the library! I’m the moderator of a book group for 20- and 30-somethings, which means I have a book a month to read from their list. The librarians also have their own in-house book clubs, and I’m in the genre study one. The theme this year is multi-cultural literature (perfect for WNDB and #ownvoices), so there’s another required reading book a month. You’ve read some of the reviews already (Re Jane, Buddha in the Attic, The Girl Who Fell from the Sky) for ones I felt needed and deserved attention. For the most part, though, it feels like homework reading instead of pleasure reading. Thus…fewer blog posts.

  There are other aspects of the library job I enjoy. Going through the collection and finding ways to promote material through bookmarks and programming, teaming up with a colleague (also a published author!) to develop a writing program for NaNo and beyond, and assisting patrons in finding materials are other perks. It’s just a much better environment for me than the bookstore. Retail really wasn’t my cup of tea.

  Speaking of tea…*sips*

  

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you how my mind wanders off on tangents, dreaming up the next big adventure. I really want to go to the London Book Fair in March 2017, but that dream is starting to look a little far-fetched. Maybe next year! However, my best friend (also a med student, bless her) and I are thinking of taking a little trip to San Francisco in the spring during one of her rare breaks in rotations. Any suggestions of places to visit, explore, or eat would be welcomed!

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you about this great guy I’ve known for a few years now, how we finally took a chance, and it’s been quite possibly the most amazing thing ever ever ever. Ever. He met my best friends and their husbands, passed the test, and now they’re all asking when they’ll see him next (in case you were curious: Labor Day weekend BBQs!). Also, he gives the best hugs. The best hugs.

  

  I’m meeting the rest of his friends and his massive family next month…wish me luck!

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you about my on-going search for an apartment. Now that I’m more comfortable financially, it’s time to finally move out and find my own place. The trouble I’m running into is finding a good place to live with low rent in a safe neighborhood. The search may take a few more months, and I may not move out till early 2017, but at least it’s happening!

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you about my buckling bookshelves (another reason to move). It’s really getting out of hand, all the unread books that I own. Now that I’m at the library, my spending impulses have quickly died down in favor of checking out books instead. BUT…that doesn’t address the nearly 300 books crammed onto shelves in my room, piling on the floor, ARCs that keep arriving for review…! Wouldn’t it be nice to  have more than 24 hours to the day, so that a good chunk of it was for reading (or even just doing anything you love)?

  If we were having coffee…I’d tell you about the Great Tostitos & Queso Takeover, and my lack of yoga. I just might have an addiction to salt more than sugar (though I LOOOOVE sugar), and it’s becoming a major issue. I love Tostitos Restaurant Style chips with the white queso. I could eat a party size bag entirely on my own. The problem? I get bloated after. Plus all that salt is NOT good for you at all. And to top it off, I’ve been slacking in the yoga department. I used to do it every day, and then after my Europe trip in June it turned to once or twice a week…and now it’s just sad. So, health wise, I need to get back into it! Cut back the chips and queso! Bring back the yoga!

  

  Tell me what’s going on in your life! If we were having coffee, what would we talk about?

  Posted in Update Post | 13 Comments | Tagged if we were having coffee, personal

• Birthday Post! // If We Were Sharing Cake…

  Posted at 9:30 am by Laura, on March 4, 2014

  

  Today’s my birthday! And I thought I’d spend some time on this post with something a bit more personal. A meme by Ashley of Your Super Awesome Life called “If We Were Having Coffee” breaks free from the “all business” mode of blogs and explores the personal stories behind the blogger. Since this post will be centered around a birthday celebration, I’m changing the name slightly to “If We Were Sharing Cake.” So sit back, grab your favorite beverage, and take a slice of cake!

  If We Were Sharing Cake . . . I’d tell you I recently received an amazing opportunity to work closely with an author on her social media, calendar, and bookish commitments. Her book will be out in July, published by Random House, and the whole experience of being a part of this process is fascinating and exciting.

  If We Were Sharing Cake . . . I’d do my best not to tell you how truly scared I am about the future. As someone who likes to have things planned out and in control, it’s nerve-wracking and stressful to not know what will happen in my life post-graduation. Where will I be? What will I be doing? Will I be happy? This is when the existence of a time lord is needed — just one tiny glimpse of my future five years from now would be fantastic and put my mind at ease. Or, you know, at the snap of my fingers the job market and economy would be fixed instantly and everyone would have hope for the future!

  If We Were Sharing Cake . . . I’d gush about how much I love book-to-vlog adaptations. While I thoroughly enjoyed “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” and am completely engrossed with “Emma Approved,” my true love affair is with “The Autobiography of Jane Eyre.” Apart from the fact Jane Eyre is my favorite book, I have to say I really like the home video quality of this vlog. And the actors are so…natural! They feel far more real than the gussied-up actors with TLBD and EA, and I think it’s because it makes the whole vlogging aspect feel real. With AOJE, it’s not an actress playing Jane, she is Jane.

  If We Were Sharing Cake . . . I would tell you how I ache to live in two vastly different places: out west, in the mountains, or in London, where my heart belongs. Every memorable family vacation took place in the West, and there’s something about it that speaks to my introverted soul. And yet, with an equal pull, London (or any part of England, really) is calling. I studied abroad for a bit and cried when I came back to America.

  If We Were Sharing Cake . . . I’d share pictures of my beautiful black cat Rossetti, as it’s inevitable whenever anyone is around me. Follow me on Twitter and you can see some of my random updates about her quirks. Originally I wanted a black boy cat to name Byron, or an orange boy cat to name Keats (those two men speak to me), but when I met “Winifred” it was instant love and an instant name change to another wonderful poet. Byron and Keats will be saved for future pets — in the vault with a deaf kitty named Beethoven and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Cromwell (heehee).

  If We Were Sharing Cake . . . I’d ask you for book recommendations and TV show recommendations! I adore YA books, and will always want more recommendations (I tend to read fantasy or deeper/darker romances, but sometimes you need a good light and fluffy one too!). However, sometimes too much YA at once can create a bit of a whiny mental child, and so I’d need some more adult fiction recommendations too (some light, some historical, some mystery, some fantasy — anything). I tend to marathon TV shows too, and currently watch Once Upon a Time (Captain Swan!), How I Met Your Mother (what a crazy 48 hours it’s been…), Big Bang Theory, and New Girl. On my Netflix queue I have Bomb Girls, Land Girls, Doc Martin, Call the Midwife, and many other BBC/ITV shows that I’ve finished (Merlin, Downton Abbey, Robin Hood). Any suggestions for books or TV shows? Or movies??

  If We Were Sharing Cake . . . I’d recommend two books, a movie, and a TV show for you! Books: Indiana authors Sharon Biggs Waller’s A Mad, Wicked Folly (YA, historical, hilarious and heart-warming) and Jessica Brockmole’s Letters from Skye (adult, historical, powerful). Movie: It’s also a book, but if you haven’t seen Winter’s Tale yet you need to now. TV Show: Bomb Girls, if you haven’t already. So many great stories woven into a perilous time in history!

  Posted in books, Update Post | 8 Comments | Tagged books, if we were having coffee, movies, personal, pets, tv, vlogs

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• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent and librarian, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I have a passion for Victorian culture, Gothic lit, and music. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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