Friday Fun Facts: I'm a Quote Junkie

"If music be the food of love, play on."

I'll admit it: I'm a nerd when it comes to literature. I love it. I loved reading from the time I was about 4, and that never changed through high school, college, or graduate school. In fact, the only part I didn't really love about majoring in English Lit were the papers I had to write analyzing authors. I enjoyed reading them; I loved drinking in the language and somewhere I still have a little book where I would write down favorite quotes I came across. I didn't really enjoyed tearing them apart.

That was a driving force in my becoming a writer, I think: I dreamed of crafting language that would make other people pause the way I did so many times. (That's always been a sticking point for me, actually: I'm much more interested in playing with language and phrases than hammering out a page-turning plot. It's something I'm continually working on improving).

In researching the YA novel I'm working on right now, I read through Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (and enjoyed it - told you I was a nerd). Here are some of my favorite quotes from that play, and I'm trying to figure out how to work them into my story. I'll keep you posted!

"Oh Time, thou must untangle this, not I. It is too hard a knot for me t' untie!"

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."

"Love sought is good, but giv'n unsought is better."

Writers' Wednesday: It's Time for First Chapters!

So today I'm the lucky featured author over at D. Renee Bagby's "First Chapters" blog (great promo opp for you fellow writers out there!). You'll have a chance to read the first chapters of my 5 contemporary romance novels, and if you haven't read them before, maybe today will be a nice little whetting of your appetite :)

In addition, though, all you have to do is post a comment on any of the chapters, and you'll be entered for a chance to win a $10.00 Amazon gift certificate! Hope to see you over there :)