What's Up Wednesday: Boats Against the Current Edition
I'm catching the What's Up Wednesday hot air balloon from the blogs of Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk. Go to Jaime's blog to add your link and make the rounds to get to know other bloggers!Here's how it works:
WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY
WHAT I'M READING
We read THE GREAT GATSBY for book club Monday night. I love that book so much. No matter how many times I've read it (and I have read it several times), I have a physical reaction to the last line. I know it's coming and still my heart skips a beat, my breath hitches:
It gets me every single time.So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
I'm also on a Jessi Kirby kick. I read MOONGLASS and IN HONOR and just started GOLDEN. Two of the best books I've read this year. She's a new favorite!
WHAT I'M WRITING
I made some great strides for Ready. Set. Write! over the long weekend and have figured out a couple of missing pieces to the revisions puzzles. I still need to get back into my daily writing routine, however, so THAT, friends, is my goal for the next 7 days: write every single day.
WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO
We spent the long holiday weekend with HG's family in Wisconsin. Fun times. They live very close to the Mississippi so it's beautiful country. We had a nice family get-together, the kids went to the pool with their cousins, we did a little shopping, we set off fireworks in the driveway, and relaxed. It was nice to get away.
I'm having a ton of fun with the #RGRPhotoADay Bookish Photo Challenge from Raegun Ramblings. Follow me on Instagram here!
WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW
First, let me say thank you for all your kind words and congratulations as I announced my big news last week! My heart is filled and overflowing by your support and kindness.
I'm also quite inspired by this:
If you haven't watched this video, please take three minutes out of your day and do. You won't regret it.
What's up with you this week? What are some of your favorite "last lines" - either book or movie?
The last line of The Great Gatsby is the best! I love it. I own three copies of the book. One hardcover for my bookshelf, one paperback to read, and another paperback where I wrote in the margins. So good!
ReplyDeleteI bought a copy of The Great Gatsby to read before seeing the movie. I can't wait to get to it. As for your big news, congratulations! I love the titles you come up with for your novels, Beautiful Bird, Sing On just sounds so amazing.
ReplyDeleteI spent the weekend in Wisconsin, too! It is a lovely state. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read anything by Jessi Kirby yet, but I really would like to. IN HONOR has been on my list for ages.
Good luck getting back into a writing routine! I'm trying to do the same.
Gatsby is one of my all-time favorite books and yes - that last line! Also, I must get my hands on GOLDEN. I've read Kirby's other two and I love her writing and her stories.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with writing this week! Writing every day is an awesome goal!
I haven't read The Great Gatsby! It's sitting on my iPad but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
ReplyDeleteI loved the last line and last few paragraphs of Requiem by Lauren Oliver. I thought they were just brilliant.
I haven't read The Great Gatsby either, but hope to some day.
ReplyDeleteFavorite last line:"Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day." Gone with the Wind
Kind of cheating, but the whole last two pages of THE VIRGIN SUICIDES kills me every single time...so good. Glad you're getting those revision in line--you're going to knock it out of the park, I know :)
ReplyDeleteI still haven't read any of Jessi Kirby's books. I need to get on that! I haven't read GATSBY in a while but I should re-read it! Did you see the movie? I haven't seen that yet either.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your writing goals this week!
I totally had to glaze over the last line of THE GREAT GATSBY because...yikes...I haven't read it yet, Sara. I know, I know...there are so many great classics I have yet to read and well, I didn't want to spoil the end, so I skipped that part of your post. Forgive me? :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of Jessi Kirby's books, either - but they're so on my TBR list...and I'm due for a trip to B&N to pick up some more books, too!
Glad you and the family had such a fantastic trip over the 4th / weekend. And I really hope you hit your writing goal of writing every day this week! Also, I'll have to come back to watch that video later this afternoon - I'm sitting in my local Starbucks before I hit the gym and my connection is very spotty. :S
I know I've said it a million times before, but really, congratulations on signing with Becky. You are well on your way, my friend.
First of all, Sara, thank you for that video clip. Tootsie was a favorite growing up in my home. My dad would put it on at a random point in the VHS, and no matter what we were doing, we'd watch. There are so many moments in it that come rushing back as I watched that interview clip. I also love what he said at the end, that it was never a comedy to him. No, to me either.
ReplyDelete"I do, Augustus. I do." From The Fault in Our Stars, is one that comes to mind.
"Bitterblue found a fresh sheet of paper and wrote the memory down, to capture it, because it was part of her story." From Bitterblue.
And, my favorite book if I had to choose, To Kill A Mockingbird, "He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning."
I am sure there are a lot more, and I LOVE the line from The Great Gatsby. It perfectly and completely yanks all loose threads together.
I really like The Great Gatsby, but personally I prefer Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night. It's so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing those beautiful photos. So pretty!
Great Gastby is by far one of my favorite books...that last line is killer. So much wrapped into one line.
ReplyDeleteWow... That Dustin Hoffman clip is intense. I was totally moved just watching it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're enjoying Jessi Kirby's books. I love her style, and I can't wait to read IN HONOR. It's the only one of hers I've yet to read.
I'm having so much fun with #RGRPhotoADay too. It's been so fun following along with everyone's bookish photos. :-)
That is a great last line. I love the last line of Jane Eyre and also The Truth About Fiorever by Sarah Dessen.
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting back into daily writing this week!
I need to read some Jessi Kirby. Jaime just finished GOLDEN and enjoyed it, so I've added it to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteThat picture of Anne and Gilbert is making me want to watch the movies SO badly. Believe it or not, I've never finished reading all the books in the series. In fact my husband has actually read further than I have! That's absolutely shameful for a redheaded Canadian to admit, and intend on remedying that someday.
I love your goal of writing every day this week. Simple and effective. Best of luck settling back into your routine! I'd say you earned a break considering your recent good news though!
I really enjoyed Moonglass too. Great writing!
ReplyDeleteAnd it looks like beautiful country you visited.
As for a favorite last line, I'm partial to my own (just like every mom thinks her baby's the cutest), from Destined, "You are my destiny."
One of my all-time favoritest final lines is from Hermann Hesse's Steppenwolf, "Pablo would be waiting for me, and Mozart too." I also love the final line of the short story "Lady with Lapdog," "And it seemed as though in a little while the solution would be found, and then a new and splendid life would begin; and it was clear to both of them that they had still a long, long road before them, and that the most complicated and difficult part of it was only just beginning."
ReplyDeleteI really didn't like The Great Gatsby when I read it about 9 years ago. It's one of those so-called classics that strikes me as extremely overrated, in addition to not liking any of the characters or feeling the storyline.
I saw the pictures from your book club meeting and was very much jealous. I haven't read Gatsby in years and have been wanting to. I really should. I'm still floored by your agent news--congratulations again. I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteHoly cats, somehow I missed your big news! CONGRATS!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite lines is from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale: "Are there any questions?"
OMG. I just started crying after watching that Dustin Hoffman clip.
ReplyDeleteAnd I haven't read Gatsby. *hangs head* It's on the list though. And you know I'm going to read everything on that list someday. I've also got one or two Jessi Kirby books coming to me from the library soonish. I'm hearing such great things.
I haven't read "the Great Gatsby" but I you have inspired me to move it closer to the top of my TBR pile. I love your Ready.Set.Write. goal! Simple and such a great habit. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteSeeing Anne always makes my day!
ReplyDelete"Because tomorrow is another day" is one of my favorite last lines...And I guess I should read The Great Gatsby...:D
ReplyDeleteI´m glad you had such a great week Sara :D And yes please do write every day because you know I would love to get something to read soon from you <3
CONGRATULATIONS on being represented, first of all! Many hugs! I'm so thrilled for you!!!!
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I promised myself I would read THE GREAT GATSBY again before I see the movie. I love Leo DeCaprio and I so *hope* that they will do this book some justice.
Thirdly, Jessi Kirby is on my list to read. <3
Good luck on your goals this week! If you're every up at 5 in the morning, we have a hashtag on twitter! #5amwritersclub :0)
That last line of THE GREAT GATSBY...it gets me, too. The first time I read the book, I loved the last line [and the whole book] so much that I started the book over again, right away. It's so true and heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteWriting every day is so good. I keep trying to get into the habit for myself, too. Good luck!