the writer's arsenal: nothing is loved by everyone

It's been a while, but The Writer's Arsenal is back. I've got a whole slew of new writing/publishing related topics I'm looking forward to covering here on the blog, but as always, if there's anything about writer's craft, the industry, query process, whatever that you'd like to know more about, please leave a request in the comments or use the contact form and I'll be happy to cover it in a future post.

Today I want to talk about something I've undoubtedly touched on in the past, but this post is going to go into things a little more in-depth, and that's rejection.

Let me assure you, nobody likes being rejected, but absolutely everybody experiences it at some point or another. Writers (and artists in general) especially need to learn to live with it, because it's something you will continue to experience every step of the way.

Anyone who has queried a novel knows that receiving rejections is par for the course. Some authors manage to luck out with regards to timing, and they hit the right agent at the right time, receiving an offer of representation without having first received many "No thank you"s. But that's just luck and timing. If they'd done things another way, the number of rejections could have easily gone up, and for most authors querying, it does. In fact, for most authors, the number is in the dozens, or easily hundreds. Sometimes it's because the book isn't ready to be published, but a lot of the time, it's just a matter of taste--just a matter of finding the right person. And in the end, it's a good thing. Because a writer wants and needs an agent who loves their writing enough to fight for it. The agents who reject a manuscript weren't the right people for the job. Though unfortunate, it's a good thing they're passing. 

But then let's say, you finally land an agent. Hooray! No more querying! No more "No thank you"s! Except, now you have to submit to publishers, and the song and dance continues. As someone who's been on sub for a while, I know it all too well. And while it's always disappointing to receive a pass (even if it's accompanied by praise and helpful feedback), I know it's for the best. I want an editor who loves my books, loves my voice, and will want to work with me on future projects. If they can't see my potential, they won't be a great editor for me to work with.

Okay, so, let's say your book sells--yes, you've finally made it! The days of rejection are truly over now! Except...they're not. As any published author will tell you, the day your book hits the shelves (or sometimes beforehand, if advance reader copies go out) is the day the reviews start trickling (or hopefully pouring) in. Some of them will be glowing. Some of them won't. Agents rejected you, editors rejected you, and yes, now readers are rejecting you. A lot of writers find this extremely frustrating, and I can't really blame them. How can some people think your book is amazing while others feel it's utter garbage? Well, it's for the same reason some of us love sushi and some of us think it's disgusting. We all have different tastes, and authors absolutely must maintain that tough outer shell that got them through the query process, and find a way to accept the bad with the good, especially since some of the bad you'll see is just people trolling. Sad as it is, people will leave scathing reviews just to get a reaction. And if for no other reason, that's why you simply can't take it to heart. 

In May of last year, I saw something on TvLine.com that struck me so deeply that I grabbed a screen cap to keep as a reminder. David Letterman's final episode of The Late Show had just aired and having missed it myself, I was reading a recap of the show, and then scrolled down to the comments, where I saw this:

Source: TvLine.com

Wow. Just wow. I see comments like this often. An article gets posted, and somebody in the comments rails on it. But there was something about this one that really stayed with me. David Letterman had been hosting The Late Show for 22 seasons. He was a late night icon. Of course, there were people who liked his style, and people who didn't, but here it was, his final episode, a time to recognize what an accomplished career he's had, and there in the comments was someone who not only bothered to say he didn't care for it, but qualified that comment by saying he's not a fan to begin with! In one fairly succinct comment, this guy captured what writers need to keep in mind whenever they read a rejection or negative review of something they've written. Some people simply don't like certain things. And even though they don't like them, they still take the time to write a negative review. This comment might as well have said, "I hated this Sci-Fi book, but I'm not a Sci-Fi fan." Of course, most rejections and negative reviews don't bother to mention that second part, but it's important to keep it in mind. 

Of course, there are people who will recommend that authors don't read reviews at all. I think that's a mistake though, because I think feedback is how we learn and grow. As a writer AND editor, I want to know what people don't like about something I've written because I want to be able to make it better. Be it for revisions, or the next book I write, I want to keep an open mind and improve, even if I know I'll still never be able to make everybody happy. The key to dealing with negative reviews isn't to not read them, it's to not let yourself get baited. Thank people for their praise, and then just let the negative comments exist. Read them with an open mind, remind yourself that people have different tastes, take in anything you can learn from, and then move on. 

Rejection is unavoidable. Even NYT bestsellers receive bad reviews. But those aren't the people you're writing for, right? Just remember, nothing is loved by everyone. And that's okay. The world would be a boring place if that weren't true. The people who love your books are the people who matter most, so keep your focus on them, and keep writing!

friday5 for February 5, 2016

As I mentioned in a post on my Facebook author page yesterday, it's been a busy week. More than busy. Plus, I'm recovering from this cold that doesn't seem to want to go away. I guess recovering isn't actually the right word then. Enduring? Kinda. Anyway, I had to do a bit of condensing with regards to bloggie things this week. Sorry about that. Hopefully, we'll be back to normal as of Monday, but for now, here's the Friday5, including a mini version of this week's Pretty Little Reaction!

1. Let's talk Gilmore Girls revival, because I don't think we've touched on that yet and the four episode (more like four movies given their length) series began filming this week. There's a lot of information swirling out there right now (like this great rundown). For once, I'm actually somewhat trying to limit my exposure to too many details, because I want to be surprised. But oh man, this interview with Lauren Graham has got me so excited: 

Photo credit: NBC

2. Another favourite comic book universe is coming to prime time--X-Men, and FX, the network behind the adaptation, subtitled Legion, has announced that Aubrey Plaza, Dan Stevens, and Jean Smart will be joining the cast. Any thoughts on these choices? Personally, I see a lot of potential, but the scripts will have to be just right. Will you watch when Legion premieres? Or are you getting prime time comic book adaptation fatigue?

Photo credit: FX via THR

3. So, Rupert Grint upset many a Harry Potter fan this week when he predicted that Ron and Hermione probably eventually got divorced. I mean, he had to have been kidding, right? Joking around in a self-deprecating, of-course-Ron-would-fail-at-marriage kind of way? Yeah, that must be it. Cause in reality, I don't see Ron and Hermione, my favs over even HP himself, ever letting go of each other... 

Photo credit: Warner BRos.

Look, I know Ron and Hermione had their ups and downs--they were still children when they first fell in love! They had a lot of growing up to do!--but they'd both come a long way by the end of Deathly Hallows. Did they probably argue a lot? Of course. That's part of their spark! But you can't convince me these two wouldn't continue to love each other enough to work through any problems they might have as a married couple.  

4. As promised, here are my top impressions from this week's episode of Pretty Little Liars--again, sorry about the abbreviated edition! If you want to avoid spoilers, please go right ahead and skip to the Noteworthy New YA.

1. As I feared/suspected, Spencer and Hot Caleb didn't just kiss. They went for it. Like, went for it. Under the category of small mercies, I'm glad Hot Caleb was asleep during that morning after scene. I really didn't want to see AM canoodles between these two.
2. In other news, PLL has finally found a way to make me feel for Toby. I might even be starting to like the guy. Or maybe I just want him to dump the new chick, and conveniently step in to soften Spencer's fall when Hot Caleb inevitably gets back with Hanna. Either way, he's miles from where he used to be back in the Creeper Toby days. And yet, I miss him being creepy too... this is clearly my head-cold speaking now. I'll leave it at that. 
3. What is wrong with me that I actually like Aria's yellow zebra sweater? Is she... growing on me? First Toby and now Aria's wardrobe? Hmmm. I don't feel like I have a fever, but maybe I do!
4. Hanna's fiance is definitely likable. That doesn't mean I want her to be with him, but calling a lawyer when your girl confesses to evidence tampering? He's clearly the smartest person in the liars' lives right now. If--scratch that--when Hanna gets back with Hot Caleb, I hope they keep Jordan around just for his logical coping methods. 
5. Is Aria's dad the killer? I don't think so. But of the suspects they've hinted at so far, I think he's the one I'd most like to see actually responsible. He's definitely not the creeper in the old man mask though... was that supposed to look real? Cause it definitely looked like a mask. New A doesn't appear to have the big budget that old A did. 

6.14 New Guys, New Lies | Photo credit: Freeform

5. Noteworthy New YA: ASSASSIN'S HEART by Sarah Ahiers

With shades of Game of Thrones and Romeo and Juliet, this richly imagined fantasy from debut author Sarah Ahiers is a tale of love, lies, and vengeance. Fans of Kristin Cashore and Rae Carson will devour the flawlessly crafted action and inventive world building.

Seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana is a trained assassin. She was born into one of the nine clipper Families in the kingdom of Lovero who lawfully take lives for a price. As a member of the highest-ranking clan, loyalty to Family is valued above all, but that doesn't stop Lea from getting into a secret relationship with Val Da Via, a boy from a rival clan. Despite her better judgment, Lea has fallen in love with him; but she's confident she can anticipate any threat a mile away.

Then she awakens one night to a house full of smoke. Although she narrowly escapes, she isn't able to save her Family as their home is consumed by flames. With horror, she realizes that Val and his Family are the only ones who could be responsible. Devastated over his betrayal and the loss of her clan, there's just one thing on her mind: making the Da Vias pay. The heart of this assassin craves revenge.

-Courtesy of Indiebound

Happy weekend!

rescue the cliffhanger: the small, dark room

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Well, I've been promising new features here on the blog, and here we go with a little game I'm calling Rescue the Cliffhanger! This is going to be something of an experiment at first. I don't know if it's been done before; it almost definitely has, but maybe not in this format? I also don't know if any of you writers or writing hobbyists out there will take me up on this challenge, but I sincerely hope you do, because I think it could be a lot of fun, and if nothing else, a little brain exercise to break up the day.

Here's the gist: Rescue the Cliffhanger is like a writing prompt, and then some. Below, you'll find a piece of text which ends--surprise, surprise--in a cliffhanger. My challenge to you, dear reader, is to pick things up where the cliffhanger leaves off, then continue the story on your own blog, tumblr, facebook, whatever. It doesn't have to be long (continue it on twitter if you'd like!) It definitely doesn't have to be perfect. It just had to come from your brain. Think of it as a quick writing exercise to stretch those creative muscles. Scary, funny, insightful, poetic--there are no restrictions as to where you take the story next, but if you decide to take me up on this challenge, I only ask that you do the following:

1. Before you dive into your continuation, please leave a quick note explaining that it's part of a writing game called Rescue the Cliffhanger, with a link back to this post so people will know where the story started, and can read the beginning if they'd like.
2. Please come back here yourself and leave a link to your continuation in the comments so that I, and any other readers, can read what you've written. If you post it on Facebook, please make sure the privacy settings for that specific post are set to 'public' so anyone can read it. 
3. Finally, not mandatory, but if you'd like to, please go ahead and end your piece of writing with another cliffhanger, inviting others to continue the story, with the goal of this growing into something of a choose-your-adventure-style story.  

Again, this is an experiment. I have no idea if anybody will respond, or if it'll be a big flop, but I'm putting it out there, and hope we can have some fun with it. If anyone is on board, we'll do it again sometime for sure--I'd love to make it a regular feature here on the blog.

So for now, I present to you, the first--and hopefully not last--edition of Rescue the Cliffhanger:

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I don't know how long I've been here. Surely hours, not days. At least, I think so. How many? I'm not sure. When I came to, I was lying on the hard, planked floor I sit on now, my head pounding.

I've been listening, waiting. I thought I heard murmuring outside the door at one point, but I couldn't make out any words. The only other sound has been my own ragged breath, punctuated by whimpers and gasps of stale air. At one point, I thought I felt the room sway, like a boat meandering feebly over clement waves. But my head is spinning, and the darkness makes me imagine things that aren't really there. 

I managed to find my way to a wall, to rest against, to hold me up, to keep me from feeling tetherless in this inky, black void. I don't know who brought me here, or why, but I'm too scared to crawl around. I don't know how big this room is; I'm afraid of what I'll find. There's a pinhole in the wall above that permits a minute ray of what might be daylight, but it's not enough to illuminate a thing. 

What was that?

Another murmur. I could swear it this time. A shuffle. Maybe even a hand on the door. Somebody's out there.

TO BE CONTINUED...

friday5 for January 29, 2016

Well, I'm not exactly sure how we've reached the end of January already, but here we are. Time flying so quickly is always a bit concerning, but it's winter, and we're steadily moving toward warmer, sunnier days. I see no bad there. But if that shiny glimmer of hope isn't enough to get you through to the weekend, here are a few items that just might! 

1. What is happening here? This is absolutely delightful, and yet another reason Kristen Bell is my spirit animal. You don't need to know anything going into this beyond the fact that KB and her hubs, Dax Shepard, filmed this before the birth of their kids, while they were on safari in Africa. If these two ever break up, I'm going to need therapy. Enjoy!

2. Did you miss Mockingjay Pt. 2 in theatres like I did? No? You saw it because you didn't have trouble working out a babysitting scenario that would work for your still nursing baby? Well, I wasn't so lucky. After seeing the previous three films (the first and third with newborn babies in tow) shortly after their initial release, I just didn't make it out to see MJ Pt. 2. Not a great situation for a big HG fan to be in. But alas, that's life, and now the film is almost out on DVD/Blu-ray and I'll get to finally see it! I might even have to pre-order the 4-film collection, details for which have just been released. Will you be marathoning all four films when Mockingjay Pt.2 becomes available?

3. Were you angry when Pottermore decided to do away with sorting and all the interactive stuff that was actually worth your time? Well, some of those features are back, and whether you liked the house you were originally sorted into or not, now's a great time to find out where you might fit in at Hogwarts, according to the master of sorting, J.K. Rowling herself! 

4. Would you like a splash of Saturday morning nostalgia with your comic books? Cause DC is rolling out some new versions of old Hanna-Barbera favourites. The art is definitely intriguing, but I'm not sure I'll be checking out any of these books beyond a passing glimpse. There's something about Scooby with a cyborg eye that just seems irresponsible ;) Anybody on board with this reimagining?

Photo Credit: DC Comics, courtesy of Entertainment weekly

5. Noteworthy YA of the week: SHALLOW GRAVES by Kali Wallace

For fans of Holly Black and Nova Ren Suma, a gripping, hauntingly atmospheric novel about murder, revenge, and a world where monsters human and otherwise lurk at the fringes.

When seventeen-year-old Breezy Lin wakes up in a shallow grave one year after her death, she doesn t remember who killed her or why. All she knows is that she's somehow conscious and not only that, she's able to sense who around her is hiding a murderous past. In life, Breezy was always drawn to the elegance of the universe and the mystery of the stars. Now she must set out to find answers and discover what is to become of her in the gritty, dangerous world to which she now belongs where killers hide in plain sight, and a sinister cult is hunting for strange creatures like her. What she finds is at once empowering, redemptive, and dangerous.

Tense, complex, and wholly engaging, Shallow Graves is a stunning first novel from Kali Wallace.

-Courtesy of Indiebound

Happy weekend!

pretty little reaction: oh no they didn't

6.13 The Gloves are On | Photo credit: Freeform

You guys. My eyes are burning. And not in a sexy, burning love kind of way. This is so completely not cool. We need to discuss the events of this week's episode... Spencer, seriously, stick to Toby, okay?

Photo credit: Freeform

1. I know business is business, but Ashley, maybe don't let psycho Sara into the spa. She helped terrorize your daughter and her friends. And I'm starting to think that girl might be a creepy space robot. Like a cylon. Yes, that's definitely it. She's a cylon. 
    
2. Does Aria's new dude know she was more than just Fitz's student? He doesn't seem to find their relationship worth scrutinizing. 
    
3. I'm not sure I buy Lucas as Richie Rich. Sure, he's smart enough, but where's the business savvy? And if he went onto such great success post high school, wouldn't Hanna know about it? Finally, I hope Lucas just feels like he owes a debt to Hanna for his former shadiness and isn't still in love with her, cause dude, she was never into you. It's time to move on. 
    
4. So apparently, Ezra is way more disturbed than we thought. I still think he's not murdery disturbed, but he's clearly in need of help.  What's rock bottom going to look like?
    
5. The cat's kind of out of the bag with Emily. Or rather, multiple cats are out of multiple bags with her lie about school, and the reason she's injecting herself in the bathroom. I still think there's more to it than that. I mean, there has to be, right?  And who doesn't close the bathroom door when they're doing something sketchy they want nobody to see? Have you really learned nothing all these years, Emily? Maybe you shouldn't have dropped out of college.
    
6. Okay, Hanna is so not alright with this Spencer/Hot Caleb thing. I mean who can blame her? But of course she can't say anything. She's engaged. Saying something would throw her life into chaos. I will welcome that chaos when it finally does arrive. This Spaleb hookup is just ick. (Bonus points to Melissa for her comment about Spencer shopping from other people's carts)
    
7. Is Hanna wearing a bathrobe and eating orange juice out of a can? See what your confession has done to her, Spencer? Hanna, you work in fashion. This is not acceptable.
    
8. #scaryezra Whoa. Do not get on this guy's bad side. Am I the only one who wants to see him legit fly off the handle? No more red herrings. Let's see Ezra go dark. Really dark.
    
9. Hot Caleb and Spencer "consummate" their "whatever it is".  I don't even want to discuss it. Nor do I want to know how far that kiss went. Was it relatively hot? Of course it was. It's Hot Caleb for goodness sake. He can't help but be hot! But this pairing is wrong wrong wrong. I can't wait to see it fall apart. Man, what is Toby going to say? You guys were bros!
    
10. A is back. Sort of. Somebody is back in A's layer and there's definitely trouble a-brewin. Who is this mystery lurker unpacking all of A's old hoodies and googling uniforms. And what kind of uniforms are we talking here? Answers are coming... probably. Maybe. Okay, probably not. That's not how this show works. But I know I'm excited about next week, if only to see the fallout from Spaleb's no good, very bad decision to make out. Until then!

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: oh, what a tangled web we weave

6.12 Charlotte's Web | Photo credit: Freeform

Things are quickly heating up PLL--both on the murder mystery front, and the personal relationship front. We may not have 'A' to worry about anymore, but Rosewood continues to be one of the worst places to live ever. Remind me again why the none of the families of these girls moved away during the five-year time jump? I hesitate to say they deserve it at this point, but man, they certainly aren't trying to avoid the drama...

Photo credit: Freeform

1. At the beginning of almost every half season of PLL, I find myself wondering, who's the misdirect going to be this time? We had evil Creeper Toby, evil Ezra, and of course the girls have all looked suspicious at various times. Well, for 6B, at least for now, it seems Aria and Ezra are suspects #1 and #2 (or #2 and #1). Aria is suspiciously anxious to get back to work (though really, I don't blame her for that), and her actions the night Charlotte was killed are definitely suspect. That said, the killer isn't Aria, you guys. It's just not. Charlotte's neck was broken, and if nothing else, I can't imagine little Aria pulling that off. I'm 99% sure it isn't Ezra either.  
    
2. Ugh Spencer and Hot Caleb. So we really need to keep at this? Can't we just pretend those tension-filled moments between them last week were all a dream? I'm soooo over it. I have always been okay with these two as friends, but please don't take advantage of our fragile Haleb hearts, PLL. I get that we need some kind of plot device to keep Caleb around (and now it seems that he'll be helping out the Hastings campaign--geez, talk about having your work cut out for you!). He needs to be there so he and Hanna can fall back in love, but this stuff with Spencer just feels wrong. It's a betrayal. I'd rather see him with some random new girl than Spencer. 
    
3. Wtf is going on with Emily? Clearly, a lot. She didn't finish school, which is understandable with her dad dying and the fact that college isn't for everyone, but apparently she's sick with some mystery illness that her mother doesn't know about, and her doctors don't seem entirely on top of either. Does she have cancer or are we just jumping to conclusions?
    
4. Sara Harvey's hands are the new Jenna's eyes. Do they work? We may never know.
    
5. Hot Caleb and Jordan. Oh Jordan, why did you have to be such a charmer? Okay, so we've now got two great guys for Hanna. Girl has excellent taste in men. But sorry, Jordan, you seem really sweet and... well, it's not you, it's me. I'm a diehard Haleb fan. You understand right? I mean, you saw that moment between them in the storage room, right? There's still a spark there. More than a spark. So Jordan, I certainly hope you have some deep dark secret that makes this easier, because we the viewers are going to have to break up with you regardless. Seriously, Jordan seems super nice and all, but he can never understand Hanna's world the way Hot Caleb does.   
    
6. On the subject of cute new boyfriends, Aria's bookish boy is pretty adorable himself. I was never really an Ezria fan, aside from kind of feeling like they deserved each other, but it definitely feels like this new guy is just a placeholder. 
    
7. Hanna is probably doing the right thing by protecting Aria, and ultimately deleting the security footage of Aria leaving the hotel. But it's easy for me to say that because we know it wasn't Aria. Knowing how PLL usually goes, Hanna is going to pay the price for that cover-up... I just hope Hot Caleb is there to help.
    
8. Sara Harvey is the creepiest creeper who ever creeped.  
    
9. I'm not buying the chemistry between Spencer and Hot Caleb. I was a Buffy/Angel fan, but I never once denied the chemistry between her and Spike. Spencer and Hot Caleb seem more like siblings who are giggling about hat time they accidentally hooked up. GROSS, RIGHT? Yeah, unnatural and gross. Spencer needs to stop talking to Hot Caleb like he's her boyfriend. At least he seems to be sleeping on the couch...for now. If Haleb aren't reunited by the end of this half season, I'm gonna have to throw someone from a bell towel after snapping their neck.
    
10. Who is the mystery person getting in the car at the end? Is this our new 'A'? What shall we call, them? B? Hmmm. Until next time!

~PLR~

friday5 for January 22, 2016

The Friday5 is back and ready to take on 2016 with five little diversions to ease you into the weekend!

1. Okay, so this first bit of news is not the happiest to kick things off with, but I feel like I need to at least mention the very tragic recent passings of both David Bowie and Alan Rickman, both at 69, both of cancer. I know there's been a tremendous outpouring of grief, and some truly wonderful tributes, but I want to just take a moment to share something that, to me, somehow pays homage to both of them at once. Bear with me here, cause this may not entirely make sense, but in my head it does. Alan Rickman has always reminded me of Trent Reznor (and vice versa--and no, I'm not the only person who thinks so). So when I think about Rickman, and I think about Bowie, I think about the Trent Reznor remix of Heart's Filthy Lesson, which I used to own on cassette. I realize that doesn't make much sense, but...to me it does. So I'm sharing it here with you today, to kick off the newly resurrected Friday5 and to say goodbye to two legends (even though one of them isn't Trent Reznor). 

2. In "unfortunate" news of a different sort, Neil Patrick Harris has been cast as Count Olaf in Netflix's reboot of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I think this is a fantastic choice, and while I was one of the (few?) fans of the books who actually enjoyed the original film staring Jim Carrey as the deviously negligent Count, I think NPH will kill it, as he kills pretty much anything he takes on. Allow me to draw a comparison, in case you're not convinced:

3. 10 Cloverfield Lane is coming in March 2016? Wait, is that a typo? What are we even talking about? There's going to be a sequel to Cloverfield?!? Yes, yes there is. Sort of. The jury still seems to be out as to whether or not it's a proper sequel, but it's coming in just two months time, so get ready. J.J. Abrams. You sneaky guy.

4. I feel like I could have just repeated this news item five times and called it a day. That's how excited I am that after many years, The X-Files returns to our lives on Sunday, with the first of six brand new episodes. Seriously, if I were any more excited, I'd literally explode. LITERALLY. So it's probably a good thing I'm not more excited. But seriously, I can't explain what a big part of my youth this show was--let's just say it will probably be mentioned, at least in passing, on this blog for years to come. Here's to six more episodes of one of the greatest shows to ever air on TV. May they not be the last we see of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully!

5. Noteworthy New YA of the Week: WE ARE THE ANTS by Shaun David Hutchinson

From the author to watch ("Kirkus Reviews") of "The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley "comes a brand-new novel about a teenage boy who must decide whether or not the world is worth saving. 
Henry Denton has spent years being periodically abducted by aliens. Then the aliens give him an ultimatum: The world will end in 144 days, and all Henry has to do to stop it is push a big red button. 
Only he isn t sure he wants to. 
After all, life hasn't been great for Henry. His mom is a struggling waitress held together by a thin layer of cigarette smoke. His brother is a jobless dropout who just knocked someone up. His grandmother is slowly losing herself to Alzheimer's. And Henry is still dealing with the grief of his boyfriend's suicide last year. 
Wiping the slate clean sounds like a pretty good choice to him. 
But Henry is a scientist first, and facing the question thoroughly and logically, he begins to look for pros and cons: in the bully who is his perpetual one-night stand, in the best friend who betrayed him, in the brilliant and mysterious boy who walked into the wrong class. Weighing the pain and the joy that surrounds him, Henry is left with the ultimate choice: push the button and save the planet and everyone on it or let the world and his pain be destroyed forever.

-Courtesy of Indiebound

Happy weekend!

pretty little reaction: i think caleb rivers might be cheating on us

6.11 Of Late I Think of Rosewood | Photo credit: Freeform

Welcome to the Pretty Little Reaction, an evolved version of the Pretty Little Recap. Let's face it, we didn't come here to learn what happened on PLL, we came here to freak out about it, and I'm hoping this new format, which will be a rundown of the 10 biggest talking points from each new episode, will give us plenty to freak about. So let's get to it! Season 6B premiered last week, and we only have a few more hours in the day before episode two hits us like a freight train. There's much to discuss--here are the top ten reactions I had while watching:

photo credit: freeform

1. The five-year time jump. Did it work for you? It sooo worked for me. These actresses are getting older, so it makes sense to have them not only graduate high school, but also skip over the mess that is the TV college years (cue flashbacks to season 5&6 of Dawson's Creek. Shudder.) Having the girls out of high school opens up more plot lines, more drama, less parental meddling, and more..binge drinking? Okay, more on that in a bit, but suffice to say, I'm on board with this time jump.
    
2. The downside of the time jump? Realistic break-ups. Geez, PLL, you pick this topic to finally ground yourself in reality? Yeah, okay, a lot of high school couples don't survive post high school, but Haleb?!? Come on, people! If anybody could do it, these two could. And I know I can't be the only one who wants to see the missing years of them in NY. Yes, I'm happy with the time jump, but I want more happy Haleb. And that means she needs to ditch the finance (or maybe he will turn out to be creepy and suspicious? Who isn't on this show?) and get back with Hot Caleb ASAP!
    
3. Ali wants Charlotte out of the hospital and into the frying pan. Nope. Not a good idea, Ali. I know you love your sister (for some reason), but you can just go on and continue to visit her like a normal relative of a psychopath. Thank goodness Aria (of all people) had the balls to call out how insane this idea is. Sadly, it didn't accomplish much.
    
4. The girls almost all seem to be living the life five years in the future, which is pretty unbelievable considering everything they went through in their high school years--should they really be that well adjusted? But then there's Emily. Her dad died, and clearly college didn't work out. Though it doesn't make a lot of sense that the other girls are so well off in their careers, I'm glad the show has at least given us Emily and her less-than-ideal situation. I can't wait to find out more about what happened to her over the past five years, which is saying something, because Emily's plotlines often bore me. 
    
5. Radley is a hotel now. Wise business decision? Maybe not, but I generally back Ashley and her crazy ideas, and furthermore, think of the drama that can happen with a hotel at their disposal! Late night hook-ups! Hotel parties (see below)! All kinds of crazy hijinks you wouldn't expect to happen at anyone's actual home! Can we please have a Haleb reunion in the honeymoon suite? Oh! Oh! And can the hotel please be haunted with real ghosts? 
    
6. Speaking of hotel parties, how much fun was it to see the girls get legally drunk together? Good times. If these girls are going to live glamorous lifestyles, I want to see some of the poor decisions that go along with that. That said, with Spencer's past drug addictions, and Hanna's problems with alcohol during season... (too lazy to look it up), I hope they are in better control overall. I don't want to see another substance abuse storyline on this show. I just want them to drink for fun like regular twenty somethings. 
    
7. So Charlotte gets out, and then immediately dies. Did anyone see this coming? I admittedly didn't. And I admittedly don't entirely believe she's dead. But time will tell. Clearly we have a parallel story happening here in the time jump. Okay. I'm on board. 
    
8. Okay, I've been putting this off, but let's talk about the stupid elephant in the room. What the mother-loving eff is up with Spencer and Hot Caleb? If those two are secretly together, I am going to throw things at my TV. A drunken one night stand that they both regret? That I could get behind, but these two are clearly still close, flirty even, and that is not okay. Nor is it indicative of any guilt or shame on either of their parts if they did indeed hook-up. I have a feeling we'll learn more about this duo very soon, but in the meantime, I'm going to throw up in my mouth a little bit, and then pray that Haleb's reunion is so hot it burns the memory of Spencer and Hot Caleb from our minds. 
    
9. Sara Harvey. She's still around, and she's still creepy as all get out. I don't know what her role is in what happened with Charlotte, but clearly she has one. That actress does a good job of looking haunted--could make for some fun stuff down the road.
    
10. Another murder. Another accusation for our girls. I'm not surprised the episode ended this way, given the parallels to the pilot, but I admit, I didn't specifically see it coming. Of course the girls are suspects, but at the same time, come on, haven't these liars actually earned a little trust by now? No? Okay, let's see where this goes. 

~PLR~

welcome to the new www.katepawsonstuder.com

Welcome and hello! I'm so happy to have you here at the new www.katepawsonstuder.com! As promised earlier this month, the fresh, new look of this site is only the beginning; I have lots of fun stuff in store for the coming weeks and months. But today, I wanted to use this post as an introduction to the new site, where you can find info on my books, and a few other goodies, including the archive of all my old blog posts (which, disclaimer, successfully migrated over, BUT the formatting is super wonky in some, so if you do happen to go back and read anything prior to 2016, please forgive the formatting oddities).

The blog is also where I'll be continuing to keep you guys updated on any news, and of course, in addition to some tba new features, it'll also be home to some returning favourites...

Coming soon:

New editions of The Writer's Arsenal!

New editions of The Friday5!

And of course, new reviews of Pretty Little Liars, in the form of the revamped Pretty Little Reaction (formerly the Pretty Little Recap).

The new season just kicked off with a major 5 year time jump, and it definitely feels like the perfect time to dive back in with an all new recap format. Watch for the first PLR post soon, as I catch up on the season 6B premiere in anticipation of this week's all new episode!

Photo credit: Freeform

I hope you guys love the look and feel of the new site as much as I do. I'm excited to use this space to share pieces of myself and my writing with you, as I forge ahead with my ambition to become a published author. I'd love to hear what you think of the new site–please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

why, hello, 2016, you're looking mighty fine

And we're back! What?! Two blog posts in two days?!?

What is going on!??!?

I'll tell you what--exciting things! If you haven't had a chance to check out yesterday's short and sweet post, I'll give you an even shorter and sweeter recap: in the coming weeks, I'm relaunching this blog/site, and I'm hoping that you and anyone you know who's looking to recreationally flex their creative muscles will help me out with one of a few new features I'll be launching. Exciting, yes? Yes. It is. More to come on that in a few weeks. First, we've got a site to migrate...

Actually, no. First, I think I owe you a real post. Enough site news for now. I want to talk about something I think is pretty important. New years = fresh beginnings = reflection and all that junk, but if I'm being honest, the topic I want to touch on today isn't something brought on by the new year. It's something that's been on my mind for weeks. Months, really. Or longer. It's the result of the past year and beyond.

I want to talk about being humble--specifically, the importance of being humble. I'm sure you've heard people speak on this topic before. People who are probably more qualified to speak on it to boot. But it's something that, I think, has really helped me survive the past few years, and while I'm going to frame it in the context of my writing journey, I think it can easily be applied to a lot of things in life.

During my years working in publishing, and time spent trying to get published myself, I've encountered A LOT of aspiring authors, and subsequently, I've witnessed heaps of determination, frustration, and more cursing the universe than I could ever keep track of. The road to publication is long and full of devastation. We all have our bad days. We all have days when we feel like we should give up and move to Alaska to rehabilitate baby seals, leaving the brick walls that stand in our way behind forever.  We all have days when we ask, "what if, no matter how hard I work, my dream never happens?" And yeah, we all have days when we look at the other guy, the guy who's found success and wonder, "Why him and not me?"

There's no concise answer to that question. It's a foggy, swirling cloud of half-explanations. Luck. Timing. Personal connections. The list goes on and on. The thing is, the answers don't matter. What matters is that you find a way to stay humble, even if you have fleeting moments when that jealous question crosses your mind. Staying humble will keep that question from gnawing away at your ambition, your creative drive, and your ability to just. keep. going.  Being humble turns "I'm amazing. My book is a million times better than half the crap that's being published so where's my book deal?" into "Do you still want this? Yes? Then keep working at it. Believe it will happen and keep going." It prevents you from becoming the one thing no author should ever let him/herself become--entitled.

By focussing on staying humble, I can honestly say (and this still comes as a surprise to me from time to time), I'm always genuinely happy to read announcements from author friends who've finally sold their first book--or second, or third. Seriously. It's not even in that grit-your-teeth "Oh, I'm so happy for you........." kind of way, but in the way where I find myself truly celebrating the successes of my peers. I can't tell you how wonderful and freeing that feels. Envy is a terrible thing. It can and will eat away at your soul. But to be able to honestly revel in the successes of others is refreshing and inspiring. It makes me want to work harder at my own writing so I can get there too! And, unexpectedly, I find it helps with the frustration that comes with rejections. It reminds me the dream is possible, and sometimes, someone else's good news is a welcome change when I'm feeling down about my own lack of good news.

But perhaps the most important thing about teaching yourself to stay humble, is that it's a skill you can use for life. Even if you do accomplish that elusive goal you've been chasing, staying humble will continue to serve you well. It keeps your head on straight (and believe me, you'll be doing anyone who works with you in the future a huge favour by keeping your head on straight). So take a deep breath, and remember, things have a way of working out. You already have a lot to be thankful for. Try to keep that in mind, even as you're striving for more. Everything that happens next is just icing on the cake.

ready to rise from the ashes

Another crazy, busy year is hours away from ending (or has already ended, depending on where you are on the globe). In some ways, it feels like the past year has flown by, but in others, when I think back to some of the big decisions I made this year (like not returning to my full time position at Harlequin, or moving our family not only to a new house, but a new community), it feels as though they happened in another lifetime.

But the point of this post is not to reminisce, it's to look ahead--and there's so much great stuff to look forward to in 2016! I'm excited to announce this blog/website is on the move! In the coming weeks, I'll be migrating everything over to a brand new, sleeker, redesigned site, which will mark the beginning of a new era in what I want this space to be. As Baby H gets older, and I find myself in a position to give my writing career more of myself than ever before, I'm ready to jump back into this blog with some new features and some old favourites (admit it--you know you've missed my Friday5 posts). I have an idea for an interactive writing feature that I'm really hoping some of you will help me out with, whether you consider yourself a writer or not. We're all storytellers by nature and I'd love to see that side of anyone who's willing to go on a little adventure with me. I want this site to take on more of a community vibe if possible, but I need your help to do that. Yes, you in the back wearing the gorgeous ugly Christmas sweater! More details to come on that--and a few other features I have in mind. I can't wait to launch the new site and dive in!

As for my current WIP, which I kickstarted in November during NaNoWriMo, I'm also really looking forward to diving back into it after an extended break for the holidays. Hopefully I'll be in a position to share some bits and pieces of that with you as well. It's straight-up YA contemporary romance, and it's pretty swoon-worthy if I do say so myself ;)

I don't want this post to ramble on, so I'll keep it at that for now, but I wanted to write and say hi!, happy near year!, and let you know about the exciting things I have brewing for 2016. More details to come very soon!

Wishing each and every one of you all a peaceful, healthy, and truly joyful new year!

the dog's breakfast

Where did all these cookies come from? Photo credit: Zorik07

This post has gone through several incarnations--actually, I shouldn't even say it was a single post because at one point it was going to be three different posts, but as the title suggests, I've decided to throw up my hands and cobble them together into some sort of Frankenpost.

It's been about three months since my last update, and though most of the people reading this will probably have some idea of what's been going on with me because of Facebook, I figured I might as well post a rundown here for posterity's sake. And it being Friday and all, let's do this Friday5 style, shall we?

But only kinda.

1. I'm moving to the country (gonna eat a lot of peaches...does anybody even remember that song?) Yep. Let's get the biggie out of the way first. We all know how stressful and time consuming moving can be. Throw on top of that the fact that we weren't exactly planning on moving (until we suddenly fell in love with a house) and, well, let's just say everything is a bit chaotic at the moment. If I'm not chasing my children around (my actual full time job), I'm making lists and checking them twice--wait, that's not right--it's more like making spreadsheets and cross-referencing everything eight thousand times. And packing, and scheduling, and packing, and painting, and packing. I won't bore you with all the details, but on top of the usual moving stuff (and our family has doubled in size since we last moved), there's also all the getting our current house ready to sell in a timely manner stuff, because again, we weren't exactly planning on this happening...

2. Which brings me to update #2: because of the sudden decision to move out of the city, I've also made the extremely difficult decision to not return to my position as an assistant editor at Harlequin. I have A LOT of thoughts and feeling about this decision, but rather than wade too far into the deep end, I'll sum them up as best I can by saying this whole moving/not returning to work thing has been very bittersweet. I'm definitely excited about our new home and the opportunities it presents (see #3 below), but Harlequin (specifically MIRA, and then HQN) has been my home away from home for seven years and there aren't enough positive words in the dictionary to describe the amazing, talented people I'll no longer be working alongside. I'm going to miss them tremendously. So yeah, BITTERSWEET. 

3. The decision to make the above life changes has left me with the occasional sinking feeling this might end up being a huge mistake, but for the most part, something about it just feels right. Call it a gut feeling. Part of that has to do with us settling in a nice little community just as my daughter is about to start kindergarten, but it also has to do with the opportunity it presents regarding my ambition to build a career as an author. Writing has always been something I've dreamed I'd one day get to devote my primary (work) focus on, and now I have the chance to explore that. Is it a huge gamble? Definitely. But sometimes you have to take a chance, and bet on yourself. This next phase of our lives feels like the right time for me to do that and if it doesn't work out, it certainly won't be for lack of effort or drive. Please keep your fingers crossed for me :)

4. Speaking of writing, that brings me to my next update: my WIP, THIS HIDEOUS HEART is finished, and while I don't usually like to talk about the submission process on this blog, I'll just say that it's out in the world, looking for a home. I'm really happy with how this one turned out (not that I'm not happy with how all of them turned out) and I really, really hope I'll get the opportunity to share it with you some day soon! My next project is the one I'd been working on before the lightbulb that was THH went off, stealing all my attention away. It's a summer camp story--I was a HUGE fan of summer camp style stories as a kid (Baby-Sitters Club Super Specials anyone?) and I can't wait until the bulk of this moving stuff is out of the way so that I can dive in. It's a contemporary YA romance, with hints of mystery, humour and a lot of heart. The working title is, SUMMER CAMP SUCKS WHEN YOU'RE FAT, and it fits the tone of the story so well I don't plan on changing it anytime soon :) More updates on that to come. And in fact, more everything to come. Once this move is over, I'll be in the position to actually, truly, once and for all, get back to a regular blog schedule--another benefit of all these life changes.

5. Okay, this has nothing to do with me specifically beyond the fact that I'm totally hooked. Can we please talk about iZombie? Because I'm in love. I knew I would totally dig this show because, hello, Rob Thomas is a supercrazyawesome genius, but he has somehow surpassed my expectations, meshing the best elements of Veronica Mars with Warm Bodies. In true Rob Thomas style, season one ended with a bang, and I can not wait for season two. So good, you guys. SO GOOD.

Bonus TV-related bullet point: Yes, I'm loving PLL's #summerofanswers. The drama is at an all time high, and my Haleb shipper heart is giving Hot Caleb all the awards for best boyfriend ever. If I can manage it, I'll try to do a Pretty Little Recap or two in the coming weeks, especially if something truly explosive happens. But no guarantees. Seriously, you guys should see all the boxes and moving crap surrounding my desk right now....

So, that's all for now. I'll be back with more in the coming weeks/months/etc, hopefully with an update about SUMMER CAMP SUCKS's progress, and maybe a taste of THIS HIDEOUS HEART since I'm proud and want to share. Until then, I'll just shamelessly sign your yearbook with, "Have a great summer!" ;)

i'm not dead

I'm not. I swear. If I were dead, would I be able to type this? Probably not, but then again, do we even have a definitive answer on zombies retaining the typing skills they had in life? Maybe tackle that one next, Robert Kirkman.

Anyway, yeah, not dead, just busy.

With this:

Baby H is keeping me plenty busy as he develops fun, new skills!

And this:

It's hard to get things done when a doll has been put to bed and is snoring on the ottoman. And no, I can't move her. The daughter will know/throw a fit if I move her.

And this:

New WIP: This Hideous Heart, a YA re-telling of Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart

So yeah, that's what I've been up to. And as a result of being busy with all that, I haven't had free time to blog, not even to do a Pretty Little Recap, though yes, I have been keeping up with the show and will probably make time to recap the finale. (Mini recap time! Hot Caleb was missing for too many episodes, but was awesome when he returned; wow, Spencer was really spicing things up in the UK; the scene with the guy suddenly rising up in the burn ward was freaky as hell and I'll have nightmares for weeks; Ali with no makeup in prison is refreshing and awesome; and holy crap, Hanna is in jail, and Hot Caleb is basically the fourth liar now. Whew!)

All of this is to say that I'm on a mini blog-hiatus while I get a few things sorted out. Primarily the first draft of my WIP, because the two kids? Not much to be sorted there. That's just life. But I'm very excited about the new book, THIS HIDEOUS HEART. It's coming along really well, and so far I'm mostly on track to meet my self-imposed first draft deadline of the end of March. But I need to neglect other things to stay the course, and yeah, blogs and recaps are part of that neglect because again, the kids can't be ;)

I will definitely share more about the new book once I have a synopsis to post, and in the meantime, I'll leave you with a bit of good news about another book of mine, Skin Deep, has been shortlisted for the the 2014 Dante Rossetti Awards! In an industry as challenging to break into as publishing is, it really is very exciting and such an honour to be recognized this way :)

S'all for now! xo

pretty little recap: bad ideAs across the board

5.19 Out, Damned Spot

This week's episode didn't just bring the drama, it was also full of life lessons. So grab a pencil and some paper cause you might just learn something from the liar's many mistakes...

Maybe don't give out free DNA samples when someone is trying to frame you? Photo credit: ABC Family

Pretty Little Highlights

1. One thing that wasn't a mistake in this episode was some honest-to-goodness continuity! Emily can't give blood because of her trip to Haiti. More than anything, that just gets me wondering if this was all planned and there's a very specific reason they needed Emily to be unable to give blood. I guess time will tell on that one...

2. My only other main highlight of the week was the scene between Ezra and Hanna regarding her Dad and going to college. I've said it before, but I'm really enjoying the different character interactions we're getting to see this season. This one made for a really touching scene.

Pretty Little Mistakes (a.k.a What Aria Did)

1. Let's get right into it cause there were a lot of mistakes this week--first and foremost: Girls, why are you giving blood when someone is trying to frame you for murder? That just seems like a seriously #badidea.

2. Aria cheating on a test. Oh Aria. When will you learn? A is almost definitely going to use anything stupid you do against you down the line. #badidea As a sidenote, can we talk about Andrew? That guy suddenly looks like he's 35! For a moment there I thought he was a student teacher or TA or something. I don't remember him looking that old the last time we saw him.

3. Talia is married. Oh Talia. What were you thinking? That is way too big a secret to try and keep from the girl you've been hitting on/kissing. The situation being complicated is all the more reason to tell Emily up front. Why drag her into something messed up when all Emily deserves is to have a nice, normal relationship for once. Is that really too much to ask? Keeping your marriage a secret is a #badidea Also, I don't buy "he's my BFF" as a reason for marrying a guy when you're a lesbian. Can't you just be BFFs?

4. Spencer and Jonny. This guy is clearly up to something, I just don't know what. I think the liars seriously need to stick to the tried and true guys in their lives. You know, the guys the show has already tried to convince us could be A and then proved weren't A, so they've basically been vetted for life. Between Andrew, Johnny and Talia, I think we can conclude that hanging out with someone new is a #badidea in Rosewood.

5. When a motorcycle is about to run you down, get off the road. Running in a straight line so the bike can continue to chase after you? You guessed it. It's a #badidea

6. BONUS Mistake: When Andrew says, "Do either of you drive stick?", Aria had a perfect window to say, "Well, Emily sure doesn't..." but she totally missed the mark. Dammit, Aria!

Pretty Little Mysteries

1. Not a lot of big reveals this week and not a lot of big questions, but I do find myself wondering why Hanna's extremely wealthy dad can't just pay for both girls to go to school. Cause seriously, he can afford it.

2. Where was Hot Caleb this week? Sure, I enjoyed seeing him in the short clip of video at the end, but that's just not enough Hot Caleb. #badidea giving him a week off, PLL.

3. What is Mike up to? As much as I hope he's truly up to no good, I'm starting to think that's not the case. Still, I feel like he's such a throwaway character. I want to see them go somewhere bold with him!

~PLR~

pretty little recap: double feAture

5.17 The Bin of Sin & 5.18 Oh, What Hard Luck Stories They All Hand Me

I'm finally at the point in my mat leave where I'm playing a bit of catch-up on appointments--haircuts, trips to the dentist, and more trips to the dentist after the x-ray revealed the beginning of a cavity and a wisdom tooth that needs to be pulled (at least it's my last one and I'll never have to go through it again!). But the most painful part is that I fell behind on my PLL viewings! But never fear, I'm all caught up and ready to recap the last two episodes in one! In honor of this PLR double digest, I'm changing up the format a bit--but only a bit--with a new section called, Pretty Little Mysteries. Now that it's here, I don't know how I've gone so long without it :)

The liars have perfected their suspicious glares. Photo credit: ABC Family

Pretty Little Highlights

1. Hooray! Aria has finally come clean about that stupid letter she wrote. And Ezra is... okay with it? No wait, he's broody. Oh Ezra, isn't it a little too late to be regretting your relationship with a highschooler now? She's almost in college. Maybe just leave things be? These two were this close to acting like a mature, adult couple for once, but then Ezra had to bring the drama.

2. The old, abandoned ice cream factory, where the major scare of the week goes down. Oh PLL, stay you. Stay you forever. Seriously, who comes up with these delicious twists?

3. Team Haleb. Seeing these two work together as such a strong duo is definitely a highlight, but I do have one reservation--there's so much A-related drama going on that we never get to see these two be fun-cute. Sure, they're continuing to express their love in terms of how far they'd go to protect each other, but I miss the days of shower hijinks and passionate Haleb makeouts. Can we have a few of those thrown in from time to time too? Or have things gotten so dire on this show that nobody has fun anymore?

4. Talia is (hopefully) not someone to worry about. With all these new mysterious characters showing up in Rosewood all the time, it's nice to see that someone might just be a legit love interest without any strings attached. That said, this is PLL, so things could change at any moment, but I'm definitely warming up to Talia. Maybe not as much as Em seems to be, but she hasn't tried to drown Em yet so I'm already a bigger fan of her than I was of Paige. Sidenote: is it just me, or does it seem like Emily takes more breaks at work (or wanders into the backroom, or messes around after hours) than she spends time actually working? I know we the viewers don't want to just watch her working, but that doesn't mean she isn't taking an exorbitant number of breaks...

Pretty Little Mistakes (a.k.a What Aria Did)

1. The flip-side of the Team Haleb coin is the Hanna's plan to begin with. Liars, repeat with me once more, tampering with evidence is never a good idea. And yet, they always try. I'm glad Hot Caleb decided to back Hanna up, because she was clearly going to go through with it either way, and at least he could help her to make fewer mistakes that she might have otherwise (love her, but this is Hanna we're talking about). I'm even happier that Copper Toby was on the scene to shut things down before Haleb could get themselves into trouble.

2. Emily, Emily, Emily. You call that an attempt to rescue you friends from freezing to death? She was behaving as though she somehow knew everything was going to work out. If I was Aria or Spencer I would be pretty pissed at Em's weak attempts to get that door open. Maybe give it a little more elbow grease next time, Em.

3. Okay, we need to talk about the hairy elephant in the room. Hot Caleb's teenstache has reached a point where it's no longer acceptable. It needed to be gone like two episodes ago. I love you to death, HC, but seriously it's time to shave the lip toupee.

4. Quick Pretty Little Mistake shoutout to Aria's leopard print chiffon dress (see above pic). Love the silhouette, hate the material. Aria, you are not welcome to the jungle.

5. Let's take a quick moment to address Spencer's college dilemma and I'll make it real simple: Spence, your mom is right. Go to college. Cause here's the thing: even when you don't know what you're going to do with your life, you don't stand to lose anything by going to college. If you change your mind later and decide to do something else with your life, you can very easily do that, but at least you will also have a college degree in your back pocket. The one thing you can't do down the line is suddenly have a college degree when you didn't go. See? Simple. Everything to gain, and nothing to lose. Just go to college.

6. Hanna may be a rebel, but she was really taking a risk when she got out of her car after the cop stop. If it'd been me, I'd have driven off when the officer appeared to have disappeared, but no, Hanna heads out into the dark with her (lead pipe?) and confronts the threat. Risky behaviour, even if she eventually come off as a bit of a badass.

Pretty Little Mysteries

1. Is Mona really in the barrel? Unless I missed something, we still don't know for sure. But Copper Toby does. Copper Toby, it's your by-the-book new career in law enforcement that first started to endear you to me, but come on, share your secrets!

2. Mona's friend, Lesli. Do you trust her? I definitely don't. There's no way Mona had a good friend that she never, not even once, mentioned to former-BFF Hanna. No way. Plus, could she have been any quicker to throw Mike under the bus?

3. Speaking of Mike (and his trick or treats--???), we once again witness the true magic of PLL--being able to take your viewer from not being sure who to suspect to definitely, absolutely, positively suspecting that Mike is not only up to something, but is definitely, absolutely, positively working with Ali. But that doesn't make him one of A's minions if you, like me, don't think Ali is A. So that's a bit of a snag in this plot, but here's what I love about the possibility that Mike is up to no good: unlike when the finger was pointed at then-Creeper Toby and Ezra, the show could actually go there with Mike. He's a minor enough character that they could make him bad without back-paddling down the road. I, for one, would love to see this happen. But again, him seeing Ali makes me think something else is happening here. I just don't know what.

4. And finally, Johnny. Oh Johnny, what the hell is up with you and your wacky inventions? This guy might as well be named plot device at this point, but here's the real mystery: since when did The Brew turn into a makeshift community centre were random weirdos can just solder away on their latest hobby project? Johnny has access to the Hastings' barn--why doesn't he just do his work there? I simply don't understand. Did Ezra sign off on this? I'm so confused.

~PLR~