What's On Your Nightstand: Campaign Fun!

Jessica Therrien, a fellow campaigner, started a fun campaign game: What's On Your Nightstand? I seem to always be chasing my tail lately, so I'm late responding. Better late than never, right?

The following books are next to my bed:

1. 11/22/63, Stephen King

2. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

3. Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott

4. Elephant Milk, Diane Sherry Case
2011 Next Generation Indie Award Winner - Chick Lit
(Depression Cookies was a Finalist in this category, and I was curious to read the winner.)

And, since my Kindle and IPad are next to my bed, I thought I'd list three eBooks on there that I'm excited to read.

1. Oppression, Jessica Therrien -- I'm participating in the launch party on February 28. On March 8, I'll post my interview with Jessica and my review. *squeal*

2. Listening In and Other Stories, Shauna Kelley -- I loved her first novel, Max and Menna.

3. Red, Kait Nolan -- from A Round of Words in 80 Days' fearless leader.

And many, many more. Now I just need to start going to bed earlier so I can have more reading time!

What books are next to your bed (or wherever you pile books)?

Brain Fog: ROW80 Check In

Has your brain ever been so full with one thing that you couldn't focus on anything else? That's been me this week. Ignoring my own "Say No" advice, I volunteered to run my middle school daughter's Bingo Family Fun Night.

It's not that it's difficult to plan. I had to solicit donations, organize prizes and the evening, and plan out the space. The problem... there are a lot of details. And those details have taken over what precious little brain space my children have left me with.

This week when my kids, or anybody else really, talked to me, I was honest, "I promise we'll deal with that after Family Fun Night."

The sad fact is, my brain is at capacity. I dream about Family Fun Night. At least last night this dream involved a rogue group of zombies attacking the school during the event.

I will be able to function starting Saturday. Good thing since my middle daughter's birthday is Tuesday, February 7. I'll be scrambling, but I know I can do it. After all, I'll be motivated. She'll be 10. (insert image of weepy mom here).

My ROW80 Update

Writing: Brain. Too. Overloaded. At capacity. I sat down and tried to write, truly I did. Sadly, I could write a dissertation on the ins and outs of organizing a middle school Family Fun Night, but that doesn't do my WIP any good. I even tried a #ROW80 #teamsprinty today. 345 words in 45 minutes. Hard work, but more than I would have done without my #ROW80 buddies. Thank you.

Blogging: Daily here, and I posted my less than thrilling review on Mom in Love with Fiction. At a previous check in, I asked for advice on how to handle a poor review. I hope I did okay: Night Sounds, Pam Young.

Reading: See Writing. Brain. Too. Overloaded. I just started The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I'm so excited to read this, but it's deep and I'm a shallow pond right now.

Editing: Working on several projects at once. Another reason the brain is overloaded. Each project is very different, thankfully.

Exercise: No time. This isn't helping the brain fog. At. All.

February Letter Writing Challenge: I'm so excited to be participating in A Month of Letters Challenge. I mailed my first letter today.

I hope my next update is a bit more exciting.

What do you do when your brain is too full?

Our Favorite Reads in the Last 10 Years

Mom and I love literature, and we are avid readers and book club participants in addition to our writing. To both of us a book is a favorite if long after you put it down you still wonder about the characters. We hope you will wonder and care about Krista and Abby long after you are finished with Depression Cookies.

Our Favorite Reads Over the Last 10 Years

Angela:
1. Yellow Raft in Blue Water, Michael Dorris
2. Stones from the River, Ursula Hegi
3. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
4. Sarah's Key, Tatiana de Rosnay
5. The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd

Tia:
1. Stones from the River, Ursula Hegi
2. Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man, Fannie Flagg
3. Sophie's World, A Novel about the History of Philosophy, Jostein Gaarder
4. I Know this Much is True, Wally Lamb
5. The Honk and Holler Opening Soon, Billie Letts
(CLOSE 6th - The Help, Kathryn Stockett - and my number 1 read in the last 12 months - to see more of my top 5 in the last 12 months, please see my Mom in Love with Fiction blog at http://etjrmbach.blogspot.com/)

We'd LOVE to know your top 5 favorite books (in any time period). Please leave your list in the comments section below.