I’ve had this gigantic THANK YOU building inside me for the past few weeks and I need to get it out before I explode. The fallout from that kind of gratitude induced detonation would be massive (and I want to remain intact), so here goes … I finished writing my second book late last year and am now working through re-writes and edits. This is the phase of the game where I defer to the experts. Lucky for me I was able to enlist the aid of four crazy smart, crazy talented, crazy kind people (with surprisingly very little bribery or coercion) to help prevent me from sounding like a dummy. 
THANK YOU to Monica Parpal, my editor, for your initial read through and analysis. Your feedback is, as always, invaluable.
THANK YOU to my sister, Tammy Johnson, and my new friend Dr. John Okerbloom for answering my MANY medical related questions. Your patience is saint-like. Both of you. I mean it. Saint. Like. Thanks for lending me your smarts and knowledge.
And THANK YOU to Kody Templeman for reading through all of the music related bits of the story and giving it your stamp of approval. You know we love Teenage Bottlerocket – you have all my respect, my talented friend.
I guess to sum things up I’m not feeling worthy, but I am SO VERY thankful to these generous people for lending their expertise, in spite of their very busy lives, to my little project. You are the best!

So I am WAY late to the Facebook party, but I made it. *phew* Come find me there. We’ll hang out. It’ll be fun. 🙂

The All of It Goodreads giveaway wrapped up at midnight with 826 entries! I am feelin’ the love and wish I had a 826 copies to give away. Congrats to the winners Clare and Shantel!!

All of It eBook versions for Kindle and Nook only $.99 until Feb. 7th!!

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-of-it-kim-holden/1117653303?ean=9780991140213

I read the adorable Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill this week. So, so, so cute! I really liked Jason because I felt like I knew him in high school. Well done Lauren!

And this week I’ve been listening to Haim, 1975, Teenage Bottlerocket, and Baroness.

It’s been a fantastic week! How about you??

I’m giving away two paperback copies of All of It on Goodreads. Giveaway is open until January 31st, but don’t wait visit http://www.goodreads.com today! Good luck!

All of It Playlist

I cannot write in silence–music is always playing. These are a few of the songs that inspired me. Enjoy.

(Caution: spoilers)

Gathering Pebbles, Dredg

“Wait for me.

I am not very far behind,

So wait for me.

I’m still chasing you.”

In my mind, this song is All of It’s theme song. I LOVE this band! You should check them out.  I’m serious … check them out.

Sometime Around Midnight, Airborne Toxic Event

“And so there’s a change… in your emotions.

And all of these memories come rushing like feral waves to your mind.

Of the curl of your bodies like two perfect circles entwined.”

Airborne Toxic Event’s lyrics are a gift. No words wasted. Genius.

Letters from the Sky, Civil Twilight

“You and I were made for this.

I was made to taste your kiss.

We were made to never fall away.

Never fall away.”

Great song. Period.

Fully Alive, Flyleaf

“My tongue dances behind my lips for you.”

This song rocks! And this line, in particular, makes me remember what it’s like to be seventeen years old.

Just Like Heaven, The Cure

“Spinning round that dizzy edge,

I kissed her face and kissed her head.

And dreamed of all the different ways I had to make her glow.”

Just Like Heaven is one of the best love songs ever written. I bought Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me on cassette in 1987 and listened to it over and over and over again. I have it on my iPod now and I still listen to it over and over and over again. It never gets old. Timeless. Robert Smith has to be one of the most romantic men on the planet.

Crush, Dave Matthews Band

This song … the entire song … every word … is lovely.

A Beautiful Lie, Thirty Seconds to Mars

“Try to let go of the truth,

The battles of your youth,

Cause this is just a game.

It’s a beautiful lie.

It’s the perfect denial.”

I saw Thirty Seconds to Mars play live five times while I was writing this book. Yeah, I like them. Like really, really like them. This song is one of my favorites. Best part of this song? Jared Leto screaming the word beautiful. It gives me chills every time I hear it.

Infinity, The xx

“Had I seen it in your eyes,

There’d have been no try after try.

Your leaving had no goodbye,

Had I just seen one in your eyes.

I can’t give it up to someone else’s touch,

Because I care too much.

Care too much…

Care too much…”

The xx is perfection. Just. Freaking. Perfect.

Nobody’s Diary, Yaz

I first heard Yaz on a mix tape a friend made me. I was in eighth grade. It was 1987. When I heard them? Mind. Blown. Still one of my favorite bands.

The Royal We, Silversun Pickups

This song … This band … Awesome! Love them. Everything about them. Especially the bass player. She rocks!

Words, Gregory Alan Isakov

Gregory Alan Isakov songs are sad. Like the kind of sad that makes you want to sit around in ratty pajamas, eating ice cream by the carton, crying your eyes out … for no apparent reason. With that being said, he’s phenomenal. And fantastic to listen to when you’re in the middle of writing depressing chapters. 

Like You Said, Tiger Lou

This song literally aches. I feel it in my bones. Deep in my bones.

The Thought of Losing You, Dredg

“The thought of losing you is not an option.”

This is Dimitri’s song …

Shatter Me With Hope, HIM

The title of this song? Hell. Yes. 

Get Higher, Paper Tongues

“The feeling of your arms, they hold me.

The power of your skin, it’s lovely.

You provoke a man to bow down.

And I get on my knees and cry out.

Everything I have is yours now.”

I LOVE THAT …

Crash Into Me, Dave Matthews Band

“I watch you there by the window and I stare.

You wear nothing but you wear it so well.

Tied up and twisted the way I’d like to be.

For you.

For me.

Come crash into me.”

This … This … IS the honeymoon in Paris.

Gathering Pebbles, Dredg

Repeat it with me … this is the theme song.