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Katarina Betterton | Writer, Reader, Wife

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I’m Katarina – a writer, a wife, and an obsessive puppy mom (not necessarily in that order). Thanks for visiting my online home!

Insta-Life

Who else is living in a dystopian novel?? (Note - this picture was taken many months ago not during the outbreak!) \\ Happy Thursday, everyone! How are you handling this quarantine? — Lucas and I are doing just fine - we had a planned staycation set for this week, so we have all the food, movies, video games, and new TV shows we could want! We also haven’t spent more than 4 hours with each other (besides sleep) in the last 7 weeks so we are so enjoying this time together. — I’m lucky enough to have an awesome job and can continue to work from home; his schooling is now online (after this week of spring break ends) so life will continue on mostly uninterrupted for us. But what about you? How are you taking things - what do you need from me? If you’d like to talk, if you’d like to do a Skype/Zoom write in, if you want to swap chapters, let me know! Even if you’re an introvert or don’t spend too much time with others, this new normal we’re in can feel even more isolating. That’s why we have to stick together 💜💛 — Has anyone read WOOL? This is a comp for my first book and I highly recommend it!! — Hope y’all have an awesome Thursday - I am here for whatever you need! \\ 📸PC: me #woolhughhowey #bookstagram #bookblogger #lovebooks #reader #bookobsessed #writer #writing #instabooks #dystopianfiction #literature #writerscommunity #authorsofinstagram #sff #scifiauthor #amwriting #author #dystopianauthor #writerslife #dystopian #adultscifi #dystopianliterature #dystopianbooks

Favorite “classic” book of all time?! // Hello again friends!! Happy hump day 😊 while y’all live all over, I hope you’re loving the little bit of extra sunshine Daylight Savings has brought back into our lives! — With the new movie #Emma coming out, I’ve been reminded of how ARDENTLY I love #prideandprejudice 😍 like I actually need a reminder, but for some reason, that book has always been my absolute favorite of all time. I love the relationship between Darcy and Lizzie, I love Lizzie’s relationships with the different members of her family, I love the lying-sack-of-crap Wickham, bumbling Mr. Collins and SWEET INNOCENT BABY BINGLEY. I just love them a lot, okay y’all? — Really though, there were tons of students at my high school who hated P&P but I adore it and have read it (and watched the movie) countless times. What’s a classic book that has your heart, even if it surprised you? \\ 📸PC: me #prideandprejudice #bookstagram #bookblogger #lovebooks #reader #bookobsessed #writer #writing #instabooks #booksaboutrebellion #pemberley #literature #writerscommunity #authorsofinstagram #janeausten #janeaustenhandbook #amwriting #author #classiclit #classicliterature #romance #mrdarcy #mrdarcyforever #lizziebennet #prideandprejudice2005

Hey look, me when I walk into Barnes and Noble 👀 // JUST KIDDING, obvi. The books are the actual thieves... stealing my heart with their amazing plots and my money because I just can’t bear to walk out of the store without them 😍 I have a feeling I’m not alone in this feeling I’m Bookstagram... — Thank you, thank you, thank you all again for 500+ followers!!! For real, when I started this account I really had no expectations I’d meet the amazing people I already have! This community is the literal best. — How’s your writing going this week? I’m at a very start/stop kind of rhythm that I’ll probably hold for the next few weeks until some of my other projects are done. Sometimes you need that though, you know? Like your mind needs a break from writing to spin the next few scenes together in your head. \\ 📸PC: me #thelastmcnary #bookstagram #bookblogger #lovebooks #reader #bookobsessed #writer #writing #instabooks #booksaboutrebellion #bloodbooks #literature #writerscommunity #authorsofinstagram #sff #scifiauthor #amwriting #author #dystopianauthor #writerslife #dystopian #adultscifi #dystopianfiction #dystopianbooks #anastasiaretelling

💜💛GIVEAWAY ALERT!!💛💜 // Y’all, I started this Bookstagram with literally 1 follower (@caughtbetweenthepages hey bb😘) and no expectations whatsoever. Now, there’s over 500 (?!?!?!?) of you following along on my writing journey? THANK YOU SO MUCH! I can’t express to you how much I appreciate and love every single one of you… the Bookstagram community is such an incredible support system. I’ve made incredible life-long friends, discovered hundreds of new reads, and continually learn about writing/publishing/life from all y’all. Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything. — ONTO THE GIVEAWAY! If you’ve been following me for a few months, you know I’m beyond obsessed with @elliedoodles02 ’s art. Not only is she an incredible artist, but an amazing person too!! Ellie has brought my (and my best friends’) characters to life and now we’re giving that gift to you! She and I are so excited to offer a free bust commission of one character to THREE lucky bookstagrammers!!! Swipe to see some incredible examples 😍 To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is: ✨Follow me and @elliedoodles02 (if you’re not already!) ✨Like this post ✨Tag a friend and tell us what you’d want the commission to be of if you win! *For an extra entry, share this post to your story and make sure to tag me so I see it!* Contest runs today through February 28 at 11:59 and the winners will be announced on Leap Day, February 29, 2020! Open internationally, as art will be delivered over email. #funforeveryone — Again, huge thank you to all 500+ of you for staying on this journey with me. I’m so excited to see what adventures we’ll experience together next!! \\ Per Instagram rules, this promotion is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram, Inc. By entering, entrants confirm that they are 13+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use. #giveaway #commissiongiveaway #bookstagram #bookstagramgiveaway #digitalart #bookblogger #lovebooks #writergiveaway #writers #writing #writingcommunity #writing

THIS COVER THOUGH. // Question for y’all... do you judge a book by its cover?? I know the adage is to never do that, but honestly if a cover pulls me in... I’m probably gonna buy it. I think THE GRACE YEAR has one of my favorite covers like ever. Do y’all have any favorite covers? — With a little under half the book to rewrite, I’m getting really excited to finish this draft and treat myself to like... LOTS of books. I’m going to take a month to just read everything in sight, which also brings me to... BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS!! — Y’all lovely people are such voracious readers and I love all the suggestions I get when I ask for book recs. So I’m looking for more!! Do y’all have any recommendations in the vein of: dark adult books, retellings of fairytales/history, books about family secrets, or your favorite slow burn/enemies-to-lovers books? TELL ME AND I WILL BUY THEM ALL. — Hope y’all have a wonderful Monday! Thanks in advance for your bookish advice! \\ 📸PC: me #thelastmcnary #bookstagram #bookblogger #lovebooks #reader #bookobsessed #writer #writing #instabooks #booksaboutrebellion #bloodbooks #literature #writerscommunity #authorsofinstagram #sff #scifiauthor #amwriting #author #dystopianauthor #writerslife #dystopian #adultscifi #dystopianfiction #dystopianbooks #anastasiaretelling

HAPPY DAY OF LOVE! // Lucas and I aren’t big Valentine’s Day people... we don’t do gifts or fancy dinners. We like to spend the day next to each other, watching a show we love together while eating food we love and snuggling. It’s perfect 😍 — Apologies I haven’t posted in a while! I’m still getting used to this whole “take the pictures yourself” thing and I just haven’t made time to capture a good number of photos. So instead, here’s a throwback to our wedding two summers ago! — How do y’all celebrate Valentine’s Day? Spending it with friends or family? Indulge in pizza and movies by yourself? Or something else?! Share your valentine plans with me!!! — Writing/life update: I’ve been working on my website more and am slowly making my way through draft 5 of THE LAST MCNARY. I’m almost halfway done with it, which is super exciting! It’s getting creepy and twisty and fun and I LOVE IT. — How are y’all doing?! What projects are you working on? Thank y’all for sticking with me through my not-so-consistent posting - I appreciate it so much!! \\ 📸PC: @lifereflectingimages #thelastmcnary #bookstagram #bookblogger #lovebooks #reader #bookobsessed #writer #writing #instabooks #booksaboutrebellion #bloodbooks #literature #writerscommunity #authorsofinstagram #sff #scifiauthor #amwriting #author #dystopianauthor #writerslife #dystopian #adultscifi #dystopianfiction #dystopianbooks #anastasiaretelling

Did y’all even READ this book’s tag line?! // Hey there, and happy Tuesday!!! Last week I got my very first @goscribbler box and was FLOORED. Like... I love this subscription so much. All the info and book included were amazing, plus it had a delectable toffee chocolate bar that I am saving for the day I finish this draft of my WIP! And no, I WILL NOT SHARE. — This month’s focus was on STAKES and honestly, it couldn’t come at more perfect of a time. In diving into rewrites for Act 2 where like super hefty stakes are revealed. I always find myself creating stakes and thinking, “meh yeah I guess that works” without giving enough care and attention to know if they’re realistic/feasible. So @goscribbler, thank you for coming in clutch with a super timely box!!! — Also, as I said at the beginning of this post, look at that tag line 😍 “Taking one life could save millions”?! I’m a sucker for those hard choices so I know I’ll enjoy this, especially because it’s a thrilling SF. Seriously pumped to start this. — How do y’all go about creating stakes for your book? Do they evolve as you write and edit or stay static as the thing your story hinges upon? \\ 📸PC: me #bookstagram #bookblogger #lovebooks #reader #bookobsessed #writer #writing #instabooks #SFbooks #scifibooks #literature #writerscommunity #authorsofinstagram #sff #scifiauthor #amwriting #author #bookreview #malice #pintipdunn

Where does your writing take you? // In the last two weeks I’ve been super deep into writing THE LAST MCNARY - we’re creeping up to 40k words! This draft is challenging me in a ton of ways, from world-building to layered POVs and general plot funkiness. But this experience has been so different from writing 33 and I’m cherishing every minute with my scrappy redhead MC and the band of misfit supporting characters. — I’m really excited for y’all to read this one and I’m even getting pumped to query (still ~6 months out on that, at least). The city of Zenith has been a welcome escape for me to fly off to during the nights and thrusts me into a world quite like our own but so, so much worse. I mean... would YOU want to draw your own blood to pay for groceries? — Seriously y’all, I’m excited about this one. I need to finish and edit it (obvi) but will definitely want some beta readers at some point in time! — So where did your writing take you this week? I’m currently in a forgotten ballroom, with ghosts of a family that was murdered there. How about you? \\ #thelastmcnary #bookstagram #bookblogger #lovebooks #reader #bookobsessed #writer #writing #instabooks #booksaboutrebellion #bloodbooks #literature #writerscommunity #authorsofinstagram #sff #scifiauthor #amwriting #author #dystopianauthor #writerslife #dystopian #adultscifi #dystopianfiction #dystopianbooks #anastasiaretelling

What are your least-favorite romantic tropes? // Happy January, pals! I hope the first six days of the new year are treating you well enough 😊 I was reorganizing my bookshelf the other day when I came across this lovely book. While these characters will always have a piece of my heart, there is one thing I hate about this book - the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. Don’t ask me why because I honestly have no answer for it, but I hate the love triangle trope. Maybe it’s because I know the issue needs a solution and don’t like that 1+ person will end up sad?? Who knows 😅 I’ve only included one semi-love triangle in my stories, but it’s more of a Twelfth Night kind of situation than a love triangle! So tell me, what are your least-favorite romantic tropes?? \\ QUERY UPDATE: about 20 rejections back and still three more floating out there! This year is the Year of Bridie though, so if nothing comes of those three queries, that’s just fine with me. \\ #writing #writingcommunity #bookstagram #bookblogger #lovebooks #reader #bookobsessed #writer #writing #instabooks #booksaboutrebellion #thehungergames #literature #writerscommunity #authorsofinstagram #sff #scifiauthor #amwriting #author #dystopianauthor #writerslife #dystopian #youngadultbooks #dystopianfiction #dystopianbooks

~first attempted posed insta pic~ // HAPPY 2020 Y’ALL!!!!! I hope everyone rang in the new year at a Gatsby-style party pining for an old love across the water every time they saw a blinking green light. My plans weren’t THAT literary, and consisted of good food, great friends, and Cards Against Disney (and yes, my childhood WAS ruined. Multiple times). — HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY 2020 y’all. I just love New Year’s so much because it gives my lazy butt an excuse to make big positive changes in my life!! I’d love to share some of my resolutions with you: 💜 being more present - whether it be on work, writing, or family when I’m spending time with them, I want to be fully in the moment. Which means I will be turning off most of the social media app notifications on my phone (I’m looking at you, Twitter & Insta 👀) 💜 taking better care of myself - from diet & exercise to getting more sleep and everything in between, I’d like to treat my body better than I have been. And for the big one... 💜 practicing bravery - I’ve let fear rule most of my life from childhood - fear of failure, fear of disappointing family and friends, fear of pretty much every irrational thing so much so that I’ve created a bubble at times I’ve been too scared to venture out of. But that’s ending with 2019. — Thank you to every single follower I have (there’s nearly 500 of you and we were all strangers at one point - how crazy is that?!) for your unwavering support, love, and inspiration. The writing community on Insta is the coolest in the entire world and I’m so thankful to be a part of it. Special shout out to @l.k.middlebrook.writes and @caughtbetweenthepages for the journal and book (respectively) that reflect my two works!!!! This year, Bridie takes center stage as the main manuscript I’ll work on. 33 is still there and I’ll probably tinker with it a bit, but I’d love to give my other babies (Mertale and Cooper & Parrish) some TLC too! — Apologies I’ve been away for so long, but I’m uber excited to be back. Love you all so much, and can’t wait to tackle this year’s new challenges with y’all! — Did you make some resolutions this year?? Drop them below!⬇️⬇️⬇️ #writing #writingcommunity #amwriting

LAST MONTH OF THE DECADE!!!!! // Y’all... special announcement time! I’d like to usher it in by showing you all the most AMAZING commission by @elliedoodles02 😍😍😍 do you know what this is??? IT ME, YALL. IT ME WITH MY FOUR MAIN CHARACTERS. Why yes, I am deceased. Thank you for asking. From left to right we have Anna Cooper (from COOPER & PARRISH), Bridie (from THE LAST MCNARY), ~me~, Stenne (from 33), and Eta (from MERTALE). Please, please PLEASE go follow Ellie and check out her amazing art!!!! She is such an incredible human and wonderful artist. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect commission from her!!! — And for the bigger news... I’m blogging again!!! Specifically, this entire month of December I’m going to try to blog every day for #DecWriMo!!! What is that, you may ask?? it’s my personal spin on NaNo, but without word counts and chapter goals. NaNo works for a ton of people but it doesn’t for me anymore - it’s not healthy for my writing. So I came up with #DecWriMo, December Writing Month, where I focus on building my stories by thinking, writing, listening to music, and getting inspired by art. I’ll blog every day (besides a few around the holidays) for accountability’s sake and share each day what I’ve thought about/worked on/something that inspired me. I invite anyone and everyone to do this with me and tag posts with #DecWriMo to share your inspiration with others! #DecWriMo isn’t about hitting goals, it’s about consciously spending a whole month thinking, planning, and being inspired by your story that the world desperately needs. — My first post for #DecWriMo will be up this afternoon on my website! Click the link in my bio to check it out! 😊 \\ I hope everyone had an incredible holiday weekend! Happy last month of the decade - let’s make it count!!!! #writingcommunity #writing #amwriting #amrevising #writingtips #writinginspiration #amwritingscifi #amwritingfiction

Sick day at the Betterton household!! // I’m feeling SUPER lucky we don’t have anything to do this weekend. I’ve spent the last 24+ hours in bed just napping/reading/watching my favorite movies and it has made me feel SO much better. — I had to post this excerpt since THE LAST MCNARY’s MC Bridie suffers from an illness and I’m sick right now too 🙈 Bridie and I have the same illness though: Anemia! Unfortunately for her, life with anemia in Zenith is much harder than I have it. Especially because her blood is the only asset she has to barter with. — Does anyone else curse themselves for taking breathing for granted when they have a stuffy nose?! For the last three days I’ve been trying to remember what regular breathing is like 😂 another question: do your MCs suffer from any illnesses, or just get sick in the course of the book? I always think it’s interesting how characters deal with sickness! — QUERY UPDATE: still at 16 rejections! Waiting on a few more until all are back! I am still only two chapters into Bridie’s draft 5 so querying for her is a WAYS off. \\ 📸PC: Pinterest #thelastmcnary #bookstagram #bookblogger #lovebooks #reader #bookobsessed #writer #writing #instabooks #booksaboutrebellion #bloodbooks #literature #writerscommunity #authorsofinstagram #sff #scifiauthor #amwriting #author #dystopianauthor #writerslife #dystopian #adultscifi #dystopianfiction #dystopianbooks #anastasiaretelling

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