The last year and a half has been crazy for everyone. A lot has happened in my life and with my writing during that time, which many of you might not know about, so here’s an update!
(If you want more book-related updates, I’m starting a list for a future newsletter, so feel free to sign up for that. There should be a pop-up, or you can contact me directly.)
June 2020
- Made and advertised a website for organizing bookstagram challenges (I still maintain this monthly)
- Prepared content for pitching my incomplete fairy tale book at a conference
July 2020
- Researched and visited apartments in a new state
- Virtually attended the Realm Makers writers conference
August 2020
- Said goodbye to old friends
- Cleaned, packed, and moved to a different state (massive thanks to my parents – I might have died without their help)
- Unpacked and organized a new apartment with a fantastic new roommate
September 2020
- Began to settle in
- Picked up writing again
October 2020
- Finished the first draft of my fairy tale story (Daughter of Sorcery)
- Began brainstorming a new story
November 2020
- Wrote 50k words for NaNoWriMo on my new dystopian idea
December 2020
- Visited family for an extended vacation
January 2021
- Picked up Daughter of Sorcery again
- Decided on a church to attend
February 2021
- Started draft two of DoS with the goal of cutting 40k words (draft one had 165k words)
March 2021
- Spent ten days staying with a friend who was recovering from surgery
- Very slowly continued on draft two (how does this editing thing work anyway?)
April 2021
- Used Camp NaNoWriMo as motivation to finish draft two
May 2021
- Prepared content for pitching my (now complete) book at a conference
- Started draft three of DoS (filling plot holes and keeping things consistent)
June 2021
- Whizzed through draft three with almost daily visits to the library (and one particularly motivational chair next to a big window)
July 2021
- Attended the Realm Makers writers conference (in person this year!)
- Took vacation time to visit family and friends
August 2021
- Put the finishing touches on draft three and sent it out to alpha readers for feedback
- Attended a family wedding (and visited friends on the way back)
- Picked up that dystopian idea from last year and resumed brainstorming
In summary:
I’m now living in a wonderful new apartment with a very encouraging roommate (who is also a writer) in a very nice area of a reasonable town where I don’t have to drive 45 minutes to get to anything. I love it.
And I now have a completed third draft of a fantasy novel (sitting at a very reasonable 115k words) and 50k words of a dark dystopian novel.
AND I’ll be sharing more of my writing here very soon!
My Word is My Bond 