Hey guys, welcome back! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I know we here in the Northeast for the most part had great weather. Of course, we here know that can change hour by hour so we revel in it when it’s good. Especially this time of the year!
I’ve personally still been sick. I had posted a few weeks back that I was dealing with something and this has been with me since. Ironically, it’s been going on just as I hit the anniversary of when my life was changed by illness. If you’ve read my ‘Bit of Personal History’ page in the About section of this site, you know that I’ve had quite a health journey over the last 9 years. (Ok the page still says 6, but that’s because I wrote it three years ago.) Well, this particular illness now is hanging on and it’s been frustrating as hell. Not that it is stopping me from writing and working on my book, but still, this happening at my favorite time of the year is really pissing me off. Sorry, but it is. But on to other things…
I’ve mentioned several times that I’m in a cycle of reading and rereading and rereading my manuscript. I’ve become rather obsessive doing this and again I want to drive this point home…YOU CAN NEVER READ YOUR OWN WORK ENOUGH!
Even with going on more than several times of reading this book, I keep finding things to fix, to add, to cut and of course, the dreaded missed typos that I may have missed the other eight or nine times I’ve read the thing. That’s ok though. What I’m finding, is that the jokes are still landing. The tears, both happy and sad, still fall in the right places and I’m genuinely surprised at lines I’ve written several months ago. I go into each read through fresh and I think that is helping the process.
I just finished another one right before I started to write this post. Sure enough, the last few chapters (not the ending, I’ll get to that in a minute), had me all over the emotional map and I was feeling all the feelings. I’d been waiting to read these last few for days, having been stuck on a few previous chapters for over a week, reworking them quite a bit. So when I got to these last ones, I surprised myself with what I had written. It had been a while since I read them and while I was dreading them, I ended up being happy with what was on the pages.
Let me go back a second…not dreading them in the sense that I thought they were bad. Just that they were the newest I had written and so little had been edited. Plus, to be honest, I hadn’t read through the last five or so chapters. I honestly forgot a lot of what was there. However, I’m glad I did because I really am happy with how this story has progressed and now that I’ve done this latest read? It is time to start gearing up for the finish line.
I’m not looking forward to finishing this book. I know I’ve said that several times that I don’t want the story to end. However, the past couple of days, I’ve come up with what I think will be the ending for this one and how I can bring these characters back for a sequel/series. It is finally starting to come together in my head and the only problem with that of course, is that I want to start writing the next book! Of course, I still have to finish both this one and finish editing my first novel. And that one needs a tremendous amount of work. Plus, I don’t want to leave these current characters. If I go back to my previous book, I will lose the momentum of this current one…really I’ve written myself into a vicious cycle.
This is the problem that I know a lot of us have. We get more story ideas and soon, our files are filled with started books, while very few are finished. That’s me. Right here. If you were to go into my docs, you’d find quite a few novels begun and only one fully completed.
I’m so determined to finish this current one and get it sent off with my query letter as soon as I can. I’m getting excited for it now. I really am. I know there’s still a lot of formatting, cuts and more to happen before I can send it off, but just knowing that it’s getting close is keeping me going! (It also makes me a little nauseous as well from nerves, but hey that’s life right?)
I would love to say what a great thing it is to have so many ideas. In many ways, it is. But it can also be more than overwhelming. For myself, it reminds me to take a step back. Reevaluate what’s important right now. I’m big on pro/con lists. I’m also big at writing down new ideas until they are out of my head, thus the several started novels in my docs files. (Insert head slap here.) This is where I should mention that I also keep reading a ton to get my mind off of all of this. The beauty of that of course is that it clears my mind for what’s next. So whether it’s reading, going for a run, watching a ball game or binging a show, doing something else can clear your head and find the answer you need. For me, while reading another book, out of nowhere I was sparked with the idea for my ending. I know a marketing guy who used to get his ideas from running. Creatives need other outlets to fuel their work. Right now, if my other outlets could help me get to my own finish line? I will be forever grateful.
And that is where I will leave you for today. Thank you so much for being here and following! Until next time…Cheers!
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If you’ve gotten this far, I appreciate it and will see you soon! Thanks all. ☺️
Hey guys, welcome back! This week has gone by so fast and I’m all for it. It’s also been a busy one for me which is something that is very much against the norm. But getting to see both friends and family as well as a little league playoff game has been so worth it! Love the people I saw and they’ve given me a lot more energy just by getting me out and about.
If you are new here, I am someone who lives with both chronic illness and disabilities. I have periods of time where walking just isn’t in the cards, however, I also have waves of mobility, like the one I’m in now, where I can not only do things, but can also get things done. Just being able to take out the garbage is an accomplishment for me and it has felt great to contribute. Getting out to a local baseball game? Priceless. (Especially when I get to root for my favorite 8 year old.) Having the energy I’ve had lately has been amazing and I haven’t had it for two years. There is of course the unknown expiration date on this, so while I may pay for this tomorrow, I will be enjoying it tonight.
Because of this new found clarity, I’ve been doing major writing and editing marathons this week and while I’d like to say the writing has had some serious progress, I can’t. However, the edits have been going well and I consider that a victory, I really need to get the writing back on track. I’m in a momentous part of the book. The make or break chapters, the big surprise, all the feelings and yet, my head has not been in the game for it. Energy is great, concentration? A whole other animal.
I’m finding that even with my set writing schedule, I’m crashing just as it’s time to do the actual typing. The edits are flowing, the rereads? Awesome. The coming up with what’s next? Suddenly I’m hitting a wall and crashing hard. Tonight I’m hoping to break that by starting a few hours earlier than I normally do and actually getting something done. What a nice change that will be.
I’m convinced that I totally jinxed myself with the first chapters of this book. If you’ve been following along, you know that I was on a sick roll with them. Writing full chapters, sometimes two a night. Dozens of pages flowing from my fingers at a time and bringing forth the story I’ve been waiting to tell. And then…ugh. It started becoming harder to get to the next level. To bring the characters to their pinnacle moments. I know where I want to take them, but getting them there has been the issue. I know it will happen. I know it will connect. I also know that my brain has decided to fail me on where to go next. I’m hoping that this newfound energy will kick its ass into gear and get me going, so I can head towards the finish line in the best possible way!
While I’ve been doing all of this, I’ve also been doing a ton of reading and adding to my #booktok account. (Link will be below if you’re interested.) I love seeing so many other readers and authors out there. Bringing physical bookstores back and finding new titles to read as well as connecting with other writers and finding out that it’s ’not just me’ with certain issues has been awesome. My personal hangup on it though is that I’m not comfortable on camera. While I just posted my first pic of myself on there, I didn’t do a video. I have done a few in the past on my other accounts and for a little while had fun with it, but honestly, it’s just not my thing. I find this quite strange honestly as I am one of the few people in this world who actually enjoys public speaking.
I’ve given quite a few speeches in my time and love to feed off of the audience. I was involved with the theater once upon a time and there is nothing like getting the reaction from a live crowd. On video? You put yourself out there and hope you get a ‘like’. Not my jam at all. I like to read the crowd, see what sticks and all that. On video, I’m more than self conscious and hate it. So I stick to silly videos, trending stuff that doesn’t require showing my face and of course, plugging this site with pics. Granted, this may be why my follower count sucks, (which stabs me in my former professional social media manager heart) but alas, it is what it is. I hope to get over the ‘stage fright’ of videoness one day, but for now, I will stick to what I’ve been doing and hope to grow from there.
And that is where I will leave you for today! I hope you all are doing great out there and I thank you so much for visiting and following along. Speaking of, if you are having trouble subscribing, please let me know. I understand the subscribe button is leading folks to a login page for some. I can manually add your email if you’d like to get updates from me.
Thanks again for visiting and until next time…Cheers!
Please check out the links (and graphics on the sidebar) on this site for my other shops and book suggestions. You never know what you’ll find!
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If you’ve made it this far, I thank you and hope you will come back again! 😉
Hey all! Welcome back to another fun filled adventure! Ok, so maybe that’s an exaggeration but why start off boring right? Hope you all had a good week and hopefully I can give you a respite from the outside world of craziness…because I think we could all use that right now.
I spent my week quietly and it was rather nice. I’m about to finish reading my fourth book of the week after having reread the three before it. I believe I touched on it in last week’s post, it’s a series I had started reading in the fall and the new book was just released this past Tuesday. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it but wanted to read the others again to get myself reacquainted with the characters and the town setting again. (I will do this all over in September when the next book comes out and already looking forward to it.)
I don’t know how you like to read, but for me, I need dead silence. I like a very quiet room, even turning down the fan I normally have on high because this place is hotter than hell, but I will roast for the sake of a good book because the only sounds I want to hear are the birds chirping in the morning to let me know it’s time to stop for the night. With a nice cup of tea by my side, my devices either on ‘do not disturb’ or on airplane mode, I sit, I read, I enjoy.
I should also tell you, I’m extremely OCD with my books. So no eating. A sip of tea is to be had when the book is closed at my side because I have been known to spill or splash and I will be damned if any gets on the volume I am reading and oh yeah, clean hands are a must. This is why I have so much trouble loaning books out. If they are out of my possession for more than a few days, I twitch and keep asking for them back. I still feel bad for asking for a book back from a friend before she actually read it and ended up just buying her a copy. Sorry, but I like my books to still look their best…hopefully almost new, unless of course they already come used then I won’t buy unless they are in great condition. Do I need help? Absolutely, but this is me and I won’t let fingerprints get on my books! I also write this way as well, so I’m chalking it up to a written word type of deal: Dead silence and no icky fingers.
Annnnnywhoo, This past week I had the place to myself for a few days and between a quiet house and the rain, it was like the perfect atmosphere for reading up a storm, literally. What I find myself doing though, and I know many can join me on this, is that when you are that deep in another world, your mind stays there even if you are not actually reading the book. I don’t care what genre it is, whether it’s a cozy New England town, a sci-fi planet or the magical world of Harry Potter, when you are deeply involved in a series, your mind wants you to stay there. Personally, I’d rather stay there and forget about my own reality for a while, which is why I read in the first place. But seriously, it’s a great feeling and one that is now starting to weigh on me a bit as well. (Oh and true confession here, I have never read any Harry Potter book nor do I ever wish to. It’s just not my jam. But hey, hope you enjoy them if that’s your thing!) 🙂
So why is it weighing on me? If you’ve been here before (thank you!) then you know I’m working on writing my own series. It wasn’t planned. My first book was supposed to be a one and done. But the more I wrote it, the more I could see the characters in other scenarios and then a new storyline came to mind and well, now here I am, 11 chapters into the second book. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing about these people and their town and when I’m writing about them, I feel like I am there. Just like this current series I am reading and the one before it, has done for me as a reader, I feel like I am a part of their world which of course, is what the writer is hoping for.
”What the writer is hoping for.” Right there. There is the weight of the matter. The more I get into the various books I’ve been diving into lately, the more I am starting to put pressure on myself about my own writing. Will my readers want to come back for more? Will they like these characters enough to want to see what happens with them next? Am I describing things enough that they will feel a part of the whole situation or am I going too far in that department? If I had just stopped at one book and gone on to tell another story totally separate from the first one, then this wouldn’t be an issue. Ok, getting readers to come back and read more of my stuff would be, but you get it, right? I’m already worried about the analytics of it all. Not just about the sales of two books that I haven’t even published yet, but as a former social media specialist, my life was analytics. Watching who’s reading posts and who isn’t on social or here on the blog, will eventually become, who is buying my books and who isn’t. And frankly, that scares the hell out of me. Again, too soon, but I like a good healthy fear to keep me motivated.
Hell, just writing about the journey here took time to do! Once I started making my writing journey public, then I knew I had to be held accountable for actually going through with publishing what I had written. No more hiding behind the idea of it. I wanted to document what I’ve been going through to remind me there is NO going back now. I AM doing this and this WILL happen! That doesn’t mean I’m not scared shitless about it. (sorry for the language) I think it’s that fear that leads to so many writers to not publish their work. To become the stereotypical alcoholic authors or recluses of our previous eras? I soooo get it now!
Ok so fears aside, and thanks for letting me vent that out. As I’ve said, sometimes my ramblings may be like my own personal therapy session, but I know there are others out there going through the same things and sometimes it’s all about the share. Where it hits that one person who is reading such a post and goes, “oh man, it’s NOT just me!” and hopefully it helps. It’s definitely helping me so there you go!
Anyway, let’s change it up a little. I take hemp gummies to help me sleep. They are not the, super potent, get stoned off your ass type, I take a super low dose, sometimes even just a half to help me drift off. Not looking to get stoned, just relaxed. I haven’t been sleeping great since I had covid and it seems I’ve been getting sicker again. So I decided to take a full one of these things the last couple of days and let’s just say I’ve been realllly relaxed. It’s been pretty nice and it has really amplifying the reading of book series. Lol What I hadn’t planned on doing was writing that way.
It takes a few hours for these things to take effect on me and usually I can write a chapter in about 2 hours if I’m lucky. So I will take one, start writing and hopefully finish before the relaxing takes place. The problem is that when I use a full one of these gummies, they take effect on me much quicker than a half of one does. I was only halfway through the last chapter the other day when the thing hit me and I wrote the second half, well, let’s just keep saying ‘relaxed.’ I have no idea what I wrote, I remember I was questioning myself about where this character and story was going and yelling at myself (sometimes out loud) to stop and put the keyboard away. (Put the candle BACK!) Alas, my fingers kept on going.
I admittedly have not gone back to read what I wrote yet because I’m scared. I’m both scared of the nonsense I’d see and also scared that it’s better than what I previously wrote sober! Think reading your texts the day after a big night out. I am almost just tempted to write the whole thing over without even reading it and file the other one away in a special folder, “read while impaired because the author wrote it that way.” Again, I get the whole Poe, Capote, Hemingway drunken thing. Creativity can come out at strange times and my own certainly did! I will say this though, as I also take these things to help me with chronic pain whilst I sleep, I did feel my fingers flying across the keyboard even faster than I usually type, which is pretty damned fast. And I didn’t have to stop every few sentences to stretch my fingers so hey, added bonus? I think so.
Now I have a question for the writers out there…when you are writing something, do you add in Easter Eggs? I’m not talking the pastel version you go hunting for every spring that a giant bunny left in a pile of dreaded plastic Easter grass that you still find around the house years, sometimes decades later. I am talking about little hidden gems that some people will get more than others. Little nods of acknowledgement to a chosen few that get your sense of humor or reference. I actually just did it there! The ‘dreaded Easter grass’ was a family legend that is still a joke and I’m now in my mid-fifties. But every year, that damned grass comes up so I had to include it here.
I tell you this because I’ve been having fun adding my own little Easter Eggs into the books. I keep telling my friends that my first novel is a love letter to them. My second family and those who have supported me over the last almost 20 years now, are those I love with all of my heart. (Yes, I love my own family very much, but this book is more about friendship so there you go. Now that my guilt has been addressed…) I actually find myself laughing as I’m writing the books and add these little tidbits. It could be something as simple as a phrase, a lyric, the description of a park or a literal number of something. Just little nods to certain people and not just friends mind you, but some folks out there will get these things more than others. This is not to alienate my future readership by any means. On the contrary. I’m hoping that the more I do this? The more I include these little hidden aspects in these pages? Maybe down the line, someone will see one of my books on a shelf and that person will ask, “I wonder if she mentions ‘such and such’ in this one?” It’s the little questions such as that. The ones that make me think ahead and give me a little butterfly in my heart that keep me motivated to keep going. Keep writing. Keep creating.
Because the idea of someone out there waiting for the next book of mine to come out? Having as much anticipation as I had this week for this fourth book to arrive on my doorstep? Well, that wouldn’t be just the coolest thing ever???
Yes, yes it would.
And that my friends is where I will leave you this week. 🙂
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As always, if you’ve made it this far, I thank you and if you’ll indulge me in some promo links below, I will thank you for that as well.
May you have a great weekend and thanks so much for following along with my ramblings and inner monologue-gone-public. Because once again, I had no idea where I was going with this post, but always glad to bring it full circle like I did.
Until next week…
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As always, I save the links for after my post…Any affiliate links you see here on the blog or in my shops help support this site (and me). Sidebar shops (non Amazon related) are my own shops and either feature my own design work or are a link to my vintage and estate jewelry business on eBay, StuffWeFind. Here’s this week’s goodies…
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I just published two new blank notebooks to add to the collection of blank journals I designed for Amazon. One is a book journal (more themes to come) and you can click the image in the sidebar to the right or click here to see this book as well as the others.
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Have you checked out my linktree shop yet? I will continue to add to it, but throwing items into it that I use when I write or read and these are actual things that I use, not fake suggestions or anything like that. While you are there, be sure to check in with my FB page for this site. I just posted the latest phone wallpaper freebies for Spring and I update that page with the occasional silly writing and reading memes and more. Click here to check all of this out: Linktr.ee/PromoSocially
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I have yet to update the On the Bookshelf page for 2025 and know that I need to do that. In the meantime, to see the latest cozy series I’ve been talking about, I suggest starting with book one, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and going from there. By the way, as of this post, the paperbacks are all marked on sale, so I would jump on them now: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe
New Chapter Cove 