Life Catch Up / Author News
Hello everyone, I hope this week finds you well! What a wonderful month that February has been (honestly compared to the start of last year almost anything would be better) and fingers crossed the trend continues! I just got done doing an amazing sidewalk event at As the Page Turns in South Carolina and am rearing up to get through the rest of Hollows's second book The Morrow Lands.
The Winter Market at As the Page Turns was an absolute blast, no really it was a blast. With 20mph winds that had a few people afraid their tents were going to go flying. One thing about outdoor events is the weather can take a turn on you. Despite the conditions the show out for the market was spectacular and we got quite a few books signed to boot! Super big thank you to everyone who came to see me and picked up a book. I'll be looking to find more opportunities for y'all to catch me in person through the rest of the year so be on the lookout for that!
Hollows book two, The Morrow Lands, is coming along swimmingly. I've got March set aside as an editing month and should have everything ready to open up for critique partners soon. The goal is to have the book ready for beta readers come June, and edits around August or September. We are looking good for a 2024 release still! Honestly, I'm so excited about that it's like I've drunk seventeen expressos. For those that have finished the book it shouldn't be too much longer to receive the next one.
Once editing is done there is a bit of free time between critique reviews, and while I assemble beta readers. I've been seriously considering working on a short story/novella to fill the time between set in the Hollows universe. Buuuut, oh how to decide. I've got a few ideas so hopefully we can talk more about those come April!
Writing Advice
This week's writing advice has to do with general time management for producing your novel. It can be super hard to get time, and not everyone has the ability to be a full-time author. From work, life responsibilities, kids, school, or anything else that might be on your plate insuring you are producing work at a steady flow, or even just making time to chip away at it can be hard. The first rule is not to be too hard on yourself, unless your income is made using that story it is okay to take time. Relax, don't stress yourself out if it's been a year or two since you started, or months since you last wrote. Get what you can, when you can.
Make attainable goals, finishing a chapter in a week, writing 100words a day, checking in with a writing partner once a week. Attainable goals can help to keep the pressure off. Pressure can sometimes be good, but more often than not it can hurt the processes, leading to burnout, fatigue, or even dreading the activity itself.
Lastly, keep yourself inspired. Consume media that makes you think of the project, make a Pinterest board or two or seven of inspirational material, things that get you pumped for doing the work. There is an old saying that I heard once, though I cannot remember from where, that if you must cut a tree down in four hours, spend the first three sharpening your axe. I've found this statement to be somewhat true. While you can never rely on inspiration to drive you, if you can use it to help the process the work you produce will inevitably be of a better quality.
Writing Prompt:
Blue
A forest
A romantic dinner with a twist
Anyway, that's going to be all for today. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings, and I hope you feel the same. Until next week, may your days be bright, your nights starry, and your dreams sweet!
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