Jessica McCarty, Author

"You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water." --Rabindranath Tagore Writing my current book has been a journey. At some point, I adopted a verse that I periodically come back to: "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." (Luke 8:22, NIV, emphasis mine) I'm not taking this trip alone, no matter how ridiculously long it seems at times. But I'm struck by the following line in Mark's gospel. Mark 4:36 says, "He was already in the boat . . ." (NLT, 1996 edition) Jesus wasn't just suggesting they take a trip. He was already in the boat. It's like He was giving them a gentle nudge. He'd already taken the first step and was inviting them along.💙It's a good reminder that this journey wasn't mine to begin with. I was simply invited to join in on the adventure. March reads . . . The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella The Curious Realities, Bk. 1 YA Fantasy "Nothing's impossible. Including, but ...

 Back in January, I had the bright idea to do two blog posts and skip February. But, as it turned out, this was a terrible idea. I hadn't considered how many books I'd end up reading in the interim. So rather than making you suffer through a long intro, I'll get straight to the books.🤣 What I've been reading . . . The Stolen Heir  by Holly Black The Stolen Heir duology, Bk. 1 YA Fantasy "I feel a little pummeled by Oak's beauty." For those of you who loved The Folk of the Air series, this is set in the same world. I had absolutely no idea it was coming out, so it was a pleasant surprise! There weren't any appearances by Cardan and Jude. Yet. But I have a feeling there will be as there were a number of mentions of our dearly beloved couple!👑🗡 Small side note: The pacing of this book feels a bit slower than the previous series. It was still thoroughly enjoyable. Keep in mind that this is a different story with different characters, and you should be f...

"There is something so exciting about a moment completely out of your control sneaking up on you and you having a way to celebrate it." --Really Very Crunchy I don't know about anyone else, but this year has already felt so busy. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know we've been having a lot of issues with our house. There's been clogged pipes, a rotting door frame, foundation issues, etc. This reminder from RVC was so timely. Yes, I'm editing amidst drilling noises. Yes, my dining room is a hot mess and I intentionally walk quickly through it so I don't have to look at it. But  I have an excuse to finally paint our bedroom since Hubs had to patch cracks in the wall. And yes, I'm barely out of my thirties and third eldest is making me a grandmother.  But  my sister just had a baby herself, so I'm getting in lots of grammy practice. Plus, both these girls recently moved to the same town I live in. Not only are they close, but I'm going...

 I read 38 books this year. I couldn't choose a favorite. In fact, I feel like I chose six favorites because I decided to share two series I absolutely loved. The first is The Winner's Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski. Kestrel, the daughter of a general, purchases the handsome and rebellious Arin at a slave auction. Sparks ensue. Arin is part of the soon coming uprising, the one intended to reclaim the kingdom their enemies stole. Which side will Kestrel choose? The second is The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson. Princess Lia runs from an arranged marriage and is soon followed by her fiancé and an assassin from another kingdom. Prophecies, war, and a love triangle. These huge books are unputdownable! What I've been reading . . . The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. Nonfiction As far as nonfiction goes, this book is excellent! Saint by Adrienne Young YA Fantasy "I didn't know if I'd ever feel like mysel...

Quick writing update . . . I'm currently on Chapter 32 of 40 (word count: 79,762). I'd like to be farther along, but I'm trying to keep in mind that it's the holidays. I think many of us struggle this time of year with doing all the things  on top of our already busy lives. My advice to you is the same advice I've been giving myself. You don't  have to do all  the things, and you need to give yourself some grace. Maybe you don't get a couple of not so important things done on a twenty bullet point list. That's okay. Maybe you choose to say no to yet another Christmas gathering. Do you really need to go to five Christmases? Five?! No, you do not. And neither do I. Currently reading . . . Oathbound  by Victoria McCombs The Royal Rose Chronicles, Bk. 1 YA Fantasy "Arn was a little bit of home in a world where I was losing a sense of who I was. He was the safety I didn't know I needed." Never Fall for Your Fiancée  by Virginia Heath Historical ...

 "If you have a dream, a passion, just try." --Lana Parrilla Writing update . . . Yesterday, I started editing Chapter 28. I'm roughly 2/3 of the way through by chapter. However, the later chapters tend to be longer. So technically I'm only about 60% complete with this edit. My word count always drops during final edits. Currently, I'm at 79,612 words. For reference, the first draft of  A Desperate Love  was around 95,000 words, and we shaved roughly 20,000 words off (ending up with a 271 page book). While I'm alright with the present word count, I'm watching it closely. Currently reading . . . Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young YA Fantasy 7th time reading💙 The path of my soul has taken a turn, just as yours has . . . You will never be the person you were. Who else is excited for the release of Saint ?! I'll be snagging a copy of The Storyteller's Workbook  (with Isabel Ibanez) eventually as well. I'm sure it'll come in handy as I look towa...

"Music is the medicine of the mind." --John Logan My newest practice? Starting the day with music. And I'm not talking about after I've made my tea. I mean before I get out of bed. If you're like me, mornings are hard. You might need a good pump-up jam to start the day. Why not give it a try? What I've been reading . . . My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding  by Sajni Patel YA Romance My Sister's Big Fat Greek Wedding  with a dash of American Idol . Stone by Ronie Kendig The Metcalfes, Bk. 1 Christian Fiction Ronie at her best! A definite recommend!! All the Stars and Teeth  by Adalyn Grace All the Stars and Teeth, Bk. 1 YA Fantasy Bastian once asked me why I didn't just find a crew and save myself. But what he didn't realize was that I'd already found them--this was my crew, and I hold them tight. A crew made up of a princess, the fiancé she'd rather remain a friend, a pirate, and a mermaid. Need I say more? *Warning for sensitive readers...