Writing Break & Future Project

 Last week, on my birthday no less💙, I finished my draft for Champion's Sword. So, this week, I'm taking a bit of a writing break. My word count is just over 80,000 words, which is amazing! I'll be getting back into it soon, starting with listening to the entire draft on read aloud and taking notes. I can't tell you how hard it is to think, "Oh, I could/should [insert fix]," and not implement it then and there. Perhaps, it's as difficult as having a new story idea that's been percolating for some time. I've been keeping a notebook for said idea and only permitting myself to add to it when a sentence or two hits me out of the blue. I've started a playlist as well. I add songs to it, but I do not listen to it. Music makes the ideas flow, and pushing play on that ever-growing playlist would be absolute torture.😆

    However, I decided that since I'm entering into the editing phase with Sword, it would be okay to dip my toe in with a few really cool magazines that are completely this idea's vibe. All I can say for now is that if you enjoyed A Desperate Love, you'll want to stay tuned for what I have coming. While ADL is a fantasy-esque historical, this will be a nonmagical fantasy that takes place in a setting that feels and sounds historical yet is a world all its own. This will be a NA (New Adult--late teen to early twenties characters) standalone with some grit. I'm hoping my toe-dipping doesn't release the floodgates on my creativity, because I can't wait to get into this one!

Reading . . .

Just Let Go by Courtney Walsh

Harbor Pointe, Bk. 2

Christian Fiction

Merry Ex-Mas by Courtney Walsh

Christian Fiction/Clean Romance

Mortal Queens by Victoria McCombs

Fae Dynasty, Bk. 1

YA Fantasy

A bit Folk of the Air with a dash of Caraval. I loved this book!

The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver

Coulter Shaw, Bk. 1

Suspense

audiobook

How to Kiss Your Best Friend by Jenny Proctor

How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother, Bk. 1

Romance

The Temporary Roomie by Sarah Adams

It Happened in Nashville, Bk. 2

Romance

audiobook

Listening to . . .

*Skillet

*Ledger

Enjoying . . .

Tasting History with Max Miller. As Max's website says, his YouTube channel is "the cooking show for history lovers and the history show for food lovers." Each episode, Max makes a historical recipe and gives a brief history lesson on the topic of the video. He covers everything from the last meal on the Titanic to Egyptian bread to medieval black mead. I like what I watch on YouTube to be educational, entertaining, and humorous (a la Rachel Maksy), which his channel totally is, and I am here for it!

Blessings,

J ♡