In Place Of...

 It's Wednesday!

I should have a podcast up this week, but my editor got sick, too. So in place of my podcast, I figured I would do a blog post.

This is the last week of October and we're gearing up for National Novel Writing Month! Yes, you too! We don't do this alone, you know that. Like I said in last week's podcast: A whole month dedicated to the madness and chaos that we call writing.

I've got things set and as predicted in my podcast, I am changing my story. Ha! I knew I would.

It'll be a fun month. I've been working hard on getting stuff done, scheduled and up out of the way so I can concentrate not just on NaNoWriMo. No, no, no, your girl can't just do one thing. Nope. I have to move in the middle of the month, too. I mean seriously, did you really think I'd be focused on a single task?

Psh, foolish mortal. ::cackles::

The best thing about this move... it's into my very own house! We have bought a place. Finally! After many long years of being renters, we've bought a house. I'm so excited to get in there, get settled and save up a little money to start remodeling. Lots and lots of plans!

I will have my own studio, hubs will have his own office. It's perfect. Don't have to worry about paying for mystery damage or getting yelled at for putting a nail in the wall. It's going to be such a huge deal and a welcome adventure.

Hopefully I will have stuff ready to go by Thanksgiving! Keep your fingers crossed.

Are you ready for NaNoWriMo? Add me as a buddy! Find me here.

New Post, New Look...

 It has been a seriously crazy week.

Tested positive for Covid on October 17th, and just now getting back on my feet. My husband and I both were sick, and quarantined. We did good. I slept for 3 days and had weird fever dreams.

Two things I remember...

One, I wondered, if the entire world all stopped/woke up at the exact same time and chanted "Oooohmmmm" for 30 seconds, what would happen?

I sort of imagined a worldwide cleansing much like putting some dirty jewelry into the ultrasonic thing and just watch it fly off into the universe.

The second thing, I had a story sitting in my computer for years. Just a sweet, simple, contemporary thing, nothing fancy. No horror, no weirdness. I plotted that sucker out.

While blearily leaning over my phone and using the speech to text ... 

Yeah. Are you as confused as I am?

Okay. Good.

Once I started feeling better, I really did a harsh self-reassessment. So I got my happy arse to work.

And now I have some nice changes and stuff. Lot more in depth and more focused. I feel like I've spent the last few years being a sloppy writer/blogger.

Well. That's done. So, enjoy and check out links, give things a listen, or a watch if you prefer, and share!

Because you are all awesome for sticking with me for so long. You're the best.

Let me know what you think of things in the comments below. I also have a new page on Facebook, and that's where I'll primarily hang out over there. Otherwise, I'll be on Twitter.

Have a good week!

Updates and Things...

 Hey everyone! Just a short post to update everyone on things around here.

After such a long hiatus with my writing, I have decided to upload chapters to Kindle Vella. Why? Well, for one, it is forcing me to get my stories edited and out there. If I release a chapter a week, it gives me lots of time to prep the next chapter, edit and so forth to get it out there for the world. I'm literally forcing myself to get stuff done! It's a win/win at the moment.

I've also launched my first podcast episode. Going forward, I will be doing author and editor interviews. I'm hoping to add agent interviews to that.

Round table discussions with authors is another feature of my podcast. I also do solo stuff. Q & A being one, and writing tips for another. I've had so much fun doing this podcast already! I have a few done and waiting to upload and now I will just keep plugging along!

I've decided to do ebook formatting for $20 and simple book covers for $20 as long as you have paid for the stock images. If I have to pay, the price will increase and I'm trying to help any indie authors out there get stuff done.

I feel very good about the direction I am taking with these projects. I feel at peace and I'm not so stressed about writing or editing. By doing the Kindle Vella stories, once they're complete, I can format into a book and it's done. Again, win/win!

I have lots of writing projects sitting in the wings. This definitely helps me break it all down into smaller chunks of time so I can still concentrate on my family and elderly parent. Such a relief! Really.

I live in a small town and a couple years ago, they opened up an art center, Painted Sky Center for the Arts. People who are crafty or artistic can teach classes, and you guessed it! I'll be doing a beginning drawing class once a week. Later on, I can include more things if it gets popular. Things like beginning watercolor, making your own paper, upcycling crafts and much more. All the classes are only an hour to an hour and a half, so it isn't like I will be giving up so much time away from my writing projects. I do a lot of my recording in the morning when my husband is at work and the house is quiet.

I craft at night and do cross-stitch during the days when I don't have much to do on the computer, until I lose the natural light. So I think I have my time managed pretty well. If things get squirrely, I can always say no to my outside of the house projects.

That's it for me! Please take a look at my links and help me spread the love!

IWSG...

 Hey! It's the first Wednesday of the month and that means, it's time for the Insecure Writers Support Group blog hop!

Woo, guys, it's been a crazy month already! Lots of things happening for me in the writing world.

I've decided to do e-book formatting, simple book covers, and my writing podcast launches today! I've also got a couple stories being released as serial episodes on Kindle Vella!

But today is also about IWSG. On my podcast, you'll hear my answer from this blog in audio form, but to be in compliance, you'll get it here, as well.

So this month's question:

What do you consider the best characteristics of your favorite genre?

So, okay, I have more than one favorite genre. I'll start with fantasy. I love so many characteristics of fantasy. I love the freedom to create basically whatever I want. Characters, kingdoms, races, religions and hierarchies. I don't think there's anything about fantasy I don't love.

My other favorite is horror. I mean, where else can you get away with a murderous rampage, if not in the horror genre? I get asked a lot why I like horror so much and I'll be honest, I have been through some crap in my life. Crap that makes it so I'm not scared of much anymore. Horror is an outlet for me. A way to look at it and say, "What the hell are you doing?"

A lot of horror fans feel the same. A lot of them have been through some darkness and to us, horror is the light. We know it can happen because truth is stranger than fiction. It's an escape, because a lot of it, frankly, is laughable.

All right guys, that's it for this post! Go check out what other people wrote by going here: