Time of the Season

August 31, 2026August 31, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Welp, today is the last day of August. Tomorrow starts the first month completely without Housemate. I got through the first Real Life Romance Hero birthday without the man himself, and I am thankful it was spent with Housemate’s family, even though A) they didn’t know it was RLRH’s birthday, and B) we were in the frenzy of paperwork that comes with what happens after a loved one passes. I am still running in circles connecting Housemate’s Family with property management. We are trying to follow the law and want to give PM money. Can we do that, please?

Right now, I am in determination mode. I am fried. I need time to grieve, not only Housemate, but I was still working through RLRH’s loss, and then all of this got dumped in my lap. There are too many things to do for me to do them all on my own, as I am one grieving, anxious, depressed, visually impaired person with PTSD and CPTSD. I am also a superfirstborn, aka only child, so I am used to the “fine, I’ll do it myself” mindset. The next big day on the calendar is my birthday in October, which has a zero in it, ad to say that I did not expect to be spending that day alone is perhaps the biggest understatement in this post. Not even going to touch the more universal holidays, because I cannot deal with that right now.

Facebook Marketplace has been a complete bust. Three inquiries, three ghosts. Once I get my new bank card (physical copy) I will shift into online selling, largely in destashing groups on FB. I want storage unit two empty by October, and hopefully carry the first one for the winter and then deal with it in spring. I need to generate income. Right now, that has to be liquidating stuff, because there is So Much Stuff that getting rid of it is a full time job. There is furniture in them thar storage units. I haven’t even had a chance to go through RLRH’s stuff. I am overwhelmed and exhausted and excited about taking care of these practicalities because I want to write fiction. I need to write fiction. With digital and indie publishing, getting my stories out in the world is both easier and harder than I could have imagined only a few years ago. I would still love to publish traditionally again, especially with one of the big publishers. I am okay if that does not happen and I am okay if it does. I am a writer either way.

I am already looking forward to the next iteration of improv class. I made it to two out of the four sessions for this round, and learning that I was not the only person in class using improv to deal with grief was actually encouraging. I am delving into a personal curriculum (yes, it involves romance novels) and have a strong desire to pick the journals and notebooks that I am actively using right now, and putting the rest of them (that I am keeping) away for when it is their turn. This is not a hoard, it is more like a wine cellar, that comes with a risk of paper cuts.

Thanks much for reading this far. If you’re so inclined, the Go Fund Me is still open and seventy percent of the way to goal. Every single donation helps. If we meet goal within two weeks, I will be doing a cover reveal for A Heart Most Errant (spoiler: it’s gorgeous) on that page before it’s available anywhere else.

Seeing as how that was my whimsical way to round out a heavy emotional dump (and yes, I was holding back) that is also my signal to bring this entry to a close. Writing is still my best thing and favorite thing, so I will be writing a lot. Stay tuned.

Casualties

August 25, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Well, we have a site down. MelvaandAnna.com has fallen through the cracks, and is no longer active. That’s fine. Melva and I are looking at this as a chance to start fresh, and in time to release Queen of Hearts, Heather and Rob’s story in the Love by the Book series. This is our friends to lovers story, with single mom Heather, Rob, the best friend who has been in love with her for as long as he can remember, a kid, a dog (full of other, smaller dogs) and maaaaybe glimpses of future protagonists for future books. Also holidays, as this book covers back to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Phew. I absolutely do need a win right about now, and Melva and I love this story bunches, so that certainly counts.

Once I take care of a couple more things, I will get to launch my first independent historical romance, A Heart Most Errant. That’s a great carrot on the stick as I slog through the far less appealing things of setting up this new version of life. Many metric tons of thanks to all who have donated to or shared the link to the Go Fund Me, headed by the lovely and talented Debbie Jantzen VanSchaick. We are currently seventy percent of the way to goal. If we reach goal within two weeks, I will do a cover reveal on the GFM page for contributors to see first. Storm and I appreciate everything, be in contributions, shares, prayers, good wishes, or whatever it is you do. We’ll take it all.

I did not sit down to write this post with any real plan, other than to mention that MelvaandAnna.com is about to start its new incarnation. Melva and I each have our own individual pages, so we are not unrepresented. I’m still disappointed that we did fall through the cracks like this, but these things do happen. That this should happen now, in the middle of So Many Losses and changes, that they seem to be the norm these days, does not get past me unnoticed.

These days, I have set my taking care of business hours to the traditional nine to five, Monday through Friday. The rest of the time is taking care of myself, because good gracious, do I need it. The big focus on the apartment right now is to Get Stuff Out. I am selling what I can, donating what I can’t, and then the rest gets dumped. I don’t love filling landfills, but I am one person. Some local friends have offered help, which I greatly appreciate. My longer term goal is to clear out the second storage unit by October first, so I can turn in the keys (actually take back my lock) and be done with it. Ideally, I will be able to carry the other unit for the time being, to give myself some breathing room and deal with it over the winter. There is a lot going on right now, in many different locales, and I am but one person.

For the apartment, I plan to clear out Housemate’s room and then seek a roommate from among the local population. I definitely need more people around me on a daily basis, because otherwise, I must sing the song of the lonely extrovert, and nobody wants that. Today’s focus is trash, because it is trash day. If I can throw it out, I am throwing it out. I am talking obvious refuse. If it can be sold or donated, or recycled, I would prefer to do that. Friends near or far, virtually hanging with me via video chat while I declutter, is a great way to help, because companionship makes everything better.

That’s about it for right now. I have to make phone calls I don’t want to make, and it is okay to do it scared. Afterward, I get to work on some journal pages, because that is always good for my central nervous system. How is your week going?

Embracing Challenges: Lessons from Improv and Life

August 22, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Today, I went to improv class. I was the first one there, before even the director. I had missed the first two classes of the session. When the director asked me how I was doing, I told him. He listened. When we did our red/yellow/green thing before beginning the actual class, which is when we let our fellow actors know if there is anything off-limits, be it physical work or subject matter, etc, I answered honestly. I should have been wearing my knee brace, but wasn’t, and I put a hard “no” on jokes about death, because I have had two significant losses in recent months. Since there were some new to me people, I also mentioned that I am visually impaired, and if my scene partner does something subtle with their expressions, I may not catch it. Other people had their own things to keep in mind, and we were able to proceed, knowing who can do what.

As suspected, improv class was exactly what I needed, and I told the director after class. The route there and back is very walkable with today’s weather, moderate UV exposure and temperature still August-y but bearable. When I got back home, I fell sound asleep. Storm head bonked me and wanted cuddles. I almost tapped this out on my FB page while I flopped with Storm in front of the fan, but I had to get up and feed her anyway, so to the keyboard I came.

I cannot thank everyone enough for the help with the Go Fund Me. We are over sixty percent of the way to our goal. Storm and I appreciate every single donation and share, and all of the prayers and good wishes. Before improv, I worked on something that always works for me, which is making lists. Nothing happens on the weekend, so this coming week, I get to coordinate with property management about the apartment. NY state property laws look like they may indeed be working in my favor, but don’t quote me yet. There is a displaced homemaker’s resource here in Albany, which I will be investigating, and there are a million things to do about transportation, liquidating one storage unit, taking over another, and, once I get the apartment stuff confirmed, beginning the roommate search.

There is yarn. Oh so much yarn. Stationery to de-stash as well, and then content to create with what I am keeping. I am learning many new things about all of the above, and beyond. Melva and I are now on the search for stock images for the Queen of Hearts cover artist. Finding couples where both man and woman are blond/e is harder than it looks, but we will find something and the artist will do something and we will love it. I am ever closer to launching A Heart Most Errant. That means Melva and I will need to figure out the next contemporary romance we want to write, and I need to get cracking on my second medieval, A Heart Most Ardent, which has both leads widowed when the book begins…which I had known long before Real Life Romance Hero passed.

The apartment looks very much in flux. I need to get the yarn all in one place, listings for the yarn and yarn accessories in one place. Rethink the current FB marketplace listings, because they are not hitting their targets as of yet. Maybe offering shipping is the magic key. There are donations to make, of clothing, books, other things. I am learning to ask for help, learning to say that I am learning new things. Tonight, because night is nearly here, is for dinner and Sims and maybe reading, because I haven’t read anything (other than forms and legal things and websites about forms and legal things) since Housemate passed. That has to change. Maybe just a few pages. That’s a good start.

So. How do we wind this all up? I am not sure about that, and that feels appropriate, so I will let that be that. How are you doing?

Building a New Normal After Loss

August 19, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

This is an Anna post, but this picture of Storm conveys my mood better than I ever could:

I do not count the days since Housemate passed, because there is only one, and it is a big blur. Housemate’s brother and niece have been up here from Southern State, and we have been navigating the minefield of paperwork and permissions and all that stuff together. We may be in the final stretches of what we can do for now, including finding out whether I have to move or not, and then when all of that is settled, they need to go home.

Living alone does not appeal to me. I am a big old extrovert. Having family and friends close by, as in within my living space is a need. If I am staying, I will be looking for a roommate, which is more stress that could lead to less stress, and there is the process of building a new normal. I hate building a new normal. I have done it too many times. I’m good at it. That is not the problem. Doing it is the problem. I liked the normal I had…well, without the sick family members and the clutter and the usual mental load that came hardwired in me right out of the box.

The Go Fund Me a dear friend set up is teasingly close to halfway, so if you are inclined, share and contribute if you can. Definitely take care of yourself first. There really are no words to say thank you enough, not only for monetary help but all of the kind words as well. They do more good than you will ever know.

Days right now are largely focused around paperwork and permissions and forms and numbers and authorizations and doing a lot more research into probate law than I had expected. Please, please, please, if you don’t have a will, make one. It’s a way to show love to those closest to you. I will be doing that myself when things settle. Sometimes it feels like I want to say if they settle, but they will, as they always do. I am in “in this moment” mode, which is helping. Do one thing at a time, and when 5pm hits, I have done all I can do.

Last night, after Housemate’s family left for the night, I was jumpy. I didn’t want them to go. How am I going to be alone? I grabbed my keys and walked a couple of blocks to CVS for a cold drink. I almost got a snack, but my brain was fried, and picking out snacks was not something for which I had any reserves. Baby steps, at this point. I came home. I sketched out how I wanted to clear off the kitchen table, which became a dumping ground when everything was in “drop everything else, this is an emergency mode.” Some of that stuff had been from when I spent the entire day at the hospital with Rheuben.

This in between period, whatever it is, and whatever is on the other side, is going to be interesting. I have enough time to ramble here before I go off adulting for the day. I am staying hydrated. I have food. but eating is meh. I am getting some sleep. Not enough but some. Still in survival mode. That has a job to do, and I am going to let it.

I don’t know how I want to wrap this together, so I will start off with that. If all goes well, I may be able to take myself to improv class on Saturday, which would be an amazing dose of healing. One step at a time and all those good things. I am still not sure how to wrap this, so I will finish with that as well, and hop to the next obvious thing, which is see you soon.

Secondary Losses

August 15, 2026August 15, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Latest entry in the trauma conga line that is my life these days. Today is Real Life Romance Hero’s first birthday since he passed. Tomorrow will be eight months since he passed. The day after that, we need to do court stuff to start Housemate’s estate. We, meaning I, as Housemate’s family live in TN, have to clear out the storage units, and I am not sure about the apartment. It’s a lot.

I am actually okay-ish today. I am wearing RLRH’s favorite shirt, and spent the day making TikToks while sorting through Housemate’s stuff, and drinking tea. If I don’t hear from Housemate’s family by five today, I will consider myself off the clock as it were and turn to taking care of me. Maybe a walk and grab myself a treat to celebrate that I got to spend the rest of RLRH’s life with him.

Tomorrow is another day. Thank you, Scarlett O’Hara. As always, writing helps me through the shark infested dumpster fire that is right now. Last night, I gave myself permission to go all out, no holding back, verbal vomit from the backside. Gentle readers, this is your chance to slip out and come back for a gentler post. There will be some. I don’t know when, but there will be some.

TRIGGER WARNING: grief, anxiety, caregiving, housing insecurity.

Here are some of the things we don’t think about when grief curb stomps us for the third time in eight months:

My best friend died…after my best friend died. This friend was also my roommate, also the lease holder, also the one who said not to worry in the first year after losing the live of my life; she’d take care of me. Instead, I took care of her. As in bottle feeding her meal replacement shakes and changing her diapers, sleeping in the same bed so I would never be far when she needed me. Now she’s gone. Her family and I started the paperwork to settle her small estate. I think my soul left my body when I asked about where on the list of debts I should put my friend’s rent, and the clerk said, “She isn’t paying rent now, is she?” I will have to talk to management about that. The floor dropped. I wasn’t wearing my leg brace because things are wait wait wait GO. I could have used the extra support.

With every entry I made, I felt another part of my life and identity ripped away. The phone plan. Internet at home instead of public WiFi. Amazon, and with it Prime Video and Kindle Unlimited. Netflix. The storage units. I felt that devastation again because I can’t be in more than one place at one time. They are a jumble. Most of these things will need too be sold (best case) or donated, or junked (worst case.) My completed journals. Furniture I have loved all my life, hoping for a permanent place in a someday-house. Art supplies. Rheuben’s things. Stuffed animals we both loved. My special favorite author books. Research books. Mementos of a life I would give anything to have back. The me who lived that life and wanted to keep on living it. Gonegonegonegonegone.

The last time I had to be separated from an animal I need for emotional support, I nearly didn’t make it. I am going to need an ESA letter for Storm. I know a trusted friend stands ready to foster if need be, but to take her from me as well? Please don’t. That is all I can say right now. I don’t want to lose the happy home my family and I shared after the then-worst year of our lives. We had each other. We had a pact. We would stay together, and that included Storm. Now it’s her and me and no car, little certainty. I can’t be everywhere. I can’t carry everything. I am writing this at my lowest, because writing is my happy place. It’s getting Book of Job-ish around here. I remember being in Linda’s room, on her last day, noticing my fingers on both hands were covered in the blisters of dyshidrotic eczema. I already have the atopic kind. If you don’t know what those look like, don’t do an image search. My brain is fhtyyt (cat had paw on tablet screen, but she put it better than I can.) I wish I had a positive way to wrap this all together, but I don’t. I have honesty and bewilderment and pain. I want to be the one taken care of, the one who doesn’t have to do anything but rest. That would be the best thing.

For those so inclined, a kind friend set up a Go Fund Me, to help ease the transition:

Fundraiser by Debbie Jantzen : Support Anna After Two Heartbreaking Losses

So We’re Doing This Now

August 11, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Hey, all. :deep breath: Okay. This is going to be a heavier post, so if my gentle readers want to catch me on a day with more kitty pics and book recs, that’s fine. The rest of you, here we go:

Those who have been here for a while know that this has been A Year for me already, with Rheuben passing right before Christmas. Thankfully, I had our awesome Housemate, Linda Hart, to walk this road with me. Those who have read Storm’s latest post, already knew Linda had fallen (literally and figuratively) with a sudden illness that was, unfortunately, terminal. She passed last week, peacefully. It was my privilege to care for her when she was unable to care for herself, as she has cared for me in my grief. To say I am in shock is an understatement. Her family is here from out of state, and we are figuring out the way forward together. I don’t know exactly what the future holds. We are taking that step by step. My preference would be to stay in this apartment with a roommate, though relocating is also on the table. One day at a time over here.

A dear friend of mine, for whom I have done freelance editing work, has set up a GoFundMe. For those able to donate, that would be lovely, and please do consider sharing. You can find that here:

Fundraiser by Debbie Jantzen : Support Anna After Two Heartbreaking Losses

Debbie is a sweetheart, as well as a wonderful and imaginative writer, and I look forward to working with her again. Once I get practicalities sorted out and my head on straight, I will be looking for remote work, including but not limited to more freelance editing, which I really and truly love, as well as content creation and of course writing fiction. Melva Michaelian and I put the finishing touches on the third installment in the Love By the Book series, Queen of Hearts, which will be out oh so soon. We need to make sure the cover art captures the spirit of Rob and Heather’s romance. This one is a friends to lovers story, with a Christmas finale that we absolutely love.

If you want to read the series in order, the first two are:

All Love by the Book stories are involved in the world of romance writing, reading and publishing, and Melva and I are gearing up to start what will be Love by the Book number four. I am also so, so, so excited to present my first indie historical romance novel, A Heart Most Errant, the first in the Ravenwood Saga, aka my first dive into a planned historical series. This one is medieval, set right after the plague wiped out half of Europe over a twenty-year period. I am sitting on the cover reveal until closer to release, but as soon as I put out the domestic fires, I have started discovery drafting the second book, which will be A Heart Most Ardent. Interestingly enough, both leads in that book are widowed, from marriages that were not awful. There is also a long, long, long overdue standalone Georgian historical in the works. Writing truly is my happy place, and when the world is chaos, I need all the happy I can get. That does include posting.

Storm is the best nurse/therapist ever, and my friends, near and far, are wonderful. Our church is amazing, as is my therapist. Over the next few weeks, I will be helping Linda’s family sort out what needs sorting, including dispatching two storage units, and figuring out what happens with the apartment. Getting an ESA letter for Storm. My content will be reflecting that, as well as the usual topics. Sometimes, I am ok. Other times, it’s rough. Lots of lists. Lots of journaling. Two big losses in under eight months is A Lot. Adding in the stuff I was already talking to my therapist about, and dial that stuff upward.

Let’s wind this up for now. I am up and only sometimes crying. Sometimes cussing. Sometimes praying, frequently writing. Going through difficult stuff, yes, but still here.

How about you?

Typing With Wet Paws: Domestic Tornado Update Edition

July 30, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers. I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. If you’ve been following us here for a while, you probably noticed we haven’t been posting lately. Mama Anna is pretty busy at the moment, so she gave me the go ahead to talk about it. First of all, meet Jennifer:

Jennifer is currently chilling with Aunt Linda at the people vet, because that’s where Aunt Linda is going to be for a little while. Cats are not allowed in hospitals (rude) but plush ones are, so Jennifer is watching Aunt Linda and reporting back to me. If you’re wondering why her name is Jennifer, it’s because Mama Anna had a dream where I had kittens. One was a mini me calico girl. Mama Anna was super surprised that I had kittens, but I told her it was okay; we only had to keep Jennifer. Why Jennifer? I liked the name. So, this is Jennifer.

Mama Anna is kind of frazzled right now, because there are things to handle at the people vet and at home. Some of that involves getting things we have too much of to people who don’t have enough/any, which is kind of hard to do since Mama Anna does not drive (apparently visually impaired people should not be operating motor vehicles. Go figure.) So, she’s still here, and actually still writing, but there is a LOT going on and she is learning new things and missing Papa, and it’s kind of a lot.

We are safe and housed, and fed, so nobody worry about that. Some of our friends from the old country have already been over to help, which Mama Anna and I greatly appreciate. Aunt Mary and Uncle Brian (with Skye puppy!) were here on Sunday. Aunt Melva was here yesterday, and they talked writing stuff in between all of the practical things they did. There is a lot more room in Aunt Linda’s room, and that means I get to explore new things in the same familiar place. That’s kind of the cat dream, actually, so I am not complaining, but I will be happy when Aunt Linda comes home. The people vet is taking good care of her. Jennifer will be reporting in on a regular basis until she and Aunt Linda are home.

In the meantime, Mama Anna will be more present on social media as she can. DMs, comments and emails are always welcome. Local people, she wouldn’t hate a visit (nor would Aunt Linda) or help with local errands. Aunt Linda comes from a long line of tough old birds, so we figure this will get sorted and she’ll be back home when the people vet says okay. Mama Anna is shy about asking for help, but calico cats are not known for shyness.

We are also coming up on August. Papa’s birthday is on the fifteenth, which will be the first birthday of his since he went to Rainbow Bridge, and then the day after, the sixteenth, is eight months since he went. We will probably be in a blanket fort that weekend, which is okay. Life be like that sometime. I am reminding Mama Anna that sleep is important self care.

Okay, that’s everything that was in my notes, so I am going to go keep an eye on Mama Anna and guard the house when she visits Aunt Linda. So far, I have kept 100% of threats away, so that’s pretty good. How’s July been treating you?

illustrated image of a redheaded woman writing in a journal as her calico cat observes. — Headbonx! — *Storm*

July 10, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Welp, we are one quarter of the way through July. I did not expect to be gone so long. It’s definitely summer here in New York state, and I am once again handling some caregiving duties, which should hopefully do the trick soon. Melva and I have some very good news as soon as I have the go-ahead, and we are both hard at work on joint and solo projects.

Today is more temperate than it has been, so I am able to drag myself out of the bog and post. This is definitely a low hanging fruit day. Sometimes, figuring out what that low hanging fruit is can be a whole thing on its own. For me, when in doubt, A) blabber, and B) journal (which is kind of blabbering, but private blabbering and I get to play with art supplies.)

I have wanted a custom watercolor palette for far longer than I care to reveal, so this is a win. My colors, picked by me, squeezed from teeny tubes, into teeny squares in a teeny box. I do have a way to go when it comes to neatness, but this is a watercolor palette, so that doesn’t count. I made this so that I could take my chosen colors on the road, and fiddle with the paints at odd moments out in the wild. When I am next out in the wild, I will give it a spin. For now, caregiving. I could play around with it her, but I have regular palettes and I want this to be for the road crew.

I gobbled an audiobook this week, Where Lost Girls Go, by Kody Keplinger. I won’t say much, as it’s best to go into this taut thriller blind, but we have our narrators, one before her captivity and one after, by one of the best crafted villains I have read in some time. What will a victim of narcissistic abuse do to keep what they have been taught is normal? I think I want to pick up a historical romance next.

Speaking of which, I also finished The Last Lady B, by Eloisa James. If you love James and want something a little different, grab this one. First person, gothic overtones, a delightful supporting cast, and maybe…ghosts?

I am staying hydrated, because summer and certain medications are not besties, so this is a good time to stay inside, drink water, and do book related things, both consuming and creating. Journaling fits here as well, both words and images. Usually with something in my earbuds. I have listened to two audiobooks in a row, and having a full book is a lot less labor intensive than having to find You Tube videos or podcasts when the current one finishes.

Storm is very much on the case when it comes to making sure I rest/she gets cuddles. Sometimes, she helps me watch videos. Usually of the journaling variety, or people reading Reddit threads. Fan edits for favorite ships from favorite shows are also a big part of my viewing. I am fumbling my way back to listening to music, which is something that has always gone with my best writing. I consider that a good sign.

How is July treating you?

Finding Joy in Vintage Romance: A Summer Read

June 10, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Today was one of those summer days (I know, the calendar says it’s still spring, but trust me, it’s summer) where it’s hot and humid and I am especially thankful for Koolio and the fan club, as well as access to drinking water. Storm is on self care patrol and lets me know when I need to take a break. My desk is next to the window, which is not great on summer afternoons. Now that this is my room instead of sharing it, I can move that, if I want to. We will see.

Photo by Anastasia Borozdina on Pexels.com

Originally, I had planned to take pictures of some selected art journal pages, because art journaling is getting me through a lot of the life adjustments going on lately, but this was a low energy day, and a stock image is better than an unwritten blog.

Anyway, it’s summer. This is the kind of day when. as a kiddo, I would have begged my mom for a few hours at the public pool. I do not know if there is a public pool near me now. I should find out about that. The next thing that comes to mind is settling into a seasonally appropriately seasonal reading nook with fan access, cold beverage of choice, and a vintage paperback. Also with a spot for feline companion. When I was a teen, that meant the brass bed in the guest bedroom, with a box fan in the window, aimed straight at me. My current bed isn’t brass, but it is metal framed, with a swoopy headboard, so I am going to call it close enough. Tomorrow is laundry day, which means fresh, flower=sprigged sheets. I am currently reading a vintage gothic romance on my Kindle app, but I also want to dig out a vintage paperback for the full experience. If anybody ever made a way to scent Kindles like vintage books, they would make a fortune.

Speaking of vintage paperbacks, if I had known, during the Bicentennial, that it was going to be this hard to find historical romance set around (as in before, during, and after) the American Revolution were going to be so scarce when it came to America 250, I would have asked my mother and aunts to stock up, for the sake of my future well-being. They were everywhere in 1976, but I was ten, so A) I was not in a place to be buying my own books, and B) I was still a year away from the fateful day I would snatch The Kadin, by Bertrice Small, from my mother’s nightstand, and fall head over heels with historical romance.

So, where is this going? I’m not sure, but written is written, and I stand by that. Fiction writing is going well, actually. I am in uncharted waters now with Her Last First Kiss, as this is one of the parts of the book that I changed, so getting all my ducks in a row is having an effect on the daily page count, but that’s okay. Weekends are for cleanup. Weekdays are for blabbering, and, so far, that seems to be working out okay. The Chasing Prince Charming reboot has now had a look-over and tweak from both Melva and myself, so now we are closer to publication. Formatting, cover art, uploading, boom. Melva is doing the first pass over Queen of Hearts, which is going to need some tweakier tweaks, but things are going well.

Next week will be six months since Real Life Romance Hero left us. I know he’d be my biggest cheerleader, though he never read my romance novels. Some days, it feels like it just happened, and some days, it’s like it’s always been that way. Weird, but apparently par for the course. I had already planned for my next new historical to go into discovery writing, to have both male and female leads widowed and finding love for a second time, but that was long before RLRH’s passing. This one is gong to be close to home, and I am actually looking forward to that.

Writing is my happy place. I would like to be doing more reading, which I have in the past done best when I have to talk about it to other people. Would you be interested in book reviews/impressions here? Possibly on TikTok or YouTube, but I don’t see a lot of representation for vintage historical romance, and I would like to chance that.

What’s up with you guys?

Typing With Wet Paws: Sunday Snoozy Edition

June 8, 2026annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws It’s June, which means summer, which is not Mama Anna’s favorite season, but she is glad it’s here because the next season is fall, which is her favorite. This is also the month where we observe the six-month half-anniversary of Papa going to Rainbow Bridge. I miss him, and I am doing my best to make sure Mama Anna is okay.

Writing is going pretty well over here, which makes me feel confident we are on the right track. Part of that, apparently, is me doing my weekly blogging duty. Since Mama Anna lets me have free rein of her office chair, next to Koolio, when she is not using it, I figure I can manage that. She is also my treat dealer. I know where the treats are, but they are high and in a drawer and I don’t have thumbs. I do have dewclaws, but they are not the same thing.

Anyway, the point of this post is that Mama Anna wants to update the graphics on this site, and one of those things is my signature photo. Big Sister Skye had a picture of her walking away, with her big floofy tail. I like sleepy pictures (I am great at napping.) Also, I am a sleek girl, so if I have a picture of me walking away, you would see the :ahem: Eye of the Storm as we call it. Which picture do you like? For those wondering, I did wake up and eat the treats that were right next to my head a few seconds after she took the picture.

In computer news, Mama Anna’s laptop caught a virus (she’ll be taking care of that ASAP) and her desktop is chugging along. The word she uses for it is “elderly.” This means that she is going to have to figure out how to turn Papa’s newest laptop into her newest laptop. That would have been easier if he had written down his password anywhere. Looks like Mama Anna is going to be on a first name basis with the computer guys at the computer store.

That’s about it for this week. What’s going on in your world?

Typing With Wet Nails

for the love of romance