Finding Joy in Vintage Romance: A Summer Read

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.

Photo by Selvin Esteban on Pexels.com

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?

as always, Anna

June Reflections: Music, Reading, and New Beginnings

Welp, it’s June. Safe and happy Pride to all who celebrate. The start of a new month is as good a time as any to hop back on the blogging horse. Storm will be back on the weekend. Today, you’re with me. That’s good timing, because I am feeling more myself today than I have lately. One big sign of that is that I am listening to music again. Since it’s been a long time, that means I get loads of new music to discover. Reading is coming back as well, and, no surprise, vintage historical romance and gothics are indeed my way back to reading.

As thrilled as I am to find one of my top three historical romance, and one of my top two gothic romance authors in KU (and paperback, for those so inclined) I do have to give preference to the original cover:

OG cover, 1970s edition

This book is The Stuff when it comes to finding an Anna-worthy read. The setting is 1720 New England (I don’t think the colony is specified, so insert your favorite.) Our heroine, Adria, is not fitting in with her adoptive Puritan community. For people who spend that much time in church, they might try reading their Bible, because I don’t think they have. Adria gets in big trouble, right off the bat, and her only way out is the choice arguably worse than death — the big scary house on the cliff, Wyndspelle. There’s a job for her there, caring for an ailing woman…and that’s all Adria knows. Adria is a quick study, though, and she can tell that creepy and unknown is better than certain death, so off she goes.

I have read this book, and the whole trilogy before, and I have never read a Vandergriff I haven’t loved. It’s been a while, though, so I expect a few jump scares along the way. I have one of her other reissues, Sisters of Sorrow, a standalone gothic, preordered for the end of the month. I am pretty sure I have a paperback copy of that one in my keepers box, which is regrettably in storage. I am definitely going to need my special books around me as I embark on this new chapter of life. Real Life Romance Hero’s half-anniversary of his passing is this month.

art journal spread

There is also art journaling, which is a load-bearing wall in keeping me together. Some days, it’s all words. Sometimes, like above, it’s no words and an assortment of images culled from any number of sources. Right now, I am focused on using what I have more than acquiring new things. I will repurchase things that I use to completion or have passed their usefulness, but I got all of these things because I wanted to use them, so I will. Discovering things I had forgotten about or neglected feels very on brand for life in general right now, and I am very sure that some of this will spill over to fiction writing.

Right now, thanks to the critique group found through an RWA program, I need to have thirty pages of new fiction by the end of the month. That felt like a lot at first, until, surprise, I hauled out a notebook and started to break things down. If I write five days a week for the next three weeks (the last one is a cushion) that is only three blocks of ten pages. That means two pages per day, or 500 words, if you prefer. I do have a tracker in my regular calendar, so I will report on how that does when I hit my goal. Melva and I are not only proofing the Chasing Prince Charming reissue, and diving into the final-final pass of Queen of Hearts, but have been tossing about some what-ifs for a new standalone, based off a long-ago writing prompt.

That’s going to be it for today, as I need to get my pages in, so talk amongst yourselves, or better yet, say hi in the comments. What’s a vintage author you think more people should be reading?

as always, Anna

Mermay

So, tomorrow is May. I’d ask how that happened, but life is like that. For us planner and journal people, this becomes one of the highlights, because it means new themes, chances to play with our pretty things, etc. For this month, the theme is easy: Mermay. Mermaids. I love mermaids. Back when I was but a wee princess, someone gave me a book of British folklore, from the UK. We had a few family friends who were from the UK, so it may be from one of them. I was probably ahead of my peers when it came to knowing the difference between mermaids, sirens, and selkies. Also the whole manatee theory (yes, that is a nod to How I Met Your Mother. Still love the show, apart from the ending.) I don’t remember the name of the standup comic (likely from the UK as well) who talked about finding an old fur coat in the attic, then her dad got mad and nobody ever saw her mom again, but I very much got the joke. If you know, you know.

acrylic marker doodles

I am doodling more these days, largely when whatever is going on in my brain says “absolutely not” to sleep. That means time to watch some scripted drama and slap some shapes and colors on the page. I can sort of doodle mermaids, as in the tail half at the top or bottom (or side, come to think of it) going out of frame. We will see how that goes as the month progresses. Back when I was a teen, I used to doodle a lot more, often faces, not with any great detail, but it was fun and maybe a good thing to bring back into my repertoire.

So, tomorrow is May. I’d ask how that happened, but life is like that. For us planner and journal people, this becomes one of the highlights, because it means new themes, chances to play with our pretty things, etc. For this month, the theme is easy: Mermay. Mermaids. I love mermaids. Back when I was but a wee princess, someone gave me a book of British folklore, from the UK. We had a few family friends who were from the UK, so it may be from one of them. I was probably ahead of my peers when it came to knowing the difference between mermaids, sirens, and selkies. Also the whole manatee theory (yes, that is a nod to How I Met Your Mother. Still love the show, apart from the ending.) I don’t remember the name of the standup comic (likely from the UK as well) who talked about finding an old fur coat in the attic, then her dad got mad and nobody ever saw her mom again, but I very much got the joke. If you know, you know.

I am doodling more these days, largely when whatever is going on in my brain says “absolutely not” to sleep. That means time to watch some scripted drama and slap some shapes and colors on the page. I can sort of doodle mermaids, as in the tail half at the top or bottom (or side, come to think of it) going out of frame. We will see how that goes as the month progresses. Back when I was a teen, I used to doodle a lot more, often faces, not with any great detail, but it was fun and maybe a good thing to bring back into my repertoire.

Reading is, thankfully, back, which means May is a great time to take another look at some sort of reading journal…of which I have no idea how I want to set up. Probably watch a bunch of videos how other people do such things, make a couple of false starts and then hit my stride. Things usually work like that. My current romance read is Just in Time For a Highlander, by Gwyn Cready, the first in her Sirens of the Scottish Border series (nope, no mermaids, just time travel.) I love that the historical period in her time travels appears to almost always be the eighteenth century, but a little disappointed that there are no new titles since 2016. I am happy that I correctly guessed the heroines in the second two books, so looking forward to those.

not the cover on the e-book version

Perhaps what has me most excited for May is that one of my top tier favorite historical romance and gothic authors, Aola Vandergriff, sadly no longer with us is now on Kindle Unlimited. Since some of her titles are very hard to find, and pricey, this is very, very, very good news for those interested in finally getting to read those. I have House of the Dancing Dead preordered for a May 8th release. Yes, I am excited. Yes, I will be dropping everything else to read this as soon as it arrives on my device. I also plan to reread the author’s Wyndspelle and McCleod Daughters series, historical gothic, and American historical romance saga, respectably. Probably all of her books, to be honest, because she is one of my top top top favorites and it has been a while.

That’s about it for today. I have a planner to prep for the new month, and Netflix and art journal sounds wreally really good right now. What are your plans for May?

as always, Anna

Summer Vibes and Romantic Reads

Today feels like summer. I did not authorize that. I do have summer dresses on hand, so there is an upside to that. Today is blog day, so I am here, blabbering on the page.

A Lady For a Duke

Reading is looking up, after a library run. Current read is A Lady For a Duke, by Alexis Hall. This is not my first historical romance with a trans lead. That would be Artemis, by Jessica Cale. It will likely not be my last. It will assuredly not be my last Alexis Hall novel. I am thinking possibly Glitterland or Never After. I love the rich and intricate language the author uses, and oh my stars, the emotion.

A contemporary YA romance that I loved with similar vibes would be Birthday by Meredith Russo. Two leads who grew up together, loved each other deeply, yet something wasn’t quite right. Nobody is presumed dead in Birthday, but the intimacy of emotion, the shift in the relationship when one lead figures out something very important. Birthday does have a traditional HEA, likely much easier (though not exactly easy) in our modern day. I have questions about how things will turn out for Viola and Gracewood in A Lady For A Duke, but I this is a romance, so they will be together and happy about it, and that satisfies.

Birthday, Meredith Russo.

Also, Meredith Russo is on my auto-read list. If her name is on the cover, that is enough for me. I have already read her debt novel, If I Was Your Girl, and it looks like I still have some anthologies to read.

Also on my TBR are

A historical romance where both leads are Jewish? Yes, please. It looks like the first scene takes place in a synagogue, and there are more books in this story world. I am going into this mostly blind, ready to discover its delights. I am always up for recommendations of books with Jewish characters and would love to see more in romance. For a historical where being Jewish has a strong influence on the romance, I recommend A Bed of Spices, by Barbara Samuel. .This is a medieval, where Christian heroine and Jewish hero bond over a passion for medicine. Yes, HEA, but realistic for the time.

Third in line is Just in Time For a Highlander, by Gwyn Cready. I have been looking forward to trying this author for a while now, and greatly appreciate that I have stumbled upon a series starter. Scottish borders always mean lots of plausible conflict, and I love the idea of a historical reenactor finding themself plopped down in the middle of the real thing. Odds are high that I will like this.

For a Scottish time travel recommendation, I will suggest:

First in Terri Brisbin’s MacKendiman series, this came out in the 90’s, when time travel was so much of a thing that it had its own line. This was also my first ever Terri Brisbin, leading me to her historical and fantasy romances as well as time travel.

This is only my physical short term TBR. I am saving the e-book and audio lists for future posts. What’s on your TBR?

as always, Anna

Bed Time and Other Stories

I am starting off with a cat picture because it’s been a while, she’s cute, and there is never a time when a cat picture is not a good thing, so hi. March sixteenth was the three-month mark of Real Life Romance Hero’s passing, and it hit hard. That was also the day that Housemate and our building super, Maintenance Dude, helped me get the old bed out of the apartment, and the next day, Housemate and I, with Storm’s help, put together the new bed. Lovely new memory foam mattress, and pink floral sheets I have wanted since I was but a wee princess. It’s comfy, it’s pretty, Storm has her big bed on it, and with my lap desk, the soft office is back in action.

New books are always a good sign. I am delighted for Melva over the release of Angel Whisperer, one of her solo titles. I would call this cozy romantic suspense with a dash of something extra. Melva wrote the first draft of this in our longstanding critique group, so I am very happy to see it out in the world for all to see. Review coming soon.

Spring does seem to be a season of new life. We are working on the reissue of Chasing Prince Charming, and doing some adjustments to the current draft of the third Love by the Book title, Queen of Hearts. Future Love by the Book titles are currently in discussion, so stay tuned.

Besides those, late spring or early summer will bring my first independent historical romance, A Heart Most Errant, which means that I need to get my ducks in a row for A Heart Most Ardent (I will get the hang of this series thing yet.) Thanks to the Write Stuff program in Romance Writers of America (RWA) I have been matched with a fabulous historical romance critique partner, Roma Cordon, which means back to work on my Georgian era Her Last First Kiss. If you like Georgian era Scottish historical romance with a little something extra, definitely give her a try.

This brings me to the newest news, that being my interview on Roma’s blog. This was super fun, and she asks great questions about writing with a partner versus writing solo, and about Drama King in particular.

Here is the point where I like to loop around to close where I started, so back to bed we go. I fully expect that having a comfy and lovely bed will indeed help make reading more comfortable, and dare I say even romanticized. The briar rose linen spray and lily shaped lamp definitely help in that regard. Tea will probably fit in there, but I need to get milk first, and possibly a petticoat or two of shortbread

How is your spring starting?

illustrated image of a redheaded woman writing in a journal as her calico cat observes.
as always, Anna

New Season, New Workspace (literal and metaphorical)

The mouse for the laptop where I am writing this is somewhere in the primary bedroom, but I don’t know where. If you have ever had a cat, you understand. I have reached the stage of adjusting my environment to this new shape of our family, which partly involves me turning Real Life Romance Hero’s old desk into my new analog (and Anna Log) and laptop desk, and using the accompanying bookcase into a home for journaling supplies. With the new setup, I should be able to film journal and planning content, which is both exciting and intimidating. As with anything else, I plan to make a bunch of mistakes until I figure out what I am doing in that regard.

pocket size catchall journal

The biggest surprise for me is that taking over RLRH’s old desk is that it helps me feel more connected to him. I was not expecting that but not complaining. I’ll take it. Since this is a curbside treasure (city dwellers, if you know, you know) I need to re-surface the surface. I would prefer not to know how it got to its present state. We do have a better desk in storage, but this is the one that is here now, and I am very much interested in using what is here now.

2026 is doing pretty well so far, life-wise, apart from the grief thing. I am working on a blog for the MelvaAndAnna site, about Melva’s brand new solo release, Angel Whisperer..

Angel Whisperer, by Melva Michaelian

I remember first experiencing this book as Melva was writing it, in pages submitted for our long-standing critique group. I would describe this as cozy romantic suspense, which Melva does extremely well, this time with a paranormal accent. I will gobble this published version as soon as I am done with my current Kindle read.

For those keeping track, Melva released her nonfiction book, Thanks For the Memories in the end of last year, and together, we put out Drama King, our second Love By The Book title, last month. Last night, I turned in my final-final edits on the Chasing Prince Charming reissue. All we need now is cover art, formatting and uploading. Queen of Hearts is already in the second round of edits, and later this spring, or early in summer, I will be releasing A Heart Most Errant. A Heart Most Ardent is in pre-writing, which also includes poking at A Heart Most Wicked with a stick, as the two stories have slight overlap. Writing a historical series is new to me, writing a series by myself is new to me, and writing medieval is new to me, so there is a learning curve. I have to pay attention in what I am doing with these books, since they are going to affect the fourth book, A Heart Most Wild. I know very little about A Heart Most Wild, and I am okay with that.

There is also the matter of computers. RLRH had more than one laptop. I have a desktop that I named Brick, that peaked with Windows 10, and my beloved rose gold laptop with the expanded battery, so Housemate and I are getting well acquainted with the computer fixer people. Ideally, there will be one desktop and one laptop, all done. The others, I will sell, donate, or recycle. Not top of the line machines, so we are not talking huge profits here, but I am one person, and one good machine is better than a bunch that semi-function, no matter how much I can relate to them.

As of today, I am on season eight of my new TV love, Waterloo Road. There are still about nine more seasons I haven’t seen yet, the show is contracted for two more, and news just dropped that one of my favorite students turned staff members is coming back, this time as a parent, with her mini-her daughter now a student and teenager. She was the first student to come back as staff, but not the first to come back as a parent. I have already seen beloved regulars leave, their characters off to other adventures such as young marriage, university, military service, moving to another country, and even incarceration. I know other favorites, students and teachers alike, will be leaving, some to the great staff meeting in the sky, so to speak, and I know there are a few couples I would have made canon were it in my power. I have added a series tracker to my reading journal, so I can see where I am iny viewing journey. I have also adopted their favorite insult, “you colossal muppet.” Lowercase “m.”

I am also warily eyeing the list of lovely, delightful friends I need to get back to, who sent wonderful messages after RLRH’s passing. We will hit the three-month mark on the day before St. Patrick’s Day. Right now, that feels like just a fact. Closer to the day, that may change. Being more social and active on social media feels more do-able somehow. Many thanks for all who have been patient I will post later about the planning methods that are helping me get things back in order, but this feels good for now.

as always, Anna

In Bed, Watching Waterloo Road With My Cat

My first Valentine’s Day as a widow sucked exactly as much as I expected it to, but I survived it. Mostly, that was by watching Waterloo Road in bed with Storm, on YouTube. There are, to the best of my knowledge, seventeen seasons of the show, with two more contracted. Think Degrassi, but in the North of England. Storm actually has started coming to get me and leading me to the laptop, where we watch, and looking first at the screen and then at me. This is her “my show is on” signal. I am to assume the cuddle position and best not think of getting up before a full episode has passed.

on Monday, I did go out

My plan for the day was to not leave the house, get food delivered, and be a puddle of energy, to use one of Real-Life Romance Hero’s favorite phrases. In that, the day was successful. Not going to lie, it was hard. When the whole day is about romantic love, and mine has passed, yeah, that’s not a fun time. Getting under the fuzzy blanket on top of the weighted blanket, curling up with a soft cat, and watching a British comprehensive school’s students and staff go through a wide assortment of life experiences. Safe to say I have found my newest comfort show.

Even with the real-life complications, I am still a romance author, with a new book out, at that. Which reminds me, if you’ve read and liked Drama King, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Speaking of Amazon, we are as of this writing #284 in fake dating (under “books”) — we have cracked the top 300. If that is not actually a thing, let me have this. I have had a sneak peek at Melva’s upcoming solo title cover (it is gorgeous) and we are working on the Chasing Prince Charming reissue, to have it out this spring. After that, A Heart Most Errant, which will be the first of my first ever planned historical series. Reviews can be as short as “I liked it,” or “good story” or “Clawed is an awesome cat and should be in every book.”

Writing and publishing is actually a super good thing to keep me occupied. I met with a writer friend in person on Monday, and made plans for virtual and in-person writing sprints in the near future. They invited me to an in-person group that does timed writings, and we discussed going together to a nearby drop-in improv night. I am very much looking forward to the next round of improv class.

Both friend and I had challenging years just past, and both want to socialize more and make writing a priority. This week, I am also trying something else I haven’t done in a long time. I did a little (very little) standup in college, and I loved it. Therapy Gal thinks I can definitely get a five-minute set from recent experiences, so I am now working on my first set in decades. Since I live in a city, there are open mic nights, so here is a new adventure.

Yesterday was the two-month mark exactly. I am glad I spent it chatting with friends, doing writer things. Storm is aware she owes blogs. She has been pretty busy sitting on me, fulfilling her purr-pose as a fuzzy tricolored nurse.

That’s about it for now. Tonight is trash night, and, since we are decluttering, we have a bunch. After I put the trash out, I will grab some leftovers and return, with Storm, to Waterloo Road, under the weighted blanket.

as always, Anna

Typing With Wet Paws: Unauthorized Changes Edition

Tails Up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. It is super cold here in NY today, so the humans are having a hibernation day. I am fine with that, because it means many cuddles, scritches and belly rubs. Aunt Linda made somebody hunt pizza and bring it to us (I, of course, had cat food) and Mama Anna suggested I might think about posting. Since she asked nicely, okay.

I’m not mad. This is just my face.

Okay, maybe I’m a little mad. Cats are notorious for not liking change, and there are changes going on around here. The bed, for one thing. For as long as we have been here, Papa slept closest to the door, Mama Anna on the other part of the bed, and then me on top of or next to her, depending on my mood. Sometimes between the two of them. Since Papa had to go to Rainbow Bridge, this has meant Things Are Different.

I will start with the best part; my big cat bed is now on the people bed. It started out on Papa’s side, but due to structural issues with the bedframe, Mama Anna switched sides. Now she sleeps where Papa did, and my bed is on the side where she used to be. If that weren’t enough, the humans are talking to the dog dad across the hall, aka Maintenance Dude, about getting rid of the old bed, after which there is a new bed to set up, in a different location than the current bed. My big cat bed will be on Mama Anna’s bed when the new bed is here, so I guess that is okay.

In case you missed the last blog Mama Anna posted, Drama King is here, and yes, there is a cat in it. His name is Clawed (that exact spelling) and he is an orange boy, with strong opinions on sharing (he is not a fan.) He is not on the cover, but he is important. I was the sensitivity reader for cat-ness on this one, so I give it four paws up. Good job, Mama Anna and Aunt Melva. Shout out to my play cousins, Murphy and Ollie. They are boy cats, so they helped with the boy cat part.

If you read the book and liked it, consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. That helps the authors a lot (including but not limited to purchasing more cat treats.) A review can be as easy as “I liked it,” or “good book” or “the cat was my favorite part; the next one should have a calico girl and/or tuxedo boys.” All three of us felines are hard at work helping our humans with the next books. Do you like books with pets in them? Let us know in the comments, to keep in mind for future books.

One more thing. Some humans have asked if they have to read Chasing Prince Charming before Drama King, and the answer is no. Of course the authors hope that you will, but if Drama King is your first Love by the Book story, that is okay too.

Okay, that’s it for this week, apart from another picture of me. Cat pictures are always a good thing.

making the weighted blanket weight-ier

How was your week?

Drama King is Here!

You don’t know Jack…but you’re about to, because Drama King, the second Love By The Book installment by myself and the fabulous Melva Michaelian, is now available in both e-book and paperback formats.

get yours here

If you’ve read Chasing Prince Charming, then you’ve already met Kelly Nolan, Meg Crawford’s clever and optimistic literary agent, who can see the best in anyone, and make it happen, by any means necessary. While it’s not necessary to have read Chasing Prince Charming to appreciate Drama King, we hope the glimpse you get here of Meg and Dominic will whet your appetite for their story.

Jack, known professionally as John Harrison Barnes, will be new to everybody, and we can’t wait for you to meet him. Jack came to us fully formed, in all his grumpy British glory, stewing in his own juices over a disastrous film debut and broken relationship, and sharing a studio apartment with Clawed, a battle-scarred orange tabby cat with strong opinions on sharing.

There’s also Kelly’s exacting family, a ragtag group of young thespians in desperate need of direction, and of course Meg, Dominic, and Heather from Chasing Prince Charming. Heather fans, take note; she will be the female lead in the next Love by the Book installment, Queen of Hearts, which we are revising now.

Melva and I had a wonderful time writing Jack and Kelly’s story. Spoiler alert: we have loved writing all three books we have written together so far and plans for many more, including a reissue of Chasing Prince Charming. We love seeing the Love by the Book universe grow, and hope you will, too.

illustrated image of a redheaded woman writing in a journal as her calico cat observes.
as always, Anna

Snowy Days and Journaling: Embrace the Indoors

I can describe the weather around here can be summed up in one word: snow.

view from our landing window

This means it is perfect weather for tucking in and fully committing to the great indoors. Normally, reading would be great, but depression and grief say otherwise. Thankfully, journaling is an option. I have been watching a bunch of You Tube videos on analog bags (or, in this case, Anna Log bags, and yes, the videos will resume soon) and how to use items I already have, I am very interested in using what I have before I acquire much more.

The video that lit a fire under me on this latest endeavor was this one from Abbey in Archive on You Tube. For bonus points, she has a page about Empire State Plaza in Albany, which is a familiar sight. She includes pastel pages, which is definitely relative to my interests. Right now, I am loving Morandi colors, a dusty pastel palette and making kits for individual projects, so I can pick up one thing and take it wherever. Bedroom, kitchen, cafe, library, etc.

I am writing longhand, a lot, in different journals, on a few different projects. Melva and I will have good news on Drama King very, very soon. We have seen and approved the final cover, and the only thing left is uploading. Then we are officially indie published. A Heart Most Errant will not be far behind. This is exciting and a little scary.

Anyway, back to the particular journal at hand. I am not sticking strictly to commonplacing, as in a place to collect information, but still close enough. I have one section started to create wiki-like pages for the leads in my current projects, for easy reference, so people don’t change eye color, age, or place of origin willy nilly, as has been known to happen. This can be especially useful when collaborating.

this looks much brighter than it really is

The actual pagers are not this cyan in real life; more of a soft, powdery periwinkle. Ditto with the highlighter used for the bands at top and bottom. Stickers are from a kit by Cora Crea Crafts.

That’s about it for this week. Hoping to have good news about Drama King very, very soon.

as always, Anna