Tails up. Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. This is also the time of year when humans move time around. I don’t know why they do that, and before anybody asks, it does not affect my mealtimes, because I ask my humans for food when I am hungry, so there is no fixed mealtime, at least not for me.
Me, asking Papa for the treats in his top drawer.
Anyway, this is the time of year when Papa’s and Mama Anna’s seasonal depressions pass each other in the hall while his is punching out and hers is punching in. Mama Anna does not like daylight savings time, or longer days, and her allergies have turned on, and this are kind of chaotic around here from time to time. Turning seasons over, winter into spring, means not only the time changes, but the humans have to turn over seasonal clothing, and, for Mama Anna, turning over her stationery/journal/planner stuff. Basically, I get to investigate a lot of sutff.
Mama Anna is officially back in Writing A Book mode. A historical romance novel, to be exact, or maybe a novella. She is in the discovery draft stage, which appears to be kind of fun. She sometimes calls this her “magpie stage,” where she collects random things that feel like her story and get them all in one place, creating “idea soup.” I am not entirely sure what is going on at this point, and sometimes, neither does she, but she seems fairly happy about it, so I guess it’s fine.
Papa and Aunt Linda love springtime. This does not always work in my favor.
a senseless, random pick-up
She likes picking me up. I do not always want to be picked up. I am more of a belly rub girl. To be fair, Aunt Linda does give really good belly rubs. Actually, everybody here is good at belly rubs. That worked out super well. I did the math. There are three people with two hands each, and twenty-four hours in a day, so that is…let’s see…four hours per hand. I think that is more than reasonable. Not even that much once the windows are open and I want window time.
Welp, it’s March. Not quite winter, not quite spring. Time for my and Real-Life Romance Hero’s seasonal depressions to pass each other on the way in (mine) and out (his.) In the before times, it has meant Conference Season, the time of year when Melva and I would make the trip to the New England RWA chapter’s annual conference. The trip there was a four-hour deal; two hours in Housemate’s car to meet up with Melva a couple of states over, and then two more hours in the Melvamobile to get to the actual conference. We always have a great time on these trips, to and from, shooting ideas back and forth. We are only half joking when we talk about renting an RV and driving cross country until we have a first draft.
March writing planner before the pen
I adore everything about conference season. Even packing for the occasion means I get to give special attention to clothes, shoes, makeup, etc (things I love anyway) and it never hurts to include non-perishable safe foods because I have food allergies and aversions. If it turns out that I can’t eat at dinner (it’s happened) I know there’s food in the room. I love getting the tote bag at registration, stuffed with swag, which I must immediately inspect. Bookmarks, stickers, postcards, pens (Hannah Howell’s purple pens are a highly prized commodity, and the only promo pen I have tracked down to find the nakey version in the wild – Pentel RSVP.) Sometimes there will be sweet snacks, and maybe even books. There will be more of the above at multiple places throughout the weekend.
Mealtimes mean a book on one’s seat and swag on the table. Usually a raffle for the centerpiece. If you have read Chasing Prince Charming, there really was a lollipop centerpiece. This is where “so, what do you write?” is a standard icebreaker. Be aware you may be asking this of a Big Name, but they will usually be gracious. This is where a simple answer to “what’s your favorite book?” means the asker will command the person sitting next to you to switch seats with them, because you have the same favorite book, or when one’s seatmate whips out their Kindle to show that they are in fact reading your latest release right now. That is a fabulous feeling, and one I can very well get used to as a regular event.
If five years between siblings in birth order means the new kid is also a firstborn, and five years between releases means being a new author again, what does five years between conferences mean? I’m assuming it means the whole thing being new again, at least in part. No doubt, there will be changes. Many of the RWA chapters, including the NERWA, have disbanded, so conferences may be run by different groups, though still dedicated to romance.
I don’t think Romantasy was a word back then in the before times. Then again, Romantica maybe still was a word. Possibly. I am not sure. Been a while since I have heard that term. There’s e-books, indie books, Bridgerton made it to Netflix. Dark Romance is a thing. The world is basically on fire, so we absolutely need romance novels to get us through. (As readers of other genres need theirs; to each, thankfully, their own.) We don’t have Romantic Times anymore, but we do have Book Tok and Book Tube. It’s always changing.
Since I am still a member of the RWA, I do get their monthly newsletter and it does list upcoming conferences. I live in NY now, not CT, so there are probably other gatherings closer to me that I could consider. I miss the camaraderie, the support, and the talking of shop. I even miss the pitch sessions (get an agent or editor to be your captive audience for a full eight minutes) and definitely the book fair. I miss the workshops the most, not only as an attendee, but, a few times now, as a co-presenter. I miss hanging out in the hotel lobby with writer friends I only see when we gather like this, far past the hour that we should. I miss the breakfasts most out of all the meals, because I am an extroverted morning person, and I love breakfast. Give me a bottomless source of tea, and it is extroverted morning person Christmas. Stay in an entire hotel full of people who love to do what I love to do? Sign. Me. Up. Right. Now.
There is probably some virtual version of this, which I would be happy to do from home in my comfy robe with my own bottomless supply of tea. There is nothing stopping me from setting up video chats with other writer friends (seriously, Last Call Girls, DM me.) and commune thusly.
I can see I am rambling here, and there is a School Spirits season finale waiting for me, so I need to get to that. Have you ever been to a writers’ or readers’ conference? Would you like to go? Are you watching School Spirits? Yap at me in the comments, so we can discuss. I’ll even put a book on your chair.
Tails up, Storm troopers. I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. It’s cold and wintry mix-y here in NY state. Mama Anna was draggy today because sleep deprivation (not my fault) and cranky because desk chair wanted to be a Tilt-a-Whirl instead. I also claim no hand (paw?) in that, even though I sproinged out of it multiple times per day until it was finally unable to support a human.
That’s moot now, because Mama Anna got a new chair that is better constructed. I have not had a chance to sit or sleep in it yet, but Mama Anna seems to like it fine. Having a good chair will go a long way in doing stuff in this new month and beyond. The start of a new month is when Mama Anna turns her planners, journals, and pouches over to the new theme/season. That will probably be part of what she will be covering in the next week. Right now, she likes the idea of tying things to the way March used to be in the Before times, when she and Aunt Melva would go to conferences. I have been told that there is not a cat track at these things, so I have mixed feelings about that.
Also new around here is the latest in the ever growing army of Calico stuffed animals. This new one does not have a name yet but I don’t think we look anything alike. Well, except for the calico-ness. I am long and lean, and this new kid is pretty round. Her splootches aren’t even that visible from this angle.
Mama Anna is also excited about her reading progress this year. The book above, the first Bertrice Small title in a decade, is part of that reason. It’s not a historical romance, but part biography, with early poetry, fiction, and a never-before-seen novella set in the world of romance publishing. Click on the link above to read her five-star review.
So far, Mama Anna is almost one-third of the way to her reading goal for 2025, which is twenty-five books. She’s currently reading two novels; one on audio and one on e=book, so she has room for a paper book. As long as she has one hand free to rub my belly, I am fine with that. Her reading is going super well this year, which is good for everybody.
I, of course, was on hand/paw to watch Mama Anna and Aunt Linda put together the new chair. It came in a huge box, which I found super interesting. I was really good and did not try to play with the hardware from the chair, even though it was extremely tempting. Not to worry, though. I am always up to find interesting new toys around the house.
Two days away from March, and I am certain that I did not sign off on this. For many years, March meant conference season. I think it always will, though through various events, finding romance writer conferences is not as easy as it was before. I do plan on getting back on that particular horse. Most likely, when I do, everything will snap back into place and I’ll wonder why I waited so long, blah blah blah.
Anyway. March. March is that place between winter and spring. In like a lion, out like a lamb, or the other way around. We’ll see soon enough.
Knock me over with a feather, because I am ahead of schedule on my reading goal for this year. Last night, I jumped on the release of Relentless, by Bertrice Small and Thomas Small, as soon as I knew it was out, and devoured it in one sitting. Not a novel, not historical romance, but part biography, part memoir, part poetry, short stories, and a never before published novella. I did not make a dent in my sleep debt last night, but I have no regrets. Dare I say I even feel encouraged that I can get myself back on that horse and keep moving forward.
This week, I set the goal that I have to write actual English words in manuscript format for A Heart Most Ardent, the second novella in my Ravenwood series. Only a couple more boxes to tick before I can release A Heart Most Errant, so definitely time to be writing-writing the next one. Her Last First Kiss has also been tapping me on the shoulder and looking at me over whatever document it is currently reading. This means I am going to be hopping from medieval to Georgian to contemporary times, and I am looking forward to it.
Melva has finished her edits on Drama King, plus a couple of additions. I can’t want to get eyes on that, and then we start the process on that one. The world of indie publishing couldn’t be more different from the traditional publishing world of the first wave of historical romance. If I had some holodeck time (TNG Trekker, yep) I likely would have a program where I was an up-and-coming author in the 70s/80s/early 90s in the historical romance realm. A weekend on Fantasy Island would also suffice, although things would go completely pear-shaped on that one, so maybe not. I am nothing if not genre-savvy.
The TV hangover from Z Nation continues. Then again, there is a release date in sight for Dead City, season two, and new School Spirits tomorrow, plus Yellowjackets on Friday. Do I sound like a cranky old lady when I reminisce about fixed seasons for television? Maybe? Do I care? No. Do I continue to sail my favorite ships (relationships) even if they are not canon and the property is now decades old? Abso-fluffing-lutely. No standout ships for Z Nation, oddly enough, though I am delighted that the actors who played Sarge and 10k got married in real life. Oh wait, Citizen Z and Kaya. Also, Warren got three romances, so there is kissing.
That’s enough of a ramble for today. March means a return to a more consistent blogging schedule, so I am taking advantage of the wiggle room I have left. Time to wrestle with the printer, which likes to tell me it’s offline when it isn’t, but I am not above unplugging it and restarting the laptop to get it back in line. Also time to pop in the earbuds and listen to an audiobook while carrying out domestic warrior queen duties, because I am all about filling the well and keeping it filled.
Right now, my desk chair is tilting forward. Housemate says that’s probably because that type of seat balances on a ball, and something probably set it off where it should be. That something is more than likely Storm (who really does still owe posts; I will not let her forget.)
prime suspect for the chair incident
I begin with that bit of information because we are having a blabber today. That sort of thing is best done when one starts where one is and uses what one has. What I have is a chair that occasionally scoots out from under me, because my cat thinks it is a time share. She is not wrong. Conveying this has successfully put me over the block of “where do I even start?” because I already started. Follow me for more tips.
Speaking of following and why people should when this gal says nothing for the longest time and then when she does, it’s all about her office chair. Also, more cat pictures. I hear you. Storm is a very photogenic cat and Melva and I are both committed to Storm’s play cousins earning their keeps around here.
Yesterday, that meant time with my writing planner, looking at March. Once I take care of a wee bit of housekeeping, I will be ready to launch A Heart Most Errant. It should be a real live e-book this spring. Melva has already finished the final-final pass through of Drama King, so that is ready to get the same treatment. Queen of Hearts, we both agree is going to need more work, but it’s a fun book, so we don’t mind. After that, well, we get to write more books, both together and on our own, which is a good thing.
before the pen
In the before times, March was the time of the annual regional RWA conference, which was the place Chasing Prince Charming was “conceived.” Then RWA and the world both exploded, as did personal life, and, well, it’s been a while. Still, I can’t shake the feel of March being the time of getting a big dose of “you got this, Wondrous Writing Warrior Queen.” It also is firmly themed in my mind as blues, grays, wind, and precipitation. That last part may be because I live on the east coast of the US. We’re like that for several months, not just March.
Anyhoo, we’ve got some changes coming to make it easier for me to be more consistent in content creation. As with most things, this requires planning. The fact that it lets me play with pens, washi, stickers, etc, is a bonus. Consistency is key when creating content, and planning is a good way to get that consistency. Right now, I am planning for two blogs a week, starting in March. Typing With Wet Nails will be from me, posting on Tuesdays, and Typing With Wet Paws will be Storm (and occasional guest play cousins) on Caturday…I mean Saturday. I am still figuring out where Anna Log will best fit, but making videos is fun, and I sure do watch a lot of blabbery videos on You Tube and would love to see something like that centered around vintage historical romance, because I crazy love that stuff. There will probably also be planning and journaling content there, as that’s my second instrument as it were. I cannot promise I won’t talk about zombie shows.
I am also looking at the best way to put this site and MelvaAndAnna.com under one virtual roof. We are coming to the conclusion that our indie publishing journey may at this point be a small publishing house with three clients; Melva, me, and Melva-and-me. Do we need an LLC? If so, do we need a lawyer, or can we do it ourselves with a form? To say there is a learning curve is to put it mildly. Then again, in this season of new beginnings, it fits.
Okay, that’s about it for today. I’m giving myself wiggle room for the back end of February to get the schedule under control, but starting in March, things should be much more consistent. Many thanks to all those sticking around. You will be rewarded with many cat pictures, and other delights, as well as getting a chance to give your input. What would you all like to see me (or Storm) talk about in the future?
Well, it’s February. Normally, this is the month that even voices that don’t normally talk about romance novels, talk about romance novels. This year, the world is kind of….:sucks in deep breath: which is a sign that we need romance novels now more than ever. I am definitely up for doing my part. “But, Anna,” you ask, “where do the zombies come in?” Usually through the door. Sorry, sorry, I could not resist, but I do have a real reason.
Z Nation is my current watch, more than a lighter and funnier version of The Walking Dead (the absolute tippity top of zombie shows, IMO) or at least that’s my takeaway from midway through the first of five seasons, where I am now. I watched both seasons of the prequel show, Black Summer, which had a much more serious tone, and originally passed on this show because I wasn’t sure the jokes would jibe with the zombie apocalypse, but that vanished as soon as I saw multiple zombies taken out by the Liberty Bell (yes, that one) and I am now fully on board. Yes, I checked the wiki, and the dog is okay.
What’s better than zombies? British zombies, or as they are called in this series, Partially Deceased Syndrome Sufferers. In short, they found a cure, and the former infected are sent back to their homes, medicated and ready to mingle…if society is ready for them, which they often are not. Our protagonist, Kieran, even finds the opposition in his own home, as his sister is part of the Human Volunteer Force, dedicated to getting rid of the, well, you know. This time we are in a small rural village in the north of England. The second season hangs on a cliffhanger (with two romances in the balance) but I used my writer powers to decided what happened if I were in charge, so the ending in my head is satisfactory.
Anna. Zombies, and how they relate to romance writing? I’m getting there. The idea for what would eventually be the first of my Ravenwood series, A Heart Most Errant, came from the cover of the dearly departed Romantic Times magazine, which advertised, in two separate articles, medieval romance and post-apocalyptic romance. My brain immediately wanted to marry the two, and what says “historical end of the world” more than a deadly disease that slapped Europe upside the head three times in twenty years? Plus, there was a flood the year after the last plague ended, so we are talking giant paradigm shifts here.
I would check the spine of this book to see if it was marketed as historical romance or historical fiction, but I don’t have a physical copy, so I am going on my own impression and say it’s straddling the divide. I am fine with that. Early Federal period, starting in Westchester, NY, about two generations removed from the people in the first book of the duology, and Our Heroine is now in search of her hubby who went to the frontier to recover from economic ruin. I’m optimistic that she’ll find him, and that’s enough to keep me going.
Anna. There. Were. No. Zom. Bies. In. That. Book.
Okay, okay, I know. I’m getting there. If I had to pick a favorite horror creature, right now, it would be zombies. Not only do I relate to shambling in a stupor looking for sustenance (I call that morning) but the idea of an antagonist that Keeps On Coming is one I can easily comprehend. Also, watching Our Heroes put them down does have a certain measure of catharsis to it. Protagonists who have to fight their way through opposition that keeps coming and can’t be reasoned with or even communicated with (unless one is Murphy from Z Nation) that’s something I can get behind. Our protagonists do what they have to do to survive, make it to the next day, and protect the ones they love.
Right now, for Richard and Cecilia, the hero and heroine of Ravenwood #2, A Heart Most Ardent, that means marrying a total stranger. Richard’s remote country estate survived the plague fairly well, but he did lose his first wife, leaving no children. Cecilia also lost her husband to the plague, as well as her son, and now must plan a future for herself and her young daughter. How do two people go from not knowing the other exists, to marriage, and then to love? Well, that’s the story, isn’t it? All of my favorite zombie tales have total strangers coming together in unusual circumstances, to make a strong found family, so this fits right in with that.
While I’m doing this, Melva is giving Drama King a final once-over, so we can start the indie pub process with that as well. Picture an out of work British actor wallowing in his great failure, and an aggressively optimistic literary agent who is dedicated to advocating for true creative talent. Melvn and I have had great fun writing this successor to Chasing Prince Charming, and can’t wait to introduce you all to Kelly and Jack.
Which brings me to the other bit of news; there are going to be some changes to the blog. Not only will I be bringing MelvaandAnna.com over here so all my writing related content is all in one place, but I am also starting on my very first ambassadorship in social media, with abundance coach, photographer and all around awesome human being, Eryka Peskin. I’ve taken several of her programs as well as one on one calls and highly recommend her offerings, so I am excited to have a platform to spread the word. Oh, and she is not a zombie.
The world is pretty much on fire, CA literally so, and here I am, blabbering about romance novels, pretty paper things, and cats. Also mental health, because :gestures to world in general: Yeah. Anyway, hi.
Right now, I am knee deep research for my Ravenwood medieval series of historical romances. I will soon have a release date for A Heart Most Errant, so cover reveal will be soon. It’s gorgeous and I love it. I am now working on the framework for the second story, A Heart Most Ardent, and concurrently the third story, A Heart Most Wicked, because they happen mostly at the same time. The characters are talking to me, and boy are they chatty. Also, Edward III had eleven kids, and was succeeded by his grandson. That doesn’t directly affect my people, but I do need to know how that happened, because I am curious.
On the contemporary front, Melva and I are plotting our way to getting Drama King ready for a 2025 release. This week, I am looking at one scene where that book’s couple begin the dance, so to speak (metaphorical dance; nobody is actually dancing.) Melva is giving the ms as a whole one more pass as a reader, which is an interesting venture, and then we can get that underway.
My Ravenwood plans had originally been three novellas and then an omnibus with bonus short story, but what if that fourth story was another novella (or full length novel) to showcase the daughter of the heroine from A Heart Most Ardent. Both leads in that book are widowed already before marrying each other, and the heroine comes complete with a mini-her. What would her life be like when she is an adult? Where would the first three couples be by that time? (Still happily together, of course, but beyond that?)
Besides researching history, plotting romance novels and hands on publishing experience, I am back to regular reading, thanks in part to finally hitting a reading journal that works for me. I am hoping to set up a similar notebook for TV and movies. Right now, I’m excited for the second season of School Spirits, and am torn between bingeing the final three episodes of In the Flesh and making them last. Both series deal with young adults and the afterlife, so hmmm.
Also, there are Sims. I love Sims. Sims as a whole is having a big 25th anniversary celebration. I am currently playing Sims 3, though I also want to get back to both Sims 2 and Sims 4, so that may be impetus to start looking for a better gaming setup. I do find it interesting that what I do for fun is basically the same thing as writing in a lot of ways, but I am okay with that.
We’re going to need a headboard. Not the most exciting way to start the new year (well maybe, but this isn’t that kind of blog) but that’s what’s most on my mind. Not exactly news, but an unavoidable fact. We do have one in storage, though it may take some Storage Tetris to access it, so we are also browsing. It’s actually fun to think of starting out the year with doing something as adult as picking out furniture.
So far today, I have had Housemate help me figure out why Real Life Romance Hero and I couldn’t get the bed properly aligned with the wall and what do you know, that’s space for the headboard. Well, okay then. I’m actually excited about this because a good headboard does a lot to tie a room together (well, a bedroom; it probably wouldn’t do much in the kitchen, et al.) That does bode well for the coming year.
This is the current desk setup. Wooden crate with planners is on the other side of the laptop. The posterboard may eventually be replaced by a corkboard (we have one in storage.) The fairy lights are staying as permanent fixtures because mental health. Storm has been not so subtly suggesting that I reverse the positions of tent and crate, because if she is on the side of the desk where my crate currently is, she can get an excellent view out the window. We are in negotiations.
According to my own plans, I am now officially in prewriting for A Heart Most Ardent, the second story in my medieval series. This is also the time to finally pull the trigger on the whole uploading and actually publishing thing, to which I am equal parts excited and terrified. The way publishing looks now is not the way publishing looked when I first started this journey. I’m not sure how I feel about this. I’ll figure it out, because that’s how these things work.
Reading, which was almost nil last year, is going gangbusters now, as I am diving deep into the big vintage historical romance novels I have always loved the very most. I have a reading journal I look forward to getting into every evening. I will be intuiting the living daylights out of a writing journal. Jump in with both feet and splash around until I end up swimming.
Social media…who knows what’s going on with that anymore? I certainly don’t. This is my blog, so I am planning to make sure I stay on track with this. Thinking and talking (and blabbering on paper and/or keyboard counts) happen at the same time for me, which works super well with being an extrovert. This means time to talk to my friends, both old and new. My anxiety is not as on board with that as the rest of me, but we have ways around that.
So. It doesn’t feel like I’m saying all that much right now. I have spent the greater part of the day, after sorting out the bed to wall ratio, changing sheets, and then probably the most fun part of the day –organizing my pens. I have a lot of pens. Like seriously, a lot of pens. There may be some de-stashing going on in the near future, but putting like with like felt seriously soothing. Maybe a pen case tour could be in the future.
Anyway, hi. I’m Anna. I write stuff. I plan. I journal. Sometimes I make art. I share my desk with a calico cat. Let’s do this year.
Storm’s Christmas tree is now the family tree, in the kitchen, so it is bottle brush tree for the desk. It rests on a decorative box that holds m y photo printing paper. I am feeling a lot better these days, though not one hundred percent. It’s the week before Christmas. I am not sure how that happened. No, actually, I do. I was sick for the two weeks I thought I would have, and I am salty about that. Nevertheless, I put my fairy lights up around my desk (more difficult when I don’t have a hutch, but it works.) I have another set that may go up around my reading nook.
Last night, I finished my re-read of We Are Okay, by Nina LaCour, which means I have met my Goodreads goal for 2024. It was hard going for a while there. I do wish it had been a higher number, but when I think how hard I fought to get to twenty-five books, that’s a good reframe and I am proud of myself. Fun fact, Marin, the protagonist of WAO, also found it difficult to read fiction after dealing with loss and depression. I felt seen there.
I count this as a Christmas book
Now the thing is to pick out a next paper book to read. That task still feels big. I don’t know what my 2025 goal will be, but 25 does feel like an appropriate number. A link to my year in books (so far) if anyone is interested in that, is here. I have a notebook packed with large sticky notes, to guide my future reading. More of a wine cellar inventory than a TBR though it is that as well.
Writing-wise, I am looking forward to the new year. The first quarter will see my first independent historical romance release. Do I wish this were a traditional publishing venture? Eh. It would be nice. I am also genre-savvy enough to know that this isn’t the best time for medievals in the trad pub world, though the readership for such is strong. I am also a new author yet again, as in new to indie publishing, new to medievals, and it’s been a while since my last release. As an indie author, I need to do all of the jobs normally left to the pros. It’s also exciting to try something new, and I do like having the final say in my decisions. We will see how that sorts out.
In the meantime, this is the week before Christmas. Housemate and I made the final round of online orders. I have some letters to write. Tomorrow is final day of in=person shopping. Real Life Romance Hero will be cooking for Christmas. We are doing stockings for the first time in years, which means buying a cat-scaled stocking for Storm’s use. No snow at the moment, but we have some days yet. I love the holiday notebook I set up to hold not only practical plans but diary entries on various holiday things; memories, preferences, observations, etc. I may want to do that for other holidays. We will see. In one week, we will be in the tucked-between week, my favorite week of the year, and then the new year comes, bringing all of the new planners and journals, always a huge event for the planner and journal community.
That’s about enough for today. I have laundry to put away, and family will be home in a matter of minutes. It feels good to have a blog entry written on the day I planned, rather than drawing an arrow to the day after. Hopefully there will be more of that this year.
This is technically last week’s post. This week, besides dealing with Thanksgiving, and Black Friday, I am focusing on the final details on getting ready to pull the trigger on putting A Heart Most Errant out there. Real Life Romance Hero is making ham for the holiday, and I am chomping at the bit to put up not only the family Christmas tree but Storm’s as well. Since Housemate and I shopped an early Black Friday sale online, that initiated the launch sequence, and we are now in Holiday Prep Mode. This does, of course, include my desk.
almost current state of the desk
The three-drawer unit in the wooden crate has dot markers (dual tipped) in the top, Tombow brush markers (also dual tipped) in the middle, and then the bottom has my favorite size lined sticky notes and glue runner refills. My small black pouch in front of the laptop is currently a lot more Christmassy-looking, because the blues and purples were making me cold. I live in New York. I’m already cold.
The end of this week is the start of December. How did we get here this quickly? Do I want to know? Since I am on the last month of the year in my planners and journals, that means time to think about next year’s lineup, as I want to be prepared for the coming sales and temptations, because I love all the formats. Bound books, disc bound, rings, traveler’s notebooks, spiral bound and wire-o, twin loop, reporter style, all of it. It’s easy to get dazzled, lost and overwhelmed. How do I sort it out? I go back to preschool.
Let me explain. I went to a Montessori school for preschool, and I loved it. I studied early childhood development and education in college (where the most important thing I learned was that I am not suited for that career) and once in a while, it does come in handy. What do I find myself naturally gravitating toward? What do I reach for first? What do I actually use? When I get in a groove, what is going on that helps me stay there? It’s been a while since college, and even longer since preschool, (and Early Childhood Education students also worked in the college’s preschool) but I am still going to call the method to my madness Montessori-influenced. Providing I remember it right, that is, but Maria Montessori started out with cats, and I have a cat, so I fgure I am on the right track.
Anyhoo, there is probably a video in this, because that feels more natural than blabbering here, but refer to the opening paragraph about this being last week’s entry. Domestic tornadoes do happen this time of year, but everyone is fine and bonus points, we have a mystery pumpkin that showed up on our stoop around the same time our downstairs neighbors left.
Some of my discoveries:
Even though I love my A5 rings, I am mostly in disc bound planners this year. Folding the pages over is a must, and I need to be able to move things quickly when Storm decides it is time to supervise.
I love my everyday carry traveler’s notebook, but don’t need a weekly calendar in it; all it’s doing is copying what I have in my desk planner. A monthly insert will be fine.
The bells and whistles, aka accessories, aka dashboards and charms and tabs and pen loops and pouches, et al, are part of the planning process.
Some of those bells and whistles actually serve a practical purpose. Since I am visually impaired, I need high contrast. If the lines are light, they may as well not be there, and my eyes generally view dot grid (unless the dots are dark) as “blank.” The solution? Line stencils. Pencil or fineliner, stencil, and we are in business. The decorative tapes at top and bottom aren’t just for pretties, either. They help anchor my sight on the page.
green inside border was already on the paper
Okay, I do also use the borders as a visual signal what section I am in, for multi section notebooks. I also like the process of preparing the page. I like the whole stationery process. Case in point, the current state of the EDC or at least the pouch and TN cover:
Pouch could probably be more Christmassy, but we’ll see.
That’s enough rambling for one week, especially since I need to stay on track with the whole publishing thing. I have forms to fill out and a release date to pick. I am waffling :;mmmm, waffles:: on whether I need a pre-order, but probably not, as this is a re-entry which means I am basically new again. Can we spot the overthinker? Yes. Me. Got it in one.
My reward for posting this blog is a cup of tea and some shortbread, so time to wrap this and move on along with the day. How’s your week looking?
Typing With Wet Nails 