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.
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.
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.
Today is bright, clear, and cold. I am writing stream of consciousness today, so we may be in for a wild ride. Lately, I have been watching 1970s/80s Afterschool Specials on You Tube. I stinking loved those back in the day, and it’s fun to revisit them, as well as catch the ones I didn’t get to see. Not any holiday themed so far, but it’s doing the right thing to help the holiday spirit.
Sometime this weekend, we will be putting up our Christmas trees. There will be two this year, one in the kitchen, which will be the tree, and one in the office, on my desk, which will be Storm’s. Unbreakable ornaments only, and it is okay if she wants to knock it over. It’s one of the big reasons we are doing it this year. The other one is that I have always wanted a pink tree, and my desk is the perfect place to put it.
We technically have a third option, a tabletop rose gold tree, but Real Life Romance Hero and Housemate are voting in favor of the traditional tree-colored tree, and we have a cozy apartment. IF Housemate were to have a tree in her room, she would want a white one, with blue ornaments. Maybe a white tree with black and orange ornaments would be more Storm-accurate, but pink with pastel will do. I will share pictures when they are up and lit.
No matter when we put up the trees, I do have two strings of lights that need to go up somewhere, as I like having fairy lights around all the time. In the winter nights, being cozy under a warm, weighted blanket, in the dark but for the lights, with a hot beverage and eBook, audiobook, or paper book with book light, is something special. Feline companion is of course a must. If she can get a belly rub out of it, so much the better.
Right now, I am also planning on getting some seasonal flavors into the house, as well as scents. Our current wax melts are pumpkin pie, with a pine tree scented candle for added atmosphere. I’ve always loved the holiday season, and this year, I feel like leaning into it more than usual, so I am steering into that skid. Anyone with sugar free hot chocolate recommendations, feel free to drop them in the comment section. Cinnamon, eggnog, gingerbread, sugar cookies, anything Real Life Romance Hero cooks, for savory additions. I may try baking some of those sugar cookies, as it’s a core memory of special time with my mom when I was little.
There’s also the reading aspect of things. I am craving historical romance in the holiday spirit. Though I am not much of a nineteenth century person, I remember snapping up the Signet Regency Christmas anthologies the second they hit the shelves, back when I worked in a bookstore. I’m guessing Kindle Unlimited may be my place to do that in the here and now. Actually, a post with my favorite holiday romance recommendations might be fun. I’ll make a note of that.
What are you doing to prepare for your favorite winter holiday?
My reading goal this year is down to twenty-five books, which is down from forty, which is down from fifty-two, which is down from, well, you get the picture. These things happen. The thing is that I would prefer they not happen again. That is where I want to take the reins early, and that means now, before 2025 is upon us and I have new releases and two blogs to manage and all of that good stuff.
cat for scale
Enter the current iteration of reading journal. The cover is by Dyan Reavely, and made of canvas. It fits very nicely into a small canvas bag, along with whatever paperback I am reading at the moment and has two inserts at present.
Insert one (needs cover embellishment, but the faux leather cover is textured) is from Pen + Gear, and is for my daily logging. Right now, that is date, title, and what page I started reading. If needed, that’s also where I can put notes. The faux leather cover is refillable, so when I fill this insert, I can slip another right in there. I haven’t decorated these pages yet, but I know me, so I probably will at some point.
Second insert is a hardcover notebook by Archer and Olive (similar) and is for long-term planning. I find I work best visually for this aspect, so here is how I am keeping track of my long term TBR:
My goal here is to group books that I want to read together: series, the works of particular authors, specific settings, etc. I am still working out the exact information I want to record for each book, but this is not a place for in depth reviews; more like the essentials I want when I need to jog my memories. So far, this is working pretty well. I want to say the book tape is from Paper Studio, but it might be Archer and Olive. Having a visual representation of future reading probably does scratch some of the browsing a bookstore shelf itch.
These days, I get most of my books electronically or from a similarly inclined bookish friend. I still want to dig my books out of storage, because yes, I can get most of the books I want elsewhere, but there is something about having one’s own books on hand in physical form. I am working toward that. I will also be leaving space for group reads chosen by some of the historical romance reading groups I follow on FB. Discussion is a good motivator.
In the meantime, the next float in this parade is to make a regular, consistent reading routine. I am looking forward to that. My reading nook is almost ready for its closeup, and it’s pretty darned comfortable. I don’t know yet what my reading goal for 2025 will be, but I do want to set one. I am fairly confident I won’t need to move the goal posts any more before the end of this year, especially as I am trying out audiobooks to multitask with when doing other things. I’ll decide closer to the start of next year.
Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. There is exciting stuff to share this week but first I must address a horrible injustice that has befallen our household. I am no longer allowed to be unsupervised around Mama Anna’s mugs.
still salty about that new rule
Now that we have the new desk setup, and I am sure it is staying (I am in favor of that) I am bolder about exploring it. For example, sometimes I sit behind the laptop and look at Mama Anna over the screen. Sometimes I like to sit on the end of the desk that is next to the window, because sunbeam. I would like more room on that end. Mama Anna says that is where her planner case goes, so I guess I will adapt. Anyway, on to the Unjust Ruling.
If you know me, you know I love my Mama Anna. I love her a lot. She is my favorite person. I like to give my favorite people presents. (Papa still has the hair tie I gave him, which I greatly appreciate. That man knows how to receive a present.) It is now tea weather, and Mama Anna’s superpowers are back. She drinks tea at her desk. I figured I would give her a present in a place that she would definitely find it. So, mug, right? First, I gave Mama Anna my absolute favorite thing to hoard, a silicone earbud cover. I guess she kind of liked it because she kept it. Then I tried supplying a snack to go with her tea. By that, I mean a few pieces of my crunchies (I mean kibbles, not what I put in my poo sand.) She did not know I had done that, so she was surprised when pieces of crunchies floated to the top of her tea. She made different tea, and that’s when she passed the No Unattended Mugs law. I did get a reward, though.
Mama Anna found movies that I want to watch. I love watching her screen no matter what she is doing (I really like when she plays Sims) but this takes it to a new level. This is a game that Big Sister Skye used to love, and I love it, too. There are different kinds: mousies, fishies, lasers, and other things I haven’t seen yet. There are also other ones that are movies of real life squirrels and stuff. This one is mousies. I love watching them do their mousie things and then when they least expect it, POW! Bam! My lightning paws smack them out of existence. Mama Anna says that turns them into crunchies and then she feeds me, so that checks out.
me in my sunbeam
I said exciting things, and they are indeed happening. Mama Anna has received the formatting proof for A Heart Most Errant, and then she needs to do the uploading form. Some parts of that are scary for Mama Anna because anxiety, but that is part of what I am here for, so it is okay. Right now, she is thinking early 2025 for a release date, and then it is time to put Drama King through the same process. The next two books in the Ravenwood series (the medieval novellas) will be A Heart Most Ardent and A Heart Most Wicked. She will also work on Her Last First Kiss, and then she and Aunt Melva will also work on getting Queen of Hearts out to readers.
Rest assured I will be here with her every step of the way. I am also excited for a future post on MelvaAndAnna.com, where Aunt Melva will introduce my new co-workers, aka her two cats. That will be up soon. Make sure that you are subscribed over there so you don’t miss a thing.
New week, new blog post. I voted early this year, by mail, and that was wonderful for my anxiety. Wonderful Therapist suggested I may want to avoid news and social media today, or keep it to a minimum, so that is what I am intending to do. (By literally posting on social media, ahem?) My reading nook is up and functional, though not yet ready for a photoshoot, but it’s there and it’s mine, and it’s a comfy place that is only for relaxation.
Skelly Mousepad says hello.
Updates on A Heart Most Errant:
I have final cover art, though I want to wait a little while to share it, Suffice it to say it is gorgeous, and captures exactly the scene I wanted for the cover. I have submitted the manuscript and formatting form, and the formatter has assured me it is in her work queue. All I need to do is decide on a publication date (looking at 2025, either January or February) fill out the uploading form and then that will be that. For anyone looking for indie publishing services, I highly recommend the Killion Group. I look forward to working with them again, which I will be doing because next up is Drama King, the second Love By The Book title, contemporary romance co-written with Melva Michaelian.
foliage outside my birthday lunch
Birthday was really fun this year. Housemate took me out to lunch, and Real-Life Romance Hero had my all-time favorite local food, pizza from Paesan’s, and pressies that made me feel exquisitely loved. Nothing like when your family gets you. Subbed coconut cream pie for cake, and settled in for a comfy evening at home.
This past weekend, out of state friends visited to keep the party going, starting with a visit to the New York State Museum. I will probably go back later in the month, as I want to take advantage of the special exhibits and talks for Indigenous People’s Month. A talk on contemporary Indigenous art was starting as we arrived, and I’d like to catch that another time. I did get to peep some of the art, and it is gorgeous. The big attraction for friend, Housemate, and I was an exhibit of early 20th century wedding attire (was that made for a historical romance writer or what?)
also, I caught a (vintage) cab.
Currently, I am endeavoring to forget that one of the bikes in the antique bicycle exhibit was made in 1978. #genxproblems. Also, the gift shop was closed, which was a bummer and another reason to go back ASAP. Double also the fact that I got pictures of my friends in the vintage train car which is probably my favorite permanent exhibit, (okay, apart from the forensic reconstructions of skulls from centuries past) the vintage train car. The trains my mom and I rode into the city were a little after the time of this exhibit, but I never get tired of visiting it.
Storm does owe a blog, which she will get up this week. She has lots to say about all that’s gone on here, including some exciting holiday news. For now, here’s her review of the new weighted blanket cover :
looks like it’s a hit
That’s about it for this week. How are things going for you?
Right now, there is a possible cover for A Heart Most Errant sitting in my in-box. Am I writing this blog to postpone actually looking at it because it is exciting but scary? Yes. Absolutely. Wil it be okay? Also yes. It is an intermittently blustery day here in NY’s capitol region. There is a cat (Storm) on my desk, formatting and uploading forms sitting in my hard drive, and have hauled our grocery delivery upstairs and put it away. The only thing left on my schedule today is publishing prep and this blog.
My birthday was last week, and it went really well. Many expressions of love both in person and online. I had lunch out with Housemate, received some lovely stationery gifts, and Real Life Romance Hero got me both a glass dip pen (yes, with ink) and a gorgeous hourglass with black sand, perfect for timing breaks when using a Pomodoro inspired schedule.
the current setup
Keeping nothing but the necessities on my desk is working well. Cup is for tea. Today it’s vanilla chai. The new addition is an unfinished wooden crate turned desktop bookshelf for my most used planners and notebooks. Though I love the A5 rings format, I am mostly in disc bound right now, because folding them in half makes it a lot easier to prop open the particular page and refer to it as needed. Right now, this is the lineup for planners and notebooks:
??? Love the cover but still need to decide on fillings and purpose.
I am planning some Anna Log videos to go through the above and my favorite pen pouches and the like. I find what works best for me is when I can pick up everything I need for whatever project, so if I need to pick up and take my show on the road, it’s one thing, and I don’t have to reach or search for anything.
Now that I am effectively my own (and my and Melva’s) publisher, there is a learning curve and a lot more work, which means it’s an excellent thing I am good at organization. It’s fun. Taking something from chaos to order, it’s not that different from taking a bunch of wild squirrels of ideas and snippets of scenes and turning it into a kickline of chorus dancers. Maybe that’s not the best analogy, but I am sticking with it.
One of the things on the forms is the name of the series. While Melva and I plotted out the ongoing Love by the Book contemporary series together, this is the first time I have intentionally set out to write connected historical romances. I had decided that all stories in this series will follow the pattern of A Heart Most _______. Picking “errant” for the first blank-filler was easy, as the hero is a knight errant. After that, though? :blink blink blink: Ummm….
Now, I have settled on “Ardent” and “Wicked” for the next two , which do capture the spirit of the respective stories. The plan is to put all three together in an omnibus, with a bonus short story, probably holiday themed, when they are all out, which will be another project altogether. All together, they are the Ravenwood series. Trust me, it’s better than “Heart Most” series or “Medieval Hearts” because I am new at this series naming thing. Right now, I am looking at what is on my plate at this moment, which is The Forms. Organization is essential for me to keep track of this sort of thing. I know what I need to do and when I need to do it. One thing at a time, not DO ALL OF THE THINGS RIGHT THE HECK NOW.
Yeah. Long story short (hah, pun unintended) I am entering new territory here. Do I know what I am doing? Ehh, sometimes. That’s okay. Everything anybody is good at, they did for the first time once. This, for publishing, is mine.
Indie pubbed writers, share your wisdom. Readers of indie pubbed romance, what are your favorite aspects/pet peeves? Drop them in the comments for possible discussion in future posts.
Oof. It’s been a while. Everybody was sick in June, with a couple of heat waves thrown in for the challenge of things. The days kind of blended, and mental health, well, ahahahha. Anyway, it’s July now, one day after Canada Day, two days before Independence Day, and the only way out of a blogging slump is to blog, so here I am. Warning, I am going to babble.
At times, the dishes, trash, and laundry took on epic proportions, which we are conquering. Present tense. My beloved rose gold laptop developed a crack in the casing around the touchpad, resulting in her filling line after line with an endless stream of commas any time I tried to use her. While I am sure there is a way to rescue her, my research says that would mean welding or epoxy, which right now is a no. So, I now have a new lipstick red laptop, named Miss Scarlett. She can’t run Sims 4, but can run Sims 3, which I don’t mind because A) color wheel and B) open world.
One would think that a month of sick would be great for reading. It was not. It was great for watching YouTube. We will try again on reading this week. I definitely have enough books, both paper and electronic. Right now, I am sitting in front of a gorgeous turquoise retro-style fan, near an open window, in my comfy office chair. The desk is kind of chaotic, because this TV tray thing has reached the end of its usefulness, so I am small desk shopping.
But the writing, Anna. Are you doing any of that? In a word, yes. Last week, Melva and I roughed out the very loose outline for a romantic suspense we plan to pitch. I did indeed hit my Camp NaNo goal in April and outline a historical romance, which is still simmering. Next up is to whip A Heart Most Errant, my first post-apocalyptic medieval romance, into publishable shape. It’s surreal that I wrote the first form of that story ten years ago, but it’s been a wild ten years. Her Last First Kiss is slightly younger than that, but that’s up next. It feels like I’ve been on a loop of that for, well, forever, which is part of the reason I have been hesitant to blog.
So, what changed? My first indicator is to say I don’t know. The second is therapy. My therapist is awesome, and she’s a big reader. One of the first things we did was swap book recommendations. She is also very helpful when I want to bounce a story’s emotional dynamic off her. She’s also great at reminding me how far I’ve come from where I was when I figured therapy might be worth a try. In short, it’s a lot, and yes, it is worth writing about.
Journaling and planning have been an absolute rock for me in this time. I did not think to prepare pictures for this entry, so will share pictures later, but photography and photo editing are also newish interests. I am very much looking forward to pretty leaf season. We are 33% of the way through summer, so that is encouraging.
Anyway, that’s the interesting stuff for the first week of July. What are you all up to?
Typing With Wet Nails 