mental health

Journal Writing During Family Emergencies

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Yesterday was a gorgeous snow day in NY state. We are not in the city, but I saw plenty of such pictures from those who were, and it was everything I ever would want from a NYC snow day. I did get to see the snow from the waiting room outside where Real Life Romance Hero is staying right now. Yesterday was a good-ish day. The day before, not so much. We are still figuring out a few things. I am not using my planners much right now, as days are pretty much the same – days are for hospital, then home for dinner and sleep. Housemate is handling domestic matters.

Journals, though, I am using a lot. Hospital journal. Personal journal. Notes on writing stuff. Not notes about blogging, because I am winging it for now. This is a time for blurting. What is on my mind is on the page. We are one day at a time-ing it over here. This is my favorite time of year, and yet this year, we are outside of it. That is what it is. I am setting up for 2026, though. I like the focus. This does include writing things. The need to write is strong. Fiction the most, because that’s my big creative love. I am interested to see what my writing will do in and after this season.

Storm is definitely doing her job. When I get home from the hospital, she meets me at the door. She leads me into the bedroom, and insists I lie on the bed, so she can jump on me, loaf, and purr. I pet her. She is warm and soft. She insists that Housemate and I give her gushy food when we have our dinner. She has a new tilted food dish that is only for gushy food. She deserves all the treats and many belly rubs.

Housemate comes with me most days now. Having the company helps a lot. Yesterday, she sat next to me and crocheted, explaining her stitches and such, even though I do not myself crochet. I like the rhythm of her stitches. I tell RLRH about what is happening at home, the weather outside, share memories and inside jokes. I write in my hospital journal, notes on RLRH’s care, and thinking on paper, much like here, whatever is in my brain. I know I need and want to be reading, though my brain is not quite there yet. I haven’t listened to Christmas music; I want to, though. My usual Christmas movie re-watches — Love Actually, The Holiday, About A Boy— I have waved at from a distance. I love them, I think about them, and I can absolutely watch them at any time of the year. Same with Christmas/holiday books, foods, etc.

Family emergencies are tough. Holidays can be tough. Combine the two, and it’s something else altogether. Like I said, we are one day at time-ing the whole thing. That is good enough for now.

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

Detour

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Hey, all. Anna here. As Storm said earlier, we are on a life detour around here. On Thanksgiving Eve, Real Life Romance Hero fell on the stairs, which resulted in a hospital stay. I won’t go into details here, but the goal is discharge. Days now begin with a hike to the hospital (we are only a few blocks away) and then the day goes as it goes. Hike back home, chill with Housemate and Storm, then wind down for the day.

Here, I will mention that I have anxiety and PTSD in part around loved ones in hospitals, so that adds another level. RLRH is stable, and I am doing what I need to do. Part of that includes getting my planners and journals set p for 2026. Right now, I want to use what I already have. Thankfully, I have a good deal. Focusing on things like planning and writing actually helps a lot, so I am planning (hah, see what I did there?) on setting up a tentative posting schedule here and on Melvaandanna.com.

A couple of days ago, I came home from the hospital, not yet ready for bed. I set up January in a personal sized ring planner, with an undated refill that has lovely pale pink accents throughout. I like my own handwriting, so I don’t need date stickers. I’m pretty well stocked with deco stickers, washi, etc. I like to think of it as a wine cellar for stationery. Please note, I do not drink, so maybe I have the wrong idea of how to use a wine cellar.

My everyday carry (EDC) is different when my destination is the hospital, not knowing how long I will be there. I bring one bound journal, equipped with colored page flags. I call it my maid of all work journal because that is what makes most sense for me. Everything goes in there. Notes on RLRH\s progress, notes on apartment stuff, personal journaling, and writing stuff.

Melva is taking the lead on publishing Drama King in early 2026. We have a tagline now, which I will debut on our site, and I will return to editing Queen of Hearts once things calm down over here. A Heart Most Errant will also be out in 2026, and I am writing on A Heart Most Ardent. A scene between my two leads, newlywed strangers, fell out of my pen in one waiting room session. Writing felt good. Familiar. Useful, even. Not perfect, not firm, but written, and that is the most important thing.

TLDR: RLRH needs some extra care right now, planning is mental health, and 2026 will see new releases in both contemporary and historical romance. I am also making some loose plans for 2026 reading, but that’s another story. Pun intended.

as always, Anna

How Improv Techniques Enhance Fiction Writing

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Bloggity blog time. Insomnia has been kicking my backside this week, though I had decent sleep by this afternoon, so I am going to blabber at you and fair warning, this will not be perfect.

Photo by Claire Morgan on Pexels.com

Stock image, okay, that’s good. Anyway, hi. No plan for this entry, which fits, because that does jibe with my original plan, so maybe that works. Let’s go with that. A month or so ago, I had mentioned in an online group I’m in, where the topic was how we express ourselves. I mentioned that I am a novelist and blogger, and that if an acting opportunity were to drop in my lap, I would jump on it.

Well. As so often happened, I not long after that found a notice in our local subreddit, offering a free four week improv class for adults, very close to where I live. I did indeed jump on that. I hadn’t had formal improv training in decades, but the second I entered the room, it was like no time had passed. Here are the top three lessons from improv (which I love and one thousand percent intend to pursue more in the future) that I am applying to my fiction writing.

  1. Yes, and…; this is the first rule of improv. Take what your partner offers and add to it. You had it in mind that your character would be an astronaut, and your partner offers that you are driving a tractor in a cornfield. Instead of refusing that, “yes, and” might look like finding a way to combine the two. Yes, they are driving a tractor in a cornfield, and they are also astronauts. What are the odds that they got assigned to the first corn farm on Mars?
  2. Blurt: this goes directly against my innate urge to overthink, but it works. What the instructor suggested was that if we go for the funniest thing, we’re going to overpopulate our brain and then we can’t make any decisions, and the scene dies. Blurt out the first thing that comes to mind and trust that your partner will add to that. This definitely works when writing in collaboration, and it does work with solo writing as well. As Nora Roberts once said, “I can fix a bad page. I can’t fix a blank one.” I need to remember that. In the case of solo writing, for me, my characters can count as my partner in such cases.
  3. The Next Obvious Thing: This one met with the most resistance from me, but I am warming to it. Reference the overthinking from above. The overpopulated brain bit does resonate. Case in point, let’s say we’re doing a scene. My partner starts with “Hi, Dr. Jones. Thanks for responding to my request for a consult. My patient is over here.” What’s the next obvious thing? Dr. Jones would want to see the patient, so, as Dr. Jones, I would go to where my partner indicated the patient is. If my partner doesn’t offer anything, like name a symptom or ask me to look at xyz, the next obvious thing might be to ask questions. With no offer given, I have no restrictions, so I can have some fun. Why is the patient upside down? So, they are complaining of ABC? This patient again? This is the third time this week. Anything. Refer to blurt, above. When there are too many options, what is the next most obvious one?

These are not the only lessons that improv has taught me, which I can bring over to fiction and blogging, but they are the — you guessed it– first most obvious ones. There are others, which I may go into later: celebrate failure, make your partner look good, be observant. Most importantly of all, there is this: when you take the stage, you have everything you need to complete the scene. I may need to make a sign for that one. What do you think?

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

Embracing the Summer Slump: Morning Pages Tips

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Can you believe it’s June? Summer is not my favorite time of year, but a) we have air conditioning this time, and b) I am reframing this as a precursor to fall. The season, not of society.

the real star of the show

Storm is well aware that she owes blogs, and should be back to regular posting after this weekend’s events (I and Housemate are traveling; Storm is staying home with Real Life Romance Hero.) She has most certainly not authorized me leaving the house this much, and I must pay damages in belly rubs and catnip. Also Temptations.

Blue journal is just finished, ivory just started.

The picture is a lot less vibrant than the covers are in real life, but here are my old and new morning pages notebooks. These are both B6 size, with lined ivory paper in 120gsm. This seems to be my ideal morning setup. Pens vary, but usually Pilot G2 or zebra Sarasa Clip in various colors as the mood strikes.

Inside pages look similar to this

Setup inside is easy. I like having a visual anchor, so washi at top and bottom (this from Cora Crea) and a lovely person sticker (this from Amazon) and use a Tim Holtz stencil to write the date in the lower left-hand corner. From there, it’s whatever is on my mind at the moment. Total brain dump, bullet points if needed because life is like that sometimes. I can add color with pastel highlighters, Mildliners preferred, or colored pencil. I could use watercolor, but that would make the paper crinkle and buckle and, for this purpose, that’s a no.

Sometimes, these pages don’t make a lot of sense, but that’s okay. That’s why they exist, to prime the pump and get me started on the day.

What do you like for morning pages, if you do them?

as always, Anna

Madam Ambassador’s Dilemma

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This might sound like a title for a historical mystery or space opera, but it is not only not-that, but my very first official post as an ambassador for the lovely and talented Eryka Peskin, abundance coach, photographer, and so much more. She is also on FB as Eryka Lynn Peskin. I first met Eryka in a regional RWA meeting and we immediately hit it off. Now I get to partner with her so we can spread the awesomeness around. How this will work is that each month, I will share some of the fabulous things Eryka is doing, and in return, I may receive some benefit if you contract with Eryka as a result of my posts.

That’s the ambassador part, which we will get to in a moment. The dilemma part is me trying to talk myself out of purchasing a new small Delfonics pouch (this one) because the one I have for my everyday carry is black, and that’s not very spring-y.

medium size, permanently on my desk.

I’m not a big yellow person, though I do have a medium size (as above) but in yellow that I could press into service, but it’s bigger than I want to carry every day (hence the small black I have carried for fall and winter.) This is totally a first world problem, and it’s a good one to have. I like the outer pockets, I like the inner pockets, and the small size is what works for me. I also like changing out the colors seasonally. Maybe I can stick with the small black pouch, with springier accessories. (Suggestions? Drop them in the comments.) Maybe I will grab the small yellow pouch (it’s on sale; other colors are pricier. Maybe I will take a third option. In any event, as long as I can keep the tools I need to do my stuff where I can get them, all will be well.

Having the right tools makes life a lot easier, and when it’s people rather than stationery, it’s all the more important. That’s why I’m delighted to share about Eryka’s Space for Spaceholders event:

A space for spaceholders

Thursday, March 20th

Are you a coach, healer, social worker, therapist, bodyworker, or someone who holds space for clients in some way?  Amazing coach and trauma trainer Eryka Peskin is hosting free) space for YOU to get the community and support that you need and offer to others.

Details here: eepurl.com/didJSn

Next up is one of the reasons I want to make sure I’m organized and and put hands on what I need when I need it:

Revive Your Resilience and support your Window of Tolerance

Starts Monday, March 24th

I’m feeling pretty drained and UNresilient these days due to all the things, so I’m super pumpedl that my coach Eryka Peskin is offering this program!

Revive Your Resilience is a free 5 day program to learn about the Window of Tolerance and our resilience, and how to support these essential resources in order to regulate and take care of your nervous system and vastly improve your quality of life during These Times!

Investment: FREE!

Details here: eepurl.com/gdujLT

I love Eryka’s programs, and this is one of my favorites. I’m already registered, and very much looking forward to learning more about bouncing back from the urrrrrrrrggggh. World events, new therapy journey, becoming an independent author/publisher, and my third lap of new-author-dom definitely call for a dose of resilience.

I’m also looking forward to another of Eryka’s offerings, that of a Fierce Cheerleading session. Ever want someone to focus on telling you how awesome you are and what you’re doing right, an mean it? Then Fierce Cheerleading is for you. Stay tuned for some personal highlights in early April after Eryka shakes her pompoms in my general direction.

Shaking my own pompoms for a minute: I actually posted this blog on time. Good job, me. What’s something awesome you did today? Drop in the comments and get a compliment.

as always, Anna

B Minus Fourteen

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B, in this case is for book, because the book in question is, of course, Chasing Prince Charming. My math may be off, because I am me, but it’s two weeks out, and stuff is getting real. The hardcopies Melva ordered have arrived (at her place; I have not seen them yet, but I am sure they are gorgeous, and I may squeal and/or cry, when I do.) We are getting ready for our first author visit, at Buried Under Romance, which will go live on release day, and, at some point, it is going to hit home that it’s really happening and the dry spell is over.

As I may have mentioned before, I have anxiety and depression, and both have been tickled by domestic tornadoes this past week, which meant that something had to give, and that something, in this case, happened to be my Camp NaNo work, and I am now kind of squidgy about visiting the site to update my count, when I do have one (after I post this blog, I am off to play with the pirates) but I am going to do that. That’s part of the trick, if there is one, to writing through anxiety and depression.

What works for me is to show up, do the work that I can do, when I can do it. When I look into the well and find it empty, then it is time to focus on filling, once more. This is where planning is a huge help. When I say planning, I don’t mean the bare bones of an agenda or schedule, but hunkering down with pen and paper, optional variety of art supplies, and putting what’s in my head on the page. For me, that helps figure out where the emptiness is, and that’s the first, and often biggest, step in figuring out how to fill it. Though I do this solo, I do think it has something to do with being an extrovert (though introverts and ambiverts can certainly do the same thing, and probably do) because I don’t see this process so much as “journaling” but more “talking on paper.”

Do that for a while, and things tend to fade into focus. That’s what happened today. This is a blog entry because my agenda does say blog entry, and, after I get my Plunder pages done, I get to mess with art supplies, and listen to an audiobook. Lisa Schmidt-Rigby at Buried Under Romance showed me how to turn any book into an audiobook, thanks to text to speech technology, so that has me excited. I’m okay with the robot voice. My brain translates into narrative and character voices anyway, so it’s not even a problem.

Fourteen days doesn’t seem like a lot, sometimes, and then, other times, it feels like forever. It will be the same amount of time, no matter what I do, so that’s one thing off my plate. The passage of time is not my responsibility. I like that. It’s a relief. If I pound keys and write my way through the ink of a dozen pens, between now and August 12th, or if I spend the time contemplating my own toenails, August 12th is the date Meg and Dominic get released on the world. The story Melva and I conceived at that NECRWA conference, that seems both yesterday and foreverago, will go forth into cyberspace and TBR shelves, and people will read that story, some of whom will never speak a word about it, but I still like to think it will be a pleasant experience.

Besides that, I am staring down the finish line for Plunder at Camp NaNo, and have notes to setup a binder for this trilogy, with sections for Abandon and Treasure, and see how these fictional kiddos grow. I am querying my other historicals that are on deck. Melva and I are following Jack and Kelly into the final acts of Drama King, and prepping the soil, sowing the seeds of what will, one day, be Queen of Hearts. All in all, I have to call that good.