Yes, I May

Welp, here we are at the start of another month. It’s the bridge between spring and summer, Since we have several colleges in our area, there is a definite shift in the community when the “kids” go home from the summer. The local small business ice cream stand is open (Haven’t gone yet, but will) and we will soon be summoning Coolio, our portable air conditioner, from his winter home (housemate’s closet.) Clothing-wise, we are on the cusp of dress season. I am loving the big screen on my desktop computer. Being able to see what I am doing is kind of a new thing.

Though I am an ambassador for the extremely talented Eryka Peskin, this is not a post she asked for, but one that I hope she likes. I am currently in her Celebration Circle group, which is, as Eryka would say, amazeballs. I like the challenge of finding things to celebrate, whether on a given topic, or freestyle, and I find that creeping over into other areas of life.

I am not going to lie: starting over as many times as I have (or perceive myself as having done) sucks because nobody wants things like serious illness, homelessness, injuries, deaths in the family, etc. At the same time, it’s awesome, because I am coming at t his, this time, with more experience, more wisdom, and, at times, more spite because that Bad Thing is not going to end me. Not only am I going to do the thing but do it twice and take pictures.

Didn’t mean to post sleeping Storm, but who doesn’t love a kitty picture?

Storm is pretty chill about coming into the new season, which is par for the course. She does have a few things to say about the new desk setup, as her usual sproing lands her on my keyboard. There is still some space for her on the desk, but at the moment, she seems best pleased to watch from the bed. She is getting used to the kitty sling. It’s one of her favorite beds at the moment. We haven’t tried putting her in it yet, but so far, so good.

One of the perks of this kind of experience (mine, not Storm’s) is that I have a wide experience on what doesn’t work for me. Lots of trial and error. Some successes. Some serendipitous discoveries. Some flying into the mist, as the late great Jo Beverley would say. Before I know it, I will be pulling the trigger on my first independent publication. (Though I did write for and publish fanzines beck in the day.) Then after that, Melva and I do the same thing with the second two Love By the Book books. I am writing my first planned historical romance series, on book two of four now, which is definitely a learning experience.

What I am getting at here is this: yes, I may. Yes, I may make mistakes. Yes, I may try something different. Yes, I may start something new. Yes, I may pick up where I left off involuntarily and make it through to the end. Yes, I may put a blog post up a couple of days late. The world will not end. We are all human here.

as always, Anna

A Writer and Her Desks: A Love Story

From time to time, Facebook asks me if I would like to remember certain images. This past week, they suggested this one:

Sleepy Hollow (tv)

This one hit me hard. Not only because I am still, and ever will be, salty over what the powers that be did to the couple pictured above. I will put my fingers in my ears and loudly “la-la-la” until whoever is discussing the season three finale or anything after that. Nope, nope, didn’t happen. Abbie and Crane are happily ever after-ing and I will take no questions.

The other reason is the desk. This desk and I have a history. Literally. It’s older than I am. I have drooled over it since I was two. Before that, I drooled on it. This is a secretary desk, with a writing surface that doubles as a door I can close on the day’s work. while the screen is in the way of most of them, there are cubbyholes. Oh so many cubbyholes. Places for papers and stickers and sticky notes and all sorts of stationery related objects. There are drawers beneath the surface and a cabinet below that. At first, I used the top shelf as a bookshelf, and later moved the monitor up there so I could get at the cubbyholes.

This desk is now in our storage unit, where we put it during that first move. I still miss it. I will bust it out one day. At the same time, I love the desk I put together with my own two hands and a little help from my friends (cue Beatles.) I am grateful I have it now. Ideally, I would have both, in an office big enough for the two of them. The current desk would be for my desktop and the secretary would be for planning and journalling and all things longhand.

Some of the things on it, I have, and some that I also have in storage. The journal on the desktop is by Paperblanks, That particular book is in — you guessed it— storage, but I have other journals in that brand, and my EDC planner, in pocket size. I am not sure which mugs survived the moves, but I have different pen storage options now. My gargoyle pencil cup is once again in service, accompanied by new friends like a Plague Doctor plushie and an ever-growing calico plushie army. I also learned what Delfonics pouches are, and, I would hope, a lot more about writing.

The purpose of my desk is the same; to write books, to blog, and also make pixel art (okay, that’s new) but it feels different. It’s been a while since I felt like Writer Anna, or like Writer Anna had a proper place to do her/my thing. I do, though. It’s weird. I should know a better word for that, but I don’t. At least not right now, which is fine.

Back in the before-before-before times, when we still lived in the Old Country, I remember sitting in a Panera, trying not to cry in public because I had finished A Heart Most Errant, then called Ravenwood. I’d spent all that time with John and Aline, and there they were, happy. Home. Not quite “finished,’ as they will be happily-ever-after-in on page in the rest of the Ravenwood (series) books, my first planned historical series. Now, I am getting them ready to be my first independently published novella. Will I cry when Richard and Cecilia reach their HEA? Probably. Will I also be exited to pivot to Guy and Katherine’s story? Very much so, and the same when it is time for Juliana’s (Cecilia’s daughter) story, with a hero who will most likely be named Maximilian. How did I come up with that name? He told me, and it’s historically plausible. That’s how it works.

It’s also how my relationship with my desks works. We’ve grown together. There will likely be a desk tour in the near future. I have shelves and drawers and fairy lights. I also have a 3-D printed rose gold skull that was originally a yarn bowl (I don’t knit, but Housemate does; it was a gift from her) but is now home to a calico plushie.

What’s on your desk?

as always, Anna

Organizing Your Writing Space and Genre for Better Creativity

Right now, we have a big, heavy box of lumber and metal things waiting on our third floor landing. Monday, there will be a new-to-me desktop computer on my desk. This all means that the bedroom/office is in chaos, but the sort of chaos that leads to more organization. Today, that resulted in me sorting out a big canvas bag with all my everyday journaling stuff in it. Being able to pick up One Thing and move around the apartment (I have a single journal set aside for coffee shop/park journaling) a lot easier, and have set up the necessities for any journaling, plotting or actual writing that make take place in the soft office.

Photo by Viktoria Alipatova on Pexels.com

Going forward, I will be focusing on taking more pictures myself and using them to help tell the stories of life and other things (like actual stories) but stock art is a lifesaver at times like this. I have felt, previously, that there was some “right” way to share and better to err on the side of reticence, but I cancelled my subscription to that. If you’re here, it’s because you’re interested in what I have to say (or are lost, in which case, welcome)

Do I know exactly what I am doing here now that I am a big girl with her own domain? Not even close, so I will do what I do best: splash around in the shallows until I figure out where the good swimming is and then head in that direction, fueled by a meticulous plan. At this point, A Heart Most Ardent is in that magpie stage, gathering shiny bits of this and that. Today I got to the stage of “hmm, these new pages do not fit on the small discs anymore (I am using a discbound system for this) and I now need to migrate things to classic or expander discs. For the most part, I want to use what I already have on hand. More of a shop my stash instead of no-buy, but I got this stuff because I wanted it, so now is the time to put it to use.

That does indeed mean even the good stuff. My book is worth the good stuff. This story is worth the good stuff. This is the first time I have started a planned series (or first and a half, considering that Melva Michaelian and I have done a lot of planning for our Love by the Book series (more on that coming soon to MelvaandAnna.com) of co-written contemporary romances. The actual publication of A Heart Most Errant creeps ever closer. John and Aline, the leads in their book, will be supporting cast going forward, so I’ll want to have their information on hand. Earlier today. I watched a video on YouTube about romantasy and its difference from Romantic Fantasy and Fantasy Romance, which resonates greatly.

This does not mean I am taking on a third subgenre, but it also doesn’t mean I won’t ever. We’ll see. The reason the video resonated was because I have long said the difference between a Romantic Historical and Historical Romance is thus:

Historical Romance: The war is over! I love you!
Romantic Historical: I love you! The war is over!

With that definition, I do fall under Historical Romance, but I do like Romantic Historical. Historical Romance must have a happy ending, while Romantic Historical can. Either way. thinking of following some of the flavor of fantasy worldbuilding for the historical world (just everyday life for them) feels intriguing, so I might nose around in that area.

This is the part where I feel I have blabbered long enough and also have heard about a thing called “dinner” that would be beneficial for all.

as always, Anna

Blabberblog

Blabbery blog for today, because 1) it’s April First, and I am too tired to come up with anything appropriate (plus :gestures at world: Who can top that for insanity?) and 2) the parts of my brain that are not begging for sleep are concentrated on The New Book. Also 3) I will be upgrading to a paid version of this page, which will mean more storage space, my own domain name, so no need to have WordPress in my addy, etc.

Pictures will come later, but I am rather proud of myself for finishing an entire three months of daily schedule pages (acutally six, since the three I just finished were a refill pack.) I am now on the extras from an undated pack, and after that, I can either switch to a different design, or recreate the current design in my own style (probably doing that) either in Canva or right on the page with ruler and stencils. Even odds on which one I will pick.

Seasonal pouch updates. I am a pouch dragon. I like having a notebook for a specific purpose, in a pouch that has all the stuff I will need for it, with it, so that if I need to grab and go elsewhere, boom, there it is, and I don’t have to go looking for the right pen or a sticky note, eraser, etc. If I can decorate it for the season, that’s a plus. I have had my pink medium Delfonics pouch above for a while now, utterly love it, and have a mustard version that lives in my reading nook. The one above lives on my desk. I got a small black one for my everyday carry, and figured I could use black all year round. but (thanks to Housemate) a small pink version should be landing on my stoop sometime today.

Pink for spring/summer, and then black for fall/winter feels right for me. I am now a very happy collector of tac pins and pinback buttons and will hang a lobster claw charm on anything that moves slower than I do. I am a maximalist. I want stuff I love around me, preferably using multiple senses, and somewhere in the personalization, I connect better. Is that going to work for everyone? No. Do I feel bad about it anymore? No. I used to. What was wrong with me that i couldn’t be…not me? Ummm, yeah. Nothing.

The latest iteration of my desk has a small shelf on top of my planner crate, that Michaels terms “Regencycore” (not seeing it, but okay) — Carved roses at the top, flower print on the back “wall” and it flat out makes me happy to look for it. Also to have one place I can reach out and grab washi, index cards, or punches.

Storm says hi, and is aware she owes a blog

Storm has sproinged herself onto my desk, demanding cuddles so that makes for a natural break. Happy April. Hope you are well or soon will be; no fooling about that.

as always, Anna (and Storm)

Indie Publishing Insights: My Journey with _A Heart Most Errant_

We are having a blabbery blog today. My first real appointment with the therapist who will be known as Therapy Dude is tomorrow. Still a couple of hoops to jump through for the last leg of indie publishing A Heart Most Errant and looking into the extra bits involved in indie publishing for collaborators. Have to admit, these are not my tip-top favorite parts of the writing life. Even so, I am excited to get my stories out there again.

Right now, my focus is on creating a reference book for A Heart Most Ardent, because keeping all that stuff in my head is not reliable. As usual, I am wading in, splashing around in the shallows and seeing what works out. I did have some character sheets that I had looked at in the past, but instead of searching a couple of flash drives for them, I am making my own. I don’t see many resources especially for historical romance, so it may be fun to create a few. This will also be useful as part of a series bible for the wider story world, and I will definitely need a small section for the people, places and things from A Heart Most Errant, where it all began.

Part of what I want to include is a vision board, which I have never properly done, but I am a dab hand at what I call Idea Soup, which is basically the same thing, though not limited to images. Sounds, smells, tastes, other works that remind me of what I am creating, etc. Do I have a plan for this? Not at the moment. I’ll figure it out as I go and then try that as a template for the next bit.

not the story notebook

In an only semi-related note, I purchased a mystery bundle from Archer and Olive. Some groovy 60s/70s themed washi in the small white box, and then the vegan leather field closure sketchbook with blank kraft pages. I love Archer and Olive. I love Kraft pages. The wrap closure, however, is most likely not for me. I may give it some time and see if we warm to each other. I am thinking about removing the flap and tie, and rounding the corners of the pages. It is mine now, so there are options. Selling and trading are also options, but we will see. I’ll know what I need to know when I need to know it. This is not the story notebook; that one is disc bound so I can move pages around as needed.

Normally, this is where I would be wrapping up the post, but my brain is soup. Instead, I’ll get nosy and ask what kinds of notebooks are your favorites, if you use them. Hopefully, I will have more brain by the next post. The bar is l ow. 😛

as always. Anna

Madam Ambassador’s Dilemma

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

Typing With Wet Paws: Sproing Forward Edition

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.

How is daylight savings time going for you?

headbonx, Storm

Finding Camaraderie at Writer Conferences

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.

as always, Anna

Reading Progress, TV Hangovers, and Other Stories

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.

Relentless, by Bertrice Small and Thomas Small

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.

What’s filling your well this week?

as always, Anna

March-ing Along

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?

as always, Anna