March Madness
Hello, my dear readers!
March felt like the aftermath of a James Rollins’ Sigma Force novel, but one where the team fails to stop the bad guys from releasing an evil virus on the world. I hope this post finds you healthy and safe. While social distancing seems like second nature for me, I know this time has been extremely difficult for millions of Americans.
With all this uncertainty in the world, I spent a great deal of time reminding myself of the positives to come out of this experience so far. I get more time to spend with my significant other, I have more time to write and work, and I am connecting more with family members (whom I rarely see when things are normal, but because of the wonders of technology, we are keeping in touch with weekly Zoom Family Meetings).
While the world is a different place right now, it certainly hasn’t stopped. I still have writing deadlines to meet and goals to achieve. Now more than ever, people need stories about joy, love, perseverance, and hope. I must admit, delivering such a story feels a little daunting. I certainly haven’t been in the most focused headspace with everything going on, but I think that’s to be expected, and I’ve allowed myself to take some time to adjust this new way of life.
March’s goals were:
· Finish Trending Topic Mysteries manuscript
· Edit Trending Topic Mysteries manuscript
· Write 40,000 words in next Court of Mystery novel
· Write one blog post
Let's break them down, shall we?
1. Finish Trending Topic Mysteries manuscript: I’m not quite sure how I made it over the finish line on this one. I finished Book Two in the series the first Monday my significant other began working from home. That same day, he received a call that someone at his company tested positive for the COVID19 virus and had been in contact with him. Whether it was pure anxiety or a need to escape, I wrote about 10,000 words to finish out the manuscript that day. I’m usually a 2000-words-a-day writer, but whether it was the light at the end of the tunnel or just a pure act of desperation, I threw myself into my work and was able to cross the finish line.
2. Edit Trending Topic Mysteries manuscript: Once the entire story had come full circle, I then set off on the challenge of making it make sense. There were a lot of gaps and missing details (like not mentioning the murderer’s name until the final chapter). I had about four months to edit the first book in the series before anything really happened to it. For Book Two, I had two weeks. I usually love editing because the hard part of getting to the end is over, but this was my trickiest editing project to date. I don’t know why. Maybe I was a bit jaded by the state of the world, but by the time I turned the book into my agent, I was done. Done. I did not want anything more to do with it. And thankfully, I now have a month to marinate on the story while it’s being edited. I’m very glad for the break.
3. Write 40,000 words in the next Court of Mystery novel: I’ll admit…I forgot about this goal. I honestly didn’t plan to return to the Realm of Virtues until April, after submitting my TTM manuscript to my agent. So, the fact that I did get to 35,000 words by the end of March is actually a pleasant surprise for me. Since I put this book on the backburner for quite a while, it’s taken me a bit of time to figure out what the heck I was doing and where I was going with this novel. However, I’m finding my footing, and if all goes according to plan, I should be finished with this project by the end of the month.
4. Write one blog post: Please don’t count it against me that I’m publishing this post on the 1st of April rather than March 31st. The days are beginning to blur together! Time is flying. I can’t believe how quickly the days are going by while we are in self-isolation. I encourage you all to set goals and stick to them as best you can, but also be kind to yourself. We are living in stressful times; adding more pressure to your life is not the answer. Just let your goals be your guiding light as we navigate this new world.
Sarah's Bookshelf:
I must say, I did not get to spend as much of my downtime reading this month, as I was so focused on the above projects. However, I do have one recommendation that is certainly a must-read.
The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin
An utterly delightful, historical piece of fiction. I was already a fan of Goodwin’s, due to her stellar novel The American Heiress, and after reading this, I will continue to champion her work. Goodwin’s ability to weave captivating, enchanting stories around historic figures is truly an act of genius. She chronicles a love triangle between an English heiress, Austrian Empress, and an untitled British captain, taking the reader on a breathless journey. This novel begs to be made into a Masterpiece Classic, as fans of Downton Abbey would eat this up.
Until next month's review, be healthy, wealthy, and wise!
Arms around,
S.B.