Juggling July
Greetings, readers and writers!
Wowsa. What a month. I can't believe July went by so quickly, yet the month also felt like a series of never-ending hurdles to jump. Looking at the goals I set for myself at the beginning of July, I honestly can't remember being that person with those priorities. It is strangely beautiful how creative focus can shift at the drop of a hat…or the drop of a book!
Through all the chaos, I was lucky enough this month to escape our New York apartment and relax on a lake in Maine for a week. Due to limited cell service and no Wi-Fi, this retreat strong-armed me into unplugging from life for a bit. I needed it.
You might think being a writer involves sitting at your desk or designated workspace all day, typing away in your manuscript, lost in the words with no distractions. The reality is much less glamourous and a bit more taxing. Being an author not only means you have to write a book but that you also have to promote said book. You can spend hours on a graphic that sums your series up perfectly, only to find out 3 people in your network saw it and/or cared to react to it. So, you have to go out and find more people to interact with. And it's not as simple as following someone on Instagram or Twitter. It's about cultivating online connections, popping onto Twitter at all hours of the day to support your connections in the hopes they'll support you…it's a hustle and a half. And it gets tiring for someone like me who is introverted enough to begin with. Not being able to go on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. for a week was liberating. Granted, there were a bunch of folks I missed "talking" to through tweets and comments, and having that distance and perspective really helped me recharge and realize how much I love what I do, hustle, and all.
Now, for the big news of the month…Remember when I shared that my debut cozy mystery series was getting pushed back at least 6 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Well, in a fortuitous turn of events, my publisher has moved up my release date and now, TRENDING TOPIC #MURDER, Book 1 in the Trending Topic Mysteries, is arriving THIS September! Like, in little over a month! How wild is that? When I learned of this development, my writing goal priorities did a full 180. I'm now back in full promotion mode! Wasn't I just in full promotion mode for HARROWED HEIR? Life is funny how it can change on a dime. So, be prepared to hear from my A LOT about TRENDING TOPIC #MURDER.
Given everything that July threw at me, let's take a look at my writing goals and see where I ended up!
JULY WRITING GOALS:
Finish the first draft of new cozy mystery WIP - With TRENDING TOPIC #MURDER's upcoming release, this little supernatural cozy mystery I've been working on lately (in the hopes of publishing it this fall through my own means) has been pushed out for now. I am hoping I'll have it ready to share by early 2021. I am still finding time to write it between other book work, but it has not moved along as quickly as I had hoped. I'm about 50,000 words deep, so I can't just give up and leave this book unfinished. That's not how I roll. But I do need to focus on other commitments, which is why I've decided to postpone further work on this manuscript for now.
Read two books - Thanks to my vacation, I CRUSHED this goal. Oh, it felt so good to just sit out by the lake and devour book after book. Check out some of my recommendations below!
Finish QA for Burdened Bloodline audiobook - When reviewing my goals, I did a doubletake reading this one. This happened in July? It feels like ages ago! But yes, BURDENED BLOODLINE is off to Audible for QA and publishing. Also, in other Jax news, while my supernatural cozy mystery is getting put on the back burner for now, I am going full steam ahead on my next Court of Mystery book. Originally slated for Winter 2020, I now hope that I will have it out to readers by November. I've been so inspired by this series as of late, probably due to reading all the wonderful reviews Melissa Green's performance has received for our audiobooks. I even felt the desperate need to write during my vacation. I rarely feel that way about writing anymore (after all, it is my job at the end of the day) so to have such an itch, an urge to write down scenes and ideas really soothed my soul and made me feel like a true writer again. After contemplating Jax's future while lounging in the lake, I've made some big changes to the direction of the series. Good changes, I hope! Stay tuned!
Sarah's Bookshelf
A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley
This debut novel about an aspiring writer-turned-ghostwriter to her author idol is everything I've ever wanted in a cozy mystery. With a main character who is downright perfection with her wit, fangirling-ness, longing for love, and a healthy distrust of people, I read this book in a day. It had me gushing over the romance, it had me loving the furry canine companions, it had me longing to uproot my life and become someone's ghostwriter. Absolutely delightful from start to finish with a captivating, well-paced mystery that had me guessing until the end.
How to Murder a Millionaire by Nancy Martin
The perfect vacation read! I really enjoyed getting to know the down-on-their-luck Blackbird sisters, with main character Nora being extremely relatable, funny, and smart. I loved the fashion and culture references in this book, which focuses on the death of a high-society member in the wealthy circles of Philadelphia. A curious mystery with a cast of kooky characters, this book had me dreaming of galas and glamour!
Whew, I'm exhausted just recapping July! Who knows what's in store for August…Until we meet on the interwebs again, be healthy, mentally wealthy, and wise!
Arms around,
S.B.