Let's Shake Things Up!
Greetings, Noters!
The second month of 2022 is already under our belt, and boy, what a month.
Influencer Coco Cline, from my Trending Topic Mysteries, officially made her debut in #FollowMe for Murder. This release has been like no other. A truly exciting experience. Many thanks to Level Best Books and Shawn Simmons for shining the spotlight on Coco and her friends. #FollowMe for Murder was a big hit on NetGalley with reviews still coming in. I love reading about your reading experiences. I wrote this book for you, so it brings me such happiness to know folks are enjoying their time in Central Shores and already want to go back for more.
The release of #FollowMe for Murder has been really inspiring, writing-wise, too. Not only did I get some serious work done on Too Much to Candle, but I also am knee-deep in revising Book #2 in the Trending Topic Mysteries. That's right, it's already written! I actually finished writing it during the early weeks of the pandemic in 2020; the world was falling down around me, and Central Shores kept me sane. I realized, once I finished, that I needed to keep escaping for my own mental health, and thus, You Can't Candle the Truth entered my life. Writing is such a therapeutic experience for me. Yes, it's incredibly tough and aggravating at times, but when uncertainty nearly just about overwhelmed me, it was writing that kept me focused, healthy, and positive.
I think that's why I did so much writing this month. I needed an outlet for all the nervous energy bubbling inside me. I won't deny it, I was a bundle of nerves the week before #FollowMe for Murder's launch. Yes, behind all those fun, cheery social media posts, I was a nervous wreck! I was so excited and so, so proud of this book, but that didn't negate all the uncertainty a book release faces. I am so thankful (and lucky) #FollowMe for Murder received such a warm, welcoming reception, when it could have just as easily gone the opposite way. That's the struggle we writers face every time we share our work. Frightening, right? Yet, we persist!
What also got me through this rollercoaster of emotions was connecting with my fellow authors. I was fortunate to appear on several podcasts to talk all things writing, and it was such a weight off my chest to speak with other authors and know I wasn't alone. I'm a very introverted person, so I don't get out much (and I like it that way, don't get me wrong), but there was just something about connecting with people who were relative strangers to me when we began talking, only to end our session as friends. It made me yearn for more of that connection, which is why I am excited to introduce a brand new feature to Noteworthy.
This is the last time my blog posts will take "this" format, where I talk about my month in terms of writing goals. It's been such a great forum for me to share my world with you all, and it really got me into blogging regularly. You'll remember how much I struggled to blog two years ago. Thanks to my writing goals format, I was able to get into a good rhythm, where now, I am blogging days before the month ends, rather than in a panic the last day of the month. It's become a habit, part of my routine, and it's time to shake things up.
In March, I'll be debuting a new feature, "Make Note Of," where I will be interviewing my fellow authors! As the creator of BookstaBundles, I love helping authors bring fun and color to their social media presence, and I want to continue to do that in my writing life. I'll be introducing you to a whole host of fabulous authors, some I'm just discovering myself. With insightful questions into their writing process and characters, I hope to paint a more vivid picture of someone else's writing world, in the hopes of learning. I love learning and I love writing -- so what better way to put my blog to use than by featuring both?
So, with that fun news, for one last time, I'd like to walk you through my writing goals for the month and how I did. If you like reading about my goals and how I tackled them, have no fear! I’ll still be featuring them on all my social media pages.
Reach 40,000 words in Too Much to Candle - I wasn't sure how this goal was going to play out, given that I had to juggle the release of #FollowMe for Murder. I thought I would be too drained to be creative, but I was wrong. Too Much to Candle reached 44,000 words before the end of the month, with Hazel and Poppy in the thick of things. This installment is much more action-packed in my opinion, and it's been so fun and joyful to write. I am hoping to reach 60,000 by the end of March…if not finish the book altogether!
#FollowMe for Murder release tour - Coco Cline is on tour right now, and I hope you'll swing by to say hello during her various stops. The first half of the month was dedicated to putting together guest posts and interviews for this blog tour, hosted by the wonderful Great Escapes Book Tours service. If you are a mystery writer and looking for a blog tour, Great Escapes is your service!
With launch day on February 15th, I purposefully did not overextend myself when it came to setting my writing goals for the month. I know by now what I'm capable of and by setting realistic goals, I'm ending the month on a very high note.
Have you picked up your copy of #FollowMe for Murder? What's your favorite shop in Central Shores? Are you more of a Coco, Jasper, Charlotte, or Hudson?
Until next month, cheers!
Arms around,
S.B.