Lindsay Emory's Blog, page 3
April 2, 2020
Comforting Books - What to Read During {Insert Chaos Here}
I’ve hesitated writing this blog post because when the COVID19 pandemic started, I wasn’t sure anyone wanted to hear from me.
What do I have to tell people? I have no medical recommendations, I’m a mom who’s pretty darn happy letting her kids watch TV, and…. well, I’ve been figuring all this out, same as everyone.
But I’ve had many of you asking for book recommendations right now, so…. yeah. I’m pretty good at that. That’s what I have to give to my country so, that’s what you’ll get!
Here are my ultimate comfort book recommendations to help you get through a time when you need an escape…
Mysteries
Because nothing gets your mind off your problems like someone else’s fictional problem of a dead body…
Her Royal Spyness series - Rhys Bowen - Set in the 1930s, a distant cousin to the Queen solves mysteries. Lighthearted, cozy historical mysteries with just enough royalty and romance to keep it escapism. If you like the first, there are 13 more books in the series to keep you engaged!
The Kit Holloway Series - Jennifer Ashley - Another historical mystery series set in England (this one in Queen Victoria’s day), the main character is a cook so you not only get a mystery, another century, a pinch of romance but you also get lots of comforting cooking scenes and comfort food. A four (soon to be five) book series for you to dive into.
Rom -Coms
These were very hard to narrow down, but I’ll explain…
Who Rescued Who -Victoria Schade- There are SO MANY good rom-coms out right now! But I picked this one because it has the ultimate feel-good ingredients (for me, at least)- England and dogs.
Hear me talk to Victoria on Women With Books podcast.
Waiting For Tom Hanks - Kerry Winfrey - And this one because we were ALL waiting for Tom Hanks to recover from COVID-19. In his honor, read this sweet, funny rom-com.
Also, at the time of this blog, this e-book is $2.99
Hear me talk to Kerry on Women With Books podcast.
The Royal Runaway - Lindsay Emory
And if you want the ULTIMATE ESCAPE, try my book! A princess who gets left at the altar on her royal wedding day goes on an adventure to uncover what happened to her groom with a spy who has secrets of his own…
Women’s Fiction
Also very hard to narrow down, but I have my reasons…
Things You Save in a Fire - Katherine Center - I just discovered this book last month and honestly, if I could rewind time and save this book for my shelter in place time, I would. You can read my thoughts on it here.
The Coincidence of Coconut Cake - Amy E. Reichert - Okay. This book has a failing restaurant in it. I felt I should say that up front. BUT - it’s a great, cozy book that reminds us of the things that hold us together - and sometimes that’s food and cake and stuff, okay? Don’t judge.
Hear me talk to Amy E. Reichert on my podcast Women With Books, here.
Coming Home - Rosamunde Pilcher - OH. What can I say that hasn’t been said about Rosamunde Pilcher books when the world is nothing but a huge dumpster fire. I love love love The Shell Seekers, I’m currently re-reading September, but Coming Home is my ultimate comfort read recommendation. It always makes me cry and it’s set during World War II but you can escape into 1940’s Cornwall and that’s an awesome place to be.
Urban Fantasy
Um, Lindsay. Hold up. You call these comforting??? You know these have vampires, monsters and bloody fight scenes, right?
Sure, but as I explained in a recent Best Books to Read Now blog post, Urban Fantasy novels can still be comfort reads. I picked both of these for the same reasons. Alternate time-lines, magic and paranormal creatures can take you out of this world and mentally drop you into another one. But these specific series stand out for me as comfort reads because of the strong (reassuring) relationships between family and friends.
The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a completely unrealistic other-world but they are also filled with tight bonds and passionate relationships and maybe that’s exactly the recipe some of us need to read right now.
Burn For Me - Ilona Andrews (Book 1 of the Hidden Legacies Series)
Dark Lover - Book 1 of the Black Daggerhood Series by JR Ward
Those are my recommendations for comfort reads, but I’m well aware that my favorite ingredients may not be yours. The good news is, I’ve been doing this awhile. If nothing on the above list strikes your fancy, here are some other lists I’ve compiled. Go explore and see what you find!
Royal Book Recommendations
Nonfiction/ Writing/ Creativity Book Recommendations
Favorite Swoony Historical Romance Books
Favorite Mystery Series
Are You Ready for some Football Romances!
BUT WAIT! There’s MORE!
If you sign up for my newsletter, there are TWO freebies waiting for you.
1) A link to download a free novella by moi, and
2) A handy dandy list of ALLLLLLLLLL the books I recommended in 2019 (with buy links, of course.)
Now. You have no excuse. Go forth and get lost in a book.
March 31, 2020
Women With Books - Victoria Schade - A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EXPERT
A new episode of the Women With Books podcast is up!
Women With Books Podcast featuring bestselling author Victoria Schade
I already used this gif to express how I feel about Victoria Schade but it’s so accurate I have to do it again.
Victoria Schade would know exactly how to deal with these dogs.
If you love dogs, then you have to go check out Victoria’s Instagram here. And also go read her books, like Who Rescued Who, which you can hear us discuss in depth on this episode!
Press play to listen or download from your favorite podcast app.
Victoria Schade and I discuss the Puppy Bowl, her wise dog training advice and the things we really hate (reading our reviews!)
Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means I could receive a few coins for posting them. As always, thank you for your support and encouragement!
March 24, 2020
Best Books to Read Now - March 2020
Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!
Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading.
If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if you’re going to be into my recommendations.
The best book club recommendations for you and your friends!
We are living in strange times, my friends. Most of the world is in quarantine/ shelter in place / social distancing. We’re working differently, we’re exercising differently and we’re going to school differently. But. What’s fascinating is that - for those of us who are privileged enough to be reading this blog post - many of us are not entertaining ourselves differently.
TVs, computers, books, cell phones, podcasts… they’re all still functioning as normal. Movie theaters shut down but movie studios seemingly flipped a switch and my family and I were able to watch a new Pixar release from the comfort of our living room.
With so much uncertainty, I’ve taken comfort in seeing that my books and music and favorite re-watched movies are still available to me.
So for the time being, until these things drastically change, I’m still going to be sharing my favorite new books every month. And next week (or sometime soon) I’ll be posting my list of ultimate comfort reads, books to pick up when you’ve turned off the news and want to tune out the world.
But for now… My Best Books for March 2020. Let’s get started, shall we???
Who Rescued Who – Victoria Schade
Amazon || Apple Books
First of all, Victoria is a fantastic person and when she asked me last fall if I’d be interested in reading an early copy of this book, I jumped on the opportunity. AND I AM SO GLAD I DID.
Me when Victoria asked me to read her book.
It’s a rom-com set in the middle of a Rosamunde Pilcher book. It’s got an English village, a rescued dog, a found family and it’s the perfect thing to read on a drizzly spring day when you’re trying to avoid the real world. Go. Read. It. Now.
You reading WHO RESCUED WHO.
Scoundrel – Zoe Archer
Amazon || Apple Books
When I saw this book on sale before Christmas, I sort of freaked out. HOW did I not know this series existed?? It sounded like it was totally up my alley: action / adventure AND romance?
I’ve stated my love for this The Mummy-like combo here and here and of course you can see my affection for it in The Royal Runaway and The Royal Bodyguard.
Love when the heroine saves the hero….
The book is #2 in a series that follows Victorian-era secret societies that battle over powerful magical artifacts. I KNOW. But now I know. And so do you.
Catch & Kill – Ronan Farrow
Amazon || Apple Books
I listened to the podcast first and then decided to check the book out at the library. Even though I have followed the story in real life AND I’ve listened to Ronan Farrow telling the story on the podcast, I was still sucked into the book, that reads as fast and as gripping as a spy/suspense novel but has the added elements of being true life. Now I’m tossing around the idea of reading She Said, by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, two New York Times reporters who also broke similar stories about Harvey Weinstein in 2017. (Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, this book also kinda sorta fits my romance-mystery-adventure genre love because Ronan Farrow gives us little peeks at his relationship/ proposal to his partner.)
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill – Abbi Waxman
Amazon || Apple Books
In some ways, this book was right up my alley. Nina Hill is a trivia-nerd who keeps a planner and who loves books. I mean, she could be me. It’s not at plot-heavy as some of my other reads this month but the world building and interesting voice grabbed me and wouldn’t let me put the book down.
This GIF reminded me of the cover and I also think Nina Hill would appreciate it.
As always, I’ll be talking more about the books I don’t finish and why I think they didn’t connect with me in my newsletter this month.
Do you like books on sale?
Make sure you’re following me on Facebook because that’s where I post great books on sale!
And what about you?
I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved while stuck at home or what you’re looking forward to reading next! If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2020!
March 17, 2020
Three Months of a Book No Buy - What Worked, What Didn't
Brief Recap:
I decided not to buy books for the first three months of 2020. I talked about it a bit here, in January’s Best Books To Read Now post.
Why? I bought a lot of books in December and one day, I was scrolling through the hundreds of other unread books in my Kindle and thought, “I really want to read some of these things in here. They look really good. But I keep getting distracted by the new shiny books that I keep one-clicking.”
Temporary solution: Pause book buying for 3 months so I could re-discover my TBR pile.
We’re almost at the end of the quarter so let’s see what happened…
What I’ve Bought:
You didn’t think it would be ZERO, did you??
Well, I’ll admit, I REALLY thought I could stick to it. But I didn’t.
I’ve bought four books since December 31, 2019. I will say, they were all on sale. Two were backlist books that rarely go on sale; September by Rosamunde Pilcher and Paradise by Judith McNaught. These are two books that I’ve read many times, that I own the paperbacks of and the paperbacks are falling apart. They shouldn’t even count as new book purchases, TBH. Think of it as updating my bookshelf with new technology.
Then I bought one of the books in Rhys Bowen’s Royal Spyness series. I’m trying to acquire them all, so when one goes on sale, I pinch it. And then I bought another Rhys Bowen book, because (1) it was on sale and (2) I’m a sucker for WWI stories.
Still. Four books in 3 months, four purchases that were (mostly) well-thought out, not that impulsive? Is a pretty good success for me.
What I’ve Read (aka How did that TBR pile work out for you?)
So how many books have I finished from the TBR pile?
One.
How many have I started and DNF’d (Did Not Finish) from that TBR pile?
Three.
How many free books have I finished from the library/ review copies from NetGalley?
Uh… a lot.
What the heck, Lindsay?
Here’s what I’m thinking.
My Kindle is essentially a compilation of three piles: Books I’ve Read, Books That Were on Sale, and Books I Probably Should Read (Because someone said so/ asked me to / recommended it). But that doesn’t mean that the Book I WANT To Read At This Moment is in any of those three categories. So. That’s a problem.
Also, in the past three months, I have to recognize that the Thrill of a New Book is a great high, whether it comes from the library or a publisher. It’s that same dopamine hit that feels so good when we shop online at 11:30 pm. Finding something new at the library is so fun and cheaper than the bookstore but it’s still not helping my bookshelf issues.
Also, I declared this the Year of Hell Yes.
In 2020 I’m trying to apply the maxim, “If it’s not a Hell Yes, it’s a No.” And it’s come up a lot when I’m scrolling through my Kindle, looking for something to read.
Hard truth time: If books are still sitting in my TBR pile… they were a “NO” at some point.
OUCH, right?
Still, I have this stubborn belief in The Myth of an Undiscovered Favorite Book. That one day I’ll decide to open up Yadda Yadda Yadda and it will be the best thing I’ve ever read and OMG where has this been my whole life. It does happen. I still believe. Also…
Will I continue the no (low) buy for Q2?
Yes. Surprised?
I’ve enjoyed a more thoughtful approach to my reading in the past three months. The combination of Hell Yes and No Buy has resulted in me being picky, but in the best ways. I do think there are still treasures buried deep in my bookshelves, virtual and real, which I really want to discover. And if this also means I’m frequenting the library more (and the library app while I’m self-isolating), I have no complaint about that.
So stay tuned for three more months of book discovery! I’ll still post my Best Books blog posts here and go into the blind details of my DNFs in the secret posts of my Inner Circle Newsletter. Get on the list if you haven’t yet!
February 25, 2020
Best Books to Read Now - February 2020
Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!
Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading.
If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if you’re going to be into my recommendations.
The best book club recommendations for you and your friends!
So… I know what you’re thinking.
That’s an … interesting… selection of books you got there, Lindsay.
And to that I’ll say YES! YOU ARE CORRECT!
This is a VERY eclectic selection but oh, soo good (and something for everyone!) Not convinced? Read on….
Burn For Me - Ilona Andrews
Amazon || Apple Books
Long time readers will surely detect something here…. Yes. This is a book that I’ve long had and raved about. I have re-read it so many times. So why is it on the list now? Well, I had to sit a few days in a hospital room and I reached for a “comfort read.” This was it. Still love it. Still recommend it. The Baylors still made me laugh when I needed it and Nevada and Mad Rogan still swept me away.
Bringing Down the Duke - Evie Dunmore
Amazon || Apple Books
If you’re in the romance community or book review community, you’ll know that this debut historical romance has been the subject of a lot of talk. Mainly because of that cover that is nothing like any other mainstream historical romance cover (at least, at the time of its release). When I finally got a copy of this at the library I was very curious about the insides and I can tell you I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Dunmore’s debut and I’m eagerly looking forward to her next release!
Things You Save in a Fire - Katherine Center
Amazon || Apple Books
Another book I heard a lot about and finally got at the library (because I’m on a book no-buy, remember?). Where has Katherine Center been all my life? This book was a perfect balm on a rainy, dreary winter’s day. Full of heart, humor, a touch of mystery, a smidge of family drama, a heartwarming romance. So good!
Realm of Ash - Tasha Suri
Amazon || Apple Books
I really really loved Tasha Suri’s first book last year and I was very excited to get this one… at the library, (Seeing a theme here?) I just love Ms. Suri’s worldbuilding and writing and I really liked her subtle exploration of female power in a traditional society. A fantasy win for me!
Another fantasy win… heh heh…
All in all, February was a very successful month of reading!
Me snuggling up with my TBR pile!!!
As always, I’ll be talking more about the books I don’t finish and why I think they didn’t connect with me in my newsletter this month.
Do you like books on sale?
Make sure you’re following me on Facebook because that’s where I post great books on sale!
And what about you?
I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved lately or what you’re looking forward to reading next! If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2020!
January 22, 2020
Best Books to Read Now - January 2020
Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!
Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading.
If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if you’re going to be into my recommendations.
The best book club recommendations for you and your friends!
I want to cry, y’all.
First, take a moment to look at those books. The past few months have been a GOOOOOOOD time to read books.
So there’s that. These are all awesome books and there’s a genre here for everyone.
But then I realized.
Lauren.
Mia.
Julia.
Kate.
These women… well, I might be slightly presumptuous to call them all friends but I. KNOW. THEM. I’ve hung out with everyone but Mia and only because she lives very very far away. But I’ve talked to Mia (here) (And Julia HERE) (and Kate HERE) (and Lauren HERE) and I can tell you these women are LEGIT.
They have it all. They’re talented, intelligent, funny, interesting and DAMN GOOD AUTHORS.
Don’t believe them. They TOTALLY KNOW ME.
A Beastly Kind of Earl - Mia Vincy
Amazon || Apple Books
The MUCH anticipated second book from Ms. Vincy, it’s loosely connected to her award winning debut last year, A Wicked Kind of Husband. This book was also charming in UN-anticipated ways, funny and bright and sparkling, in a refreshing Beauty and the Beast take.
Love Lettering - Kate Clayborn
Amazon || Apple Books
What can I say about this book that hasn’t been said? It’s a romance, but it’s also a book about friendship and New York City and discovery. And the beauty of letters. It’s sweeter than you expect and understatedly sophisticated, but that’s Kate Clayborn for you.
The Whispers of War - Julia Kelly
Amazon || Apple Books
Now I think I CAN call Julia a friend, since I’ve helped her remove a hedgehog from her laundry room. I mean, if that doesn’t say ride or die, what does? This is also a MUCH anticipated book, the second historical fiction from Ms. Kelly. Once again, she takes a smaller, unknown story about women from World War II and brings it to life in heartbreaking and heartwarming ways.
Marriage on Madison Avenue - Lauren Layne
Amazon || Apple Books
IT IS HERE! I just included the 2nd book in this series in November and the third installment is here! This is a friends to lovers romance, which (to be 100% honest) is NOT my usual catnip. BUT Ms. Layne surrounds the couple with enough external conflict (and has made us wait for this story for SO LONG) that it worked for me!!
I love this life. I love my JOB! I get to befriend fabulous women who are ALSO amazing authors and then I get to tell everyone to buy their books?!
And now for a completely different note. I’ve mentioned it on Instagram briefly but I made a quarterly resolution to NOT BUY ANY MORE BOOKS.
I know.
Yes, I’ve been examined by doctors. Several, in fact.
But I bought A LOT of books in the last few months of 2019. And people keep sending them to me! And last month I just looked at my TBR pile and I said, I want to focus on all the amazing books I have stored up.
I’m not saying it won’t be hard, but I’m really really excited by this. So for the next three months (because my March reads might be in April’s BEST BOOKS BLOG), you should only see older releases OR the books I’ve been sent by publishers to review/ blurb.
Me snuggling up with my TBR pile!!!
As always, I’ll be talking more about the books I don’t finish and why I think they didn’t connect with me in my newsletter this month.
Do you like books on sale?
Make sure you’re following me on Facebook because that’s where I post great books on sale!
And what about you?
I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved lately or what you’re looking forward to reading next! If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2020!
January 15, 2020
What I Learned About What I Read in 2019
What I Learned From What I Read in 2019
It will surprise no one who has followed me on Instagram to learn that I kept track of the books I read and the books I did not finish (DNF) last year. Of course, a lot of the books I read I talked about on my Best Books to Read Now blogs. Some of them I didn’t. This isn’t because they were bad, really. It was usually because I didn’t think you, my blog audience, would be that interested. Or because I ran out of room/ time (I publish these blogs in the middle of the month and sometimes books fall in the cracks in between.)
And in 2019, for the first time ever, I started including my DNFs in my Inner Circle Newsletter. Now, I didn’t give people too many details about them. It would be unprofessional for me to identify the authors or titles of these books, especially when, like I said, there’s probably nothing intrinsically bad about the book. It’s usually just something that I, as a reader, don’t care for. Okay, sometimes it’s something that I, as an author, don’t care for. At this point, I can’t separate Reader-Me and Author-Me. It is what it is.
I kept track of all of this because I was curious. Were there any trends in my reading/ writing? Were there any glaring holes that could give me insight into my personality or writing? What reader wheels could I identify and would this be something that would be useful?
I’m not a super analytical person, but I think starting with some numbers could be interesting.
Books FINISHED: 53 (obviously this does not include the ones I DNF’d, in some cases, a significant way through.)
Genres:
Mystery: 2
Paranormal/ Some Type of Fantasy/ Speculative: 5
Memoir/ Non Fiction: 8
Contemporary Romance: 15
Historical Romance: 15
Historical Fiction / Women’s Fiction: 8
Random Observations About The Books I Finished:
There is a LOT of bleeding from the Contemporary Romance genre to the Women’s Fiction genre and vice versa. A lot of books could be classified as both and I made the decision based on how many friends and families I could remember from the plot. If all I could remember was a love story, I classified it as a contemporary romance, even though it might have been packaged as a women’s fiction / contemporary fiction. If I could mostly remember a story about sisters, or a job or a murder or something, I classified it as a not-contemporary romance.
It felt like I read a LOT more mysteries this year but I think this is because so many of the other books have a strong mystery subplot. I was getting my mystery fix in books of other genres.
My most recommended books this year were in all the genres.
Top DNF Reasons:
Headhopping - this is when the story skips between different points of view without a clear designation of whose “head” we’re in
Didn’t Connect with Voice - the “Voice” is the author’s voice. It can be simplistic, overly complicated, casual, formal, etc.
1st Person Present - my least favorite POV. I CAN and HAVE enjoyed books with this, but if it’s done poorly and I start noticing it, it starts to drive me crazy. #sorrynotsorry
Dragging Plot - self-explanatory
No Conflict – I know a lot of people are all about the cozy, snuggly feel-good reads right now and in theory, so am I. But in reality? I need some sizzle and crackle to keep me turning the pages.
Didn’t FEEL IT.
That last one is one that I didn’t talk a lot about in my newsletters. Because this, again, doesn’t mean that the book is bad. Or was written poorly. Or that I wouldn’t recommend it to someone, somewhere, out there. A lot of times I put books aside because I’m writing my own and for whatever reasons, I don’t want to read that book while I’m writing. I don’t even count that as a DNF. It’s just me saving it for another time. This is the hardest thing for me to explain to myself, let alone my Inner Circle, but it’s definitely a THING and it’s something I’d love to understand about myself.
What do I like to read while I’m working? And why? At the beginning of my career, I avoided certain “strong voice” authors while I was writing because I didn’t want their voice/ humor infiltrating my manuscript. But that’s not always the case anymore and I’m looking forward to keeping my records in 2020 and seeing if I can identify what kind of input I need and when. (I’m a #6 input on the Clifton Gallup Strengthsfinder - I talked about that a little bit here.)
What’s Going to Change in 2020…
Nothing… and maybe everything.
Because I have a new phrase of the year: Hell Yes. (Read about it HERE)
And if I’m going to live with it, it should apply to the books I’m reading, too. Meaning, I need to ask myself do I really want to read this book in my TBR pile? And if the answer isn’t HELL YES, then I’m not going to waste my precious hours on it.
I’ll need to ask myself, “Am I really enjoying this genre/ book / author?” And… you guessed it… if the answer isn’t HELL YES, then it’s going to be a DNF for me. And I’ll have to talk about why in the Inner Circle Newsletter secret posts.
It will be interesting to see if my DNFs go up in 2020. Or if they go down?
Also, as I’ve mentioned it on Instagram lately, I made a quarterly resolution to NOT BUY ANY MORE BOOKS.
I’ll explain more in my newsletter, but the main reason for this is that I have SO MANY good books in my TBR pile and I really wanted to focus on reading and enjoying those for a few months.
Why Does This Matter, Lindsay?
I don’t know, maybe it doesn’t. Except if you’re here, you might love books and reading as much as I do. And you might also be interested in how to maximize what you love. How to find great books and how to find them on sale. How to spend your precious reading hours immersed in exactly what you want to read. And if we want more of what we love, we might have to make sure we’re throwing the stuff out that we don’t love. If these things sound great to you, then you’re my people. Welcome to my journey.
I’d love to hear how you keep track of your reading journey, too! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to chat about books and whatever and also make sure you’re in the Inner Circle for the secret posts about books that I won’t share publicly…
January 8, 2020
My (Terrifying) (Empowering) Word of 2020
Goal setting for 2020…
Happy NEW YEAR!!!
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but it’s a new year. And, a new decade (although some are debating this. I get it. But we’re not doing that right now, okay?)
Have you set goals for yourself? Are you a resolution person?
I am. Or, at least, I usually am. Maybe I still am.
I don’t know.
Setting resolutions is a very * me * thing to do. But…
I decided to do this word of the year instead. I picked a word of the year last year. My 2019 word was, “CREATE” and I have to say that it was a far more powerful exercise than my usual “lose weight/ get organized/ be a better wife/ mom/ friend” resolutions.
When I picked the word, CREATE, I thought it would be about prioritizing my creative work. About creating worlds and art with abandon.
While it certainly was a good reminder throughout the year about those creative goals, #Create2019 became about much more. I don’t want to get into too many of the details right now but it empowered me to inspect how I was creating my life. How I was co-creating the details of my very existence.
Powerful stuff.
So you can see why I was tempted to re-pick CREATE as my 2020 word. Who doesn’t want more empowerment?
Well, of course I do. But my 2020 phrase came to me in November 2019 and I let it sit with me a while and tried it out and… it’s pretty much the most terrifying thing I’ve ever conceived.
Which means I had to pick it.
But I’m scared, y’all.
HELL YES.
It comes from that saying that’s been floating around blogs and podcast-ville for a while: “If it’s not a HELL YES, it’s a no.”
So what does it mean? How will I be utilizing this word (phrase, I know) (okay, maybe it’s more of a sentiment) in 2020?
It’s already come up a few times in the early days of the year - asking myself, “is this a hell yes?”
Friends, it’s crazy how often it’s not.
Especially during the holidays, when we do so much just… because. Because it’s expected. Because we came all this way. Because it’s the way we’ve always done it.
That’s why I’m scared. I’m scared of discovering that my life has been a bunch of meh. A whole lot of it’s okay, I guess. I don’t want to rock the boat/ expect more/ order the best thing on the menu.
And yes, this applies to my work, too. I’m scared to look down at a first draft and feel like I wasted eighty thousand words on something that I’m not all that crazy about. What if I look up one day and realize that my professional organization wasn’t as helpful/ fun/ awesome as I thought it was? (Well… actually, that’s happened and I’m surprisingly okay with it.)
That’s the part I’m excited about, actually. Yes, this will probably mean that I have some discomfort. That I’ll answer some hard questions. Maybe I’ll be disappointed in myself or others.
But what if… this opens me up to more than I ever expected?
That’s my hope, anyway.
So. What are you looking forward to in 2020? Did you make resolutions? Or did you pick a word? Or a phrase? Or a sentiment? Are you going to live audaciously? Or give yourself some well-earned rest?
I’d love to give updates on how #HellYes2020 is working for me and I’ll probably do it in the secret posts I put in the Inner Circle Newsletter. Make sure you’re signed up to hear all the 2020 tea this year!
December 19, 2019
A Peek at my 2020 Planner Line Up!
My 2020 Planner Line Up
To review, see my 2019 planners here.
Yes, I planned out my planners. I’m that kind of person.
So this is the most unexciting planner tour ever. Why? Because I’m not changing *that* much from 2019.
For me, this is a good thing. Because that means I’ve found what (mostly) works for me and I don’t need to change too much.
But it probably makes for a boring blog. Sorry?
My main planner for 2020 will still – again be a 2020 Hobonichi Cousin Techo, housed in a Louis Vuitton Couv Carnet GM. The Hobonichi Cousin still wins my heart for its size, the flexibility, the paper, the combination of monthly, weekly and daily pages (which I use for my morning pages). I love the Japanese writing, the way it sort of decorates my planner in a way that doesn’t take any mental or emotional energy from me (since I don’t read Japanese). I love the soft grids which gives me an orderly skeleton to drape the often chaotic fabric of my life.
I’ve selected some stickers to decorate the cover…. But I haven’t quite decided which ones to use. I’ll probably update y’all on Instagram in January with that oh-so-fun announcement.
Last year I used the extra December calendar for a reading log. (More below on that) This year I’ve decided to use this page in the back to log the books I’ll be reading.
This is pretty basic, I know. I might add some washi or something to jazz this up.
In the second half of 2019, I got into the habit of using these as habit trackers and I hope to continue that for 2020. My plan is to use the boxes at the bottom to keep track of quarterly tasks/ goals.
My 2019 habit tracker. This actually turned out to be a very useful practice for keeping me on course-ish.
2020 Habit Tracker and I’ve already screwed it up. My ruler didn’t keep the Mildliner contained. We’ll pretend that I’m just artsy, okay?
I also have decided to track my television/ movie watching in 2020. I’ve noticed in the past 12-18 months that shows and movies are one of my main sources of #input and creative inspiration so I’m interested to see what trends and insights this might reveal.
Again, I might add something cute. Or not. I do like a nice minimalist planner.
I don’t (usually) do a lot of stickers and washi tape. If they’re in my planner, it’s to block off large chunks of time or something particularly celebratory - release dates, birthdays, anniversaries. But this next layout is the exception, as it was in 2020.
Hobonichi Cousins include extra months at the end of the calendar year (usually until March) and the month before (December, obviously.) Now I really like to move into a new planner on January first, but I still use those next-year months because, well, in December, I am usually making appointments, etc. for the next year. But I NEVER have a practical use for the extra December because… I’m still using 2019 right now. Get it?
So last year, I turned the extra December into my reading log, which you can see in this blog post (here.) This year, I’m trying something different. Voila. The Hobonichi Kanban board.
I think I’ve talked about how I’ve done the HB90 system since RWA 17 in Denver. If not, here’s an explanation on You Tube.
But I noticed the last few months of this year that my big bulky Kanban board had been replaced by some other processes and so I decided to start 2020 without it. Where I still enjoyed the Kanban though, was for some repetitive tasks that I do every month. Hence, my Hobonichi kanban set up. The plan is, to label some sturdy reusable stickies and move them through the board each month. I’ll update you later in 2020 with how that’s going!
And like last year (again, sorry! I’m not more exciting…) I’ll be doing some social media/ blog/ newsletter planning in my MM (medium) ring planner. But! This year I did order new inserts from Sessavee that I’m reallllyyyy excited about. I got the monthly inserts with all these darling goals and task lists and then I couldn’t resist biannual/ quarterly spreads. I’ll be using these to keep track of social media, blogs and newsletters.
No, I’m not sure what I’ll do with all these yet. But I can see them coming in handy, can’t you?
It’s a little smaller than I’d like. One of these days I’ll have to move to Discs or a GM…. one of these days…
Planning blogs and newsletters for Q1 2020 already!!
And then finally, this isn’t a planner per se but, I have to have a notebook. This is both a remnant of my legal training/ career and the natural inclination of a writer. I love this grid notebook and use it to take notes on calls with agents/ editors, workshops, classes, and whatever brain dump I need to expel.
And that’s all there is to see… right now! I regularly post my #amplanning photos on Instagram so follow me there for more updates throughout 2020. And I hope you do because I’d love to see your planning supplies and techniques too! If you’re interested in more of my Plan - Write - Publish blog posts, click here to see them all!
November 26, 2019
What Books To Read this Christmas Holiday Season!
What Holiday Book Should I read?
It’s that time of year! Time to curl up in a front of a fire – or go to bed early – with a lovely, cozy holiday book.
But there are so many! How can you choose?
I developed the Lindsay Emory Holiday Book Quiz to help you pick the perfect read this Christmas.
Get a piece of paper and a pen and answer this easy 6 question quiz!
1. My favorite holiday recipes come from …
a. Great Grandma Margaret’s time tested recipe books
b. Pinterest
c. Hallmark Home & Family
d. Nigella Lawson
2. My feelings about Emma Thompson…
a. She was iconic in Sense & Sensibility
b. She’s ruined Christmas with Last Christmas
c. Oh! She married her cute coworker, right? That actor?
d. I just love her British accent. It sounds so posh.
3. My perfect holiday season isn’t complete without…
a. Traditions like Christmas crackers, stockings & caroling
b. A re-watch of Love, Actually
c. A marathon of Hallmark movies & baking cookies
d. A charcuterie board & champagne
4. My Spotify holiday playlist includes…
a. Carols and Celtic music
b. Last Christmas by Wham!
c. All I Want For Christmas is You by Mariah Carey
d. Classics by Michael Buble and Tony Bennett
5. My must-have holiday wardrobe accessory…
a. A hand-knitted Scottish wool scarf
b. A red Starbucks cup
c. A fun Christmas sweatshirt & holiday leggings
d. A French linen apron & Loro Piana sweater
6. The holiday recipe I most want to try to make:
a. A traditional figgy pudding
b. Hot chocolate spiked with Peppermint Schnapps and Godiva liqueur
c. Stuffed Caramel Pretzel Skillet Cookie (from Hallmark Channel Home & Family)
d. Martha Stewart’s classic eggnog with fresh grated nutmeg
Now review all your answers… Did you get…
Mostly A’s? You will LOVE a historical romance!
Carriages, long walks in the country and yule logs make you swoon like a debutante at a Christmas ball.
A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong – Cecilia Grant (FREE!)
How the Dukes Stole Christmas – Tessa Dare, Joanna Shupe, Sophie Jordan and Sarah MacLean
Mostly B’s? You’re a Rom Com Fan (Who’s Probably Pissed about that Last Christmas Plot Twist)
Mix meet cutes with a little banter and add a whole lot of romantic tension and that’s your recipe for a perfect holiday read…
Resisting Santa – Lindsay Emory
Royal Holiday – Jasmine Guillory
One Day in December – Josie Silver
Mostly C’s? You’re a Tried and True Hallmark Addict
You know exactly what you want to read about - a reindeer farm, a baking contest, a small town inn. Lucky for you, I have the best Hallmark movies in book form picked out for you…
The Secret Ingredient – Nancy Naigle
Sleighbell Sweethearts – Teri Wilson
A Gingerbread Romance – Lacey Baker
Mostly D’s? You Will LOVE yourself some Designer Destination Holiday Porn
How does Christmas in Cornwall, Colorado, Nantucket, or Wales sound? You’re sure to love a literary trip to a beautiful spot where breathtaking views, charming villages and decadent dinners await…
Christmas with the Duke – Katrina Cudmore
Named of the Dragon – Susanna Kearsley
A Perfect Cornish Christmas – Phillipa Ashley
A Wedding in December – Sarah Morgan
Did I get it right? Or just mostly right? I can’t wait to hear what you’re reading and loving this season!
