Hailey Hudson's Blog, page 16

Books I Read in 2021!

(Yes, I normally put this blog post up on New Year’s Eve. Yes, we are now a week into January. Sue me–this week was absolute CHAOS and I am doing good to still be alive. No joke.)

2021 was such a good reading year for me! I read 190 books total (an average of 16 per month) which honestly surprised me. This is how the past few years compare (watch my health get worse and worse HAHA):

2017 – 135 books2018 – 153 books2019 – 154 books2020 – 174 books2021 – 190 books

I don’t ever set reading goals for myself; I just read. I love reading and I don’t want it to ever be something that I feel obligated to do. That being said, though, I think now I’m going to be mad if I don’t hit 200 books in 2022. Haha.

Predictions: I think I read WAY more new books (both new releases and new-to-me books) than rereads this year–like, dramatically more–which is unusual for me. I don’t think I read much nonfiction at all. As far as genres, I’m guessing I read the most contemporary, and not as much fantasy or historical fiction? Or maybe lots of MG? But I’m not really sure, and it may be pretty evenly split.

With that, let’s get into the pie charts! (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, making pie charts of the books I’ve read is basically my all-time favorite thing.) First up: new reads and rereads. In 2021 I read 148 new books and only had 42 rereads, so my prediction there was correct. (There are just so many books in the world to read, I don’t have as much time for rereads as I’d like!)

When it comes to fiction and nonfiction, my prediction here was correct, too: I read only 44 nonfiction books, but 146 fiction ones. I’d like to read more nonfiction. But the very large majority of my reading happens between 8 and 10 PM, and my brain is checked out for the day.

Out of the 146 fiction books I read, 46 of them were children’s or middle grade books; 92 of them were YA; and only six of them were adult novels (haha, what can I say, adult fiction bores me). This honestly surprised me because I thought I had read more MG this year.

I struggle with sorting books into genres because there is often a lot of overlap. But here’s the best I can do. Children’s lit/MG, historical fiction, contemporary, and fantasy were all very evenly spaced, although contemporary did come out on top with 39.

I read the most books in February and November (19–ironically, I felt rough in February and good in November) and the least books in April and July (13–both were really difficult months). The first book I read in 2021 was Dust by Kara Swanson. The last was Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (a reread).

I also tracked a new metric this year: how many new books I acquired (whether I bought them for myself, or they were gifted to me). I’m not sure if I should be embarrassed to reveal that I acquired 61 new books this year (34 of which I bought and 27 of which were gifts). Building my personal library and being surrounded by so many books is my favorite thing in the world, but… the rate of 1.2 books per week does sound a little ridiculous. I did at least get one new bookcase early this year, which helped at first (see below) but has now been completely overtaken (not shown). I’ve done a lot of dreaming recently about the combo library/music room I’m going to have one day when I buy a house…

This summer (late summer) was the summer of Laura Wood and Akemi Dawn Bowman, and it was pure magic. I loved my Shadowhunter rereads in February/over Christmas break SO much; those books introduced me to the world of YA spec, so long ago, and I’ll forever be grateful for the Shadowhunters fandom and the way it serves as not only a fun escape, but also a really valuable way to make me think. I also enjoyed my Grishaverse reread as prep for the Netflix show that came out in April, and had a lovely Stephanie Perkins reread this fall when I really needed it (the best form of self-care is running away to Paris with Josh and Isla). OH, and I discovered Kate Quinn’s books and I am OBSESSED. Give me all the badass female spies in WWII. Also, I would be remiss not to mention discovering Katherine Rundell late this year–I want to live inside her imagination.

This year I read books at the beach (see below), in hotels, and in Airbnbs. I read books in the hospital (see below) and the ER. I read books in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana. As usual, probably as much as 95% of my reading is done at night before going to sleep, snuggled up in bed with my kitty and my fairy lights. (You know it’s a good book when I shriek or squeal or gasp, and the cat is scared and/or offended and leaves the room.) The books I read this year made me cackle obnoxiously and made me cry lots of tears (see below, me absolutely SOBBING after rereading The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise).

In 2022 I am excited to keep up with new releases as well as reread old favorites (I need to do a Betsy reread because I got the books for Christmas–they are so dear to my heart–and I’ve been waiting for a while for the right time to do a Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus reread). I also have a long list of books I want to read about art and theology.

I love books with all my heart. They are true magic, and story is such a gift. I often think to myself that I wouldn’t rather be anything else than a bookworm, a writer, and a musician–a storyteller, seeking to consume and create beauty. I can’t wait to do just that by reading lots more books in 2022.

How many books did you read in 2021? Did you discover any new favorite authors? What genres did you read in the most? What do you want to read in 2022?

45 2022 Releases I Can’t Wait to Read

Sequels and debuts, favorite authors and new reads–2022 is shaping up to have a little bit of everything! Here’s my list of books coming out in 2022 that I’m excited to read. Take a look, and get ready to add a bunch of books to your TBR! (Sorry not sorry.)

Fiction Books I Can’t Wait to ReadWhen You Get the Chance, Emma Lord (release date: January 4th; YA contemporary)

I absolutely love Emma Lord’s books, and I’ve already pre-ordered this one! It’s a musical theatre/Mamma Mia book and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!

My Fine Fellow, Jennieke Cohen (release date: January 11th; YA historical fiction)

This Bridgerton-esque, gender-swapped My Fair Lady looks super intriguing.

God, Technology, and the Christian Life, Tony Reinke (release date: January 25th; Christian nonfiction)

The title is pretty explanatory, and it sounds like this will be a fascinating and thought-provoking deep dive.

This Woven Kingdom, Tahereh Mafi (release date: February 1st; YA fantasy)

I love Tahereh Mafi’s books and I’m really excited to see her tackle this kind of story–this is the first in a trilogy inspired by Persian mythology. I’m in love with this cover, too.

Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies, Laura Thompson (release date: March 1st; nonfiction)

This book tells the story of heiresses throughout history, and it looks fascinating.

One for All, Lillie Lainoff (release date: March 8th; YA historical adventure fiction)

YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA HOW EXCITED I AM FOR THIS BOOK. It’s a genderbent retelling of The Three Musketeers, and the main character has POTS! This is an #ownvoices novel, meaning the author has POTS, too. Chronic illness is either underrepresented or misrepresented in YA, and I’m so excited for this book.

Always Jane, Jenn Bennett (release date: March 29th; YA contemporary)

I am head over heels for anything and everything Jenn Bennett writes (even if it has a love triangle…).

The Diamond Eye, Kate Quinn (release date: March 29th; adult historical fiction)

I fell head over heels with Kate Quinn’s books this year and I am SO FREAKING EXCITED about this one–the story of a quiet bookworm who becomes history’s deadliest female sniper. Like, YES PLEASE?!

Forging Silver into Stars, Brigid Kemmerer (release date: May 3rd; YA fantasy)

This is the start of a new book series set in the world of Brigid’s Cursebreakers series. I’m interested to read it! I think she also has a sequel to Defy the Night coming out next fall, which I am SO excited about, but at the moment I can’t find any information on it.

Lines of Courage, Jennifer A. Nielsen (release date: May 17th; MG historical fiction)

I love Jennifer Nielsen’s books and this new WWI story looks really good.

Tokyo Dreaming, Emiko Jean (release date: May 31st; YA contemporary)

I really loved Tokyo Ever After, and I’m excited to continue the story.

You, Me, and Our Heartstrings, Melissa See (release date: May 31st; YA contemporary)

Julliard, and disability rep–aka two of my favorite things? I am SO here for this!

Following Jesus in a Digital Age, Jason Thacker (release date: June 14th; Christian nonfiction)

This is another book about technology and faith that looks very interesting.

Wishtress, Nadine Brandes (release date: September 13th; YA fantasy)

I’ve heard Nadine talk about this one a lot in her webinars, and I am so excited to read it!!

(Dreamer Trilogy #3), Maggie Stiefvater (release date: October 18th; YA fantasy/paranormal)

I have NO WORDS for how much I love the Dreamer trilogy. The third book is still untitled, but I am counting down the days until its release.

Chain of Thorns, Cassandra Clare (release date: November 1st; fantasy fiction)

I’ve really enjoyed this series so far and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to Cordelia, James, Matthew, Grace, Lucie, Christopher, Thomas, et al (so many characters lol). I think Cassandra Clare also has two more books coming out in 2022? She’s a busy woman.

Honorable MentionsIron Sharpens Iron: Friendship and the Grace of God, Michael A.G. Haykin (release date: January 4th; Christian nonfiction) Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves , Meg Long (release date: January 11th; YA sci-fi) (this sounds so intriguing! A sci-fi twist on the Iditarod?! Give it to me!)The Storyteller, Kathryn Williams (release date: January 11th; YA) Suffering Wisely and Well: The Grief of Job and the Grace of God , Eric Ortlund (release date: January 11th; Christian nonfiction)Rise: My Story, Lindsey Vonn (release date: January 11th; memoir)Anatomy: A Love Story, Dana Schwartz (release date: January 18th; YA historical mystery) Demystifying Decision-Making: A Practical Guide , Aimee Joseph (release date: January 18th; Christian nonfiction)Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School, Kendra James (release date: January 18th; memoir)Castles in Their Bones, Laura Sebastian (release date: February 1st; YA fantasy)Wishing Upon the Same Stars, Jacquetta Nammar Feldman (release date: February 1st; MG contemporary) Mirror Girls , Kelly McWilliams (release date: February 8th; YA historical fiction) (this is pitched as a gothic horror novel and I don’t do horror so idk if I’ll totally be up for it? Lol we’ll see) The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea , Axie Oh (release date: February 22nd; YA fantasy)Sisters of Night and Fog, Erika Robuck (release date: March 1st; adult historical fiction)Being Mary Bennett, J.C. Peterson (release date: March 15th; YA contemporary) Cultural Counterfeits: Confronting 5 Empty Promises of Our Age and How We Were Made for So Much More , Jen Oshman (release date: March 22nd; Christian nonfiction) This Rebel Heart , Katherine Locke (release date: April 5th; YA historical fantasy) (this looks SO GOOD)Debating Darcy, Sayantani DasGupta (release date: April 5th; YA contemporary) (why does everyone keep writing Pride and Prejudice retellings)Love from Scratch, Kaitlyn Hill (release date: April 5th; YA contemporary) (I’m honestly tired of food- and cooking-related YA books, but)I Will Protect You: A True Story of Twins Who Survived Auschwitz, Eva Mozes Kor (release date: April 5th; memoir)Tears and Tossings: Hope in the Waves of Life, Sarah Walton (release date: May 2nd; Christian nonfiction)We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story, Simu Liu (release date: May 3rd; memoir) Breathe and Count Back from Ten , Natalia Sylvester (release date: May 10th; YA contemporary) (a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia who auditions to be a mermaid? I am Intrigued)When the Wolf Camped at Our Door: My Childhood in the Great Depression, Aileen Kilgore Henderson (release date: May 24th; memoir)Together We Burn, Isabel Ibanez (release date: May 31st; YA fantasy) (a flamenco dancer and “an infuriatingly handsome dragon hunter”–I’m here for it)Before Takeoff, Adi Alsaid (release date: June 7th; YA contemporary) (this sounds kind of weird? But it’s set in the Atlanta airport?)The Wonderland Trials, Sara Ella (release date: July 12th; YA dystopian fantasy) (Alice in Wonderland retelling)The Dragon’s Promise, Elizabeth Lim (release date: August 30th; YA fantasy) (sequel to Six Crimson Cranes, which was great)A Wilderness of Stars, Shea Ernshaw (release date: November 29th; YA fantasy)

Phew! Believe it or not, I deleted some titles from my list so it wouldn’t be quite so overwhelming. Ha. Which of these books are you most looking forward to reading in 2022?

December 2021 Monthly Wrap-Up

Most of December was documented in great detail (lol) in my daily Blogmas posts leading up to Christmas, which you can read starting here. Besides some work and medical stuff, December was a good month, and my two-plus week Christmas break was much needed.

This month I’m…

Reading: Brooklyn, Colm Toibin. Try Softer, Aundi Kolber. Rooftoppers, Katherine Rundell. The Blackbird Girls, Anne Blankman. A Heart in A Body in the World, Deb Caletti. Lovely War, Julie Berry (reread). Tessa and Weston: The Best Christmas Ever, Abbie Emmons. Cruise Confidential, Brian David Bruns (reread). What I Like About You, Marisa Kanter. Words on Fire, Jennifer Nielsen. Grenade, Alan Gratz. Walking on Water, Madeleine L’Engle. Fawkes, Nadine Brandes (reread). Chain of Gold and Chain of Iron, plus Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince (rereads), Cassandra Clare. What’s Best Next, Matt Perlman (reread). 18 total.

Listening to: Christmas music. The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. My WIP: The Art of Staying playlist; my getting ready dance party playlist; and my driving late at night playlist (especially I’m Born to Run by American Authors and Afterglow by Ed Sheeran). The Kate and Abbie Show. Bach.

Watching: Bridgerton. Julia Robertson vlogs. Gilmore Girls season four. Brooklyn. The Frey Life old vlogs. Boy Meets World season five. Spider-Man: No Way Home. A Call to Spy. A Christmas Story. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (rewatch). The Spirit of Christmas.

Writing: I brainstormed and plotted my next novel, The Art of Staying. I watched writing webinars from Nadine Brandes and Sara Ella, and wrote letters to pen pals. I also volunteered with Diamonds, People Hope, and Chronic Joy.

Eating: Werther’s. Banana popsicles.

Buying: A Harry Potter sock advent calendar. A cute basket for bag sets. Planners and books and manuscript paper and capos and a lace bralette.

Grateful for: Dreamy novel brainstorming sessions. Chapter-by-chapter updates from friends and family reading my book. Making plans for next year. Music. Rediscovering my old favorite pair of earrings. Getting ready dance parties. Reading by candlelight and fairy light. Orange roses on a rainy day.

What did you do in December? What movies did you watch? How was your Christmas?

Meet My WIP: The Art of Staying (YA Contemporary novel)

Starting on Monday, January 3rd, I will officially be in the drafting process again for the first time since mid-October–and I’m so excited about it! Here’s everything you need to know about The Art of Staying, my next YA contemporary novel.

When Viv decides to sign a contract as a dancer on a cruise ship, she must learn how to stay or risk never having a place to belong.

First things first: I got the idea for this novel in July 2021, when I started watching Jordan Bauth’s YouTube channel. Jordan is a professional figure skater who works as a performer on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. After watching some of her videos, I jotted “girl who is a dancer on a cruise ship” in my little notebook of story ideas and put it away.

This fall after I finished writing Things We’ve Lost, I spent some time thinking about what novel I wanted to write next. I knew it would be another YA contemporary, but I was waffling between two ideas. I ended up choosing this one even though I wasn’t 100% in love with it, because I didn’t feel emotionally ready to go to the place where the other novel would take me. As I’ve brainstormed and plotted The Art of Staying, though, I’ve fallen more and more in love with this story, theme, and characters. At this point, it still doesn’t quite feel like a story of my heart; I know it’s a strong story, it just doesn’t feel as personally special to me. But I’m sure that will come as I get into drafting and get to know my characters. I’ve written about 8,000 words of random scenes already, but we still have a long way to go.

I took the very end of November and all of December to spend time plotting this novel. (Keep an eye out for another blog post coming soon with details on my transition from a pantser to a plotter–this has actually been SUCH a welcome change, and it feels really good to have had the story marinating in my head for this long before jumping in.) I plan to write The Art of Staying in January, February, and March; that will free me up to do Escapril (a daily nonfiction writing challenge) in April, and to start querying Things We’ve Lost. Then later in the year, I’ll write another novel (my main fiction-related goal for 2022 is to write two novels) and edit The Art of Staying. For my first draft, I’ve come up with a word count schedule that feels very doable: I need to write a minimum of five days a week and a minimum of 1,000 words a session (that comes out to 5-8 hours a week for me).

The theme of this novel is (obviously) staying. This is something I first learned in June 2020, largely from reading Come Matter Here by Hannah Brencher. As I thought about TAOS and delved into this concept of staying, I realized that staying is what leads to a feeling of belonging. That’s what my main character Viv has to learn. She has always wanted a place to belong–but she drifts, leaving when things get hard. That’s her mistake. Because that’s when it’s time to dig in even more. “I just think it’s time to go,” she says to somebody at one point in the novel. And they respond, “No. I think it’s time to stay.” Going wide is easier. Going deep is better. Staying is scary because it requires commitment and vulnerability. But it’s the only way to feel like you belong somewhere or with someone. (Preaching to the choir, hello.)

If you want to know more about this novel, you can see my Pinterest aesthetic board here (the most important part of any novel, amirite?) and my WIP playlist here.

Also, can I just say how proud of myself I am that a title was actually one of the first things I came up with for this book?! Usually my titles are very, very last and I wish I didn’t have to think of one at all. So, go, me.

There you have it–all the details on my next novel. The brainstorming and plotting process has been really, really good, and I feel SO eager and excited to get started with drafting and immerse myself in the world of this story. I hope you’ll all get to read it soon!

Are you working on any fiction projects right now? Does The Art of Staying sound like something you’d read? Let me know in the comments!

Blogmas 2021 Day 25 (Merry Christmas)

Last night was pretty rough (apparently I texted my mom at 11 PM “I feel like I’m going to throw out or pass up”), and I was tired this morning. But it was Christmas!! We started opening gifts around 10 AM. Notable note: This was the first year that Sophie was able to stay out instead of being in her crate (she usually eats the wrapping paper). I guess she’s finally grown up.

I’m always so excited to give everyone their gifts! I gave my mom some Pampered Chef measuring spoons (so did Joshua–guess we didn’t communicate well enough); a gift that I guess I can’t mention yet because I apparently forgot to bring it over; and an original song called Lost and Found. Mom had expressed interest in this song–which I half-wrote in a literal dream–when I mentioned it a couple of months ago, so I finished it and recorded it for her, with help and feedback from my voice teacher and dad.

I gave my dad a Moe’s gift card for work lunches and an article I wrote about him (I interviewed my mom and Joshua about him). I gave my grandma some handmade coasters from my friend’s Etsy shop.

I gave Joshua a copy of The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Geimenhart; a notebook that says “Can’t hear you over the Hamilton lyrics in my head;” and a Newsies sticker in his stocking. For my mom, dad, and Joshua, I also got the game Cards Christians Like.

In my stocking I received Jellie Bellies (which I can sometimes stomach); candles; notecards; notebooks; stickers; and tubie pads.

Gift-wise, from my immediate family and grandparents I received money (I used part of it tonight for an hourly planner, a lace bralette, and Emma Lord’s new book When You Get the Chance); tubie pads; a ring; a 2022 Fringe planner; two wooden ornaments (a Hogwarts Christmas one and a Braves World Champions one); Harry Potter pajamas; a Gilmore Girls sweatshirt; the four (well, really ten) Betsy books by Maud Hart Lovelace (which are SO dear to my heart); Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson; and Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson. I absolutely love everything and I’m so excited about all of it!

This afternoon I had to go to bed and take a three-hour nap. Then we played two new games: The Game of Things, and Cards Christians Like (basically Apples to Apples, but make it Christian culture). They were both hilarious and a lot of fun. And now, after some blog work, I am ready to call it a night.

I’m excited to enjoy another week of break to spend time with friends and family, read lots of books, and work on more creative projects. I’ll have several blog posts coming your way in January about 2021/2022 books and writing. Merry Christmas!

Today I’m grateful for: You, for joining in Blogmas this year!

Check out Blogmas Day 25 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2021 Day 24 (Christmas Eve)

I was super tired this morning. I played around with music theory apps, booked a flight for a February trip I’m very excited about, and finished a Christmas gift. After lunch Mom, Joshua, and I played Spoons and Mom and I played Speed (with my new Harry Potter cards!).

Midafternoon we left for the Christmas Eve service at my family’s church. It was a nice service, but I’d unhooked from my feeds to go out and I had a bad low blood sugar, which was kind of all I could focus on. It was pretty awful.

At home I collapsed on the couch for a couple of hours and dozed by the Christmas tree trying to fight off the impending migraine/stomach messiness/complete exhaustion. Now we are watching A Christmas Story, which is our Christmas Eve tradition.

Today I’m grateful for: The dance party that Mom, Joshua, Sophie, and I had in front of the bathroom mirror when we were getting ready to go (complete with me belting Dancing Queen into a hairbrush microphone) + my mom bringing me a blanket when I was miserable on the couch.

Check out Blogmas Day 24 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2021 Day 23 (time with family)

I had another chill morning in bed today: I listened to a podcast about cats, worked on a homemade Christmas gift, and watched some YouTube videos. Eventually I got up to write some Christmas cards/letters and putter around with some other little tasks (that phrase makes me sound like an eighty-year-old, lol, but I like it). I meant to watch a writing webinar, but the time slipped away from me more quickly than I expected. So after packing up (a breathless and exhausting affair–I take three beta blockers a day and my heart rate is still 150), I headed over to my family’s house.

This afternoon I really enjoyed playing the piano for a couple of hours–everything from hymns to movie scores to Lennon Stella covers, with an original piece thrown in. Then I visited with my mom and my family for a while.

After dinner, my mom, Joshua, and I went out driving. Joshua is about to get his driver’s license and needs more nighttime driving hours. So we spent an hour driving around town, talking, and listening to my impeccable late night driving playlist. It was absolutely beautiful and as soon as I came home, I rushed to my computer to write a piece for my secret blog titled “incarnation // afterglow.”

Flesh and bone, muscle, sinew

And they ask Mary if she knew

But of course: you were God too.

Today I’m grateful for: Two different emails from my mom and brother.

Check out Blogmas Day 23 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2021 Day 22 (coffee with a friend)

I had a busy day today and was glad to see sunshine outside! I swung by the house to let Sophie out, got gas, and then got on the road to Lilburn, which is about an hour away from me.

Today I went to a coffee shop to see my friend Hannah, who lives in another state but is in Georgia this week. I was in love with the coffee shop: It had colorful, eclectic decorations; a music school downstairs; and was situated on the edge of the lake. It was so much fun to spend time with Hannah there–we visited for a couple of hours and exchanged Christmas gifts, and it was so nice!

On the way home there was a lot of traffic and I was crashing very quickly, but I forced myself to go by the store and the library. Then I came home and crawled into bed for the night with Chain of Iron at 6:00.

Today I’m grateful for: Being able to drink honey lavender tea.

Check out Blogmas Day 22 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2021 Day 21

I was feeling pretty rough today and was very glad to have a cozy rainy day at home. I started my day with The Kate and Abbie Show, writing letters, and beta reading my friend Bethany’s book. Then I went back to bed to finish reading my book (Chain of Gold) and to take a nap. I was still feeling pretty miserable when I woke up late afternoon, but I made myself finish a homemade Christmas gift and put away my laundry. (See below my view when I wake up from a nap.)

This evening I watched the movie A Call to Spy, a historical drama about female spies in WWII that I’d been wanting to see for a while. It was good, but I didn’t love it like I expected/hoped to.

Today I’m grateful for: A fun Secret Santa gift in the mail–these adorable cat tubie pads.

Check out Blogmas Day 21 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2021 Day 20 (motility clinic)

This morning I had an appointment with my motility clinic, so my mom and I headed down there. It was a prescheduled follow up, but the timing turned out to be convenient because we could also talk to my doctor about the tube issues I’ve been having. We ended up scheduling a tube replacement in January with a plan of going to the Emory ER if things go wrong before then.

By noon I was back home in cozy clothes (it finally got cold overnight) and climbing into bed with a stack of new library books–aka the best feeling in the world. I love Christmas break!! I read for a glorious couple of hours and then slept for a glorious couple of hours.

This evening I yawned my way through writing some scenes of my novel, giving myself injections (the pharmacy gave me autoinjectors instead of syringes, which I do not prefer), and practicing guitar/voice plus writing a song at the keyboard. Gosh, I just love Christmas break.

Today I’m grateful for: A kind and unexpected message and gift from an old music teacher.

Check out Blogmas Day 20 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?