Robin McElveen's Blog, page 3

A New Year and New Determination

 Welcome, readers! I've been fighting some uphill battles lately, but my determination to keep writing still burns within me. I've been up to a few things and trying to prioritize them better so I can keep my readers informed on a regular basis like I used to do. Keep reading for more!

Grab a cup of your favorite warm beverage and let's chat. 
I've been feeling things were getting kind of stale in my blog. I really dislike keeping things to such a rigid format, but it does help me keep track of the things I want to share with you. The fact that I'm still on such a strict budget hasn't helped matters much, but things may be looking up.
My health has taken an interesting turn. Looks like I'll be cutting more foods from my diet. I'm trying the carnivore diet for now, as recommended by my NP. We'll see. So far, I've lost probably ten pounds since the trouble started up again. I'm super concerned because of the lack of variety in my diet. Please pray for me to be able to find a workable solution. For now, I'm keeping a health and wellness journal to see which foods I'm struggling with and which I'm not. I'm also tracking my weight.
I started keeping a planner. It's going OK. I'm not set in the habit yet, so it's still a work in progress. I do like this planner, though. My sister gave it to me two Christmases ago, but I'd already prepped a different one. So this is the year for the Go Girl planner. If you want to check them out, you can find them on Amazon. (They aren't paying me, just so you're aware.) 
Spartacus is still doing cat things - eating, sleeping, and causing mayhem. I need to make a pie chart. 😆 
This year, I plan to release Surge. The original plan (last year at this time) was to have it out by now, but with my health issues, as well as some life issues popping up often, it's been difficult to sit down with it. I also plan to run a quick re-edit of Ripples before re-releasing it in print. And all The Tale of Outh'n Durr needs before it can be put into print circulation is for me to fine tune the cover. These three goals are my biggies for the year. 
For now, you can see periodic update/writer's life posts on my Instagram, Facebook, X, and Litsy profiles. The last one is only for sharing about the books you're reading. I've found it (Litsy) helpful to keep me on social media in a way that doesn't overwhelm me. 
Another thing I'm going to be checking out is a new email service to send out my newsletters. I think I've found one that is flat rate and will allow me the creativity I want so everything will match beautifully. 
My box was getting pretty stale, so I stepped outside it for a few and entered the cover of Ripples into a cover art contest at Clean Fiction Magazine. I also subscribed to the magazine, hoping to find some interesting short stories in various genres to pass the time. It's hard to find decent, clean fiction, but I think it's becoming easier and I'm so happy! I might even decide to enter the short story contest they're running now. We'll see... 
And last, but not least, I attended an online summit last week. I learned so much! Interestingly, it was mostly focused on romance writing, but there were a lot of important points writers in any genre should know, as well as some handy tips and tricks. It's actually where I found out about the new email service I'm checking into. 
I'm so glad you're still reading my blog posts, even though I haven't been able to post regularly. I hope you'll keep checking back for new posts. 
Until next time,Keep turning pages...

A Little Progress is Better Than None

 Welcome to the scenic route! I've got an update to share with you today. It'll be quick because today's schedule is packed. 

Author's Journey: Nano 2024 Progress Report

As you can see by the screenshots that follow, I'm not making a ton of progress on this year's project. I don't know if it's the fact that so many changes happened since 2020, both in my own life and in the world around me, or if it's just the fact that I'm overwhelmed with new activities that's keeping me from getting into the writing groove. I wish I could nail that down...

As you can see, since Tuesday at least, I haven't typed a single word. My new daily word count goal is over 2k. It's still doable...if the words come. I've done as much as 5k in a day. But those were the early days of writing, when story ideas flowed like refreshing stream. Still, I'll keep at it. Who knows? Inspiration may strike at strange times. I just hope it's not at 2:30 in the morning. 

Writer's Life: Here's What's Happening

I'm getting into my new role as part of the worship team at my church. Singing is something I truly enjoy. If I could've made a living at it without sacrificing time with my family, I'd probably have given that a go. I'll take any opportunity to sing! 

Tuesday, I worked at the polls. I'm happy to say that everyone who came through was as civil and courteous as always. We also had a really good turnout. It was a tiring day, but a good one since the flow of voters was fairly steady. 

Spartacus is doing well. I'll have to see about getting a new photo to share with y'all. I haven't been able to get any really good ones lately. 

Book Notes: Reviews, Currents, and TBRs

I'm working my way through a volume of sweet romances -- Just Kisses. I just finished one by B.E. Baker, which I will share below since I left a review. The second story in the collection is by Elana Johnson, one of my favorites for sweet romance, whether inspirational (as Liz Isaacson) or otherwise. It's my current read for today, The Day He Drove By. 

On my TBR, I've added a book called Life Flight (Extreme Measures #1) by Lynette Eason. She really gets right to the action from the beginning. I read a little portion of it to see what it might be like and I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it when I get to it. 

For my book review, I'll share the one I mentioned above by B.E. Baker. It's a short review, but hopefully it'll encourage the right people to check it out. 

Seed Money by B.E. Baker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good plot, lovable characters that I wanted to see succeed, and a clean read made this book a win for me. The only read I gave it four stars was that in places, it moved a little slower than I like. But it didn’t ruin the story. If you enjoy interesting characters doing and saying all kinds of interesting things as they work their way toward love, then this might be a good fit for you.

View all my reviews

Thank you all so much for joining me here today. I appreciate you taking a little time to read through my post. Please visit again next Friday! Who knows what I'll have to share then? 
Until next time,
Keep turning pages...

I'm Late But...

 It's time! Welcome! Today's the first day of Nanowrimo. So rather than a whole post, because I'm so late, I'm just announcing my WIP for this year's event. Did y'all know Nano has been running for 25 years? Wow! 

And the cover I just threw together tonight in about an hour...

It's a temporary cover, but I do like it. What do you think? 

Until next time,
Keep turning pages...

October is Almost Gone!

 Welcome to the scenic route! I hope your week has been going well. I've actually made some decent progress this week. I'm now looking forward to Nano with a little more excitement and a little less trepidation. 

 Author Journey: Setting Up Scrivener

I spent a couple days setting up Scrivener for Nano. I have my project set up as a basic fiction novel. Each of my stories is a folder with sub documents for each portion of the story. The note section on the lower left gives me place to put a song/scripture that I'd like to use for inspiration for that particular story. And you can see in the upper right that I've jotted down a brief synopsis for the story. Whether it'll end up as that is still TBD. 

I'm not sure I like the new setup since the older one, for some reason, was easier for my brain to process. Still, it's going to really help me keep things in order. For some reason, the corkboard theme was both easier on my brain and happy for my creative soul. 

I pulled the plot format from Plottr to help me stay on target with my projected word count, and keep the story moving along at a proper pace. I don't expect these stories to be full length since they are going to clock in at around 1660 words each. But I do want to create a complete segment with a definite beginning/climax/conclusion. 

Here's a screenshot of story one's setup: 

If you want to hear the song I chose for inspiration for this story, you can find it here: Silence the World by Demon Hunter on YouTube 

Now, I don't know that it'll follow the lyrics closely so much as mirror the mood evoked by the song. 

I haven't chosen a scripture focus yet but I hope to get a few of those set up today. I'm looking forward to the scripture study on faith. It should build my own up, too. Win/win! 

Writer's Life: What's Been Happening and What's Coming Up

The okra in my dad's garden has been growing and growing and growing! Every time I went out to cut it last week, I probably got 2 or three pounds. And we've been harvesting every other day or so. 

My mom's health has really picked up. Her heart kept doing strange things and she'd find herself dizzy at odd moments. So she had tests run with her heart doctor. They came out clear. So we made a trip to talk to her regular HCP and he suggested electrolytes and magnesium. Yeah, that did the trick. Her energy is up, as well as her strength, and I think she might even be sleeping better. I'm so relieved and I know she is, too, that the solution was so simple. 

Spartacus is still doing well. He likes to steal my seat when I leave the room for any length of time. I often have to put him back onto his favorite blanket or just set him on the floor so I can sit back down at my computer. He's at least polite about it. Right now, he's curled up on his blanket and snoozing after I had to remove him from my spot. I know you guys can't see it, but I'm totally grinning. He's a blessing.

Book Notes: It's All About the BooksCurrently Reading: Katie by Rachel WessonJust Finished: Just One Date by Chris KenistonBook Review Just One Date by Chris Keniston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chris Keniston is an author that I read on rare occasions. She's an excellent author. It's always easy to get into the story. But the last book I read by her really pushed the limits of what I'm OK with in a romance novel. This one was better. I liked the hero and how he paced himself. The heroine was interesting and I feel she came across in a believable way. The way the love between the characters built up was also believable to me. I think there might've been one or two cuss words, but those were mild and understandable. (It's been a couple days since I finished this, I think, so I could be wrong. Time is something I don't necessarily pay attention to when it comes to things like this.)
If you enjoy well-paced romance free of graphic sex, with believable characters and a good, solid story, then you might enjoy this book.

View all my reviews
Sorry for the late post! I tried, but this morning was a slow start. Too many things I want to do and all of them in the morning... It happens. In any case, I hope you find something interesting in today's post. Please visit again next Friday!
Until next time,
Keep turning pages...

Planning and Prepping in Progress

 Welcome to the scenic route! I hope you've had a fantastic week. I've been enjoying the wonderful autumn crispness, as our temps have dropped a little. It's been fabulous having the windows open and fresh air filling our home. But let me get to the writing things...

Author Journey: Planning and Prepping

If you've been reading the last few posts, you know I've been trying out a new program called Plottr to help me plan my newest WIP. I've been comparing it with Campfire Pro. 

Today, I'd like to talk a little about another program designed to help creators (or anyone, really) stay organized. It's called Obsidian and my techy husband is the one who urged me to give it a try. So I downloaded the free program (which is available on most operating systems). 

What I like about it so far is how stripped down it is. I also appreciate that there are several color themes you can apply so that it works for your personal needs. My eyes are super sensitive to computer screens so dark themes work better for me. They had a few of those to choose from and I absolutely love that! The first one I tried had white letters which wasn't exactly easy. The second one offered gray letters and I found it fit my needs best. 

So far, I've set up a few folders with some documents pertaining to each topic. I plan to watch a couple of videos to help me get the best use out of the program/app. Honestly, if this one works, I'll probably drop Plottr since that program will cost me a little chunk to get the lifetime option. 

Just a quick reminder, I don't get paid by any of these companies. I'm just letting you know what I'm trying and what works/doesn't work for me. 

Writer's Life: The Holiday Season is Here...

...And I'm not ready. Even though I have a steampunk costume for both my youngest daughter and me to wear for the Trunk-or-Treat event our church is hosting, one of the key pieces of my costume got ruined because of the super-high humidity in our area this past year. The fabulous boots you see in the photo below are, alas!, no more. 

I'm going to miss those boots and the completeness of my costume. I do have a backup pair of boots, but they're less serious-looking. Like, these boots are sharp, but the others are softer, I guess. 

In any case, I'm just glad I had a costume ready for this year. I had planned to wear the new Shinnoahn merka (merchant) costume I've been working on, but I haven't had the determination to finish it. The simple things that are left aren't so simple in reality and I'm dreading making another mistake. I don't have enough fabric to allow for that. The only think I may have to sew is a tunic for my daughter as the shirt I made for the costume she'll be wearing may be to big for her. 

I'm just really looking forward to being able to participate in the fun of the holidays with my friends and see smiles on kids' faces. :) 

Book Notes: Kari Trumbo

I just started reading the Brothers of Belle Fourche series by Kari Trumbo. I happened to see she was offering a collection of the first three books in the series at a reduced price for a short time and hopped on it. I do love her writing, whether it's contemporary or historical. She does a wonderful job of crafting deep characters and weaving a plot that isn't full of fluff. 

Book Review: Teach Me to Love (book 1)

Teach Me To Love by Kari Trumbo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent story! I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the depth of the characters and thought the pacing was just right. Sweet, clean, inspirational without being preachy, it’s a win all around for me.

View all my reviews
I know the review is short, but honestly, it was past midnight when I finished it and it's hard to write a comprehensive review when you're struggling to keep your eyes open. Besides, I think I summed it up well. I loved the particular struggles these two MCs faced and their journey to love just really hooked me. I was rooting for them from the very start. 
Currently Reading: 
What the Heart Holds (book 2)
I just started reading the second book in the series and look forward to it. If Kari holds true to her usual level of quality, it'll be awesome. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you find something helpful or useful in today's post. 
Until next time,
Keep turning pages...

I'm Late! Argh!

 Drat! I had so hoped to get a great post out to you today. We've been prepping my youngest daughter's room to paint it and it's totally taken over my time. I'm not resentful of that, just being honest about how things stand. 😁 Keep reading for a very brief update on how my writing's been going. 

Author Journey: So...How's It Going?

It's been going. Slowly. So far, I think Plottr might be an asset, but it's not so fun to use. I like to be able to see everything at a glance and I'm not seeing that so well. Scrivener and Campfire do a little better there. Campfire is colorful without being harsh on the eyes. Scrivener has gotten more business-like, and while that might spur some on to greater productivity, it distracts me. Plottr is similar, though not as harsh on my eyes since there's a dark theme. 

I've used these Plottr options satisfactorily:

add book - super easy to do and very simple filling in only a few blanksadd character - super easy on the surface, but so many options of how to fill in character details. While that'd be super awesome for a long novel, it's not so great for the short vignettes I'm going to be writing. I just don't have time to fill in so many details...but details are what I like to do. So I'm having trouble choosing which options to fill in and which ones I can skip. As you can see, I haven't been able to take advantage of a lot of the tools on the program yet, but I'm going to be getting there very soon. 

I went back through my titles this week and jotted down ideas for the focus of each vignette, so I feel a little more confident there. 

That's pretty much it for this week's work and update. 

I'm sorry there's not much more, but I'll have a better post for you next Friday. Thanks for stopping by! 

Until next time, 
Keep turning pages...

A Little Bit of Progress

 Welcome! I'm so glad you're here because victories should be shared, right? Keep reading to see what I'm talking about. 

Author Journey: A Little Bit of Progress

So last week, I shared that the titles I hoped to use were set up in my Scrivener files. This week, I wanted to start working on characters to people my stories. I managed to create one. He's interesting... I don't know how much of what I wrote down will actually carry over into the story, but he looks like a person and feels like a person...somewhat. I'm wondering if I'm heading the right direction with my character choice and variety. Time will tell, I suppose.

I'm trying out a new program to help me with plotting. I don't usually need that because I'm pretty good at jotting stories down when it comes to fantasy. But for basic fiction? I'm not so sure of my ability there. Modern life confuses me more often than it doesn't and the insane amount of unintended hurt that goes on breaks my heart. And knowing myself, I might fall into that last category. I don't want that kind of headache while writing, nor that kind of result once the story is done. But how do you balance the need for reality and the obvious fact that a fiction story is completely made-up. How do I do it in a way that people can really get into the story? 

So I'm fighting my way past that uncertainty about the genre while trying to get some planning done on specific stories. If I can nail down about ten main characters and ten basic scenarios, I think that'll get me into the right mindset. 

So that new program... I'd heard about Plottr a good while back. I want to say they sponsored Nano one year. I looked into it, but thought it was too expensive, especially since I was writing a super comfortable genre at the time and didn't really see how it could help me more than the programs I already had. So far, I like the versatility and the options available to craft stories. I've only scratched the surface, it seems, so as I learn the program details, I'll share my findings. 

Below, you can see the character planning page. They allow you to use several different character building methods to fill in the blanks quite nicely. I find that knowing my characters well means that when I write them, they'll come out looking natural. Half the stuff I packed into this character's sheet probably won't even show up in the story, but it all works together to make him who he is. 

Writer's Life: Good Things and Sad Things

Well, there was a mix of good and sad happenings over the past week. Two of our little kittens were doing well. We lost one during the day. We think she bumbled her way into the yard and a predator got her. The rest were fine until the end of the week when we had to leave them outside of the kennel for the night. The next morning, they were gone. No trace. So probably the barn owls had a hearty meal. The only bright side to that would be the fact that the barn owls are thriving out here. And "beasties gotta eat," so to almost speak. 

A good thing that's happening is that I'm able to sing with the music group at our church. I hate to say worship team, because the whole service is worship, but yeah. It's been fun so far and I look forward to using the gifts God has given me with this great group of people. 

Book Shelf: Currently Reading

I don't have any reviews ready to share with you this week, but I thought I'd share the ones I'm currently reading. 

Duties of Christian Fellowship: A Manual for Church Members by John OwenShow Me a Reunion (Cowboy Crossing Romances #10) by Alexa VerdeDuties of Christian Fellowship is a short book. One of the young men at our church who is training to become a minister recommended this book to us during one of our Sunday night classes months ago. I'm just now getting started but I look forward to learning more about what I need to be doing as part of the body of believers at my church. I'm going to take it one rule at a time (the book's divided that way) so I can really take in what I'm reading and hopefully, it'll stick. 

Show Me a Reunion is one of a long series of books. They're interesting enough to keep me reading, but none of them have really rated quite the full five stars. This one is getting really intense, though. It might make it all the way, depending on a few things. 

I'd recommend the first to anyone who belongs to a congregation made up of those who believe in the accuracy and inerrancy of the Bible. Otherwise, I don't think this book would be useful to you. 

The second book I'd recommend to anyone looking for an easy romance which is clean and does seem to grab the attention rather well. 

 Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope you found this post entertaining and/or useful. You can always let me know what you think in the comment section or one of my social media pages. I try to share the blog link on them, though I think I missed it last week. 

Please visit again next weekend!

Until next time,
Keep turning pages...

Finally! Some Good News to Share!

 Welcome! I'm so happy I have good news to share in the writing update. There's also been some good things happening in general, so let me get right to the post. 

Author Journey: Writing Update

I am so happy to report progress has been made this week. I managed to sit down and create Scrivener and Campfire files for my upcoming Nano project. Not only that, the Scrivener file contains titles for each of the short stories I want to write. I can't wait to actually get started, though I am still somewhat anxious. 

I don't usually write general fiction that takes place in the world we know. These will be set in modern day or perhaps as far back as post-WW2. I haven't nailed down the specifics yet. I do know some of the topics covered will include military life from a spouse's POV, friendship, loyalty and betrayal, honesty, overcoming difficulties, and faithful living as a Christian. 

Would you like to see the titles? I'll share my ten favorite titles with you, though I can't take credit for them. My plan was to pull titles from a favorite hymn and write vignettes to go with them. The hymn I chose is Faith is the Victory  by John Henry Yates (music by Ira David Sankey). Remember, these are my ten favorites, not in the order they'll necessarily appear in the book. 

Christian Soldiers RiseVeil the Glowing SkiesHis Banner Over UsSaints AboveA Whirlwind's BreathThey Conquered DeathThe Foe We FindIn Dread ArrayThe Earth Shall TrembleOnward to the FrayMaybe having seen these, you'll get some ideas to start a new creative work, too. I'm excited to see what this project comes to once it's complete. Having gone through these titles again, I could probably write a memoir using them. I guess we'll see what happens during November. 

On another writing front, I'm trying out a new plotting program called Plottr. It's still very new to me, since I just downloaded it yesterday. I do think it'll bring a freshness to my planning process...when I do planning. I'm usually a plantser, I'll get a general idea of what I'd like to see happen, then just wing it. But the new project needs more detailed planning than that. 

What I like about the program so far:

 So many planning options! They've got a planning option for every basic genre (mystery, horror, romance, etc.) and style (poetry, prose, screenplay, etc.)The program has a lifetime purchase option, and several other options for me to choose from. But that lifetime option is what I prefer. This will allow me to download it on my computer and use it offline without the headache of remembering that recurring fee. Once you purchase the program or pay for your subscription, you can use it on several devices which makes it really versatile. It'll be fun to seeing how this program might help me write a better book. I'll keep you posted. 

Another upcoming event is the ALLi Self-Publishing Advice Conference. I wasn't able to attend it last year, but this year's different. I can't wait! Since our internet is better now, I should be able to watch the videos and participate in the Q&A more easily. That's going to be October 19-20. 

Writer's Life: So Many New Things!

There's been a lot going on over the last few months. Since helping with the music portion of our church's worship service while our usual music leader took a short leave, I guess I proved my mettle or something. I was asked to join the regular music worship group this past week and had my first practice with them yesterday. It's going to be a challenge, but one I look forward to. 

We've been having more of our church friends over for meals and fellowship. That's been going well enough. It never fails to crack me up when people see our mannequin heads on display. To me, they're craft projects. But to almost everyone else, they're creepy. shrugs As my mom would say, "To each his own." 

My mom's still having a little trouble with anxiety (well, I think it's anxiety) so your prayers on her behalf are appreciated. We'll see her PCM on Monday and go from there. Hopefully, we can get some answers to what's going on. 

Another thing that's been keeping me busy is feeding and cleaning two little orphan kittens. Their momma just disappeared earlier this week. We saw her eating one day, then we never saw her again after that. The smallest kitten in her litter is now gone, so we think maybe a predator got that one. But the other two are lively, eat well, and right now, are playing outside my window. We have a nice warm kennel to keep them in at night, so hopefully, they'll survive. One is gray. The other is black. 

Spartacus is doing very well. He's extremely uncertain about these kittens that get to eat the "yummier" food. And while I'd normally let him actually check them out rather than just look at them and sort of sniff in their direction, I have no idea what parasites or germs they might have picked up outside. I don't want to risk his health. 

Book Reviews: Joy Ohagwu Inspirational Romances

I read a 3-book collection but wrote separate reviews for each of the books in the collection. I'll share them today. 

Uncommon Ground by Joy Ohagwu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If it wasn’t for quite a few oddly worded spots in the story, I would’ve given it five stars. Please do read it if you enjoy suspense romance that clean and with a strong emphasis on faith. The plot made sense to me and the characters were interesting. That made me want to keep reading despite the wording issues. I believe it really is worth your time.

View all my reviews

Unbound Hope by Joy Ohagwu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Again, some of the wording was stilted, just kind of choppy, in this second book of the series. But the plot worked for me. The MCs were interesting, though I really didn’t understand the heroine’s reluctance to trust someone who proved over and over they were trustworthy. This story is clean and the suspense is mild. The faith element is strong, but not preachy. If you’re a fan of these things, you might enjoy this book. I know I’m moving on to the third book.

View all my reviews

Unshaken Love by Joy Ohagwu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Good story! I felt like it ran a lot long, but the content was good. The characters were easy to love and root for. It’s a clean romance with more drama/suspense. There was only one mild expletive, spoken by a villain, so it fit well in my opinion. At least, I didn’t find it offensive. I do highly recommend this book as well as the previous books in the series. If you enjoy godly, suspense romance, then you should give it a try.

View all my reviews
What do you think? Do these look interesting to you? 
I'm currently reading the second-to-last story in the Alexa Verde collection I was reading the last time I shared books with you. I took a break from the collection to read a different book by Alexa. I think I read another book after that, then went back to the collection. I'll be finishing that up soon, I think. 
On my autumn TBR, which I share on social media earlier this week, I've added these gems:Duties of Christian Fellowship by John OwenBy Grace Alone - How the Grace of God Amazes Me by Sinclair B. FergusonAssurance - Twenty Tests for God's Children by Susan HeckA Call to Scripture Memory by Susan Heck

Maybe you'd like to add one of these non-fiction, Christian living books to your TBR. I'd love to know which ones look interesting to you. 

Thanks for taking the time to read through this post today. I think the parts that take the longest, are those which require adding links in. Goodreads is a difficult site to work with at times. It took a while to find the book by John Owen. Who knew there'd be 100 pages of books by "John Owen"? I eventually just put the title in. I did find a new book to add to my want to read list, though... Walking Humbly With God by the same author.
I hope you stop by again next Friday. Maybe that post will go out on time. Who knows? 
Until next time,Keep Turning Pages...

Rushing Yet Again

 Welcome! I'm rushing to get this blog post out. What's new about that, though, eh? Seriously, the days kind of smish together in my head and I forget how fast Friday comes around. 

Author Journey: General Non-Update

There's nothing much to report here, other than I'm still trying to get through the read-through of Surge. You'd think reading through a manuscript wouldn't be a hardship. But considering how crazy my schedule has been lately, it's amazing I'm getting anything done at all. 

I watched a Hallmark movie last night. The heroine was an author who was losing her love for the genre she wrote. When confronted by the hero that she knew nothing about teamwork, she responded with the statement that she did have a team working with her to get her book out there. 

I must say I felt called out for a long while. I'm just now realizing I do in fact have a team of sorts who help me to get books written and published. I do a lot, and I mean A LOT, of the work myself. But I have a blessed handful of willing beta readers and community support through my local library and one local area school who keeps asking me to come back to read to their students. That support, help, and encouragement means a lot to me and speeds the process along a bit faster than otherwise. 

I still haven't been able to sit down and do a little planning for the upcoming Nano event. I look forward to doing that, though. 

Writer's Life: Busyness, As Usual

The new norm for me is busyness. And when it's not, I'm collapsing on the sofa and eating chips. ...OK... Not really, but when I'm not busy, I'm really not working. I'm playing a game on my phone or watching a documentary on crime, or watching an old movie, or some combo of those things. 

I managed to get all the door prizes done for the women's conference at my church. Then moved on to putting a couple of mug rugs and some coasters together to add to a house-warming basket. I wanted to do this for a couple from our church who went out of their way to make us feel welcome when we first started going there. I just hadn't had an idea of what I wanted to include until recently. 

I also need to create a vest for my husband's Shinnoahn merchant costume for the Trunk-or-Treat theme we chose this year. I went with that theme because I still haven't worn that new costume I was working so hard on at the beginning of the year. I can't wait and I hope this October is chillier than usual because I'm going to die of dehydration otherwise. sigh We bought most of the pieces my husband needed, because men's clothes aren't so easy to put together and certainly not with as many things as I have going on right now. So I'm sticking to making his vest and finding a way to add embroidered appliques to it, the waist wrapping cloth, the wrap for his head, and his shirt. We were even able to order a pair of boots for him. I'm excited!

What are your costume ideas this year, if I may ask?

The other major project I'm working on is a set of valances for a friend. I'm having to psyche myself up to get started because the fabric is really nice and there's not a lot of room for mistakes. I have everything ready to start, I just need to get going on it. And I will. Next Monday afternoon. 

Thanks for stopping by, y'all! I hope I'll have more to share with you next week. I make no promises, though. I just can't. The vest must be done by the end of next month. The curtains are a paying gig, so I need to get those done. They're high on the priority list, while this blog, sits a bit lower. And all these things rank lower than taking care of home and family. It is what it is.

I hope you'll come back next Friday to see whether I've made any progress or not. 

Until next time,
Keep turning pages...

Very Quick, Very Simple Update

 Welcome! I hope you've been having a good week. Ours has been interesting. We missed the bulk of the hurricane that passed through. We got one or two rain bands, but nothing serious. We're thanking God for that! Read on to hear a bit more...

Author Journey: Update

There's been nothing new here, except that I'm trying to be more consistent with social media. It's been OK. I'm not posting every day, but I'm getting something out there at least weekly or bi-weekly. I haven't been able to sit down with a planning guide and start jotting down ideas for the Nano project yet, but I will start before the month is gone. 

Writer's Life: A Whole Lot More Happening Here

This week started out with prep for the hurricane. Monday's grocery run was a pain because everyone waits until the last minute to do all their hurricane prep. We try to plan as much as possible in advance so we only need to pick up things like batteries or fill gas cans. At least it didn't induce a panic attack or anything like that. 

Tuesday, my girls and I had brunch with a friend. It's so nice to have women friends who are encouraging me and my girls to stand firm in our faith. Today, I'm supposed to have a visit with another friend who I haven't seen in probably two years or so. It feels like forever! I'm so glad we were able to set up this visit and I'm hoping it goes well. 

Wednesday was a chill day. We stayed home and kept an eye on the track of the weather, praying for our relatives who were in the path of it. 

Yesterday, I finally got to visit the small Hobby Lobby store that opened up down the road from our church. It's been open for a while, but I hadn't had a chance to check it out. It's small, but I'm so happy to have access to one that isn't in the heart of the busy section of the nearest large city. 

This morning, one of the outlets in our living room died. So we'll have to figure out which one and replace it. For now, we're functioning on hot spots for internet. That's why today's post is a simple update. I just don't have the time to wait for Goodreads to load and then for the copy/paste to load. It's just not gonna happen today. I'll have those next week, unless something else happens to the internet. 

Spartacus is still fat, sassy, and happy. Well, he's 14 lbs, so maybe he's fat. But it could be we're just doing a good job of taking care of him and he's thriving. He's had to learn how to navigate a toddler and a 12-18 month old baby recently. I'm proud of how well he did. No cats or littles were injured during that visit. Yea!

Thank y'all so much for stopping by. I hope you're having fun writing and creating and that you'll have a blessed weekend. 

Until next time,
Keep turning pages...