Sandy Williams's Blog, page 6

Lost Time

A number of pocket watches on chain isolated on white

I’ve maintained a decent word count since returning from the writing retreat this weekend. I’ve been listening to music more, deliberately blocking news/media from my consciousness, and timing my writing time. I’m working in 30 minute blocks, and once I start a block, I make myself focus on the story until the timer goes off. It’s impressive what you can accomplish when you really set your mind to it.

Back from my Writing Retreat!

Happy Monday, everyone! I had a FANTASTIC weekend! Got about 6,800 words written on Kennedy Rain’s book, which is about what I write during a good week (I need a lot more “good” writing weeks!).

I’ve come to terms with my slow deliberate writing, thanks to Becca Syme. She’s a Strengthsfinders coach and author who teaches writers how to Write Better Faster. I’m never going to be “fast,” but if I get the right habits going, I can definitely be fastER. I’m working on it.

T-minus 1 Day

Writing retreat starts tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yall, I can’t tell you how much I love these retreats. This is the third one, and I cannot wait. I drive about an hour north of my home to meet up with writers from the Dallas Area Romance Authors, and we stay in a house that is designed for scrapbooking retreats. The setup is perfect. We all get our own desks with tons of space in a sort of combined living/sitting room that stretches from one side of the house to the other. And the only thing we h...

This is the book you’ve been looking for.

I found the book of my dreams, guys! I am so freaking in love with it. With EVERYTHING in it! It’s perfect. So perfect!

Everything I want to happens happens. Things I didn’t know I wanted to happen happen too.

And the characters are all amazing. I’m in love!

The first book is Star Nomad, and it’s by Lindsay Buroker. Here’s the cover.

I know. I was unaware of the awesomesauce inside this cover for forever, too.* It’s actually been sitting on my Kindle since *runs off to check* September 28, 20...

On Cokes and Cars and Chucking It

If you’re born in the south, or at least in Texas, there’s a good chance you refer to any can of soda as a coke. If we’re at a restaurant and I tell Spreadsheet Guy to order me a coke, he knows I don’t mean Coke. I hate straight-up Coke. When I say coke, it means Diet Coke or Diet Dr. Pepper or, if I’m desperate and the restaurant sucks, a Diet Pepsi. But a coke means any coke. Or soda for all you weird folks.

An Apology and a Beginning

Today I looked up the date that I published Shades of Honor. I couldn’t quite remember when it was, but I was still shocked that it’s almost been two years.

Two years!

It felt like one, and it’s just crazy that it’s taking me so long to write the third anomaly novel. But I know why it’s not done.

It’s hard. Like, really hard. I can’t get the words to match the story. I love the characters and the plot and the spaceships and all the action. I don’t love the third person POV.

There. I said it....

Want to know what Rykus smells like?

I know. That’s, like, the weirdest headline ever, right? But I’m serious!

I’ve been playing around with essential oils for almost a year (it was part of my need-to-get-healthier kick). I recently bought Vetiver because I read somewhere that it can help with focus, and lord knows I need to focus on finishing Shades of Allegiance! So I took it out to put on. It didn’t come out of the bottle, really. Don’t know why. Maybe because it’s new? But I got annoyed with trying (I could have taken the l...

Nonfiction Review: How to Break up with Your Phone

How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ll give this one 3.5.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book. I find brain science fascinating, and the changes that phones/screens can make to our brains is cool and scary, especially in kids. I definitely notice a difference in my boys when they have too much screen time. Anything over an hour, and I usually end up with grumpy kids. But sometimes, well, make that a lot of...

Goodbye Year of Detox. Hello Year of Habit.

The word “DETOX” written in vintage wooden letterpress type.

2017 wasn’t bad. It was actually a pretty good year, though it started rather rough. In February I learned I needed a pacemaker, and that mentally rocked me. But after I got my robot in April, most of my anxiety issues have disappeared.

In other words, the pacemaker is the best thing ever! I went from not being able to drive on the highway to driving all the way to Houston (four hours) without any problem at all. Hurray!

But I still...

My Year in Books (2017)

I love the year end summary Goodreads gives its readers (you can view mine here). It always surprises me to see how long ago I read a book, or how many pages I read in a year, or how few books I got around to reading.

Last year, I read 21 books. Not great, but probably more than the average American.

This year, I’ve read 21 books. Boo! I’m down one. But I read 7,580 pages this year as opposed to 7,244 last year. And I read some REALLY great books! I think this year might be my best reading ye...