Reading my Own Work

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I'm settling in to write novel #4 in the Menopausal Superheroes series. I've been on a hiatus from writing in that series for two years, not because I was done telling the stories but for business reasons (short version: old publisher fell apart, got rights back, republished with a new company. Details in this blog post). 
Throughout 2020, I've worked with Falstaff books to bring out two novellas and a collection of short stories (due out in August!) in the series, but these are all things that I wrote in 2015-2018. So, editing put me back in this universe again, but not in the same immersive way as actively writing with these characters. 
To get into the right head-space, I decided I had best re-read my own series, making notes about seeds I had planted or threads I had begun that might be developed for books 4 and 5. 
The good news:  I still LOVE these characters and this world. My menopausal heroes still amaze me with their bravery, honesty, and caring. I can hardly wait to spend the next few months fighting, living, and learning alongside such fabulous imaginary friends. 
And re-reading my old work is not making me cringe. I worried it might. Sometimes, it's like that--you learn so much across a writing career, and reading work by "past me" can make me want to snatch it back and do it over. I do think I'm a better writer now than I was in 2015 when the first novel came out, but I still think 2015 Samantha was a damned decent storyteller with a creative premise and good emotional engagement. 
I love the energy I'm catching from the characters: 

Wish me luck guys! I'll be working to recapture the magic and energy and form it into something new. Something you can read in 2021!