October 2021 Monthly Wrap-Up
October started out busy and fun. Then my health took a really bad turn for the worse, and I was back in survival mode. The two best things that happened this month: I saw my first Broadway musical (and first musical, period) since January 2020 (and it was one of my favorite shows–cue all the sobs), and I finished writing my novel!!!
This month I’m…
Reading: Every Good Endeavor, Timothy J. Keller. Scar Island, Dan Geimenhart. Beyond the Mapped Stars, Rosalyn Eve. Hope in the Mail, Wendelin Van Draanen. The Skylarks’ War, Hilary McKay. The Secret of Nightingale Wood, Lucy Strange. A Sliver of Light, Shane Bauer. The Huntress, Kate Quinn. Food Saved Me, Danielle Walker. Tweet Cute, Emma Lord (reread). Traitor, Amanda McCrina. Isla and the Happily Ever After, Anna and the French Kiss, and Lola and the Boy Next Door, Stephanie Perkins (rereads). Defy the Night, Brigid Kemmerer. Forever Young, Hayley Mills. 16 total.
Listening to: Maisie Peters’ You Signed Up For This album. The Little Women (2019) soundtrack and Oh Wonder’s new 22 Break album, for my novel. Alessia Cara’s new In the Meantime album. Hadestown. This acoustic worship playlist. This “autumn in New York” playlist. Lizzy McAlpine. Skinny Dipping (acoustic), Sabrina Carpenter. Sailboat (remastered), Ben Rector. The Kate and Abbie Show.
Watching: On YouTube–Joy and Jahvis videos, Cut Truth or Drink videos, Jordan Bauth (as research for a new novel idea…). 10 Things I Hate About You. Come From Away. Gilmore Girls (season four). Dead Poets Society. The Hunger Games. Spinning Out (rewatch).
Writing: I FINISHED MY YA CONTEMPORARY NOVEL (currently titled Things We’ve Lost)!!! I ended up writing about 40,000 words in a month, I think, and I really can’t say enough about how magical the process was–see below for more of my thoughts on that. I also spent time brainstorming and plotting a new novel (currently titled The Art of Staying). Outside of my novels (and work, lol), I did volunteer work with the Diamonds Conference, People Hope, and Chronic Joy. I also attended a few great writing webinars, most of them by the wonderful Nadine Brandes and Sara Ella. And I wrote letters to pen pals.
Buying: A portable Bluetooth speaker (which was literally LIFE CHANGING, I don’t know how I lived before owning this). The Little Women (2019) soundtrack piano book. A fall candle I’m in love with. Ravenclaw makeup for Halloween. A GUITAR ANDDDD A UKULELE!!! (someone take my debit card away) I’m literally the most excited, I’ve been meaning to learn to play guitar for years.
Grateful for: Talking to friends about our writing processes. Sweet compliments from a little brother-like friend. Being out in the world again. A handwritten letter from my grandpa. My other grandpa helping me with novel research. Vocal stamina. Fall vibes. Novels writing themselves in my head. Seeing a pretty pink sunrise. Being able to drive again after six months.
What did you do in October? Have you seen any musicals lately, or watched any good movies?
