January 2024 Roundup

Writing Resolutions: New Year, Same Year Reminders About What You Can Control ...

January 2024 Roundup

Welcome to the January 2024 roundup!

And here we are at the start of another new year, full of creative possibilities… and I’ve got nothing.

Spending 2023 editing and publishing the final book in my Blackbirch series saw burnout hit me hard, and it’s taking longer than usual to get back into creative mode. 9 years of social media posting has also become more than a chore, especially with the implosion of Twitter and the algorithms of Instagram and Facebook making it harder for posts to be seen—even by those who have been following you for 9 years.

I know social media isn’t—and shouldn’t be—the be-all and end-all, but it’s frustrating to spend time every week making graphics in the hopes of getting yourself, blogs, and books “out there” and then no one sees them or the majority of interaction you get is from spambots. I know it’s not just my writer accounts having this problem and everyone but a rare few are in the same boat, but it and years of posting the same old content have both contributed to my lack of creativity.

With that in mind, I took a break from making graphics and went back to what I originally loved about Insta and have been posting just photos. Because of this, I don’t have my usual Writing Tip, Review/Book Teaser, and Quote Of The Month for this Roundup, but I will get back into these posts next month, as not posting them also means I’m not promoting this blog or my books. As for the rest of January, this is what I got up to…

What I’ve Been…Writing

Very little! Without an active manuscript to work on, I found it hard to motivate myself to write anything. For the first time in the 7 years that I’ve been blogging, I also missed adding a new blog on a scheduled blogging week (last Friday). I just didn’t have anything I felt was worthy enough to post for you guys, so I didn’t.

Hopefully, the recent digital and physical clean-ups I did, and school going back for my household this week, should pull me out of the funk. I’m confident the return to my usual routine will see my blogging revert to the usual 3 posts a month.

I also wanted to add a big thank you to those who’ve asked what I’m working on next. I was pleasantly surprised anyone was interested in knowing, let alone more than one person, and I appreciate your private messages and questions on my social media posts. While I’m not certain what form it’ll take yet, I will get back into writing novels this year and will be aiming for a stand-alone story this time.

Watching

Anyone But You

While it doesn’t quite hit the heady heights of a classic romantic comedy, Anyone But You is the closest we’ve had in a while. When Bea meets Ben on a rare night out, they hit it off instantly, but a miscommunication ends their romance before it starts, turning them into enemies. When they’re both guests at a destination wedding also attended by their exes, they team up and act like they’re in love, while of course, really falling in love. No doubt you’ve heard about the chemistry of Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, and it’s certainly there on the screen, which helps to elevate the movie. While some of the story beats could have been stronger to make a bigger impact, everything you want is there in this predictable-yet-heart-warming love story, making it worth a watch for fans of romantic comedies.

Mean Girls (2024)

While nothing will top the original classic because no one will ever come close to the chemistry of the original Mean Girls actors, this musical remake makes a valiant effort. The story is the same, just with added social media, and of course, some pretty catchy songs. When Cady Herron moves from being home-schooled in Africa to having to navigate high school, she quickly learns from her new friends Janice and Damian, whom to avoid. It’s Regina George and The Plastics, a group of girls who run the school. When Cady has the chance to take them down by pretending to befriend them, she becomes Plastic herself and learns some harsh truths.

Fool Me Once

Watching Harlen Coben adaptions, an American author whose books are always made into UK/European mini-series, is one of my Netflix guilty pleasures. His latest, Fool Me Once, centers around Maya and the death of her husband, Joe. Shot one night while out for a walk, the mystery of who killed Joe plays one part, while the mystery of how he’s on a hidden nanny cam visiting their daughter after his funeral is another. Told she’s seeing things by the detective in charge of the case (who has his own shocking secrets), and Joe’s family, Maya works to get to the bottom of the mystery, leading to a final episode full of genuinely shocking moments and reveals.

The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart

This series, based on the book by Holly Ringland, has been on my watchlist for a while, and I’m sorry I took so long to get to it. It’s beautifully filmed, has twists and secrets that are layered perfectly, and is superbly acted (extra kudos to Sigourney Weaver for doing her best Australian accent as she plays Alice’s bitter, meddling grandmother). When 9-year-old Alice Hart starts a fire that kills her abusive father and pregnant mother, it sets her on a path that breaks open old wounds, family secrets, and leads to a life where if she doesn’t learn from her past, she’ll fall into a future of repeated history. Highly recommended for those who love betrayals, secrets, empowerment, and emotional stakes.

Reading

The Shallows by Holly Craig

When Emma gets a note from a new neighbor, Ariella, begging for help to escape the dangerous and volatile nature of her husband and his business dealings, Emma risks her chance at a new life to help. When Ariella is murdered, and Emma and her young kids are the only witnesses, they’re taken prisoner on a remote island, where the dangerous shallows surrounding them may be their only means of escape.

It could have been easy for rich Emma to come across as whiny or privileged, but Author Holly Craig keeps her on the right side of sympathetic and is a master at uncovering secrets and reveals at just the right time. Jam-packed with enough questions to keep you guessing, betrayals galore, and an exciting finale, The Shallows is an entertaining read.

The Eleventh Floor By Kylie Orr

When Gracie takes a rare night off from motherhood to get some sleep in a fancy hotel, she lets loose and ends up in the hotel bar. Hours later, she awakens in a stranger’s hotel room, and witnesses something from the window she’s not sure is real. When it turns out that it is, Gracie has to decide if she’ll reveal her secrets and blow up her marriage to help solve the mystery.

Boy, did this book go in directions I didn’t think it would. But that’s a good thing. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and the voice of Gracie, expertly crafted by author Kylie Orr, kept me turning every page. She was such an interesting and relatable character, and the situations she kept finding herself in were so interesting that I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen. Definitely one for those who enjoy domestic thrillers where everyday lives are broken down by lies and their consequences.

The Day The Earth Turned Book 3: Winter by Chantelle Atkins

This is the third book in this dystopian series which has seen a mysterious illness take out most of the world’s adult population. With kids and teens left to run things, they’ve overcome in-fighting and increasing attacks from nature and animals to be trapped by one of the only adults left. David, passing himself off as a Pastor, is intent on rebuilding the world and uses violence to do it. After kidnapping Chess, his group is infiltrated by Reuben and Gus, former enemies now working together, to get her back while the mother of all winter storms hits town.

This series just goes from strength to strength. The characters are the real backbone and the friendships they make, the families they form, and what they’re willing to do for each other is the heart of the series and this book. The closing chapters are a roller-coaster of events leading to yet another nail-biting cliffhanger that sets up the fourth book (out in March) perfectly.

Christopher Pike Books

Inspired by the Netflix series, The Midnight Club, I’m re-reading the books of my favorite author, Christopher Pike, and enjoying the nostalgia and reading for fun and not to review. In 2022/2023, I read Pike’s YA books. For 2024, I’m reading his Adult books.

This month I read Sati.

If you’ve got any good book recommendations, let me know in the comments, or be my friend on Goodreads and share your books/recommendations! You can also find and follow my reviews and book recommendations on Amazon and BookBub.

If you’d like to add the Blackbirch books to your Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf and/or check out the reviews, click the following links:

Blackbirch: The Beginning Blackbirch: The Dark Half Blackbirch: The Ritual Blackbirch: The Collector

Taking Photos Of

My writing desk/space. Despite being lost in regards to what to work on, I did spend a lot of time in my writing space this month, giving it a refresh (after the demise of my beloved big whiteboard) and a digital and physical clean-up in the hope it would boost my creativity.