March 2024 Roundup

Welcome to the March 2024 roundup!

While I normally post my roundup blog on the last day of the month, for March it falls on the long weekend of Easter, so I thought I’d publish before then so I could enjoy the time off with my family.

Not too long ago, aka last year, I would have stuck to my posting schedule and worked over the long weekend, as I did with most weekends while in the midst of writing or editing. That, however, led to burnout, so I’ve been slowly changing my ways.

While that’s much easier to do without an active WIP and a deadline, I’ve found that pacing myself and having regular breaks has made me want to work on writing-related things rather than feeling like it’s a chore. Last year, I realized too late that you shouldn’t get to that point, and it put me in a weird funk for a while. Another weird funk was the constant doom-scrolling on social media. I got into this too much during the pandemic, and it was a hard habit to break.

Last November when I went on my cruise and had no Internet access for a few days, I started baby-stepping out of it, but noticed the social media overuse creeping back in. One of my 2024 New Year’s resolutions was to stay off Twitter now that it’s become even more of a cesspool, but I recently realized I was replacing my time spent there on Threads instead. Then the whole Kate-Gate saga happened where the whole of social media was overtaken by conspiracy theories about Princess Catherine. Then when she revealed her cancer diagnosis, and I saw people still trying to say her announcement video was an AI fake, I knew I was done wasting my day reading junk. Life is way too short.

Now, I’m more than happy to only go on the social media platforms I like, post my posts, check and support the accounts I love to follow, and get out of there. I’d rather be reading or writing, and I’m sorry it’s taken so long to take such an obvious revelation so seriously.

Anyway, that was my March, which I’m planning to finish off with way too many hot cross buns and chocolate. But before then, this is what I got up to…

What I’ve Been…Writing

Blogs. While I don’t have a fictional project to work on, I’m sorting out years of blog post ideas and half-written notes, as well as working out what content I’m missing from my site so I can write about the topics in the future. It’s fun, but also a slow process.

Watching

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live

Like the rest of the world, I once looked forward to every new episode of The Walking Dead. Then it got so bad I didn’t even watch the final episodes of the original series, let alone check out the plethora of spin-offs. But, this new series sees the return of Rick and Michonne, so I thought it’d be worth checking out. So far, it is, with some episodes even feeling like a return to form. After Rick was “killed” in the bridge fire, Michonne never stopped looking for his body. Years later, she finds proof he survived and sets out to find him. Rick had been taken by a community that wants to rebuild the world and use his skills to do it, but it means he can never leave. Spending years trying, and failing, to escape has left him broken, but then Michonne shows up, and if this limited series doesn’t end with them and their kids in a reunion at Alexandria, I’ll be very annoyed. Until then, I’m enjoying the episodes that have been released so far.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

This is the second movie in the new Ghostbusters reboot that combines new Busters with the original Busters, and I’m here for it. The Spengler family, along with science teacher turned step-father, Gary Grooberson, (played by the always funny Paul Rudd) have moved to the city to take up residence in the old firehouse and bust ghosts. This of course leads to ancient prophecies, the end of the world, and so many cameos, references, and callbacks to Ghostbuster folklore that it’s sure to please both old and new fans. The special effects are good, there are some genuinely scary scenes, and the original Ghostbuster cast, including Janine Melnitz and Walter Peck pop up at all the right moments. There’s even a funny mid-credit scene involving those cute new mini marshmallow ghosts, so stick around once the main story ends.

Reading

Making March by Hayley Walsh

Written as a diary-like story, Making March centers on Kate, a recently divorced 40-something single mother to a terrible teenage daughter who is preparing to go to her sister’s wedding. In between wedding prep, hen’s day events, and an eventful cruise, Kate dates for the first time in years and also wonders if a relationship with a friend from her past could be just what she’s looking for. This quick, fun read is relatable, funny, and sometimes very get-off-my-lawn with Kate’s rants/opinions, but it is sure to entertain and delight fans of everyday, realistic romances.

Girl Detective’s Just Wanna Have Fun By Philippa Kaye

Although slower-paced than I normally like my books/mysteries, Girl Detective’s Just Wanna Have Fun is a good intro to the characters and book world, which is part of an upcoming series. Birdie Mealing is a determined 20-something devastated by the abduction of her uncle. He’s a lawyer who was working on a case of missing money and an old bombing where the jailed perpetrator may just be innocent. Looking into those leads, Birdie and her friends cross paths with the young detective assigned to the case, who also happens to have a romantic history with Birdie. The plot is easy to follow and the ‘80s setting is sure to be a nostalgic trip for anyone who lived through that time.

The Day The Earth Turned Book 4: Spring by Chantelle Atkins

Already a fan of this brilliant dystopian series, once I started book four, I couldn’t put it down. Picking up where Winter (book 3) left off, Spring deals with the consequences of David’s fearful rule, Reuben’s near death, and help coming from London that will either save the kids of Heron or be their final downfall as the older teens try to bring back the old world. Smart, with logical lessons that aren’t overdone, this story (and the whole series) makes you think while also being entertaining. Tying up everything that came before it, resolving and making the most of the wonderful and scary character arcs, Spring also leaves enough open that more stories can be added, and I’d certainly love to revisit the world and characters brought to life by talented author, Chantelle Atkins.

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 The Listeners.

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 BeginningBlackbirch: The Dark HalfBlackbirch: The RitualBlackbirch: The Collector Taking Photos Of

My writing assistant, Luna. She’s always on hand to sit on my lap, keyboard, and desk, or hang out with me at 6am when I’m up early morning writing.

Blackbirch Teaser Of The Month

This month’s teaser comes from my debut! Blackbirch: The Beginning is book 1 in my Young Adult series, and kicks off all the magick and mystery, starting with Josh Taylor finding out that part of his disturbing dream has been depicted in an image from a book he comes across while working at his after-school job.

On The Blog

In case you missed any of my posts, or want to re-read them, here are the latest blogs.

February 2024 RoundupCreating An Author Press PackWriting Tricks: Assumptions

Other blogs…

A huge thanks to M.L. Davis, for not only re-starting her awesomely helpful writing blog but also asking me to interview with her! You can check out her fantastic questions about writing, and my rambling answers, at the following link, and don’t forget to read her new (and old) blog posts while you’re there!

Interview with K.M. Allan – Author of the ‘Blackbirch’ series

Well, that’s it for this month. I hope you’ve enjoyed my March Roundup. Let me know what you got up to in the comments!

— K.M. Allan

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