Category: reading

Books I Started in 2024 and Hope to Finish in 2025

Photo by Ed Robertson on Unsplash

Here we are in 2025, a new year, a new opportunity to make things better than last year. New year, new goals. All of that positive new year stuff.

There was a lot I wanted to do in 2024 that has now moved in to 2025. I wanted 2024 to be better, but life sucks sometimes and sometimes life has to kick your ass for you to grow to where you need to be. 2024 was that year for me, full of trials and tribulations.

I started a lot of things in 2024— An MFA program, knitting projects, interior design on an entire half of my house— and there are a lot of things I didn’t finish. One of them being several books.

Here’s the list of books I started in 2024 and how I plan to finish them in 2025.

Note: This post will contain affiliate links, I’ll get a small payment if you buy through the link (Help your artists, please and thank you!) I only recommend things I enjoy and hope you will enjoy too!

Remote Control

By Nnedi Okorafor.

This book was one I chose for the reading for a semester along with The Past is Red. There was a little bit of reading required during the semester, but it was mostly a writing focused class. I’m about 34% of the way through (according to kindle), but it’s been a while, so I might restart from the beginning (or at least consult my notes). The premise is good. The book is interesting, but it’s a slow build, throwing the reader in the middle of the action and then pulling back to “the beginning”.

The Past is Red

By Catherine Valenti

This book I didn’t get very far into. I would read a few chapters, then stop and go “wait, what?”. I feel like trying to read this in a 10 week period was too much, especially with another book. I would like to pick it up again (despite the casual use of some four letter words that seems too immature to me), but I would like to get more into the story before I decide it isn’t for me.

Anne of Green Gables Series: Specifically Anne of Ingleside

By L.M. Montgomery

Fun fact, I actually started reading this series in 2023. I got the giant “whole series” in one book and got through the first 3 of the series fine and then went: Wait a minute! I’m missing one. Actually, I ended up missing two. So I had to buy this one (and another) separately. I intended to read in 2024, but I had to read other things first. So hopefully in 2025?

The Night Angel Trilogy: Specifically Book 3- Beyond the Shadows.

By Brent Weeks

I started reading the first book of this series as a part of my MFA program. I had read the first book before (in 2019 before the world completely changed), but didn’t quite make it through the second book the first time due to several circumstances (including a global pandemic- nurses had to work). Not only did I read the first book, and quickly got through the second while on a break between semesters. I hit book 3 and then promptly hit a wall. I would like to finish the series and possibly read more of Weeks’ work.

The Throne of Glass Series: Specifically Book 3- Heir of Fire

By Sarah J. Maas

I’m not new to Sarah J. Maas. I started with the ACOTAR series and absolutely loved it. My goal in 2024 was to read through the Throne of Glass Series and the Crescent City series in order to be ready for the next ACOTAR book, but obviously that didn’t happen. I made it through the first two books in lightning speed, but read the prequel in the wrong place. The prequel was slow moving (especially after reading the first few books) and really slowed down my pace. By the time I started Heir of Fire I was already in the MFA program. As good as I am, I can’t read more than 2 books at a time and keep them straight, even with the notes I take chapter by chapter.

Fairy Tale

By Stephen King

Yet another book I started for my MFA program (I’m sensing a theme here!). This is the first Stephen King book I’ve ever read, though I am familiar with his work. It’s King’s take on portal fantasy, so I think it’s ok that it’s his first book I’m reading. This book is massive and there’s no way I could have finished it in 10 weeks while reading other material for two classes and having double the work due each week now that I’m taking two classes at a time. I like the book, I like the premise, I just have to get back into it and finish it up.

I would like to get back into reading more books. Hopefully in 2025 I’ll be able to get through a few (if not all) of these books (and more).

I’ll keep you posted when I do. Keep a look out for more books reviews.

I’ll also take book recommendations if you have them! Though, not sure when I’ll be able to read them. My TBR pile is always growing!

Happy reading!

March Results and April Goals

March was a month of ups and downs. There were a lot of successes this month, but also a lot of losses and hardships. There were several events that were more important than writing and creating and that was ok. My goals this month were hit and miss in several ways, but I did what I could and I’m pleased with that.

March Results

Writing

Finish Edits on MAC

I had a plan this month. A new chapter edited every 3 days to get through the 9 chapters (or so) I needed to get done. The first chapter was a breeze. The next few weren’t so easy, with chapters splitting and new chapters being written. I have reached the part of the book that need the most rewrites. This section is a lot more work than I had originally expected. I was able to keep up a pretty decent pace for most of the month, but the edits were more extensive than I realized.I still have about 4 chapters or so to go, but I’m going to work on them in April and pace myself to prevent burnout or worse.

Outline a Project (or Two)

Outlining has been quite fun this month. I’ve been pulling out older projects to repurpose them (possibly for publishing). I’m planning on expanding a few of my old short stories that need more plot, and so this month I’ve taken a few and worked them out to be longer pieces (or at least novellas). So far, one was easy and quick and the other requires more thought. Yet another is a novel that needs an extra 30-50K to be truly novel length. There are several short stories and projects that are pulling at my brain to be written and rewritten and created, which created a little bit of overwhelm, but I’m getting it under control. I’m excited to start planning and working on something new.

Attend a Writing Conference

Yet again, for the third year in a row, I missed attending the conference in person. Thankfully, this conference records the seminars and makes them available for quite a while after the conference is over. Now, I have an excuse to watch all the recordings and take what I need from them. I really enjoy writing in the digital era where I can access conferences from the comfort of my own home (or even on the go) anytime that works for me.

I’ve started to watch a few of the recordings and taking things from them I feel I need. Taking notes is a must, and so far, I have yet to be disappointed by a speaker.

Finish a Book

This month was not quite the reading month I had wanted. I had good intentions to finish reading a book, but edits, other projects, and my mental health took a higher priority. I did not get to read as much as I wanted. Hopefully in the next month or two I can get back on the reading train and start finishing more books.

Personal Goals

Yoga 2-3x a week

For the first few weeks of the month, there was no exercise. The construction is still going on on the sidewalk and street, I was helping my husband recover from surgery, and everything was just busy, busy, busy. Finally around mid month, I did get back into doing yoga at least once. It wasn’t as often as I would have liked, but I did put forth a solid attempt, so I’m happy with that. There have been a lot of changes this month, but hopefully next month will be better.

Drink more water

Drinking more water this month was a little bit easier. I often forgot to track my water intake, but I do know I did make a solid attempt to drink more and keep drinking water once I started. Thankfully, I’m becoming more mindful of it now and attempting to drink more water when I really feel I need it.

Other

The month of March was interesting. The first few weeks I was helping my husband recover from surgery and working and attempting all my creative goals.

I started exploring new places to publish and ways to increase traffic to the blog and other ways to hopefully start making money from my writing.

On the same day, I got accepted into an MFA Program and found out my grandfather passed away.

So far 2024 has been a brutal year of heartache and pain with several family members and family friends passing away.

On top of that, April has arrived, and April is a month of hard anniversaries for both my husband and me.

Word Count: 20,415

Still, here’s what I’m hoping to accomplish in April.

April Goals

Finish Edits on MAC

I have a goal and a plan to finish MAC this month. I’m hoping I can get it done by working on one chapter a week. Editing is quite different than writing, it’s more chaotic and wild, and yet structured in a way I don’t like. Still, I’m pushing through and improving my craft. Not all growth has to be comfortable. The edits will get done whether it’s this month or the next.

Gain Consistency with Online Posting

I’ve been really trying to find the consistency I had in November and December to work on posting in several places online. I’m attempting to make a schedule that would work best for me and work toward more consistency and then ultimately gaining readers. Writing and a full time job (and school starting soon) do not make a consistent schedule, but I am attempting to get myself organized to better create and distribute.

Outline More Projects and Make a plan for 2024

I had a lot of fun outlining the few projects I did in March. I’m excited to go through and outline more so I can eventually finish more projects and hopefully publish them.

So far, 2024 has been a horrible year for business growth and writing growth. I’m hoping the second quarter and beyond are better. I would like to make a plan of what I want to be working on, when I want to post it and how to have the most impact. To start, I’ll make a quarterly plan of things I want to have finished by the time July rolls around.

Finish reading a book

March was not good for reading. March was not good for much of anything active in the writing or reading hobbies I have. I would like to pick up reading again and start balancing the reading and writing and creating aspects of my life again. I have a book in mind I’d like to finish so I can move on to the rest of the series, so I plan to focus on that this month.

Personal Goals

Yoga or Exercise 2-3x a week

This is one of my yearly goals, to exercise and take better care of myself. March wasn’t the month to do that. Hopefully April will be with the weather getting warmer and the sun staying up longer. I hope the roadwork near my house on my normal walk also improves, but I have a plan in place if it doesn’t.

Drink more water

This month, I really have to focus on my water intake. With some recent health changes, I’ve noticed I have more dry mouth. I’ve also noticed if I keep my water bottle close by and filled with nice cold ice water it’s much easier to drink. Here’s hoping I can get more water intake in April.

Here’s to hoping April is a better month!

 

February Results and March Goals

February is over and gone (with an extra day even!). Thankfully, February was better than January as far as writing and creating and getting back into a routine, but not by much.

There were still family and friend health issues and the usual distractions and set backs, but overall, I think February went pretty well.

Here’s how I did in February:

February Results

Writing Goals

Choose and make progress on an editing project for the month

So I set this goal and in my brain that meant wanting to write a new aspect of the fantasy series I’d been working on for nearly 10 years, but finished a few years ago. I migrated everything from one writing platform to another and formatting was a pain in the butt, so I spent the first week of February doing admin stuff like reorganizing works and writing posts for the blog, Medium and Substack (I’m learning and trying new things!)

After that, I outlined edits for one of the projects where I’m about 10 or so chapters away from completing edits. I’ve started to work on that, and once I started that, the other book in the series (from 2022 that I still haven’t finished) decided it wanted to be picked back up again this year.

Even better, the novel I just finished in 2023 has a great scene I wanted to use for a writing sample into an MFA program, so I edited the living daylights out of that too.

The editing mojo has returned!

Get back to posting regularly on the blog, Medium and Subtack

As much as I wanted this goal to happen, I couldn’t get into the rhythm of posting regularly. However, I do have a lot of ideas brewing and a backlog of posts to work on, so hopefully, over the next few weeks of March and possibly into April I’ll find the mojo again. Or perhaps I’ll simply take a little break and see how far I can get into editing and getting a few projects to the next steps in the creative process.

Personal Goals

Exercise 4x/week

Once again, exercise did not happen. February has been busy with everything else but exercise. I want to get back to it, I’m itching to get back to it, but time has not been my friend this month. Soon enough I will return to exercise and my proper routine (and hopefully all the roadwork on my usual walking path will be done soon too!)

Drink Enough Water daily

I’ve definitely been attempting to drink more water, but it doesn’t always end up making it into the app. Some days, I drink a lot, and other days it’s an “Oops! Did I drink any water today?”

Other

February has been an interesting month with even more family and friend health issues, but there was writing and editing included.

I submitted a personal statement and writing sample for an MFA program and I’m working on getting things ready for that coming up in May. I also finished a piece of fan fiction in 10 days on the last day of the month.

Things are moving in the right direction and I couldn’t be more excited.

I also applied for a writing job (as a side gig to nursing) and I’m excited to see where that takes me.

Word Count: 25,408

Here’s what I hope to accomplish in March:

March Goals

Writing

Finish Edits on MAC

I’m on the last stretch of edits and so far through February, the edits are going well. I would like to finish them this month (and hopefully not get too much in my head that I freak myself out). Then, once again, it’s ready to sit and stew for a bit. If I finish the first round of edits, I plan on moving on to another project and start editing that.

It’s time to start working on the backlog.

Outline a Project (or Two)

Being a writer and having a full-time job (and life) means starting to plan projects more efficiently. I have several plans for upcoming projects, including editing, publishing, marketing and a lot of other things that will go into the publishing process. While I have several projects on the back burner for editing, I also have several half finished ideas and other plans for some finished works.

Attend a Writing Conference

Every year in March, the Women in Publishing Conference takes place online. This will be my third year attending, and hopefully I can actually attend a few live sessions rather than enjoying the recorded sessions later. I’m looking forward to spending more time doing events and conferences centered around writing and learning and enjoying all I can.

Finish a Book

I read two books in January and then promptly fell into a reading slump in February. I’m hoping to finish a book (possibly two) in March, depending on if I don’t get too distracted. I would like to finish the book I’m currently in the middle of and get back to the series and finish that over the next few months. Just like a backlog of writing projects, I also have a backlog of books to read.

Personal Goals

Yoga 2-3x a week

Part of the issue with exercise and not doing it was the construction on my usual walking path. To remedy that, I would like to do yoga (from apple fitness) 2-3 times a week. My husband will be recovering from surgery for the first part of the month, hence the 2-3x a week. Hopefully it will get me exercising more this month.

Drink more water

I’ve been starting to drink more water, which has been great and makes me feel so much better, but now it’s time to keep better track of it and make it more consistent. What worked really well back in October/November was some of the challenges from WaterMinder. So starting today, I’m going to do the 21 day hydration challenge once again.

March will be a busy month, but I’m looking forward to getting back into the routine of writing and editing and kicking butt on projects.

January Result and February Goals

Finally! January is over and gone. This January was simultaneously the longest month ever and gone in a flash. Between unexpected family health issues, a crazy busy month at the day job and being creatively spent, I’m so glad we’re heading into February. I’m ready for a new month and new goals.

Here’s how I did in January.

January Results

Writing Goals

FOREWARNING: I did not complete any of the goals I wanted to complete this month. Family obligations and creative burnout hit me like a train.

Outline Open Projects

I did not outline any open projects like I wanted this month. It wasn’t the month for it and I was creatively spent.

Update Blog and other Platforms

I did not update the blog or any other platforms. This month was BUSY and any extra time I had was put toward relaxing. Eventually I will update the blog and other platforms but this was not the month for that.

Publish consistently on the Blog, Medium and Substack

I did not publish consistently throughout the month like I had planned to do. Creative burnout and January simultaneously being very very short and so impossibly long feeling did not help with deadlines or due dates.

Submit a Short Story to a magazine

I did not submit a short story to a magazine like I wanted to do. I got in my own head and let imposter syndrome swallow me and chew me up.

Personal Goals

Exercise 4x/week

Exercise did not happen at all this month and I’m really not happy about it. Between cold weather, poor time management and a whole host of other things, it didn’t happen.

Drink Enough Water daily (with the help of Waterminder)

I don’t think I drank enough water at all, all month. This month was crazy busy and hectic and I was not the best at taking care of myself.

Other

I started my Invisalign treatment after having brace for 5 1/2 months. The transition was not the easiest, but nearly 3 weeks in I’m starting to get the hang of what I can and cannot eat.

I was supposed to submit a work for NYC Midnight’s Short Story Challenge this month, but I was just so creatively drained, I didn’t even make the effort.

January was definitely a “Refill the Creative Well” month. I hopped back on the fan fiction train and focused on writing some fan fiction while I wait for a few works to be ready for edits. I also read two books this month and watched a lot of Star Trek with my husband. Now that January is winding down, I’m starting to feel the threads of creativity again.

Word Count: 32,953

I hope February is a better creative month for me.

February Goals

Writing Goals

Choose and make progress on an editing project for the month

I have several editing projects I would like to get through this year, some in the middle of edits and others abandoned for years. I would like to start chipping away at my massive pile of works to be edited and start/finish one this month. I have one project needing only a few more chapters to get through the first round of edits, but I also have a whole mostly finished series begging to be drudged up again. We’ll see how it goes!

Get back to posting regularly on the blog, Medium and Subtack

When I was posting consistently in November and December, I really enjoyed it. I would like to pick up the momentum again and keep it up throughout the rest of the year as I’m able.

Personal Goals

Exercise 4x/week

I would like to exercise more this month (wouldn’t we all?). I hope between writing projects I can remind myself to get outside and go for a walk or at least get some yoga in. 

Drink Enough Water daily (with the help of Waterminder)

I’ve been trying to be better with drinking water, but it’s not always the easiest. Hopefully this month I can make some positive steps in the right direction. 

What about you? What are your goals for the upcoming month?

 

2024 Goals

Here we are in 2024! A new year, with 366 (Leap Year!) new days to make things happen and reach some goals.

2023 was super productive and very successful. I hope to repeat the trend in 2024, only better because I’m taking what I learned in 2023 and refining it to better hit my goals.

Writing Goals

Write 1.5K-2K (Or 1 hour of time) daily one project at a time until Completed

Over the last few months of 2023, I changed my writing practices in an effort to be more efficient and not over do it. I overdid it, with massive word counts, but I did learn how to make my writing more efficient. I found I could consistently get anywhere between 1.5-2K words in about an hour, so I would like to make that a daily practice so I can finish some projects this year.

Finish 5-6 Writing Projects

This goal is a huge goal, but I have done that on purpose. If I continue at the pace I did at the end of last year (and with consistency rather than a crazy race to the finish), I can finish several projects. I’m leaving the projects open, not setting anything crazy, seeing what come along when it comes along.

Finish 2 Editing Projects

There are two projects I want to get through edits this year. The first is the edits from last year I didn’t quite get finished and the second is the novel I finished in December. I can’t quite edit as fast as I write (yet), but I’m hoping to improve this year.

Read 15 Books

Reading is one of the goals I definitely overshot last year. I started with 6 and then increased to 12, but read 19. This year, I want to split the difference and read 15 books. I have a few books left over from 2023, but I’ve been itching to get reading and improve my craft.

Publish Consistently Online

Over the last few months, I’ve upped my online publishing game and I’ve seen the results. I want to publish online consistently and get more exposure. I’ve got three places I publish and I want to stay as consistent as possible throughout this new year.

Publish a Long Work

This year, I would like to publish a novel. I’ve been saying that for years, but with years of practice behind me and the hope of more consistency this year, 2024 will be my year to publish. Whether indie published or traditional, I hope to have something published in the next 366 days.

Personal Goals

Exercise/Get in Better Shape

I make this goal every year, and every year I get fed up and give up somewhere in the first few months. I want to exercise (or at least walk) four times a week. I have a very important big party in September and I want to be my best physically for that and continue the habit for the rest of my life. I haven’t always been the healthiest, but now it’s time to change that.

Hydrate

In November, I started a water drinking challenge and it worked very well. I felt better, I wasn’t as fatigued and I didn’t have as many little aches and pains. I didn’t do the greatest in December (still drinking way too much coffee), but I want to continue tracking my water and hydration goals throughout the year.

January Goals

Writing Goals

Outline Open Projects

I have a lot of open projects from the last few years. I’ve learned I do better with an outline, so I want to outline the open projects I have and decide if they are worth continuing or if they should be put on hiatus so I can work on other things. From there, I will pick the project I want to work on for the next few months or so (depending on how long it takes to finish).

Update Blog and other Platforms

I’ve had the blog for a while and I’m branching out into other platforms. I want to create a cohesive experience where all my bios are inter-connected and easier to navigate. I want to update some things here on the blog and make the navigation more user friendly. Stay tuned for updates!

Publish consistently on the Blog, Medium and Substack

Publishing online has been a positive experience for me so far, now that I have been able to make a consistent publishing schedule. I want to continue to publish and build a routine and challenge myself to improve.

Submit a Short Story to a magazine

This goal, I’ve been thinking about for a few months now. I want to attempt to publish something through a magazine and when I last looked submissions weren’t open yet. They open this month, so I’m going to do something scary and submit.

Personal Goals

Exercise 4x/week

I want to walk and get outside for at least 30 minutes a day four times a week. It shouldn’t be too difficult if I stick to a schedule and make it happen consistently. Part of the battle is motivating myself to get it done. I’m hoping with a decent audiobook, podcast or album to listen to, I’ll be able to be more consistent.

Drink Enough Water daily (with the help of Waterminder)

Drinking water and staying hydrated has helped me feel so much better in the long run. I want to keep it up and drink more water consistently and improve my body from the inside out. Waterminder, an app I’ve had since 2020, is very helpful in tracking my water, and it’s really nice to see the pretty colors of all the different liquids I drink.

Overall, I’m excited for 2024 and all the new opportunities it will bring!

 

October Results and November Goals

Here we are in November already! October was full of fun, including concerts, travels, fun experiences at a writing conference and different experiences at work. I hope November is a little more steady as far as schedules and routines go, but here’s how I did in October.

October Results

Writing

Finish Edits on Book 1

I did not finish edits on book one. I will not have a completely clean slate in November like I wanted, but I will get a decent break for the month of November. During the hustle of edits, I forgot to actually enjoy the story and what’s being built up in the story. I lost the love of it, for the technical aspects of style. So I’m going to take a little break and come back to it fresh in December or January.

Finish as many chapters/ sections as possible

This goal did not go as well as I planned either. With the travel and the upheaval of my usual schedule at the beginning of the month, it was quite difficult to get back to “normal”. I really started to push and get a few things finished in the last week of the month, and I’m glad to say I finished a few things. Which means a little less stress when I focus mostly on one project in November. There are still some projects to finish, but they can wait until December, or more likely, January.

Preptober for NaNoWriMo

This goal has been the most fun and most successful this month. I have managed to turn the notes I’ve been collecting over the last few months into a somewhat successful outline. I have been able to create mood boards and ramp up the excitement for myself. I have even played around with the idea of a spin-off from the first book. When November starts, it’s off to the races!

Inktober

Once again, I let the fear or not being perfect step in the way of trying something new. Not only that, but I always forget how much time I never seem to have in October. This month could have been such a good creative month but instead, I was more focused on other important things. I did attempt a few drawings, so perhaps I’ll post those sooner rather than later. It’s always a possibility!

Personal

Exercise

This month has been better for exercise. I’ve been more aware of it. The first few weeks of the month went really well and my exercise trend is back up. We’ll see how I do once the time change hits, but I hope to keep pushing forward.

Journal

Morning pages this month did not go as well as I had hoped. Digital pages, while they do help in a pinch, are not the way to do journaling. There were several days where I simply didn’t do my pages at all, because there was either too much or too little going on. I can only write so much about my desire to write and motivate myself before I realize I’m overdoing it. There have been a few weekends/days off that I did miss 2 days in a row, but I am still trying to do my best, even if that doesn’t mean every day or letting myself miss more than a day.

Hydrate

Once again, hydrating did not come easy. While I did not log things as much as I wanted to in my water tracking app, I do know I attempted to hydrate more. It’s getting to be fall, which means I’ll be drinking more hot liquids like green teas and non-caffeinated teas, so I am very excited to add those into my goals. Coffee is still a main staple, and caffeinated teas, but I have attempted to add more water, especially when I feel I need it. I hope to continue the practice in November.

Other

October was full of fun. I traveled a lot between 4 different state for a wedding, a concert and a mini-honeymoon with my husband. I went to a local writing conference and found my inspiration for creation again. I finished another book, which puts me way ahead of my goal for reading, so now it’s time to write more!

I started a few substacks, that should be going live sooner rather than later. You can read the start of them here. I hope to maintain them and update regularly, even during the hectic months at the end of the year.

Word Count: 12,269

November Goals

Writing

NaNoWriMo

This year, as with every year in November, I want to write 50,000 words in November. I will be participating with several writers from all over the world in this international challenge in hopes of having the start of a story. This year, I want to get as close to finishing this novel as I can. I’m excited to get started.

Post more writing online

I want to keep up with the blog schedule more regularly than I have. I also want to post more in other places. Keep an eye out for more posts here on the blog and other links to explore!

Personal

Exercise

This month is no different from any other months of the year, even though I am attempting to write a novel (or most of it) during November. I still want to exercise and try to stay motivated and take control of my health. Plus, exercise usually helps me find more awesome songs for my playlists or awesome ideas for the current story.

Journal

This month, I still plan to journal, but I’m going to do something a little different. Instead of my normal morning pages of just brain-dump, I am going to focus more on the novel writing process and what works and what doesn’t. November often flies by in a haze of “I have no idea how I did that”, but I want to explore the process a bit more this year. What better way to do that than in a journal?

Hydrate

Drinking water is important. Staying hydrated, especially in the throws of creativity is even more important. I have a better system of tracking my water intake that makes each attempt feel like a small reward, so hopefully I will make more progress this month and start to notice more positive changes.

If you would like to join me and write a novel in November, you can sign up here.

 

June Results, Halfway Check-In, and July Goals

And just like that, we have now reached the halfway point of the year. Where has the time gone?! June was a month of ups and downs, but thankfully mostly ups. Here’s how I did.

Writing

Edit One Arc of Book 1

I didn’t quite edit a whole arc of book 1 like I wanted, but I did make some decent progress. I managed to finish 2 chapters this month and I have a solid plan for next month to keep the edits moving. Editing is different from writing, and I am giving the project the time it needs to be the best version of itself.

1000 Words of Summer

I wanted 1000 Words of Summer to be successful for the whole two weeks, but I fell off the productivity wagon toward the last few days. I did manage to finish one project I’ve been working on for the last 8 or so years, so that was a win. Attempting to get 1000 words a day in another project after finishing the other project was like pulling teeth. I do still plan on shooting for 1000 words a day in July. I guess it wasn’t a complete failure.

NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge

The NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge, the challenge that started it all in 2020, went well this year. I worked on a brand new project of 1000 words or less in a genre I don’t normally write in. I got to flex my writing muscles and get used to putting more work out there. I had fun doing it, especially because I got to subvert a fairytale in the best ways. Results come out at the end of next month, and I am already excited for round 2.

BONUS: NYC Midnight’s 100 Word Microfiction Contest

This goal is one I totally forgot about. The results came out for round 1 and I placed 1st!!! I went onto the next round, which was difficult with so few words, but I made a solid attempt. I’m not entirely sure when results come out for this round, but hopefully I will be more prepared if I go for the next round.

Personal

Exercise

Exercise in June has been hit or miss. Some weeks I’ve been on it and kicking butt. Others I barely exercised at all. I need to get back to it and be more consistent, if not to look better than to feel better mentally. I started an exercise regimen that I thought would be nice, but it was unorganized and messy. Hopefully I’ll get back into Yoga and walking again.

Journal

Journaling in June was fantastic. There was a day where I almost didn’t make it, because I left my journal at home. Instead of letting the habit go, I journaled on my computer. It wasn’t totally ideal, and I want to keep it all on paper if I can, but it works in a pinch. I hope to keep up the habit for as long as I can.

Word Count: 41,959

Whoa! Halfway Point Check-In!

Write Every Day of 2023

January: 100%

February: 100%

March: 100%

April: 100%

May: 100%

June: 100%

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Keep up the progress and keep writing something every day.

Edit Three Novels

Slowly making my way through edits on Book 1. At this point, I might not make 3 novels by the end of the year, but I am going to do the best I can.

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Keep editing and moving forward.

Edit Six short stories

  • Congratulations- Written Jan 2015; Edited Jan 2023
  • H-E- Double Hockey Sticks- Written and Edited Jan 2023
  • Samson- Written 2014; Edited Feb 2023
  • Thanks For the Hand- Written and Edited April 2023
  • Mad With The Moon-written Feb 2021; edited June 2023
  • Love Lines- written Jan 2014; edited June 2023
  • The Way Out- Written August 2022; edited June 2023

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Goal update to 12 short stories this year. 5 to go!

Read Twelve Books

  • Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olsen- finished January 2023
  • All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban- Finished January 2023
  • The Will and The Wild by Charlie N. Holmberg- Finished February 2023
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas- Finished March 2023
  • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas- Finished March 2023
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Mass- finished March 2023
  • Queen of Ruin by K.F. Breene- finished June 2023
  • Daisy Jones and the Six -finished June 2023

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Keep Reading. 4 to go!

Publish Something (Either Traditional or Indie)

EXCITING THINGS ARE COMING!

Participate in Most (If not all) NYC Midnight Writing Contests.

Short Story Challenge

Round 1: 5th place. Moved to round 2.

Round 2: Did not place in round 2.

Screenwriting Challenge

SKIPPED

Microfiction (100 words)

Round 1: Placed 1st! 🎉 Moved on to second round.

Round 2: Results pending

Flash Fiction

Round 1: Results pending

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Keep participating and enjoying the process.

Finished Projects

  • Little Earthquakes 2016-2023
  • Short Stories
    Rocketman 2022-2023
    Luka 2022-2023
  • Various Fanfictions
    Names That Bind 2023
    You Don’t Need to Love Me 2023
    Hidge Week 2018-2023
  • Futures– 2015-2023

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Finish more projects as able.

Word Count: 217,132

July Goals

Camp NaNoWriMo

Once again it is time for Camp NaNoWriMo. This month, I hope to finish a project or two that have been languishing in my folders. For my goal, I would like to hit 40K. Realistically, I would like to get around 1000 words a day to keep the momentum up, in this project and a few odds and ends in other projects.

Edit 500 words of Book 1 Daily

For the last few weeks of June, with the 1000 word goal a fay, I attempted to get 500 words of edits. For the few days I was successful, it really helped move the novel along, especially through the boring middle bits. I hope with luck and practice and dedication, I can get through the edits with a bit more speed.

Edit One Short Story

I’ve had a lot of good luck editing short stories in June. I would like to keep the momentum up in July and keep getting short stories ready for the world.

NYC Flash Fiction Round 2

I enjoy this challenge as much as I do because there is an automatic second round. I’m excited to see how I do in round 1, and I’m excited to see the new prompt for round 2. 1000 words is the perfect amount to play with to write a short piece. I do enjoy long pieces, but a short piece now and then really helps me build my writing muscles.

Personal

Exercise

Exercising has been one of my wishy-washy habits over the last few months. I would like to make it a more steady habit and feel better about doing it. One of the first things that disappears when I’m stressed is exercise, as counterintuitive as that sounds. I would like to make it more permanent in July.

Journal

Journaling has really helped me over the last 6 months and I hope it continues to help me over the rest of the year and far beyond that. I’ve had to get creative with how I journal a few times over the last few months, with some days feeling like pulling teeth, but I still continue to make progress.

What about you? Any fun goals planned?

 

Bre Writes Book Reviews: The Will and the Wilds by Charlie N. Holmberg

This is the third book by Charlie N. Holmberg that I’ve read. She is slowly becoming my favorite author, and not just from her books, but from her podcast Your Mom Writes Books and her instagram.

That being said, I struggled to get into this book for the first few chapters. There was something in the writing that felt stilted to me, felt like it was trying too hard to be written in an older dialect of English. But thankfully, as the novel went on, the language relaxed and I could enjoy it more.

There were so many small things in this novel that I absolutely loved. But one aspect that really stood out that I had to really think about how awesome it was was the different point of views. For Enna, the main character with a soul, the POV was in close first, whereas for Maekallus, his few chapters, are in distant third that gets increasingly closer as he gains more of a soul.

The relationship that grows between the two characters is perfect in so many ways. There’s an old bit of writing advice that says “If your characters have to kiss to show us they’re in love, you’re doing it wrong.” This book takes that idea and turns it on its head. The characters kiss, but the romance takes a while to develop and it gives it a fresh perspective. There’s a bigger aspect than just a hinted at romance.

I really enjoyed the character of Enna and her struggles to do the right thing all while dealing with Maekallus and his shenanigans. Their relationship was so beautiful, so moving, that it was impossible not to root for them in the end. The ending was decent as far as the action went, but as a reader of romance, I was there for the romance.

The beauty of their struggles was so well written, and so well explored from both sides.

Without many spoilers, I have to say during one of their meetings, I literally said out loud: “Get you a man that flings snakes!” And then died of laughter.

I really enjoyed the book, but there are a few things that didn’t sit quite right with me. I’m going to try and write a review where I don’t give a ton of spoilers away, but I have to talk about the missteps and the beauty of the ending.

Holmberg sets up this big problem for our two protagonists, or what seems to be this big problem and mainly the reasons why these mistings (evil beings) are called to the human realm, and then it’s solved in a way that simultaneously feels right, and yet doesn’t feel right. I know the story is supposed to be a romance, but a little more than a subtle fix with the big bad would have been nice. More of a struggle for Enna and what she had to do would have been nice too. On the other hand, I love the ending for our two protagonists, so I can’t be too mad about it.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars.

I would have liked a little more explanation of the lore of the worlds. For a good part of the book, we hear about Enna’s grandmother’s notes. I thought they would be more essential to the plot, or Enna’s father’s role in the previous war, but that wasn’t that essential either. It was a great story, but I wanted more lore, more to anchor me in the world.

I would even take a sequel that explores those things more. The world was so rich it’s practically begging for it.

What should I read next?

Yearly Goal Update!

On the first of January, I put out a few goals. I’ve been super productive so far, so I have to update one of the goals.

The original goal was to read 6 books during the year. As of March 31st, I hit that goal.

The new goal: read 6 more books for a total of 12 this year.

Who knows? I might hit that goal in 3 months again, which means I’ll update it then.

Reading for me tends to come in waves, but I always like to push myself, so there it is.

6 more books to read in 2023!

March Results and April Goals

As I head into the hardest month of every year, I’m thankful March was so productive. It flew by in a blur of homework, work, and writing, but I’m glad I was able to accomplish as much as I did.

March Results

Writing

Edit One Short Story

I didn’t quite edit a short story in the way I wanted to. Another project landed in my lap to edit, and I couldn’t help it. I actually had a deadline for this project and the edits involved with it. I can’t say much about it at the moment, but stay tuned for more updates!

Edit 4 chapters or finish the current Story Arc

This goal took up my whole month. March was definitely the month for editing the novel and the story arc and it did not disappoint. The arc took me the whole month, and five chapters instead of four, but that means I have edited half of the proposed chapters for the current project I’m editing.

NYC Midnight Screenplay Challenge

This challenge goes into April too so I’ll talk about it then. So far, working on other projects has taken precedence, but tune in next month for a better update.

Finish a Short Story from 2022

This month, writing didn’t really come as easy as reading or editing. As much as I wanted to finish this short story, it will have to be at another time. I have a direction now at least, which is always better than no direction.

Personal

Exercise

Exercising wasn’t really my top priority this month. With the rain and the strange weather throughout March, I spent more time wishing I could exercise, rather than actually doing the work and exercising. Next month, I am really hoping to get back to a decent routine and stick to it.

Journal

I journaled every day but two in March. Things have started to move forward with certain aspects of my life and my health. A few days I got too swept up in it and completely forgot to journal. I’m hoping to keep up my streak next month and do a full month and full pages for my mental health.

Other

Reading a book series, or I suppose re-reading, sucked up a lot of my time in March. I can’t help it, I get sucked into a good book and it’s hard to claw my way out and write original things. I managed to read three books in the main series this month, which means once again, I will reach my reading goal waaaayyy before the end of the year. Now it’s time to read another trilogy I’ve been trying to read for a long time, but have always been distracted. That also means I need to update my reading goal for the year. Nothing too crazy, but I do like to have goals.

I also have good news coming, with any luck sooner rather than later now that the momentum is moving in the right direction.

Word Count: 34,786

April Goals

Writing

Edit Another Arc of Book 1

I’ve started to like the idea of editing my novel in arcs. It’s nice to work on a few chapters at a time, make them as strong as they can be, rather than slogging through the whole novel from front to back over and over again. I’m hoping to keep editing through a few arcs and hopefully have the novel fully edited by June or July.

Camp NaNoWriMo/35K in book 3.

I’ve been itching to finish book 3 of the series for months, especially since November and NaNoWriMo when I started book three was absolute trash. Slowly, I’ve been chipping away, but I’m excited to focus on it in April during Camp NaNoWriMo.

Poetry

I’m looking forward to working on some poetry in the upcoming month. The idea struck me toward the end of March, and with it being National Poetry month, why not?

Personal

Exercise

With any luck, the weather in April will be better than the stormy stuff we had in March. I am hoping to make exercise more of a habit and less of a chore, so we’ll see how that goes.

Journal

Journaling has been getting more difficult, more dragging, so I’m hoping I find more joy in it again this month. Or if not joy, at least a place to pour out my grief as we approach the month that sucks every year.

Hopefully the month of April won’t be too rough and I can actually get some decent work done.

What are your goals for the month of April?

February Results and March Goals

Another month down, 10 more to go!

For being such a short month, February sure was busy. Between schoolwork, actual work, and writing and creating, the month was the most successful month yet.

Here’s how I did in February:

February Results

Writing

Edit One Short Story

This month, I did manage to edit a short story, but still have yet to type it out by the time I’m writing this. The short story I chose, as with a lot of the short stories I’ve written over the years, needed more work and more attention than I could give it in one month. Mainly, it needs a lot of rewrites. Thankfully, I have a direction and I know what I need to work on to make it shine. I’m counting this as a success.

Edit 4 chapters

Four chapters were edited this month, right down to the last minute. I am now 4 chapters closer to being done with the first novel I’m hoping to edit in 2023. I’m really enjoying the good bits I get to add, and some I’ve been surprised to find. I’m learning so much as I go.

Finish a short story from 2022

I’m super happy with my progress this month. I was able to finish the short story from 2022 pretty early in the month. There is nothing as awesome as finishing a project that is either slow moving or gives me trouble. The short story from November 2022 definitely dragged, but now I can say the first draft is done.

Personal

Exercise

This month, exercise was not my top priority, nor was it easy to come by. With the rainy weather, an illness and training for work, I didn’t exercise more than I exercised. I’m hoping I can improve over the next few months, maybe when the weather gets warmer and stays nice.

Journal

In February, I managed to write in my journal every single day. Some days were easier than others. Some days I’m sure I wrote complete garbage, but journaling at least lets me get it out of my head and on paper. After writing for the last 2 months, I’m three quarters of the way through the first journal of the year.

Other

In other news, I finished another class for my Bachelor’s in Creative Writing and started another. As much as I thought I would enjoy playwriting, I’m glad it’s done. I learned all I could from the subject, but there were a few factors that did not make the class as enjoyable as I would have liked. Now I’m off to Poetry.

I also finished reading another book, so keep your eyes out for another book review.

This month, I finished a project I’ve been working on since 2016. 2023 is the year of editing and finishing things and I couldn’t be happier. The first novel of 2023 is finished.

Here’s to so many more!

Word Count: 32,297

March Goals

Writing

Edit One Short Story

Editing one short story a month seems like a decent pace for what I want to get done this year. Especially since I’m more focused on editing my novels. I’m interested to see how much I can get done this year.

Edit 4 chapters or finish the current Story Arc

Over the last few weeks of edits, I came to the realization that instead of editing in order, it was really nice to edit as far as story arcs go. So far, each arc is a few chapters and editing in those snippets make the editing go faster and the story smoother. This month, I’m hoping to get through the funeral arc.

NYC Midnight Screenplay Challenge

I signed up for the NYC Midnight Screenplay challenge even though I didn’t really enjoy playwriting. This is a challenge from NYC Midnight that I haven’t done yet, but I’ve been thinking about for a while. I’m interested to try something new and see how I do.

Finish a Short Story from 2022

I have one last short story to finish from 2022. December wasn’t a great month for writing a short story. Now that I have time (yeah, right!), I’m hoping to get the short story done and close out the projects from 2022. With any luck, I’ll finish it and be able to add it to the list of short stories I can edit throughout the year.

Personal

Exercise

Last month was not the best month for exercise. With any luck, this month will be better and I won’t be down with a cold for 10+ days. I’ll be happy if I get 3x a week for this month.

Journal

I’ve really enjoyed journaling over these last few months. It’s been helping to get thoughts on paper and not keep them bottled up in my head. I’ve noticed an increase in my creativity and in my joy. I hope to keep the trend up.

Wish me luck!

Bre Writes Book Reviews: All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban

I honestly didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did. I rented it from my library via kindle and started reading it just to see how the library app worked. Within a few chapters, I was hooked, and I read the book in a matter of days.

I read a book like I used to read books before I got busy and distracted with other things. I can’t remember the last time I read a book in a matter of days. It makes me really excited when I find books like that.

All Your Twisted Secrets is like an escape room meets The Breakfast Club, but they’re all definitely more effed up than the kids in the 80’s movie. Each kid has something going for them, and each kid is connected to each other in ways not even I saw coming. Each twist and turn was so well foreshadowed and yet, a lot of them I didn’t see coming.

The book follows Amber, an ambitious student who wants to go to music school to score movies. Her boyfriend is desperate for a baseball scholarship and thinks she can go to college with him wherever he gets in. Her best friend, who helped her get into the popular clique, Sasha and her previous best friend Priya are in the room, along with the stoner Scott, and the kid who ruined her dad’s business. Amber is connected to everyone in the room and as the book is told exclusively though her eyes, we get good connections and revelations that as I was reading made me go “Oh Snap!”

Oh, and did I forget to mention they’re locked in a banquet room of a hotel with a bomb and a syringe filled with a deadly poison and have to choose someone to kill before the hour is up?

I can’t give too many spoilers away or it would ruin the book, but boy do I want to! This book was crazy at times. But overall a really great book.

A few things I would have liked to see would be how the kids reacted after the revelations they heard and some consequences for the person who orchestrated the whole thing. I would have liked to see how they all handled the dark things they did while in the room and how their relationships changed after the ordeal. The book just cuts off on a cliffhanger after the kids that survive are let out. After all the build up of these seniors wanting to get into college, and the cutthroat tactics, there was no real follow through on their college plans.

Review: 4.5/5

Bre Writes Book Reviews: Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olson

This Review Contains Spoilers for The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. And most likely Sing Me Forgotten. You have been warned.

I have to start this review by saying: This is one of my favorite books I’ve read so far.

I have never revealed this, but I am a huge fan of musical theatre and literature. The Phantom of The Opera was the musical that gave me the drive and spark to explore more musicals. Once I read the book, my obsession only grew further.

Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olson is a gender-bent, magic based, steam-punk retelling of The Phantom of the Opera. At first, I was a little skeptical. Retellings aren’t always my cup of tea (especially with how overdone a lot of retellings have been lately). I am happy to say this book did not disappoint.

I love the character of Isda. Her determination, her drive, her obsession with Emeric, all the things, Erik from POTO had, but with a feminine flair. Her growth in the novel from disfigured girl willing to hide and do whatever she is told to choosing her own destiny was such a beautiful read. Her personal growth with Emeric was such a delight. Their quips were so good and their growing relationship captured everything in a romance that I really enjoy. The only problem is I didn’t know how to pronounce her name. I’m guessing Iz-Dah, since her nickname was Iz, but I kept reading it as I(s)da.

Emeric was a delight. From his quips with the statues to his love of caramel and his pure sunshine personality, I found myself craving more of him on the page. With the novel told from Isda’s point of view, I really could feel the love between Isda and Emeric.

The music and the aspect of music bringing the characters together was such a fun tidbit and a great nod to the original Phantom of the Opera. The subtle and not so subtle references to POTO were such a joy that I physically reacted to so many of them. There was a love and respect for the original work and I am so glad there were so many small hints to pick up on.

The mechanics of magic was a little confusing at first, with the Fendoirs and the Gravoirs, but the more I read, the more it made sense. I enjoyed the magic aspect and especially the backstory of Les Trois. I would have liked a bit more history, and more connection to the true villain, but it was so well done that I can’t really complain much.

SPOILERS HERE.

The biggest complaint I have is the ending. I know how POTO ends, both the musical and the book. Erik is a terrible being that has done terrible things, and there’s no way Christine would ever stay with him (except in Love Never Dies, but we’re not talking about that). Deep down, I knew what would have to happen between Isda and Emeric, but I wished it didn’t. I wanted Isda to get everything she had ever dreamed of. My heart ached for her and Emeric.

SPOILERS END

I would love to read a sequel. Such a sad but satisfying cliffhanger and I can’t help but want more.

Rating: 5/5

If you liked this review, leave me a comment and suggest what I should read next!

September Results and October Goals

We’re in the slippery slide of the last part of the year. How are we already in October??? September felt like it just started yesterday, and yet here we are.

I had a lot of goals in September. Here’s how I did:

September Results

Write One Short Story

September was an awesome month for short stories. I didn’t finish the short story that I intended to finish, but I did write and submit my first piece of fiction for my Bachelor’s program in Creative Writing, and that just so happened to be a short story. I’m quite proud of it. I’m still working on the short story for August, but I’m making progress there too.

Continue Edits on Book One

I continued edits on book one and finished a chapter. While I still didn’t make as much progress as I would have liked, I did begin to set up a routine and find balance between writing and editing. I now have a routine and a daily writing/editing time and I’m making sure I do everything I can to keep it. Now, I just have to continue making as much progress as I can on my edits.

Instagram Writer Friends Challenge

September started with the best intentions. I posted for the first nine days of the Writer Friends Challenge and then life got in the way. I kept meaning to catch up on the days I missed, and then next thing I knew, September was over. I’m hoping next time I attempt I’ll have more success.

NYC Midnight’s Rhyming Story Challenge

The NYC Midnight Rhyming Story Challenge is still going. I thought it was only in September, but it ends today. Typical me, I have procrastinated on it all week and now the deadline is tomorrow. I’ll have to provide an update sometime in October.

In September, I also managed to finish two books and start a third. Strangely, even though I usually read fiction, I read two non-fiction/memoirs. I also started a new class and submitted my first creative work for my writing program and it felt so good. I also set up a routine for writing, to make it feel less hectic, so we’ll see how that goes for the end of the year.

Word Count: 20,187

October Goals

Inktober and Writetober

October is always busy for me. With Inktober and Writetober and Instawrimo going on all at the same time, it’s going to be a busy month posting to social media. I hope I can keep up along with everything else I’m working on this month. I’m not the best artist as far as drawing goes, but I like to give it a shot every year and have a little fun with it. Writetober is exciting because it’s fifty words or less, which makes it fun to tell a story in as few words as possible.

Finsh Ghost House Heart

I’ve been working on Ghost House Heart on and off since 2020. I have finally made some progress and I can see the end. I have two chapters left and I’m excited to finally say I finished the first draft. I’m ready to move on to something else, like the novel I plan to write in November for NaNoWriMo.

Continue Edits

I’m still working on edits, but now I have a routine and I know where I’m going with the edits. I’m hoping to make more progress before November rolls around and hopefully get through the halfway point.

Prepare for NaNoWriMo

November is fast approaching, whether I like it or not. This year, the past few months have flown by with school and work and everything else in between. I have a loose idea of what I’m writing, but it never helps to prepare sooner rather than later.

(Possible) NYC Midnight’s Flash Fiction Challenge Part Three

I’m still waiting on results from round two. Round three is not guaranteed yet, but I’m hoping I can participate this year. I really enjoy the challenges from NYC Midnight. For now, this is only a possible goal.

October is going to be busy for me! What are some of your goals?

Bre Writes Book Reviews: February 2022

This month, I managed to read two vastly different books. One I really enjoyed and one that was not my cup of tea. As a writer, I try not to DNF any books, even though the second one I really wanted to do just that. In my opinion, even books that aren’t the best can be learning lessons, and the second book I read this month was full of them!

Without further ado, here’s what I read in February:

Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg

Spellmaker is the second novel in the Spellbreaker duology. I received the first book in a Scribbler subscription box, and quite enjoyed it. I bought the second one from Amazon as soon as I finished the first book and took my time reading it.

First of all, I love the characters. I love that each of them had their own personality and their own goals and drive. It was refreshing to have a female protagonist and other female characters in the late 19th century that had agency and weren’t just rewards for the men in the novel. I enjoyed that the men in the novel were dynamic and not all cookie cutter as the hero trope.

The setting, I thought was interesting, but I feel needed a bit more explanation or a bit more use as a character. Set in England where magic is real and several different kinds of magic exist, I wish there had been a better explanation for the setting and a more in-depth view of some of the magics. There were times where I was reading and going “Man, I wish I had taken better notes,” but that might have just been me, since I do tend to read quickly.

The plot was surprisingly good for the book being a sequel. The first book had a better plot, simply because it was the first book and there was a lot of introduction and excitement in meeting the characters and watching them find and reach their goals. I’m glad this series is a duology, because there was enough plot for a second book and it was nice to see the characters grow and change from the first book. The book has one of my favorite tropes of fake relationship that’s built on the basis of a real relationship underneath, and it was done absolutely beautifully.

Rating: 4.75/5

Bonus:

Here’s how I saw some of the characters in my head. I always enjoy when I can see the characters in my mind and can hear them as they speak.

Bacchus:

Ogden:

Elsie:

The Phantom of the Bathtub by Eugenia Riley

The Phantom of the Bathtub was a book I either bought or got for free from kindle a few years ago during my Phantom of the Opera phase. Let me say it is nothing like Phantom of the Opera except they share the word Phantom in the title.

I honestly expected a lot more from this book. The back blurb mentioned werewolves, ghosts and haunted houses, but it was very watered down and skimmed over in place of the romance and kissing ass to fit in with high society. I expected a lot more from this book, and I kept reading hoping to find it, but sadly the ending didn’t sit right with me at all. It felt forced and over rushed.

The characters were mainly caricatures of people one would expect to find in the south during the late 19th century, overplayed and underdeveloped. The setting of Savannah, Georgia was never really truly explored and used as a character itself. The ghosts were not as prominent as I would have liked and barely enough of a plot point to make a difference. There were plenty of erotic scenes, but even those were lackluster and made the characters even more wishy-washy. The ending was forced for a “happy ending” with little explanation.

This book was not my cup of tea, and I was honestly glad to finish it, but in reading it I noticed things I can improve upon in my own works, so for that I am thankful.

Rating: 1/5

Bonus:

How I saw some of the characters.

Maxwell:

Aubrey:

Viveca:

Stay tuned for what I’m reading next!

2022 Goals

Here’s to a New Year and new writing and publishing goals! This year, I hope to accomplish more than I have in the last couple of years. I want to push myself to be more creative.

Write Every Day

This is a goal I have every year. Last year, I wrote every single day for over half the year. This is the year I do it for 365 days and hopefully build a habit that lasts a lot longer. This year, with a little luck and a lot of drive, I’ll get some writing done every single day, whether it’s one sentence or more.

Short Story a Month

In years past, I attempted to write a short story every month. I’m planning to pick it up again and get more short works done this year. It won’t be easy, but I’m hoping it will be worth it in the end.

Write/Edit Six Novels in 2022

2022 is the year of editing. I have several finished novels that have been waiting to have their edits. It’s been a couple years, the novels have had space, and it’s time to start some edits. I always like to have several projects open, so there will be some writing too. I am shooting for at least six novels either edited or written.

Read at least Four Books

Over the years, I have given up reading for writing. I have several books on the backlogs and I always love a good story. I’m going to read to refill the creative tank every once in a while. With any luck it will be more than just school books.

Creative Challenges

Over the years, I have competed in a few creative challenges. In 2022 I am going to compete in even more. I want to compete in any writing competition I can find this year. I’m leaving myself open to opportunities that might come up in the next twelve months.

Here’s how I’m going to attempt some of them in January:

January Goals

Write One Short Story

Technically, this month I will write two short stories, one for myself and one for the NYC Midnight Short Story Challenge. I want to write a short story each month this year. There’s no place to start like January.

Finish an Open Project

I have several projects still open from 2021 and 2020. I would like to make my project list shorter. Hopefully, this month I can get some good writing in and finish something. I want to feel that high of finishing a creative project again.

Compete in NYC Midnight’s Short Story Challenge

For the second short story I write this month, I am excited to say I signed up for the NYC Midnight Short Story Challenge again. I participated last year, and had a blast. This year I’m back to do it again. Last year was fun, but hopefully I can move onto the next round and make it farther than I have in the past.

Wish me luck!