good morning, cyberspace!
Camp NaNoWriMo is back, peasants!
I’m a sucker for a good April Camp NaNoWriMo session, and I could not be more excited for the projects I’ve decided to tackle next month! It’s going to be a highly chaotic adventure filled with words and characters and ALL of the storytelling goodness, and I am very very excited to bring you all along for the ride! I will also most certainly regret biting off this much, but ya know. It’s all part of the journey, right? XD
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good morning, cyberspace!
Well, friends, we made it! it’s officially December, and NaNoWriMo is behind us once and for all. In case you didn’t notice, I kind of disappeared halfway through the month, but this was less because I didn’t feel mentally capable of writing blog posts, and more the fact that every spare moment I had to write, I was working on my book.
Because by golly, my friends, I was determined to win this NaNoWriMo. Sometimes, however, things don’t go accordingly to plan. Like here. Or right here. Or… ya know, in 2020 when I also failed NaNoWriMo but was wise enough to not document the crippling disappointment. I feel like a constant theme in my life lately is God stabbing a stick of dynamite into my plans before whispering, “Wait. I have something even better planned.”
Except I’m still not sure what that ‘something better’ is, and–though I truly believe He’s right with my whole heart–it’s starting to feel a little bit like clickbait. XD
So when I started off on this NaNoWriMo 2021 journey, I wasn’t holding out that much hope. 15 revised chapters in 30 days certainly seemed like an achievable goal. It sounded easy. But not everything that sounds easy is easy, and nothing is truly quite how it seems.
Which is why I wanted to take this first post of December to recap on what, exactly, happened during those final two weeks of NaNoWriMo.
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good evening, cyberspace!
It’s currently the evening of Monday the 15th, and I’m sitting here trying to type up an accurate summary of the past week with an insane amount of difficulty.
The goal? Get this post drafted and posted by the end of the night.
The struggle? This week was a blur and I don’t even know what timeline I’m living in anymore, let alone what happened within the past seven days.
But alas! We are officially entering the third week of NaNoWriMo, and I must not let it slip past without acknowledging the week that came before it! So Week Two Recap, here we come!
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good morning, cyberspace!
And we are back with another episode of Know The Novel!–the monthly writer’s linkup hosted by the inimitable Christine Smith! Last month, I talked about the (non-spoilery) details surrounding my current WIP, Project Sunset. This month, we’re going to take a deeper look into the process behind the writing!
If you’re a writer participating in NaNoWriMo–or even just a writer working on a book–I would highly recommend checking out this linkup. You can find the questions to Part One here, and Part Two right here! This linkup is such a fun way to connect with other writers, as well as a much-needed gentle reprieve from the absolute chaos that is writing a book in one of the craziest months of the year, so if you’re not participating already (or if you’ve never read Christine’s blog before), do yourself a favor and check both of them out immediately.
Or, ya know, after you finish reading this post. Because I’m also cool, apparently. XD
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happy november, cyberspace!
I was going to do a whole introduction post for the first day of NaNoWriMo last week, but alas alack, sometimes things don’t go according to plan.
The past two weeks have been silent here on my end of the blogosphere, but let me tell ya, folks: that time away was used for some much-needed rest. I have exactly 0 regrets. XD I’ve definitely missed being present on the blogs, though, and now that I’m back, I thought it would be fun to jump back in with a Weekly NaNoWriMo Recap! It’s crazy to think that we’re already a solid week into November, but I guess time truly does fly when you’re having fun! *awkward laughter*
Let’s take a look at the first week of NaNo, shall we?
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good morning, cyberspace!
And welcome back to the 2021 Preptober series! Today’s post is a little more on the lighteared and fun side, which I feel provides a nice little relief from the nitty gritty topics we discussed last week. This particular idea wasn’t voted on too heavily during the Instagram polls, but some of y’all really wanted to see what I had up my sleeve in regards to my Spotify playlists! And who am I to tell you no? If it’s behind-the-scenes content you want, it is behind-the-scenes content you are going to get!
So without further ado, let’s dive into my playlist for Project Sunset!
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BEHIND THE SCENES OF PROJECT SUNSET – THE PLAYLIST
Not gonna lie, this playlist was one of the highlights of drafting Project Sunset. I absolutely adore creating playlists, specifically ones with themes or inspiration for character casts, and this one is by no means an exception. The creation process of this playlist was a labor of pure and intense love, and I am so excited and proud of how it turned out. (and since we’re only just beginning the second draft, I have a feeling it’s only going to grow as time progresses.) However, since this is a Behind The Scenes sort of deal, I feel it is not only necessary, but my duty to share the nitty gritty details behind some of the song selections. Because there is a LOT of thought that goes into choosing a song for a story playlist, my friends. A lot of thought.
And at the forefront of my mind at all times, no matter what song I’m listening to, there are the characters.
I’ve mentioned multiple times that I’m a character-driven writer, so it’s by no means a surprise when I say that my playlists are typically driven by my characters, as well! One of my favorite things to do when learning the “voice” behind the cast of my novels is to find songs that perfectly match their unique personality. And since Project Sunset has so many characters, I have quite a few songs that are character specific.
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THE SONGS BEHIND THE CHARACTERS
ED WHITTAKER
As the Main Main character of Project Sunset, Ed Whittaker’s main theme is technically double-sided. Not only is it his theme, but it’s the Main Theme for the entire novel as a whole! He also has two theme songs in particular, whereas the majority of other characters only have one–thus is the curse of being a side character.
SHELBY WESTBURN
As the other main character of Project Sunset, Shelby’s theme song is, once again, directly integrated into the plot. I discovered her song while listening to Pandora one day, and it immediately stuck in my head. I knew that it would play during a pivotal scene for Shelby (one that I had planned since the very inception of this novel), but trying to find the song after it stopped playing on our Alexa was nothing short of a nightmare. (curse you, lyric-less music XD)
behind the scenes: not gonna lie, the scene this song was chosen for may or may not have brought tears to my eyes when I drafted it. I’m… not exactly excited to get back to it during the second-drafting process. (even I’m not proud of my Vulcan soul sometimes, friends.)
LIAM FITZ
Not necessarily a Main Character, but still one of my favorites–Fitz’s theme song is one that I still jam out to to this very day… I even went so far as to add it to my work playlist so that all of my coworkers could jam with me. (it’s fine. they love me. kinda.)
CARLOS & JUANITA GUTIERREZ
Not gonna lie, these guys impacted the playlist a LOT. XD Carlos and Juanita love music–particularly songs they can dance to–and there are at least two or three songs on this playlist that they directly influenced due to their passion for dance. However, the song that I’ve chosen to highlight was their “first dance”, if you will. It was also my initiation into actually enjoying some of Michael Buble’s music, which I still blame Carlos and Juanita for to this very day.
BONUS TRACK!
EUGENE CRANDALL
To be honest, this guy is such a minor character that he probably shouldn’t even have his own theme song. But one day my mom started playing this randomly during dinner and… well, honestly the rest is history.
SAM PLINKETT
Similar to Eugene, this is another minor character who somehow managed to get his own theme song! I can’t really complain, though, because Sam was one of my favorite characters to write during this first draft. He was unpredictable and chaotic, but with a soft heart of gold that made my own Vulcan soul melt. If I’m excited about anything when it comes to this novel, it’s for you guys to meet Sam Plinkett.
CASEY CRAWFORD
And last, but certainly not the least, on the flipside to Ed, we have our antagonist–Casey Crawford. And if Ed, our hero, has two songs dedicated in his honor, it only makes sense for the villain to have two songs, as well.
Parallels between Good and Evil and all that.
And that, my friends, is exactly why Casey has two songs! (that, and two songs claimed him organically, so it only made sense to feature both) The songs I chose for Casey are not only ballads, but by one of the greatest musical artists of our time… The man. The myth. The legend. Scott Sterling! Freddie Mercury.
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THE SONGS BEHIND THE BOOK
Despite the fact that there are about a gazillion characters in Project Sunset, not all of the songs on my playlist have a specific character to correspond with. Sometimes, a song makes it through simply because it matches the vibe of the book–that particular blend of guitar riffs and vocals that takes you away from this mortal plane and deposits you swiftly into the world of your story.
So while the next few song highlights may not be driven by any character in particular, they are still driven by the story as a whole, and without them, I could never have captured the sound of Project Sunset.
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THE PLAYLIST
And lastly, in case you just wanted to take a peek at the playlist as a whole and listen to it for yourself, I’ve included the entire thing right here for easy access!
Of course, please keep in mind that this playlist is still very much a work in progress, and I’m constantly adding and removing tracks as I see fit. Some songs help me write for a little while before I realize they don’t match the specific vibe I’m going for, and then I’m forced to remove them to make room for the tracks which do fit the vibe. But all in all, this playlist has been–and will continue to be–my constant companion when drafting Project Sunset. And as I prepare to head into this story’s second draft, I expect it to continue morphing and changing with the theme of the story.
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talk to me, peasants!
Okay, y’all! It’s time to talk about one of my favorite topics–MUSIC!
do you create specific project playlists for your stories, or do you prefer to work in silence? if you’re a music listener, what kinds of songs do you typically listen to when writing? and for my non-music friends, do you create playlists to listen to when you’re NOT writing, or do you prefer other methods of inspitation–such as pinterest or aesthetic boards?
As always, let’s talk about ALL OF THE THINGS down in the comments below!
* flings cookies in the air and disappears *
good morning, cyberspace!
Today’s Preptober post was a wee bit impromptu, but GUYS. My favorite linkup has officially returned for the chaotic NaNoWriMo season, and there’s no way I could do a Preptober series without participating! Know The Novel is a linkup created by not only one of my favorite bloggers, but one of my favorite humans, as well! Christine Smith is the sweetest, most kind-hearted individual you will ever meet, and if you’re not already following her blog, I highly recommend checking it out!
Know The Novel is a yearly linkup set within the final three months of the year. There are different “themes” for each linkup, and this month’s theme is Introductions! So without further ado, for anyone who’s interested in the novel I’ll be working on next month, here’s all you could ever hope to know (and that I’m comfortable sharing) about Project Sunset (SK)!
Fun Fact: I actually did this linkup for Project Sunset way back in 2019 when I first decided to draft this novel! Buuuut, since so much has changed between then and now, I figure it wouldn’t hurt to “re-introduce” this book to the blogosphere! If you’d like to take a peek at the previous entry, however, here’s the link!
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good morning, cyberspace!
It’s that time of year again, folks! NaNoWriMo is on its way, and for our first Preptober 2021 post, we’re bringing back a yearly tradition! That’s right! It’s time for this year’s NaNoWriMo Survival Kit: Rebel Edition!
honestly the only reason I’m claiming my rebel title this year is because it reminds me of the Rebel Alliance. do NOT judge me. XD
This year’s survival kit is a wee bit different than years’ past since I’m revising a novel rather than first drafting it, but there are definitely some familiar staples I’ve included! Also, I’ve been trying to fit most of this stuff into my writing bag, and it’s… kinda chunky at this point? Almost back-breaker level chunky. I definitely will not have a hunch by the time this NaNoWriMo is over from hauling this guy all over the place. Absolutely not.
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good morning, cyberspace!
I can’t believe that this is the last post of September. This month has absolutely flown by, and now that I’m sitting at the end of it, I couldn’t tell you where on earth all the time went. The Silmaril Awards have been happening–and if you haven’t managed to check out the Awards Ceremonies yet, I highly encourage you to do so!–and I think I got so swept up in the thrill and excitement of the Silms that I might have forgotten to reveal some very exciting news that happened back in August. (tbh, I might have already told you all about this, but I can’t find a single trace of it anywhere on the blog, so please forgive my cornflake of a brain cell XD) So while I wanted to jump on in here and tell you all my exciting plans for October, I quickly realized that I wasn’t going to be able to do that until I patched up some untold information in regards to my current WIP, Project Goblin.
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A LONG OVERDUE WRITING UPDATE
So! Last we talked, I believe I was telling y’all about my grandiose plans to try and enter Project Sunset (or SK) into Pitch Wars this year. That, as we all probably could have predicted, did not happen. Of course there was some slight disappointment in regards to this, but all in all, I’m actually not all that sad about it. I knew September was going to be a giant chunk of a month regardless of whether I participated in Pitch Wars or not, and after about the first week of September, I realized that Pitch Wars just wasn’t gonna happen. One month wasn’t near enough time for me to redraft an entire novel–at least not to a point where I was proud of it and willing to let potential mentors look at it–so I decided to drop the idea of Pitch Wars before it could consume me and swathe September in a blanket of anxiety and dread. (and between you and me, it was one of the best decisions I made all month)
But all of this talk and dreaming of Project Sunset begs a very obvious question: what happened to Project Goblin? Astute readers of my blog, followers of my Instagram, and listeners of my everyday life will know that Project Goblin has been my WIP for the past 6 months or so. It’s been one wild adventure after another with that book ever since its birth in 2018, but after some careful consideration, I have decided to no longer work on that book for the time being.
…
…
Because I finished its first draft back in August.
Yep! You read that correctly! Project Goblin is no longer just a thought, but a messy, chaotic, plot-holey mess on my hard drive! The characters are a little warped, the setting is a little deprived, and the overall story arc resembles more of a limp noodle than an arc, but my goodness it’s finished! At least, the really sloppy first draft is finished, and that is obviously the hardest part.
I feel like I might have mentioned the fact that I finished this book somewhere in a blog post a month or so ago, but for the life of me I can’t remember saying it. So I’m saying it now! Project Goblin’s first draft is over and done with, and after a much-needed month-long novel hiatus (in which I read good books and essentially just stared at a wall in contemplation for four hours a day), it is my greatest pleasure to announce that I’m back to drafting and ready to dive in to another project!
Which is perfect timing, if I do say so myself, because–*another announcement incoming!*–I’M PARTICIPATING IN NANOWRIMO THIS YEAR!
Except I’m not participating in the traditional sense of the word. In fact, one might even say that I’m rebelling entirely. But I’m definitely going to be working on a book during the month of November, which obviously means that I’m a perfectly reliable Wrimo, and no one can tell me otherwise… *brandishes pitchfork menacingly*
Ahem. Anyway. Now that I’ve clarified where I’m at with Project Goblin and have announced my rather sketchy participation in NaNoWriMo, you might be wondering… what AM I working on during the month of November? And this, my friend, is a very solid question–and also one that I’m more than happy to announce!
The book that I’ll be working on for NaNoWriMo this year is none other than Project Sunset! (a.k.a SK. a.k.a. oh my word I need to stick to a name for this book already) Despite the fact that I wasn’t able to enter it into Pitch Wars, I still very much want to have a solid second draft of this book done by the end of 2021. It would make this slightly terrifying year feel slightly more productive than it currently does, and also… I’m just so beyond ready for people to be able to read this book already. I know there’s still so much left to do before it’s reader-ready, but a second draft would be one more step closer to that final goal, and that alone makes me excited and inspired to dive in and do the hard work necessary to accomplish that.
However, since NaNoWriMo is still a month away, and technically I’m not QUITE ready to start revising this novel yet, I’ve decided that one more exciting thing should happen between now and November. Something a little bit bloggerly, but also a little bit writerly. And what is this Thing, you might find yourself wondering? What exciting diversions do I have in store for all my NaNoWriMo peeps during the month of October? Well……..
*drumroll please*
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PREPTOBER 2021: The Beginning
For anyone in the NaNoWriMo-sphere, you already know what Preptober is. For those of you who maybe aren’t quite as familiar with this hobgoblin of a writing event, allow me to explain!
Preptober is, essentially, a month long event in which hopeful Wrimos spend the 31 days of October prepping their novels–and themselves–for the 30 days of intense, grueling writing which is to be done during National Novel Writing Month (November). Typically, I don’t do Preptober. I usually pin down what book I want to write somewhere between October 20th and Halloween (#procrastinationftw), do some very minimal prep-work, and then wipe my hands of the mess and call it good. XD But THIS year, since I’m revising a novel and–hopefully–coming out on the other side with a partly revised second draft, I decided to do things a little bit differently! This year, I’m gonna be going all out with my Preptober planning, and you guys get to come along for the ride!
I recently did some polls over on my Instagram page asking for y’all’s opinions on some of the topics I wanted to cover this month, and you guys absolutely delivered! Currently I have 5 posts in the works which cover everything from my re-outlining process, to what’s inside my NaNoWriMo Rebel Survival Kit (a yearly staple at this point XD), to the mentality behind writing. It’s going to be an intense month of writing and prep and all of the delicious creativity, and I am 100% here for it.
All in all, October is going to be packed with writing and work and Halloween and two of my favorite humans’ birthdays, and I’m so excited for all of it. Autumn is the time of year where I truly thrive, and with NaNoWriMo just on the horizon, I sense beautiful magical wonderful things on the way! So thank you all for sticking around and putting up with my slightly chaotic posting schedule as of late. It hasn’t been as consistent as I’d like, but I’ve been managing to get something posted every week, and in this crazy season of life I’m in, I consider that a pretty big win! So here’s to October and all of the craziness it throws our way! Let the Spooky Season officially commence!!!
*maniacal cackling in the distance*
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talk to me, peasants!
are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? if yes, what project are you working on? are you sharing it on the cyberwebs, or are you keeping it private until it’s finished? if no, what sorts of beautiful wonderful magical things are you doing during October? let’s talk about ALL OF THE AUTUMN things down in the comments below, my friends! And as always, until next time…
* flings cookies in the air and disappears *
good morning, cyberspace!
And just like that–it’s August. Somehow I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that we’re 8 months into 2021, but I don’t think Time really cares about that. This summer has been quite possibly the strangest I’ve had in a great long while, but you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ve had highs. I’ve had lows. I’ve made new friends and I’ve experienced new adventures. I’ve suffered injuries–both physical and emotional. I’ve watched fireworks. I wore a dress and wielded a sword and stood on the lawn of a castle. I’ve eaten ice cream for breakfast. I’ve risen to new levels and dropped off the face of the earth. And all the while, God has been working inside of me, showing me that He’s not even close to being finished with whatever this season of life is.
And I’m strangely okay with that.
This year more than ever I’ve begun to notice the subtle shifts in His plan for me. I’ve seen steps taken in the dark become more clear. I’ve watched His hand pulling strings to take me where I’m meant to go. And it’s beautiful. And it’s scary. And it’s exciting.
And I’m sitting here at the end of summer just basking in the fact that this crazy life I’ve been given really is something magical. I’m lucky, guys. I’m very, very lucky.
And also I failed NaNoWriMo miserably. So let’s talk about that, shall we? XD
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camp nanowrimo, 2021: recaps and revisions
The results are in, my dearest peasants. You might want to shield your eyes, though. The shame is exponential.
INITIAL WORD GOAL – 50,000
SECONDARY WORD GOAL – 33,000
FINAL WORD GOAL – 22,000
WORDS WRITTEN – 15,561
CHAPTERS COMPLETED – 8
Not gonna lie, when you stack the numbers up together, I feel pretty stinkin’ proud about my progress this month. Project Goblin has been a story YEARS in the making. I started it back in 2018, shelved it, and honestly wasn’t sure I’d ever get to a point where it could be written the way it deserved. It’s such a big, whimsical undertaking, and even now I’m not sure I’m writing it correctly. But I’m trying. And sometimes that’s all we can ask for.
The words I wrote this month aren’t anywhere close to perfect. But they’re mine, and they’re leading me one step closer to the story I see in my dreams. It feels monstrous at the moment–the editing process has already begun to stress me out–but it’s a journey that I’m willing and determined to take. I believe in this book. I believe in these characters. And I believe that this story is one that deserves to be written and read and loved. And for right now, that is more than enough to keep me moving forward.
I’ve also been continuously surprised by the turns this book has taken–both plot-wise and structurally. This story has taught me that it’s okay to let your process shift, that nothing is set in stone once written, and–most importantly in my humble opinion–that talking mimes most definitely wear socks. Never before have I had so much freedom with switching up major plot points midway through telling a story. Normally something as catastrophic as plopping entirely new cast members into the book halfway through would be cause for concern. Now, however, I’ve learned to just kinda shrug it off, test them out for a few scenes, and then scrap them later on if I change my mind.
…have I mentioned the fact that this first draft is a complete and utter mess? *sweats nervously*
Another interesting tidbit about this novel: the deadline (hard deadline, by the way. my soft deadline whipped by without a second thought.) for this book just so happened to be a couple days ago. I saw the notification pop up on my phone calendar, and I just kinda…swept it away. XD Because there wasn’t a way in this universe that I was going to meet it. BUT. I was much closer to hitting that goal than I’ve ever been to hitting ANY of my initial novel goals, and I feel pretty darn good about that, peasants. I may not have finished the book in July, but I’m getting closer to figuring out how to make reasonable deadlines for myself, and that is something I’m going to celebrate. (I’ve also taken this opportunity to make NEW deadlines, and EEP, that’s pretty exciting!)
Once the first draft of this book is officially done, however, I’m debating whether or not I should post some snippets. I know a lot of you expressed interest in meeting my talking mime named Martin, and honestly? I really really want you guys to meet him. Like immediately. XD But alas, we shall have to wait and see!
Overall, this month was a process of learning, conquering my writerly fears, living life to the fullest (both in and outside of the page), and taking the time needed to reprioritize my crazy, chaotic writerly existence. So while I may not have won Camp NaNoWriMo, I did win in SO many other aspects of my life, and for today, that’s enough.
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…and in OTHER news…
And in other, non-Camp related news, I have some very big things coming up within the next couple months!!!! And while I can’t tell you what they are exactly quite yet, I AM going to vaguely elude to them! Because I’m a monster. It’s fine.
THING NUMBER ONE – August 3rd!
This one is very exciting, because it’s not just a happy thing for ME, but it’s also a happy thing for YOU, and I’m so so so excited to reveal it to you all!! More information is coming in JUST TWO DAYS!!! So definitely swing back here on Tuesday to get all the juicy details on this most exhilarating surprise! (and if you think you know what this one is about, hit me up in the comments. I’m very eager to see if someone actually knows. XD)
THING NUMBER TWO – September
While I can’t give any specific dates for this one quite yet, I can tell you that I’m extremely excited to be a part of something very big, very exciting, and very very terrifying at the same time! I’ll be able to give more info soon, but for right now, all I can tell you is that this Thing is coming in September. *zips lips* THAT’S ALL I CAN SAY, PEASANTS. (don’t bribe me with cookies, I can’t stand that kind of pressure…)
THING NUMBER THREE — Unknown
This last thing happened literally just this last week, and I’m STILL reeling from the news of it. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to tell you all about it (hopefully I’ll be able to tell you all about it?), but rest assured that as soon as I get the okay, YOU’RE GONNA KNOW ABOUT IT. XD (also, to cut into the suspense, I did NOT get a book deal, literary agent, or am otherwise anywhere near publishing a novel at this point in time. but this is still a really huge step for me in a direction I’ve been wanting to go for–oh, I don’t know….MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE–so I’m just. You know. Chilling. Completely chill-like. it’s fine.)
Did I mention that this month has been CRAZY? Because y’all. This month has been C R A Z Y. I can’t even begin to describe how blessed I feel to have this pocketful of secrets to share with you all soon. It honestly feels like all the loose strings in my life which I’ve been flapping around aimlessly for the past few months are finally–FINALLY–coming together. I truly hope that I’m able to do justice to the opportunities I’ve been blessed with, because if my intuition is telling me anything, it’s that this is going to be a year I’ll never forget.
talk to me, peasants!
And that’s everything for today, my friends! I’m honestly so excited for August. I’ve got so much that I want to do and write and live, and I have a peculiar feeling that this month is going to be magical. And obviously this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that this also happens to be my birth month. Nope. Not even a little bit. XD
But that’s quite enough about me! Let’s talk about you! For those of you who participated in NaNo: how did July go? were you able to meet all of your writing goals? what was your favorite writing memory from Camp NaNo?
And for my peeps who didn’t do Camp NaNo this time around: what kinds of adventures have you been undertaking this past month? do you have any end-of-summer book recs for Yours Truly? (I ended up reading quite a lot last month, and I’d really like to keep that momentum into August!) and–most importantly of all–do you have any guesses for my Super Secret Announcements coming soon???
Let’s talk about all of the things down in the comments below, and until next time….
* flings cookies in the air and disappears *
Smudged Thoughts 
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