Reading + Writing Update 11/22/19

It’s been about a month and a half since I last posted here, and the reason is because I have been *very busy* with writing projects! For the past month, I have been deep in the first-draft process of a triple-timeline Christmas novel—it’s to 50K words thus far, so only about 25K to go!

I’m also in the midst of writing a delightful novelette that I’m hoping to release to my email subscribers next month. If you would like to receive this story in the coming weeks, just scroll to the bottom of my home page and punch your email into the subscriber box! 🙂

I recently joined Instagram—you can check out my profile here—and that’s definitely proven to be an enjoyable platform. I love sharing pictures of favorite books and snippets of my writing.

While I’m always sad to see summer and fall—and my flower garden—give way to the winter months, there are upsides: Hallmark movies on the weekends, soft sweaters, and plenty of time to pursue genealogy and (of course!) read delicious books. (See my list at the end of this post!)

Other bookish things I’ve loved over the past month or so…

• Conversations with my writing group and mentors: Since August, I have been enjoying the community of an amazing group of writers, and the two mentors spearheading this group have provided me with consistently thoughtful feedback, guidance, and thoughts on my writing journey.
• The books of Nina Rhoades: I recently discovered the children’s stories of Nina Rhoades, who wrote sweet novels set in New York City around the turn of the century. I’ve read three of her books so far and am currently on the fourth!
• Receiving critiques and exploring the revision process: Lately I have been seeking out critiques for my writing, and I love the process of exploring how I can learn from those comments. It is always a joy to better my craft!
• Reading groups: This autumn, I read Pride & Prejudice with one book group and am currently reading Noel Streatfeild’s Gemma series with another! Both opportunities to read, relish, and reflect with friends have been lovely.

Happy Reading!

Recently Read: Listening Valley by D.E. Stevenson, The Historic Christmas Tree Ship by Rochelle Pennington, The Little Girl Next Door by Nina Rhoades, Mrs. Sharp’s Traditions by Sarah Ban Breathnach

Currently Reading: The Children on the Top Floor by Nina Rhoades, Gemma Alone by Noel Streatfeild, The Journal of Beaver Island History