I’ve always been fascinated with scrapbooking, and I’ve kept various types of scrapbooks since I was seven years old. Some have been personal scrapbooks with special mementos alongside photos I’ve taken, and others have been collections of magazine photos I liked.

Some of my most recent scrapbooking efforts are pages designed to inspire me as I write my novels! I’ve mentioned this before on my blog, explaining how I collect ideas and imagery for my books and arrange them in ways that enhance the “vision” of my works-in-progress. I typically do this very early in the writing or prewriting process of a book, and it helps to shape the aesthetic feel that I’ll attempt to describe in the story.

I did this for my novella last year, gathering pictures of beaches and and cottages and a homecoming theme to inspire me.

Right now I’m in the most delightful stage of any book–the prewriting process. It’s delicious to dream up a story, and I’ve been mulling over this one for about a month now. I’m sifting ingredients, trying to determine what will make the best recipe for this particular tale. I’m stirring together character traits and settings and time periods and messages and motives. I’m planning out the look and feel of the book.

Which brings me to the creation of these scrapbook pages, designed specifically for my next sweet romance novel! Any guesses on the historical era?

And of course, sometimes I create pages to springboard me to new ideas. One of them helped to cement ideas for a short story I’d like to write.

Do you enjoy scrapbooking? Have you ever considered putting together images for story inspiration?

Recently Read: Christmas at the Circus by Joanne Bischof, The Luck of the Buttons by Anne Ylvisaker, Only Dollie by Nina Rhoades, The Golden Name Day by Jennie D. Lindquist

Currently Reading: Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace, Anne’s House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery, Cousins by Evan Commanger

Today, I’m doing a quick “news roundup” of some fun tidbits from the past couple of weeks!

First and foremost, I recently signed with Molly Shaffer, a literary agent at Golden Wheat Literary! I’m so thrilled to be taking this step in my writing journey! The past month has definitely been a whirlwind of excitement, and I can’t wait to keep working toward my goal of publication. 🙂

I also received the latest issue of Inside Gymnastics, which includes my feature on the 2008 U.S. Olympic women’s team. It was so much fun chatting on the phone with Nastia, Chellsie, and Samantha for this piece! Quotes from Bridget Sloan and Shawn Johnson also appear in the article. If you haven’t already subscribed to the magazine, be sure to buy a copy!

The latest issue of @InsideGym has arrived! Be sure to check out my “Back to Beijing” article, featuring quotes from @samanthapeszek, @CMemmel, @NastiaLiukin, @ShawnJohnson, and @bridgetsloan! 😍 pic.twitter.com/P1CqBJMMXo

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) October 1, 2018

October has been a blustery, rainy, and snowy month so far! But we’re enjoying some truly beautiful fall colors here in Wisconsin. Here’s a few photos I snapped a few days ago!

Feisty waves on a misty lake:

A seagull flying overhead:

Beautiful colors on a rural road:

A gorgeous orange maple:

I’ve decorated a new bookshelf to showcase my vintage hardbacks of favorite classics, such as my beloved Pollyanna and Carolyn Wells books, some 1930s and ’40s mysteries, and a handful of lovely Louisa May Alcott novels:

Speaking of reading, I recently read The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden (2018) by Karina Yan Glaser, and I loved its sweet storyline. As a writer of children’s books, I also enjoyed Sarah Clarkson’s inspiring Caught Up in a Story (2014). In other reading news, I’m currently rereading L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, and I’m halfway through Jean Craig: Nurse by Kay Lyttleton (1949), which I discovered in a charming antique store. It’s a little like the Cherry Ames books, which are some of my favorite vintage mysteries.

It finally arrived! Cannot wait to read the second Vanderbeekers book by @KarinaYanGlaser! As a fan of classic middle grade (Enright, Streatfeild, Estes, etc…) it’s refreshing to find a new series that reminds me of my favorites! ❤️😍 pic.twitter.com/W0zMhkMBeR

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) September 26, 2018

Summertime is for butterflies!

I’ve always been fascinated with the butterflies that visit our farm, especially the showstopper of summer, the yellow swallowtail butterfly:

I recently read Gene Stratton-Porter’s classic novel A Girl of the Limberlost. Published in 1909, the story features Elnora Comstock, a young naturalist who navigates life and love while searching for valuable insects in the Limberlost swamp of eastern Indiana.

I loved the descriptions of the dragonflies, moths, and butterflies and in this book. We’re lucky to see lots of these here in the summer, including the beautiful monarch butterflies.

If you’re interested in attracting butterflies, try planting bee balm, snapdragons, or lilacs—swallowtails in particular seem to love these flowers (and so do bees and moths)!

What are your favorite types of insects? Feel free to leave a comment!