It has been a simply glorious day. This morning I awoke to sun shining through lacy branches encased in ice with patterns of intricate frost decorating every windowpane. As my Whippet reclined in her favorite patch of sun, I downloaded a marvelous new book on my Kindle. What could be better?

This week I’ve had the pleasure of working on some wonderful writing projects. I’m off to a great start on my YA historical, and now I’m shifting my focus to a middle grade novel that I wrote in 2017 and am now rewriting. I’m thoroughly enjoying settling back into the world of this humorous, adventurous middle grade about three siblings and the troubles they encounter upon being sent to a new home.

I also interviewed two incredible NCAA athletes this week, Michigan’s Natalie Wojcik and Georgia’s Rachael Lukacs, both former Nastia Liukin Cup competitors who have transitioned to college and are doing *amazing* things! I can’t wait to share these interviews with you. And, in case you missed it, you can check out my recent Q&A with Florida’s Sydney Johnson-Scharpf here!

Before @GatorsGym kicks off its season tonight, @GymnasticsRosie caught up with freshman Sydney Johnson-Scharpf! In less than 60 seconds, Johnson-Scharpf tells us about her first year of NCAA and a few of her all-time favorite things!#NCAAgym pic.twitter.com/vkY60xiDT4

— Inside Gymnastics (@InsideGym) January 11, 2019

I am really enjoying keeping up with my projects by using my new writing planner. It’s already been extremely helpful for organizing everything!

A wonderful surprise waiting for me under the Christmas tree!! I cannot wait to fill out this beautiful new planner 😊 pic.twitter.com/2ShLtrEAft

— Anna Rose Johnson (@GymnasticsRosie) December 25, 2018

After finishing Norvia of Walloon Lake for NaNoWriMo in November, I’ve been contemplating what will transpire in the third book of this series. This in itself is a highly enjoyable occupation as I scour through name books, dabble in research, and select the themes and imagery I’ll incorporate. I cannot wait to start writing it!

I also joined two writing societies this week: American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). I’m already enjoying the resources these two organizations provide, and I’m eager to explore my memberships further!

On the reading front, I’ve completed seven books thus far in January, including a reread of Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy in Spite of Herself. (Now I’m halfway through Betsy Was a Junior, because it’s just so good. 🙂)  Here’s a look at six of my January seven—all of which have been highly entertaining:

The Cherry Ames novels by Helen Wells are so interesting. I love how the author creates a full cast of realistic, multidimensional characters in each of these books, while still maintaining characters and storylines from previous volumes in the series. The one I just finished (Island Nurse) inspired me to do some research on Newfoundland, where the story is set. (Now, of course, I must write a book set in Newfoundland. 😉)

I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend and that next week brings you plenty of delightful reading time!