NaNoWriMo update... kinda!

More accurately, I'm not doing it anymore! And you know what, I'm happy about that!

I'm going through a lot right now, and really the last thing I needed was to put even more pressure on myself doing something that takes a lot of work and stress even in a good month. I thought I could get away with being a workaholic, but today my health said otherwise, so I said "Okay, health, I'm sorry, let's sit and binge-watch The Sky at Night instead."

In all seriousness, please, nobody else push yourself too hard like that. Listen to your body's stress signals. 50,000 words in a month is not worth a health breakdown.

I will put all my cards on the table here--I actually have not been a big fan of NaNoWriMo. I know plenty of people love it, and I'm happy for them, but for me it's just too much pressure. I only did it two other times in my life. Once was in college because someone I knew wouldn't leave me alone about it. That is a very bad reason to do anything, FYI. That was an extremely stressful month of my life, because NaNo + college = NO. I am really surprised I made it through that month without any health issues, but I was young and thought I was invincible. 

The second time I did a NaNo was actually in July (a JulNo), and while it was still a lot of hard work, I didn't really have anything going on that month so it wasn't as stressful.

But this time around, no. Just no. Triple no. Putting another very stressful thing on my plate when I was already stressed out was stupid.

So I'm writing this blog post not only as a cautionary tale to you, good readers, but also to reassure myself that I will never do another NaNo as long as I live pinky promise. I love writing. It doesn't have to be stressful. I don't need to put pressure on myself or be even more of a workaholic than I already am. 

From now on, I work at my own pace. And I take care of myself.

Anyhow, don't worry, I am definitely going to keep working on the manuscript for Earthkeepers--when I feel up to it again! It's at 38,000 words right now and it's starting to get really exciting! You can take a look at my Facebook page for daily updates and teasers about where I am in the plot!

Take care, everybody! Take a load off and give yourself plenty of TLC! You deserve it!

My super awesome art pupil drew these pictures of Isengrim and Celice, and she said I could share them here on my blog!

This girl is really talented, and I feel so blessed to be her art teacher!

Just wanted to drop an update since it's been a while; I've just been so busy writing Earthkeepers! I want to meet my NaNoWriMo goal, so that means lots and lots of writing! Plus, y'know, life in general has kept me pretty busy.

I'm super excited to share Earthkeepers with everybody! I'm about 20,000 words in right now, and I'm just about to get to the critical plot twist. The characters have been super fun to write, from Miette's high-strung brilliancy to Yonwin's awkward teenage adorableness to Eltas's weird paranoid hippie ways. Revisiting these characters and this world, and developing new characters and world concepts, has been greatly enjoyable. I hope fans of Skydwellers will enjoy this new adventure featuring some of the best (in my opinion) characters from the first book.

I don't have much more to report than that, so I hope everybody has a lovely holiday season! Remember, things might be different this year, but there's always something to be grateful for and ways to enjoy the holidays! Take care!

Worth Searching For, Chapter 32

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7
Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 - Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14
Chapter 15 - Chapter 16 - Chapter 17 - Chapter 18 - Chapter 19 - Chapter 20 - Chapter 21
Chapter 22 - Chapter 23 - Chapter 24 - Chapter 25 - Chapter 26 - Chapter 27 - Chapter 28
Chapter 29 - Chapter 30 - Chapter 31 - Chapter 32

True to Isengrim’s word, they feasted on the array of foods in his larder, and once the rest of the pack arrived it became a veritable festival. Werelupes sang newly-composed lays celebrating their clan’s valour in battle and the heroics of their king, his adoptive family, and Celice in saving the Werelupes’ home. Pharazon was given especial credit for defeating the treacherous Skoll, and the pack lauded his courage and strength, complimenting him on his well-deserved fangs.

Blynn, Hyren, and the Lupe sorceress were guests of honour, and Blynn and Hyren got to stay in Isengrim’s grotto, where the family laughed and chatted for what felt like hours every night before getting to sleep. For his part, Hyren never would have thought that sleeping on furs in a cave would be so comfy.

The snow did indeed turn into a blizzard, and they ended up staying for a fortnight, taking the time to rest and recuperate after all that had happened. Isengrim was a gracious host, and an enthusiastic sparring partner besides. Hardly a day went by that he and Hyren did not end up clashing blades—good-naturedly, this time around.

 

Worth Searching For, Chapter 31

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7
Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 - Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14
Chapter 15 - Chapter 16 - Chapter 17 - Chapter 18 - Chapter 19 - Chapter 20 - Chapter 21
Chapter 22 - Chapter 23 - Chapter 24 - Chapter 25 - Chapter 26 - Chapter 27 - Chapter 28
Chapter 29 - Chapter 30 - Chapter 31 - Chapter 32

An air mage who had a little energy left over from the casting that morning was helpful enough to bestow a spell of swiftness on Gwyneth, and the group soon sped through the sky, the mountains fast approaching. The clouds were black and heavy with snow waiting to fall.

Looking down, Hyren watched the Werelupes returning to Brightvale, followed by the kingdom’s army. Meridell’s forces branched off to the south, most likely taking a farther pass back to their homeland, and the Darigan airborne escorted them overhead. It was strange, he thought, how little difference there really could be between enemy and ally—and how easy it could be to switch statuses. Just like what had happened with Isengrim.

No one said much on the trip, focused as they were on what lay ahead. Isengrim clung fiercely to Terra as though just the very act of holding on to her would somehow keep the curse from worsening. Hyren’s stomach seemed to want to see how many different knots it could tie itself into.

 

The Old Dutch Burying Ground

Happy Halloween!

Here's a nice, pleasant, only slightly unsettling ghost story for your reading enjoyment. Because that's how I roll.

--

Kate was lost in the woods.

On Halloween night.

And her cell phone wasn’t getting any reception.

“I’m a moron,” she grumbled as she slumped against an enormous old tree, rubbing her arms to try to keep warm in the growing chill. Her long blonde hair blew in and out of her face in the night wind. While one side of the tree was tall and weighed down with golden leaves, the other was barren and scorched, as though it had been struck by lightning long ago and never fully recovered.

Taking a hayride through the infamous Sleepy Hollow with some other kids from her high school sounded like a fun idea on paper. What she forgot to account for was the “other kids” part. Kate had wanted to spend the evening enjoying the seasonal rapture of autumn in rural New York – with the added fun of a bit of spooky history - but what she got instead was an earful of gossip and awkward public displays of affection by dating couples. A few guys from the football team had come along, and were obnoxiously full of themselves as always.

And then the ghost stories started. Kate knew this was Halloween and all, but it turned out teenagers became sociopaths when telling ghost stories. It rapidly devolved into a competition to see who could come up with the most macabre tales, and it was as if everyone had simultaneously decided to show their darkest sides and revel in them.

At that point Kate couldn’t take it anymore. When the wagon slowed a bit to navigate a particularly bumpy patch, she slipped over the side and let it trundle on without her. She was pretty sure she could find the way back if she just returned the direction they had come from.

Well, that was half an hour ago and she hadn’t so much as seen a light from a building. And she was getting colder by the minute.

“So this is how I die,” she muttered. “Great. One more ghost to haunt Sleepy Hollow.”

Or she could at least keep moving. Kate pushed away from the old tree and forced her stiff legs to walk. Her cell phone’s light kept her from stumbling over rocks and roots as she scanned the wet ground ahead of her.

Suddenly something new showed up in the pale LED glow—a pair of hooves.

Worth Searching For, Chapter 30

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7
Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 - Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14
Chapter 15 - Chapter 16 - Chapter 17 - Chapter 18 - Chapter 19 - Chapter 20 - Chapter 21
Chapter 22 - Chapter 23 - Chapter 24 - Chapter 25 - Chapter 26 - Chapter 27 - Chapter 28
Chapter 29 - Chapter 30 - Chapter 31 - Chapter 32

A Wocky lurched forward with a morning star and swept it toward Hyren. The Grundo moved to block, and as the heavy hunk of metal made his blade recoil, Hyren didn’t know how much more he had left in him.

Something white and sparking streaked down from the sky and caught the Wocky up in its enormous jaws. It was an oversized Biyako made of fireworks, and the feline Petpet shook the phantom soldier like a toy before tossing it away to dissolve into the green miasma. Seemingly satisfied, the Biyako tore through the ranks, leaving mayhem and mist in its wake.

Hyren looked to the sky. “Blynn?!”