February: Good News Abounds!

The weather is treating us kindly here in central North Carolina. It’s in the 60s this week, and I even sat in the sunshine for a bit today. With plenty of sunshine and a stack of books to read, who am I to complain about anything?

I stayed busy throughout January, and February has been shaping up to be the same. Which is good for the wallet and my social calendar but is also tiring. When I haven’t been trudging through my freelance projects, I’ve been working on my cozy mystery (actually, cozy mysteries) in short bursts.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I still need to edit the draft of my first book. Here’s the thing, though: As I was lying in bed the other night, I had a really fun idea for the second book of my cozy mystery series. So of course, I had to get started on that while the inspiration was flowing. Now I have a legal pad that’s covered in chicken scratch scrawl, the barely legible notes for my second book. I’ve added to it here and there throughout the week as scenes and details come to mind.

My brain has been so preoccupied with the tedious editing process of my first book, I think it just wanted a fun break. This second story is still in the very preliminary stages, but I know I want it to take place in an inn, which is about the coziest setting imaginable, right?

Although I feel slightly worried that I haven’t been carving out time to edit my first book, this whole second-book-inspiration thing has been a good reminder that “Hey! Writing is fun! Remember?!“

It doesn’t hurt me to be okay with having genuine fun with writing once in a while instead of being focused on where the content’s going, whether plot devices are working out, what I’m doing about that stack of pending editing projects, and so on.

Besides freelance and personal writing projects, I’ve also been “training” for a fundraiser 5K that will take place in March. I’m most definitely not a runner by nature, and the last time I tried running was back in college (about 10 years ago!). At that time, I wasn’t very consistent or taking it very seriously, but this time, I’ve been very intentional about working my way up. Five kilometers is only around three miles, but I haven’t run a mile since probably high school?

Alex and I have been using the C25K app which I really like. While we’ve always enjoyed hiking, we’ve never really been runners, so the program has been a good, slow entry into running. It begins with a mix of walking/running and announces when it’s time to switch back and forth. The running has been going well so far!

(Side note: My best friend had started to run with me, too, but she had to drop out for a great reason. She learned she and her husband are having their first baby! Which means I’m soon going to be an aunt and a babysitter!)

Another friend has some exciting news this month, too. She is releasing her FIRST fiction book, a new adult fantasy with a bit of romance thrown in. It’s available for pre-order on Kindle. The book looks so beautiful. The cover designer did a fantastic job, also.

Here’s the description from the back cover:

“A librarian with a secret. A prince looking for redemption. A dark discovery that will force them to confront their truths.

Astrea Sovna is destined to die. As a Lightbringer, she’s expected to serve the Helosian government as a battlefield healer; but when the court seer—Astrea’s uncle—has a vision of her being killed in the line of duty, he forbids her to reveal her powers.

Until now, Astrea has gone unnoticed as a junior librarian. But when she gets reassigned to a diplomatic project to strengthen ties between Helosia and one of its neighbors, she finds herself saddled with her past, in the form of returned war hero and her ex-best friend, Prince Varojin Auris.

Forced to work together, Astrea soon learns that although Varojin has been out of her life for years, he’s still the kind, patient friend she remembers. As they navigate old friendships and imperial politics, the pair discovers that the mysterious shadows stalking the city are leaving a trail of murder victims in their wake. And when Astrea becomes a target, a dear friend gets caught in the crossfire…

As Astrea and Varojin begin searching for answers, they realize there is much more to the emperor’s project than political niceties. If the shadows aren’t stopped, Astrea’s future—and the security of the entire continent—hangs in the balance.”

I’m so happy for her book release because she was working on the first draft when we first met in 2018-ish, when I moved back to Sanford. It is wonderful to see a local author (and amazing friend) reach this stage.

So much great news to celebrate. Let’s keep the good vibes flowing this month!

Do you have any good writing (or personal) news to share? Share it with the writing community in the comments!