SEPTEMBER 2024 wrapup!

Greetings, friends!

 

As I’m writing this, it’s a gray, chilly fall day and it’s pouring outside. PERFECT weather. I love it. *all the summer/sunshine lovers start throwing tomatoes at me so I catch them and turn them into tomato soup which is perfect for this perfect fall day* *thank you*

 

I can’t believe September is over?? The fall months I look forward to so excitedly always go by so quickly and it makes me sad. But it’s been quite a warm fall here so far, so I’m hoping with October will come some cooler temperatures. ANYWAY. I thought I’d do a little September wrapup. (My first monthly wrapup in… like two years, I think??) So, I’ll go ahead and proceed into that before I keep rambling about the weather. XD

 

you don’t get any cute section headers in this post because they’re all saved on my old laptop and I don’t feel like getting them right now XD plus my internet is really bad right now so no photos of the things I'm talking about either hahahaha

 

READING

 

So, uh… I kind of went reading-crazy this month. Like, every time I told my sister I’d started a new book she responded with “you already finished *insert title of whatever book I’d just been reading*????” I set a goal of reading 50 books this year, then when September came, I was very, very far behind. And I don’t know if it was that, or the reading bug randomly biting me again, or the fact that I was reading really good books, or what, but I read six books this month. Which is more than I’ve done in a whiiiile. (it’s almost as many as I read all last year. XD)

 

FROM DARKNESS WON by Jill Williamson // 5 stars // I read the first two books a while back and was kind of dreading this one just because of the SIZE of it and the fact that I’d been reading so slowly and didn’t want to get hung up again. But I think I read it in three days. XD I really enjoyed this final book of the Blood of Kings trilogy.

 

MORTAL QUEENS and LETHAL KINGS by Victoria McCombs // 4 stars // I received an eARC of Lethal Kings, so I read Mortal Queens to prepare. And I ended up loving these books!! They were the first I’ve read from this author, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but I really loved her writing style and all the characters. I genuinely enjoyed and got invested in these books more than any books I’d read in a while. (Book 2 broke my heart and shattered my soul, though, so. There’s that. I would have thrown it across the room if I hadn’t been reading on my Kindle*.) I had a few issues with some things toward the end, but overall I just really loved the world, the characters, the stakes, and I would definitely read these again.

 

LYDIA GREEN OF MULBERRY GLEN by Millie Florence // 3.5 stars // I’ve had this book on my shelf for a while, but what perfect timing to pick it up because it was a lovely fallish book! I actually didn’t know this was a fantasy until I started reading, so that was a pleasant little treat. I loved this book and so related to Lydia’s struggles with change. It was a very cute story, but also deeper than I expected it to be. Definitely recommend for a quick fall read!

 

LIGHTSHED by Crystal D. Grant // 5 stars // The FEELS. It’s always hard to top first books in a series, but I think this one beat book 1 for me. I wish I could tell you about a certain scene that just absolutely stole my heart, but alas… spoilers. (So… you need to read book 1 and then book 2 so we can talk about it. Okay? Okay.)

 

PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale // 3.5 stars // This was another  cute, cozy story that was perfect for fall! Side note: have any of you guys seen the movie Courage Mountain? Because there were some uncanny similarities in this book that I’m curious if anyone else noticed. :P

 

*I got a Kindle!! I’ve been thinking about getting one for a while, mainly for the purpose of reading eARCS because trying to read on my laptop or my phone is really annoying. So, I did the thing and bought the Kindle, and though I haven’t used it much yet, I have no regrets. (I also found that I seemed to read much faster on it than I do with a physical book?? I’d read like 50 pages and it felt like nothing. Not sure of the science behind this. XD)

 

WRITING

 

In terms of writing, I did no writing. *whoops*

 

But honestly, I think this break was needed. I felt a little guilty at the beginning of the month for reading so ravenously and neglecting my own book, but I think my creative well needed filled back up. I was overwhelmed with some changes and different things in my WIP and kind of dreading getting back to it because of that (kinda still am, oopsies), so I just let myself forget about it for a while and fill myself with stories. And after reading so little for… well, heck, the past couple of years, it was really refreshing.

 

But now, I’m just about ready to get back to work, and I’m hoping to jump back into Look for the Flares full-force in October.* There’s still a looot of work to be done to tighten this story up, which became obvious in July when so many people at Realm Makers asked what I was working on and I realized that in terms of being able to describe it in a quick pitch, I really didn’t know what this book was about. XD (Flashback to when I was having a conversation with Sara Ella and she asked me about my book and I nervously laughed and rambled on for I don’t know how long while she just smiled and nodded… God bless you, Sara, because I know that was painful to listen to. XD)

 

*At least… I think I am. The other day I randomly started missing the craziness of writing a new book every November and kinda sorta considering putting aside my current WIP to write an idea that I’ve had for a couple years… so, yeah. We’ll see where I go from here. *smiles nervously*)

 

LIFE

 

So, this actually happened a few months ago, but I haven’t mentioned it here yet: I joined the Havok hive! AKA, the volunteer team behind the epic Havok Publishing. It’s been a little nerve-wracking and overwhelming at times—starting new things is not my strong point and I’ve definitely been tempted to throw in the towel already—but it feels good knowing I’m pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and getting some experience in different things.

~~

 

I saw for King & Country live, and it was AMAZING.

 

I’ve been to a few concerts now, and this one just MIGHT have been my favorite. Those guys put on a heck of a show, and they’re so talented, but my main takeaway was the HEART behind it. Their music is so uplifting and encouraging, and their love for people and Jesus is so clear. And being in a room with thousands of other believers, seeing people all around the venue with their hands raised to praise God, hearing the songs written to glorify Him… it was unmatched.

 

One of the absolutely best parts: I got to hear Fix My Eyes live. I talked a few years ago about how I fell in love with that song and how important it is to me, and I almost cried hearing it live. Oh, I’d love to go back and experience that moment again because it was just incredible.

 

I hope to see them in concert again in the future, because this was definitely one of my favorite memories ever. I was already feeling nostalgic for it the next morning. XD

 

 

I hit a full year of reading my Bible every day without missing. This is a little random, but it’s something I’m proud of. For years I’d been slacking off on my Bible reading. Like, REALLY slacking off. I’d go days, weeks, sometimes a month or more without opening it. So, last fall I decided that no matter what, I was going to read at least something every day, and write down what I read. Sometimes I’d fill up several pages with notes, and sometimes I’d just zombie-read a chapter before bed to get it in. But every day for a year, in some form or another, I picked it up and read it. Some days I didn’t retain a single word, but I was building a habit. And I’m glad I did.

 

I think a year I was in 2 Kings; currently I’m going through Ezekiel! Because I struggle to focus and comprehend, I’ve been using the commentaries on the Enduring Word website to help me soak in what I’m reading, and taking notes as I go. It’s really helped me to feel like I’m actually learning and not just skimming over chapters. (It’s crazy how you can read the same stories your whole life, maybe multiple times, and still not really know what you’re even reading until you take the time to study it.)

 

BLOGGING

 

Well, nothing happened (XD), except my blog turned five years old! I was going to do something to celebrate, but, alas, time got away from me once again so the anniversary passed quietly. But I still want to THANK YOU, my lovely readers, for being here, whether from day one or you just discovered my little corner of the Internet. The blogosphere truly changed my life (and writing that sentence really made me realize just how MUCH), and I’m forever grateful that God allowed me to stumble across it. Thank you for reading my thoughts and rambles, even when they’re few and far between. I love you all and this community so dearly. < 3

 

So… that’s it! I hope you all are having a lovely fall so far, and I look forward to catching up in the comments. (I have several ideas for posts that I really want to write, so hopefully it won’t be as long between posts this time!) Happy October!

I don't know what to post so here's a mid-year life update I guess

I mean… the title pretty much says it all.

 

Basically, I miss posting and I miss you all but really have no idea what to post about. I’ve lost the blogging groove. *sad audience noises* So, I decided to just share a little bit of what I’ve been up to lately. (emphasis on the “little bit” because I really haven’t been up to much. XD) Anyway. Here’s some things I’ve done this year. With no pictures because reasons.

 

In April, I saw Celtic Woman live! This was a fairly longtime bucket list item for me (although I didn’t remember that until afterwards, lol), and it was a beautiful experience. I went with my brother and one of my sisters, our seats were SUPER good, and we enjoyed every minute. (In fact, we plan to see them again on their Christmas tour later this year!)

 

I got a new laptop!! My previous laptop was almost seven years old, and was definitely showing signs of age. As in, doing things like turning on but not turning ON. (I know it doesn’t make any sense. Be glad you don’t know what I mean.) I kept putting it off and off and off because I don’t like spending money, but, well, it was time. And so, I’m typing this from my new laptop. It’s a lot smaller than I’m used to but I’m GETTING used to it, and I’m just glad I have one that works. Oh, and when I said I wasn't putting any pictures in this post because reasons, the reasons are that I don't have any of them on my new computer yet. XD

 

I cancelled my pitch appointment at Realm Makers. Which was a little disappointing to have to do, if I’m being totally honest, because I WAS looking forward to the experience. But while having that sort of deadline was absolutely fantastic for my motivation, even with the extra boost I realized that my book just wasn’t going to be ready to pitch. (Unfortunately, with the cancelled appointment also came cancelled motivation. XD) By next year, though, I plan to be in much better shape with this story and hopefully will give pitching another shot!

 

I reread Dust by Kara Swanson. Which isn’t a huge happening in itself, but it reminded me how little I reread books and how important it is. I feel like we often hesitate to reread books because we have sooo many books on our TBR that we want to get to and we feel like we’re wasting time if we read something again. But do that too much and it kind of takes the joy out of it. Reading your favorite books again really helps reawaken your love of reading and silences thoughts of statistics. Especially when it’s as fantastic a book as Dust.

 

I went to the Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois and met Kristin Kreuk, aka Lana Lang from Smallville! She was super nice, and said she liked my phone case. :)

 

I’ve been watching Avatar: The Last Airbender! I watched the first few episodes a few years ago but couldn’t find the rest of the series (shoutout to shifty websites with empty promises). I bought the whole series a while back, so I recently started over and have been slowly making my way through it. I think I’m almost done with season 1? And yes, I’m thoroughly enjoying it. I also think it’s one of the funniest TV shows I’ve ever seen. XD

 

I got back into working on Look for the Flares! Which, honestly, I’ve probably said lots of times by now and anyone who follows me is probably wondering how many times I’m going to accidentally take a break from this book. But, well, like I said, when I cancelled my pitch appointment and had no sense of deadline again, I lost a lot of my motivation to write. (whoops.) And it’s not that I don’t WANT to, because I am absolutely still as into this book as I’ve ever been and want to see it finished. I’ve just been so overwhelmed with what all I need to do with it lately, and it’s a challenge to jump back in and know where I left off from last time I opened the document. (Probably a good reason not to be lazy and neglect your WIP for weeks at a time.) But I managed to weasel my way back in without feeling like Gandalf.

 

 It’s not the first draft but IS still pretty rough, as I’ve gone back over it multiple times this year changing little things and big things and just really making a mess of it but somehow making it better in the meantime? Anyway, I’ve gone through almost the whole book with those changes and I actually think that story-wise, it’s in pretty good shape right now. I just need to wrangle my climax into something that makes sense and then I can tighten the whole thing up. (I’m hopeful that in a few months I’ll be able to start looking for beta readers… so stay tuned. ;)) I’ve said it probably a lot of times before: I love this story with my whole heart and I cannot wait for it to hopefully be in your hands someday.

 

 There’s one more thing I’m looking forward to sharing with you, but not just yet! It’s not really a secret, but it’s also not “public” yet, so I’ll just wait until everything’s a little more set in stone. But I’m really excited about it, and I can’t wait to share! :)

 

And… I think that’s about it. Right now my main focuses are getting ready for Realm Makers (I ALMOST have my costume finished and I can’t wait to show you guys!!) in LESS THAN A MONTH (WHAT) and saving money because there are tons of things I want to do. XD (Some people are still waiting for their Hogwarts letter, but I’m just waiting for someone to tell me I’m actually a princess and have inherited an estate or something. Your girl’s broke.) I do hope to be a little more present here, and what with Realm Makers happening very soon I’ll likely have a little more to talk about. But regardless- thank you as always for reading my ramblings, and I can’t wait to talk to you soon! < 3

I don't know what this post is // HI!

*flies over in a helicopter and rappels down Kim Possible-style*

*drops to the ground and lifts sunglasses*

Well, hey, strangers.

Okay, that was probably a little dramatic, but I've been trying to figure out how to open this post and also what this post even is, and go big or go home, right? So, here I am, once again (feeling lost but now and then-) returning to this blog that's all but dead. (It's been almost a year since I posted. o.o) 

I've said it before and I'm not too proud to admit it again- I don't know why I haven't been posting. I don't have an excuse, other than being lazy and/or bad at time management. I stopped posting regularly back in 2020 when I started college, but now I've been graduated for almost a year and still this little corner of the Internet of mine that I used to love so much (and still do!) sits with dust on it.

I've felt so detached from the voracious writer and reader I used to be. I go in and out of being involved in the writing community, posting/engaging on Instagram or on the blogosphere, and, oh yeah, actually writing and reading. Why? I don't know. It's not like I've gone through a lot of life changes throwing me off track. 

To be honest, I've had many days lately of feeling very lonely and discouraged. I struggle with feeling invisible, like no one really cares what I have to say or what's going on with me and that's why I barely get any engagement on my blog and Instagram. And along with that, I also feel a boatload of guilt, because I know deep down those things aren't true and there are lots of people who care, so then I feel horrible and selfish for not recognizing that. Then I just stay in my little hole of discouragement, not wanting to bother anybody and feeling like there's no point in trying. 

Okay, sorry for getting depressing there for a minute. That's all hard to admit, because I'm NOT good at opening up at all, and hate feeling like I'm seeking attention. But I guess that's a big part of why I've been so absent for so long. My motivation and energy to do ANYTHING has just been at an all time low. I truly do want to get back into blogging and just being involved in the community like I once was. I've allowed myself to get so far off track with everything and I desperately want to change that.

I've also severely neglected my relationship with God for a long, long time. I'm not proud to admit that I've let other things stand in the way of the singular most important part of my life. And then I dare to wonder why I feel so distant from Him. *facepalm* This is something I'm working on, and it's a slow, hard journey. But I know it's worth it, and it's necessary. There are so many things in my life that I desperately need His guidance for, and I've allowed myself to be distracted from His face and His will for too long.

I've also discovered something really unpleasant about myself lately: I really don't like the person I've become. I have an attitude. I allow my temper, my frustrations to get the better of me FAR too often. Mainly at work, where I interact with a lot of exasperating and, ahem, not super smart people daily. I pull back into my shell with most people, not really because I'm shy, but because I have no interest in talking to anybody but my friends, and in getting through the day and going home where I don't have to talk to anybody. And so instead of being a light for Jesus, I come across as an unapproachable, angry little gremlin (yes, I've actually been called that) and most new people think I hate them. It's been humbling and actually quite terrifying to realize that, and it's something I'm working and praying through because I'm not proud of it at all. No, I don't seek to be rude to people, or make them feel bad, or anything like that. But I think sometimes I do it without realizing it, and it's something I'm trying to be conscious about and change.

I find myself stuck in these bad moods that are almost impossible to find my way out of, and I know that if I just allow myself to be positive, force the dark clouds away, pray, and praise, I can feel better. But I don't, because I like sitting in my misery. I like making it clear that I'm unhappy, even though there's literally nothing the people around me can do to change that. I get angry because I don't feel the joy I used to or see God's hand in my life, but IT'S MY FAULT for not LETTING Him give me joy or work in me. God's not going to just press a magic little button and make me suddenly happy, as if I'm dancing in a field of daisies rather than trying to get through a work day that has me on the edge of a breakdown. He's not going to just rain down peace and contentment because He sees that I'm upset. Sometimes I have to fight for it. And that's another thing I'm really trying to work through.

This post is all over the place. WHOOPS. I just kind of started typing and this is what came out. XD But I MISS you all dearly, and I hope to fall back into something of a rhythm here again. 

Currently what's on my mind is Realm Makers coming up! Summer feels far away, but wow, we're already in April and spring always flies by, doesn't it? I've attended Realm Makers for the past three years, but for some reason this year I'm a little extra excited to get back to it. (Also a little sad, because from what I've heard it's very likely this will be the last year at the magical place that is the Sheraton Westport Plaza hotel :( ) I've also scheduled my first pitch appointment??!! With Steve Laube??!

Honestly, I don't expect anything from this appointment book-deal-wise. It was a bit of an impulsive decision, just a little something to push myself a little bit and get out of my comfort zone. My main incentive for doing this was just to have the experience, get it out of the way, so to speak. But I'm still working to get my book in good enough shape TO pitch. It's actually been going quite well, and for the first time in a long time I feel like I'm making good progress on my WIP. Prayers for that are appreciated, as well as for the appointment itself being a good experience!

*taps head like Winnie the Pooh* I think that's all I have to say! If you've gotten to the end of this mess, thank you for sticking around. I know I mainly just dumped out all my emotions and frustrations on you, but, well, I guess sometimes you've just got to get it all out there and that's another thing I'm working on. I hope you're all doing well, having a great spring, and I'll talk to you all soon! (Let me know in the comments what you've been up to/how you've been!)

 

AT ALL COSTS- Realm Awards finalist!!

HELLO FRIENDS! Long time no see, but I wanted to pop in and share with you some super exciting news- my story At All Costs is a Realm Awards finalist in the Short Audio category!!

At All Costs was originally published with Havok in November 2021, but was featured on the Havok Story Podcast in May 2022. (Actually, the finalists were announced the day after the episode's one-year anniversary!) It was so surreal then to hear MY story being read by a narrator, and to know that it was chosen to be featured on the podcast. And now, it's surreal to see it on the list on Realm Awards finalists. (Someone tagged me on IG with some other finalists and when I saw my name included with some of my favorite authors?? Ummmm, yeah. I geeked out.)

Of COURSE I have to give a huge shout-out to Maximilian Contreras, the narrator who brought my story to life so amazingly, and obviously the people behind Havok and the podcast for seeing my story fit to produce as an audio story in the first place. This was definitely a team effort and I'm so thankful for everyone involved.

Congratulations to the rest of the amazing finalists, both in my category and all the others!! I can't wait to celebrate with you at Realm Makers- in just over TWO MONTHS! (hello?? how is it almost here again??)

And as always, thank you all so much for your support for me and my writing. It means the world and inspires me to keep going. I love you all so much. ♥

SHADOWCAST by Crystal D. Grant- cover reveal signups!

Happy Thursday, friends!! I have something super exciting to share with you today.

I don't think I've actually mentioned it here on the blog yet, but at Realm Makers back in July, something really special happened. My sister, Crystal, signed a book contract!

Her novel, Shadowcast, is coming out this September 20th with Quill and Flame Publishing House! Shadowcast is the first book in The Gateway trilogy, an epic fantasy series you're not going to want to miss. This has been such a long time coming; I've watched my sister work so hard on this story for so long and I'm so happy it's finally going out into the world. 

Here's the fun part- I'm excited to share that cover reveal signups are now open!! If you want to participate, sign up here! (Yes, I've already seen the cover, and YES, it will take your breath away. So, shoo. *shoos you toward the signup form*)

Also, go add Shadowcast on Goodreads! Here's the link!

Everyone help me get the word out and allll the excitement brewing for this cover reveal and upcoming release!! It's going to be so, so good! 

On being stuck

Anyone here feeling stuck?

I've felt stuck for quite some time now. In a lot of ways, as I'm sure many of us do. But more specifically, I've felt stuck in my writing, blogging, reading. In the writer community in general. All of these things have suffered over the past two years, and though at times it was necessary to push them back for a little while, that particular season of my life is over. And I'm still stuck. 

I've struggled with finding things to post about on Instagram lately. I want desperately to be as active as I used to be, to see my account grow, to be involved. But because I've felt so creatively dry and burned out lately... I have nothing to talk about. What is there to say when you're a bookstagrammer/writer who's been reading a book a month at the most and has barely made any writing progress? I talk about my personal life sometimes too, but that's not the primary reason I'm there. I'm there to talk about stories.

But I'm stuck. 

And in order to get unstuck, I have to put in a lot of work. And that's the problem.

It's good work, yes. And enjoyable. (most of the time.) I have to force myself to pick up a book and read sometimes. That sounds bad ("don't force yourself to do things you don't want to do!"), but even though getting through the first chapters feels like trudging through mud, I always find that once I break through that wall, my love for reading wakes up and I can't get enough. I suppose my mind has grown lazy, and it's just so much easier when I'm tired at the end of the day to stare at a screen rather than immerse myself in reading a story. So, my screen time vastly outweighs my reading time. And I'm actually really ashamed to have had to write that sentence. 

And as far as writing... I'm stuck there too. I have this whole first draft, much more well-written than my other first drafts, that's just waiting for me to work some magic on it. I've read through it a couple times and written down the things that need fixing. I know most of what needs fixing, and I have a pretty good idea of what needs to happen to fix it. But every time I open my laptop to work on it, I get, you guessed it, stuck. My brain ties itself in knots and I get so overwhelmed because I don't know where to start. I'm very scatterbrained, so how can I approach this in a way that will keep my thoughts and the story organized? Should I go back to the beginning and read through the book again? Should I start writing the scenes that I know need inserted, or fix the scenes that are already there that just need tweaking? 

I don't know, so I don't do anything. And so for months I've remained stuck. 

I'm also stuck with blogging. Once upon a time I was overflowing with ideas and potential blog posts, and I have no desire to stop blogging, but I'm at a loss. It's the same way with Instagram. I LOVE posting there, but having consumed or produced so few stories lately, what can I talk about?  

Hopefully you haven't read this far expecting this post to turn inspirational, because, OOPS, that's not what this is. It's more of a... "if you feel this way, you're not alone" post. An "I needed to talk about this or I'll implode" post. 

I can't seem to get myself out of the cycle of deciding to change my habits, work hard, do the things I love and the things I need to do; going strong for about three days; and then going right back into my old habits again. I might just be at the least disciplined I've ever been right now. And it's infuriating, because I know why.

I wanted to make this year one of hard work, of getting things done, of seeing progress. In some ways I'm doing that. In other ways I have so far to go, because I don't want to put in the work. 

Honestly, I think part of my problem is that I haven't quite figured out the balance between letting myself rest when I need it, and gritting my teeth and doing the thing. I loosened my grip on some things when I started college, and now I'm finding it difficult to get ahold of them again. It's not always pleasant realizing the things you need to change and the effort you're going to have to put into changing them. It's uncomfortable. It's not fun. 

Like I said, this isn't an "I figured it all out and here's the recipe, you're welcome" post. I definitely am not unstuck yet. But I'm trying to get there. And maybe I won't ever fully be out of the unstuckness, but little by little I'm working through it. 

I hesitate to even post this because it's not super encouraging, or helpful, or positive. But, hey, it's real. It's where I'm at right now, and I guess if you're here that means you're at least somewhat interested in what's going on in my life. Or maybe this resonated with you and you just needed a reminder that you're not the only one struggling with this. 

For some reason, as I was wrapping up this post, I went back to one of my old blog posts, A Letter to My Future Self. I knew I had written a post right before I started college, but I had totally forgotten that it was actually a letter to myself. And as I started reading it, it hit me that I was the intended audience. I wrote that letter to the Emily that had finished college, and that's me. And as I was reading, I started to tear up, because everything I said in it was true. I did cry. I did struggle. I did wonder if it was all worth it. I don't specifically remember throwing anything, but honestly, I'm sure I did. XD And now, looking back on those two and a half years, it really does feel like just a moment. 

It'll be that way with this dry, challenging season eventually. The work I'm dreading putting in will be... well, not a thing of the past, since I'm talking about mainly writing here, and I don't intend on stopping that. But I'll have made progress, put in more effort to kick the procrastination, and regained some of the fire and passion I used to have.

If you're stuck... it's okay. Not to stay there, but to realize that you ARE there. You just need to give yourself a push to get out. ♥

2022- a look back

It's 2023, and therefore time to look back on what happened in 2022. I'm a little late to the game, seeing as how it's almost February already... but it's been a quieter start of the year for me. I went into the new year with guns blazing only theoretically, but as of yet haven't put much actual change into motion. And I'm allowing myself to learn that that's okay. I've been tired for the past two years. I just finished college. The rest of the year is not going to suffer because I start changing things in February rather than January. 

But ANYWAY! Though there are things I wish I would have done differently, 2022 was a full year, and one to remember. Truly, I think there's more to look back on this year than there has been in a while for me, and I hope I can summarize it without rambling too much. But I am a hardcore rambler, so we'll see. XD

JANUARY 

Snow!! So much snow!! I'd much rather be home on a snow day, but this snowfall did bring some warm memories of being bored with my coworkers, and getting frozen mushrooms and potato wedges to cook in our fryers and stuff our faces with.

FEBRUARY

I can't think of much that happened in February, except that my story Falcon Ledge was published with Havok, and I bought Big Time Rush tickets!

MARCH 

I turned 24! And made the ugliest, most mediocre birthday cake of my life, which I won't torture you with a picture of. XD

APRIL

I met Johnny Yong Bosch, who played Adam Park, the Black/Green Ranger from Power Rangers Mighty Morphin, Zeo, and Turbo!

I finished the first draft of my WIP, Look for the Flares! All in the same day, I made myself cry with my writing, broke my word count record for a single day, surpassed my highest word count for any of my WIPs, won Camp NaNo, and of course finished my first draft. It was a good day. 

MAY 

I officially became an MIT (manager in training) at my job, which was SUCH a long time coming. 

My story At All Costs came out on the Havok Story Podcast!! This was such a crazy experience. If you haven't listened to it yet, you should, because the narrator did such an amazing job and I'm still in awe. 

JUNE

I went to the Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois, and saw Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum, aka Clark Kent and Lex Luthor from Smallville. They were so much fun together and it definitely put me on the nostalgia train! I also got to meet George Newbern, who played Superman's voice on the Justice League animated series. My favorite part of this interaction was when he asked where I was from and I told him my obscure little town's weird name and that I was sure he'd never heard of it and he said "I haven't, but that's a great name!" XD (I also came out of that day with one of the worst sunburns I've ever had.) 

JULY

July was the biggest month of the year. For one, it was Realm Makers month, in which I attended my second Realm Makers and was reunited with old friends, made new friends, learned a lot, and spent way too much money. I talked to more people than I did my first conference, even got out of my comfort zone and went up to a stranger during one of the classes in which we were supposed to mingle. I met an author who is a big part of why I'm here in this writing community and was able to thank her in person. It was a fantastic weekend. (You can read my recap and see all my photos HERE!)

And because of that trip, I got to see SO many new places! We traveled from Missouri all the way to the East Coast for the conference, which I still can't really believe we did. I got to see nine states I'd never been to before. I visited New York City, saw the Statue of Liberty, and walked through Central Park. I saw the ocean for the second time in my life. I saw Washington D.C. I saw all three 9/11 crash sites. I saw so much and it still hits me every now and then that I did all those things. (I shared more about it HERE!)

In July I also had two more stories published with Havok- An Enhancing Elixir Experience and The Courageous Lyons. These were my first two stories in the Wacky Wednesday and Fantasy Friday categories, and with them I officially became one of a fairly small number of authors who have been published under all five categories!! 

And to wrap up an already great month, the last day of July I saw Big Time Rush in concert, which I'd been dreaming of for literally over a decade, and it was an absolutely amazing, unforgettable night. 

AUGUST

I got COVID again and read five books over the course of like a week and a half. XD

SEPTEMBER

Nothing super interesting about this month that I recall, except fall and Hobbit Day, which was delightful! 

OCTOBER

I met Nakia Burrise, who played Tanya Sloan/the Yellow Ranger on Power Rangers Zeo and Turbo! 

And I started watching Harry Potter for the first time! 

NOVEMBER

We randomly got a thick blanket of snow?? In November?? It's not unheard of for it to snow that early here, but never enough to cover the ground. And I wasn't expecting it at all, so imagine my surprise when I opened the door and looked outside that morning. XD

DECEMBER

I met Catherine Sutherland, who played Katherine Hillard, the Pink Ranger on Power Rangers Mighty Morphin, Zeo, and Turbo!

I finished college! My graduation ceremony's not til May, but I finished and it's SUCH  a relief to be done. 

Aaand I passed my manager certification at work! I was so stressed about this day for so long, and was about 99.9% sure that I was going to fail the first time. Somehow- I still don't know how- I DIDN'T fail, and it was SUCH a huge weight off my shoulders. I'm so thankful that I didn't have that to worry about anymore when the new year started.

So, that was my year. Even with all the fun, exciting things that happened, there was still a lot of room for growth and opportunity. I barely wrote for most of the year, which I can forgive myself for since I was so worn down by other things. 

If I regret anything about 2022, it would be that I neglected reading my Bible and praying possibly like I've never done before, and I'm not proud of it. It's something I'm really working on now. I struggle so much with priorities and focusing on what's really important, and I want to take it way more seriously.

All in all, 2022 was an unforgettable year. In a way, it was a year of the impossible. And I'll forever look back on it fondly. 

As for blogging? Well, I'm still trying to figure things out. I MISS when I was consistent on here, and I miss talking to you guys. Pulling back and posting a handful of times over the course of two years has really messed with my drive to write and post things, and although it was absolutely necessary, I hate what it's done to my blog. I want so desperately to get back into it- not just posting, but reading other people's blogs, too. Blogging is what brought me into this community, and it's changed so much over the years- most of the bloggers I started out reading don't post anymore, and it makes me sad. But I want to keep my little corner alive.

Anyway. Like I said, I'm still figuring things out. I don't know if I'll stick to a schedule like I used to, or what. We'll see. But if you're here- hi. I'm happy you've joined me or stuck around, and I hope you'll come back. < 3 I pray you're all having a blessed new year so far!