reading renaissance
reading is really tricky as an author. on one hand, you're supposed to be reading recent books in your genre to keep up with the ~market~. on the other hand, your friends are constantly releasing really cool books you'd like to read, not all of which are in your genre. on the other other hand, maybe you, like me, (a) have a TBR years old and a mile long and (b) are a chronic rereader. on the other other other hand, you're also supposed to be writing, so when exactly are you supposed to read in the first place??
I've always loved reading. you've probably heard some source in the past decade that n-percentage of adults surveyed reported never reading a book again after college or even high school. I am not one of them. school didn't tire me out on reading. even through my twenties, when I was constantly working multiple jobs and going to school, I managed to read a lot—mostly by stashing books absolutely everywhere and working on three or four at a time.
since then—especially since 2020—I've slowed down considerably. in 2022, I had a reading slump from May to October, in which I kept perusing my bookshelves the way you open the fridge, close the fridge, and then, hoping its contents will have changed in the last thirty seconds, open it again. luckily the slump finally broke, but it wasn't a fun time.
in 2024, I'm under deadline for two different books. obviously I need to prioritize my own writing more than ever before. but considering how little I've been reading in the last several years—compared to how much I read when I was younger—I decided I'm also prioritizing reading this year. I spent January 1 reading a murder mystery and thought, "what if I simply read one book a weekend all year long?"
I don't set reading goals as a general rule, both because in recent years I've been bound to fall short and because it makes reading feel like a chore, which is the opposite of what I want. so my "one book a weekend" rule isn't hard and fast: if I'm sick, or have a lot going on that weekend, or simply deeply do not feel like it, it's fine to take a break.
so far, however, I've kept up with my one a book a weekend and! I'm loving it!
even though I never stopped loving reading, somehow I feel like I'm reclaiming the joy of it. maybe it's because clambering out of bed in the morning to immediately set myself up on the couch with a cozy drink and a good book—to spend hours reading simply because I can and I want to and I'm enjoying the book—is a connection to my younger self that I haven't really felt in years. or maybe it's because I've been reading such good books (not that that's unusual).
I don't know. all I know is, I'm reading with such joy.
the keeper of lonely spirits
this month, I turned in my first round of edits for Keeper! getting started was the hardest part, simply because it's been so long since I wrote new parts of this book. I worked on it almost continuously between december 2020 and june 2022. since my agent only asked for line edits before we went on sub, that means it was a solid year and a half between my last major edits and this round. it's surprisingly hard to get back into it after that kind of a break. I had a false start on the first chapter but finally got that done to my own satisfaction, then went through the same thing on the second chapter.
luckily, at that point, it was mostly smooth sailing, except for the chapter midway through that took me a whole week to get to where I was happy with it. and the way I kept doing admittedly kind of lazy fixes to things, then leaving myself notes like "if my editor doesn't like this, here's what I can do instead," then deciding I should just do that in the first place and starting over.
okay, so maybe it wasn't smooth sailing. the point is, it's done, so now I'm back to working on NettieWIP.
icymi: NettieWIP character art
speaking of NettieWIP, did you see this amazing character art of the titular Nettie?? you'd think this was a commission, but no: Lumiscuro called for OCs on BlueSky to help them get out of an art slump. I happily obliged, because I always love getting a free sketch when an artist is just looking for some inspo. instead of a sketch, I got this full-color portrait that's so perfect it's like Lumi plucked Nettie right out of my head.
needless to say, I went hunting for a Ko-Fi or PayPal link so I could leave a tip, because holy shit. this is so going to help me get through my revisions fr.
anyway, you can check out Lumi's commission pricing and other information on his VGen.
click here to visit Lumiscuro's VGen site
click here to follow Lumiscuro on Instagram
a long-awaited update: Edna audiobook
I know you've been waiting (im)patiently, but I can finally share an audiobook release date with you for Remarkable Retirement! the audiobook will release on April 26, 2024—the perfect way to end the week of shenanigans I have planned to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Edna's release!
the audiobook will be available on multiple platforms, including amazon, apple, and hoopla, so keep an eye out come April.
odds & ends
recent reads
Blackmail & Bibingka, the third book in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries series! Mia P. Manansala's author's note says we're getting three more, and I can't wait. I loved this cozy mystery series SO MUCH
My Dear Henry, Kalynn Bayron's YA Jekyll & Hide retelling and part of the Remixed Classics series (which to my astonishment does not include Ibi Zoboi's Pride, as they're apparently from different publishers??). I haven't read the original version of this particular classic, but I loved the retelling! despite my (limited) foreknowledge of the original, there was still a twist I didn't see coming
recent watches
rewatched Superstore and honestly I'd forgotten just how great this show is. like maybe I'm biased bc I worked in grocery stores for 10 years (let me tell you, those cutaways to customers doing weird shit are real af), but. it's just. such a good show!! and the ending made me weep!! again!!
watched Nimona (2023) for the first time and oh my god this is basically my ideal movie, damn. the queerness! the tragedy! the hand touches! the longing glances! the snark! the found family! my god!
recent birds
still early, but I've seen plenty of eastern bluebirds and also the first bald eagle of the year!
until next time!
