It’s been a hot minute since I last updated this blog. Where’ve I been? Writing! I completed the rough draft of two books, starting in late August and ending November 30, 2023. It’s been busy, to say the least. Book #1 (an adult thriller) wound up at just over 60,000 words once completed, and Book #2 (a middle-grade mystery) was written during NaNoWriMo, coming in at just over 50,000 words. 110,000 words written in 3 months. Not too shabby. But these are my draft zeroes…which means I still have a lot of work ahead. What’s a draft zero, you ask? More on that in a later article…stay tuned. I’m also finishing up a series called “Write Fast, Edit Slow,” based on how I structure my personal novel writing. Be on the lookout for some fun, writerly articles in the new year!
In the meantime, Happy National Short Story Day! In honor of the Winter Solstice, I recommend all bibliophiles go to their local library and grab a book of short stories to cuddle up with tonight! And to my writer friends: check out this link for exciting short fiction contests New York City Midnight. They host several challenges from micro to flash to short stories. I recently entered their flash fiction contest—whew! What a thrill! I made “Honorable Mention” in the third round (one point shy of getting to the fourth and final round), but that’s okay. I learned a lot along the way as I spun up three 1000-word stories during 3 coffee-fueled weekends.
I wish you all a wonderful winter solstice and the happiest of holidays. I myself will be enjoying the excitement of Jolabokaflod this year! If you’ve never heard of this, it’s a fantastic tradition you could incorporate in your home, regardless of what you celebrate during this time. Any culture can celebrate books, because books are for everyone!
Cheers!