Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  While I did meet my weekly writing goal last week, I was only able to make up a few of the pages I was short the week before. I'm hoping to get those last pages caught up with this week's writing goal.

Motivational Quote: "I don't always stay energized or hopeful--that's the reality...But I do believe that the struggle is valuable." ~ Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg

What I'm Reading:  I started reading Hide and Seek by Mary Burton yesterday evening. This is the fourth book in the Criminal Profiler series.

Random Things: Can I say I can't believe it's November already? While I'm not ready to start decorating for Christmas, I am looking forward to making my holiday cards that I mail to friends and family and doing the baking for all of the cookie boxes we give out. I just need to finish the book I'm writing in the next couple of weeks so I can focus on all things holiday. My goal is to get my book turned in to my editor by the week of Thanksgiving.

Random Photo:

                              My sisters stopped by for a visit on Halloween. 😄
 

Monday Check In

 Last week...

Writing Related:  I did okay writing wise last week. I didn't hit my weekly goal of 12,500 new words but I did manage to write 7,750 new words so I'm about 19 pages short of where I should be at this time. This week should be quieter so I'm hoping to be able to make up most if not all of last week's shortfall along with this week's writing goal.

Motivational Quote: "So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-- It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit." ~ Edgar Guest

What I'm Reading: I'm about halfway through State of Affairs by Marie Force. This is the first book in the First Family series which is a spin off of the Fatal series. Both are a suspense or romantic suspense type series.

Random Things: It's been cold (highs in the 40's) for a few days then it warms up to the low to mid 70's then back to the 40's so I've been doing a lot of baking on the colder days. I've made cheese bread, tiger bread, shortbread cookies, and chocolate chocolate chip cookies. The problem with baking is that I've been eating all the things so no more baking until it's time to start the holiday baking. 

Random Photo:

These are the chocolate chocolate chip cookies. They taste like a cross between a cookie and a really fudgy brownie (which is my favorite kind of brownie).
 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  I hit the 200 page mark in the current book I'm working on. I settled on a title - Coming Home. This is the last book in the Echo Company series and is Jimmy and Callie's reunion story so the title seemed very fitting. I think I should be able to wrap the book up in about 100 to 125 more pages. I'll have to see how things go.

Motivational Quote: "Life is changing every day, things come and go, but always be yourself and stay focused on your dreams." ~ Tilda Moyo-Karizamimba

What I'm Reading: I started reading Catch Her Death by Melinda Leigh yesterday afternoon. This is the 7th book in the Bree Taggert series. 

Random Things:  We did go to the pumpkin farm last Friday. I bought a pumpkin to carve and two smaller, almost gourd like, ones. We also bought a few acorn squash. I'll probably carve the pumpkin next weekend and bake the seeds at the same time. I don't want to carve it too early. I'm not so worried that it'll be moldy or rotting by Halloween as I am that the squirrels in the neighborhood will have it half eaten by then. 

Random Photo:

Here's a picture of the pumpkin I bought. It's pretty good sized, not that you can tell from the picture. The farm we went to doesn't charge for their pumpkins by weight. Every pumpkin is $5.00 or less depending on the size. I paid $4.00 for this one.
 

Monday Check In

 Last week...

Writing Related:  I didn't meet my weekly page count goal last week. I had a couple of appointments and two of the expected great nieces/nephews were born. One is a girl named Gia Harper and the other is a boy named Rhys James. They were born 3 days apart. Needless to say I spent more time visiting the new babies and their parents and siblings than I did writing. I'll be back on track this week.

Motivational Quote: "Because you've made one, or a few, not-so-great decisions today, doesn't mean you need to throw the rest of the day in the garbage. Those decisions are in the past. This next minute, this next decision, is still in play." ~ Glenn Patrick Doyle

What I'm Reading: I'm about a third of the way through For the Love of Summer by Susan Mallery. I enjoy both her romance and women's fiction novels but I'm having a bit of a problem liking one of the main characters in this book. I'm hoping as I get further along in the book, I'll change my mind. 

Random Things:  It's going to be cold and rainy with highs in the 40's in my area the first part of the week so we've pushed our visit to the pumpkin farm from Wednesday to Friday when it's supposed to be sunny and about 60 degrees. I do want to purchase a pumpkin, but I'm not sure I'll carve it. I might just draw a face on it instead. I'm not that talented when it comes to pumpkin carving. 

Random Photo:

This is about as creative as I get when it comes to pumpkin carving other than the usual triangle eyes and nose and jigsaw type teeth.
 

 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  Writing is still going well. I managed to get 15k (60 pages) written last week despite a couple of unexpected things popping up. It was touch and go there for a while if I'd meet my self-imposed deadline of having 150 pages written by the end of last week, but I did it (barely. I had to write the last 6 pages on Saturday to hit the 150 page mark.)

Motivational Quote:  "Farmers don't rush their harvest--why should we? Plant your seeds, be patient..." ~ Joel Leon

What I'm Reading:  I started reading Holding on to Chaos by Lucy Score yesterday afternoon. While this is the fifth book in the Blue Moon series, it also reads as a stand alone. I haven't read any of the previous books and I'm not feeling lost. This is an "insta-love" story which are not usually my cup of tea, but I am liking it so far. (I'm only a third of the way through the book.)

Random Things:  I made my first batch of cookies for the fall season. I don't bake from late May until early October because of the heat and high humidity that we have in the summer months. The cookies are a cross between a gingerbread cookie and a gingersnap. It was a new recipe for me. They're good but if I want a ginger based cookie in the future, I'm going to stick to my tried and true gingerbread chocolate chip cookie recipe. 

Random Photo:

                              Here's a picture of the Ginger cookies I made on Sunday.

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  Writing is going well. I hit the 20k mark on Saturday. Only about 67,500 more words to go to finish the first draft. If I nothing unexpected pops up, I should have the first draft completed by November 1st. Fingers crossed.

Motivational Quote:  "Most of the time I just show up and keep doing it, and sooner or later the magic happens. I've learned to trust my skill, but it took a long time." ~ Isabel Allende

What I'm Reading:  I started reading Sticks and Scones by Ellie Alexander yesterday afternoon. This is the 19th book in the Bakeshop Mystery series. I've enjoyed all of the books in the series so far. If you like cozy mysteries, you should check this series out. 

Random Things:  The other day a friend mentioned she is almost finished with her holiday gift shopping. Am I the only one who dreads holiday gift shopping? I do the majority of it online, only venturing into a store to make a purchase when I have no other option, but I still dread it. I don't even want to think about it until the week of Thanksgiving. I try to get everything purchased between Black Friday and Cyber Monday so it's all done in a weekend then all I have to do is wait for the packages to arrive and I can breathe easier until the following November.

Random Photo:

                                                This is so me lately.