Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  I worked like crazy last week to get the editing done on Coming Home. I'll be sending it to my editor and beta readers on Tuesday. I'll have about 2 weeks to get Christmas things done before they send it back to me with their comments and suggestions. 

 Motivational Quote: "Try not to over-think." ~ Amy Beager  This is always good advice when working on edits or rewrites.

What I'm Reading:  I finished reading The Body in the Backyard by Lucy Score last night. I'm not sure what I'll start reading tonight. I have a stack of 8 books that I borrowed from the library last Wednesday. 

Random Thoughts: I hope everyone that celebrates Thanksgiving has a wonderful holiday with their friends and families. 

Random Photo:

                                            The banana bread I made last week.

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  The first draft of Coming Home is done. Whew! I wrote it in 10 weeks. That's the fastest I've ever written a first draft. I will edit it this week. I used a new plotting method which not only helped me write the first draft faster, but also helped me write cleaner so I'm hoping there won't be a lot of revisions or rewriting to be done. 

 Motivational Quote: "I'm always trying to be better. Better, better, and better...in all ways and in everything that I'm doing in my life. And it's not about [being] perfect. It's about [being] better." ~ Evgenia Medvedeva

What I'm Reading:  I started The Body in the Backyard by Lucy Score yesterday afternoon. It's the 4th book in the Riley Thorn mystery series. This isn't a typical mystery or cozy mystery series. It's like a rom-com and a cozy mystery were mixed together resulting in a fun and engaging series. 

Random Thoughts:  I tried a new recipe for chocolate orange swirl bread. It came out well. I think when I make it again, I'll add a touch of orange extract for a bit more orange flavor. The recipe only calls for orange zest and 2 tablespoons of orange juice so you can taste some orange, but it's like a subtle hint. I'm baking banana bread this afternoon because I have two bananas that are a little too ripe to eat as is. 

Random Photo:

                                Here's a photo of the chocolate orange swirl bread

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  I met my weekly goal and picked up the pages I was behind so it was a good writing week. I'm pretty sure I will finish the first draft by this coming Friday. I'm don't remember if I told you all the title of this book, last book in the Echo Company series. It will be Coming Home.

 Motivational Quote:  "...We must be ambitious, and we must have the will." ~ Kailash Satyarthi

What I'm Reading:  I'll be starting On Her Watch by Melinda Leigh tonight. This is the 8th book in the Bree Taggert series. It's shelved as romantic suspense at my local library, but I consider this series to be more suspense with a dash of romance than the usual romantic suspense type books.

Random Thoughts:  I made another ginger cookie recipe yesterday. It's a molasses ginger cookie. They're good, but I think my gingerbread chocolate chip cookie recipe is still better. I think maybe I need to stop looking for a different one especially since everyone in my family loves the gingerbread one. 

Random Photo:

                                              The molasses ginger cookies
 

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. 😄