I participated in the Great Witch Lock In

Late last year, you might have seen #Lockin all over social media. Or, maybe I just spend way too much time on social media and notice these things.

The premise of the lock-in was simple. Gen Z decided to spend the last four months of 2025 locking in on a specific goal. That goal was different for every person. What the goal was wasn’t important. What was important was the focus of the person reaching for that goal.

After seeing the hashtag all over, my interest was more than piqued. And then, as though someone was looking out for me, one of my favorite witchy people on social media answered my questions before I even asked them.

Aunt Carla.

If you’re witchy or artsy and you don’t know her, get to know her now. You will not regret it.

After some careful consideration (not really), I decided to lock in on my writing. And let me tell you, it was amazing. I wrote more than I’ve written all year. I wrote microfiction and poetry to share with you all on social media. I wrote almost every day, which has been hard for me while caring for the Darling Husband.

But it was so much more than that! It turns out that sometimes when the Universe sees you putting in the work, it rewards you. During my lock in, I got to give a speech about haunted houses at my local library. I found out about a mini SFWA convention and attended it. And someone tipped me a lot more than usual on Ko-Fi.

So today, let me tell you about some of the tools from the lock-in and why they helped me so much.

Starting the day with ritual

One of the first things you do in the Witch Lock In is to create a ritual to start your day. Mine was simple. I lit a candle, leafed through my notebook, and wrote down one to three things I was going to do that day to work towards my goal.

That little bit of attention and magic first thing in the morning helped me stay on track. Especially on days that felt too busy for me to breathe, I realized that I could do just a little. That was always better than nothing at all.

Collecting inspiration

One of the very first things you do in the Witch Lock In is create an Uncommonplace Notebook.

I loved this notebook. It was a place to collect and craft inspiration for my writing. I wrote song lyrics and quotes that made me feel good about writing and working towards my goals. I pasted in pictures that made me happy. I kept notes on messages I got during meditations. And every time I flipped through it, I couldn’t help but be inspired.

Problem solving

This last year, while I’ve been helping the Darling Husband heal from his stroke, it’s been way to easy to put my writing on the back burner. To throw up my hands and say, oh well. Another day I didn’t get any writing in. Guess this is just my life now.

But during the Lock In, I was doing something I used to know how to do. I was problem-solving.

Mind you, I always consider problem-solving better than ‘toughing it out’. Sure, I could write more if I forced myself to run on less sleep, or wrote when I felt like shit. But that’s not going to be my best writing, and it sure as hell isn’t going to be sustainable long term.

What works better is to solve problems. Solve the things that are keeping you from writing.

Is an hour too overwhelming? Write for half an hour, or just 15 minutes. Too tired after work? Write before. That sort of thing.

Productivity is morally neutral. If we can separate ourselves from guilt and focus instead on solving realistic problems, we can get a lot more done.

Side quests!

Focusing on one goal for four months was great. But it turns out that it’s a lot more productive to find other goals that A, bring you joy, and B, feed your main goal.

For me, that was finding whimsy and joy in life. Experiencing life in a way that brings me joy is, to put it mildly, fucking hard right now. But it can be done, and it feeds my writing.

This is something I hadn’t considered before. I tended to feel like if I was going to focus on one goal, I was to focus on just that goal. But no part of our life is in a bubble. Our job impacts our home life, impacts our craft, impacts our world view. So finding side quests that might depend on another area of your life will help prop up your lock-in goal.

So simple, but it was a game-changer for me.

So, why am I telling you all of this? It was last year, right? The time for locking in is over.

Well, here’s the nice thing about personal growth. It’s a personal journey that you can start at any time. Yes, lots of people enjoyed the community aspect of the Great Witch Lock in. But, I didn’t. I loved the prompts and Aunt Carla’s videos. But I worked this lock in alone. And I did great things I didn’t think I could do. I put my writing first and amazing things happened.

So you can start your own lock in right now, today. No prerequisites required. Just a determination to get one part of your life locked in.

If you love what we do here and want to support Paper Beats World, please like and share this post. You can also support us financially on Ko-fi.

Want to start of the year with a free book? Check out Seeming, book one of Station 86.

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Fallow Years

I’m here! I’m alive!

I’d understand if you were a bit concerned. Normally, I’m nothing if not consistent. Since 2014, I’ve rarely, if ever missed a week posting without warning. Let alone two weeks in a row.

January was tough. It was tough for everyone. I’m not going to belabor that.

Today, I want to talk about something I’ve alluded to a few times so far. Something that I have some real deep feelings about. Something that maybe a lot of other writers have gone through, or will go through.

I don’t have a book coming out this year. Not a new book, not a relaunch. Nothing is coming out this year. And honestly, I don’t know when my next book will come out.

Right now I have three books on my desk. I have one book that’s on its second draft, but I’m pretty sure the whole thing needs rewriting at this point. The other two books are in rough draft phase. And by that, I mean that one book has fewer than two thousand words written, and the other is a page in my sketchbook that’s mostly just vibes.

As always, I’m of two minds about this. The artist part of me is perfectly happy. I’m listening to my muses. I’m giving myself the time and space to write something great. I’m enjoying the process. I’m creating something I can be really proud of, no matter how long it takes.

The self-loving part of myself is also happy with this. I’m leaning into a caretaker season in my life. The Darling Husband is still healing from his stroke, so a lot of my time and energy is spent on caring for the two of us.

Writing is still a big part of my day. It always will be, God willing. But I have other commitments.

All that being said, the ambitious part of me is losing her fucking mind. And she’s got a lot to say.

Publish or perish! People are going to forget about you! People are going to move on and stop caring! Put something new and fresh in front of your audience right now, or they’re going to jump ship.

I know this isn’t true. I know that fans will wait for the ending of a story. God knows I do.

My inner critic is never louder than my ambition monster. In some ways, that’s good. I don’t have a lot of fear in hitting publish. In other ways, it’s terrible. I have a ticking clock, insisting that I publish something, even if it isn’t something I’m totally proud of.

All that being said, how I feel about this situation doesn’t really matter. It’s still the situation I find myself in. So, what am I going to do about it?

Well, for starters, I’m writing. The only way out is through, after all. These fallow years won’t end until I, you know, finish a book. So that’s my main focus. By the end of 2026, I want to have finished two rough drafts, and possibly one second draft.

I’m also going to try to post more microfiction on Instagram. I tried to post something every day for a year, and failed. But I’m going to try again soon. Microfiction and poetry are great ways to sneak in a little bit of creativity, even on the busiest days. And I like putting them together in an aesthetically appealing way. So, I’m going to try to post something every day for 365 days. Don’t know yet when that’s starting, but look for it soon.

I’m focusing on promoting the books I already have out. And there are quite a few of those. Station 86, Woven, Quiet Apocalypse. I have work out there, guys. And if you haven’t read it, it’s new to you.

Finally, I’m writing some short stories set in the Station 86 world. That way, fans have something new for now, while waiting for the grand finale.

I don’t know how well any of this will work. I’ve published or republished something almost every year since Broken Patterns came out. So, I’ve literally never done this before.

If you’ve experienced this, I’d love some advice. Please drop it in the comments below.

For those of you who are fans of my books, and not just my yapping about books, I want to let you know what I’m working on. There are more books coming, I promise!

First, of course, is the final Station 86 book. I have written so many rough drafts that didn’t work for this book. That’s one of the reasons I don’t have anything to put out right now. It’s slow. I don’t think the story is ready yet. But when it’s done, I want it to be the best book I’ve ever written. Sennett and Godfrey deserve that.

The other book, and the one I’m working on right now, is a little different.

Those of you who’ve been around a while know that I used to write for a horror site called Haunted MTL. I did reviews and sometimes wrote short stories. I also wrote a horror sci-fi podcast called AA. Last year, after writing and producing two seasons, Haunted MTL shut down. I was heartbroken for many reasons, not the least of which was that it meant there would never be another season of AA. I just don’t have the time or resources to put out that sort of thing on my own.

But the last season left so many questions unanswered! And I want to answer them, you guys. So, I’m doing the only thing I know how to do. I’m making a novelization of AA.

It’s probably going to have a different title. Can you imagine trying to search for that at Barnes & Noble? But yes, all questions will be answered. If you were a fan of AA and have some burning questions in mind, please feel free to drop them in the comments.

That’s it for today. I promise to be around more consistently and have lots of good things planned. Remember that art gets us through our darkest times, and we can all make art. See you next week.

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Why Stranger Things Works

Are you sick of hearing about Stranger Things yet? With the finale still fresh in every fan’s mind and plastered all over the internet, I suppose this post was inevitable.

But there’s good reason to talk about Stranger Things. It’s one of the most popular shows of the last decade, and that’s about how long it took for the damned thing to come out. So as writers, we should pick it apart and talk about why it works as well as it does.

Before we begin, I’d like to point out that a lot of good can be said about the acting, the effects, and the overall morality that went into making Stranger Things. I’m not going to be talking about those things. Not because I don’t like them, but because gushing over practical effects doesn’t really help a writer, you know, write.

It’s okay to take your time

As I’ve already mentioned, and so has everyone else, it took forever for these seasons to come out. Literally nine years have come and gone from the first season to the last. It’s been long enough that one of the ‘child’ characters on the show has become a parent. And while fans complained, that didn’t stop anyone from watching.

I’ve mentioned this before, but I feel like it bears repeating. Especially since it’s something that I’m struggling with right now. Sometimes your writing is going to take a while. Sometimes you need time and space to write your best work. And a ticking clock of anxiety in your head isn’t going to do anyone any good.

I get the fear, though, when you’re not putting out books regularly. There’s always a fear of becoming irrelevant. But when a story is good, fans remember. Trust me, if Limetown season three dropped, I’d be right there. I still check for it sometimes.

Good writing takes time. Don’t beat yourself up for that. Give yourself the time you need to create your best work.

The characters grew naturally

Stranger Things was a masterclass in natural character progression. Steve went from being an angry, popular, pretty boy to a man who loves kids and wants to help them grow. Will went from being a scared kid to a damned superhero. Lucas went from being pretty mad at everyone to the bravest and most loyal friend anyone could ever ask for. And Dustin, well, Dustin got angry and started looking for fights.

These were all slow, natural progressions that were personal to each character. They made sense for each person and wouldn’t have made sense if swapped out for another character.

Dustin, by the way, had the most interesting arc in the last season. This brings up a point that is related, though slightly different. It’s okay for your character’s story to arch towards bad things. It’s okay for your character to be angry. Or over this whole save-the-world thing. Or unhealthy coping mechanisms. Basically, just because your character changes doesn’t mean they have to change for the better.

Though I do think his character is perfect by the end.

Everyone had a moment to shine

Stranger Things is a great example of an ensemble cast. There really is no main character. You could argue that maybe El is the main character. But then, maybe it’s Will. But it might also be Mike or Dustin.

There are a lot of options, because every character is acting like they are the main character of their own story.

Even better, every character is treated like the main character of their own story. Everyone has their own arc, their own goals. And while this can sometimes make things hard to keep track of, it also makes for a richer, more realistic story.

Multiple storylines help build suspense

Early in the season, there’s a scene in which something terrible happens to Dustin. And then, while we’re still not sure if he’s making it out of the graveyard alive, we cut to another scene. Another character is in mortal peril.

In fact, it’s a while before we come back to Dustin. And whether the scene in front of us was tense, thrilling, or just important to character development, there was always a layer of tension. Because what the hell was happening with Dustin?

This is a simple but incredibly effective way to have an audience on the edge of their seat.

They didn’t do anything unique. They just did it with heart

One complaint I’ve seen about Stranger Things is that it doesn’t do anything groundbreaking. Some don’t even know why it’s so popular. After all, everything they do has been done before. Mostly by Stephen King.

And while that’s true, I think the critics are missing something. There is so much heart in this show.

There’s so much love for the horror genre. Fans like myself can see the constant references honoring horror classics.

There’s so much love for the 80’s, for some reason. Likely pleasant memories of childhood washed in browns and hand-crocheted afghans.

There’s so much love for the story. The Duffer brothers even brought in their own teacher from childhood in to play Holly’s teacher.

Passion projects show. There’s no hiding it. Which is why it’s so important to write the story you’re passionate about, not what you think will sell.

A healing ending

Finally, let’s talk about the ending. Because it’s been quite contentious.

Some people say that El died. That the story of her finding a place to live in peace with two waterfalls was just a fantasy of Mike’s. That all of the happy endings are just made up.

This seems like a good time to remind everyone that this whole story is, in fact, made up. This isn’t a documentary. So this happy enough ending is just a clever way for the story to end. It’s a clever framework. A good way to show where everyone ends up without belaboring the point too much.

And yes, I do think the ending was happy enough. Sadly, I don’t think the story works if El gets to stay with her friends in Hawkins. I don’t think it makes sense within the rules set up by the story so far. So the ending wasn’t perfect, but it made sense. And sometimes, even in fiction, happiness has to compromise with the most sensible option.

Halfway happy.

So now I want to know what you think. Was the ending of Stranger Things worth the wait? Or was it all wrong? Let us know in the comments.

If you love what we do here and want to support Paper Beats World, please like and share this post. You can also support us financially on Ko-fi.

Want to start of the year with a free book? Check out Seeming, book one of Station 86.

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Some thoughts on the moment

I painted my nails today. Blue, my favorite color. It’s a small thing. Nobody cares, or should care, but me. I painted my nails because it made me feel a little better for a few minutes.

Sometimes that’s all we can give ourselves.

I had a whole post almost ready to go about the Stranger Things finale. That post will probably come out over the weekend. But today, I want to talk about how life is going for us in America. It’s not great.

On January second, under the cover of darkness, Trump oversaw the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Our military attacked a nation we were not at war with and kidnapped their president and first lady from their bed. Trump is now claiming that he is in charge of Venezuela.

In case you missed out on some civics classes, Trump isn’t allowed to do that without congressional approval, no matter what that Neo-Nazi weasel Stephen Miller says.

To quote Stephen Colbert, those Epstein Files must be crazy.

Then, on January 7th, a woman named Renee Good was murdered by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. She was killed by a small man who was looking for an excuse.

Maybe that’s the worst part of Trump’s presidency. It’s given small men an outlet for their hatred. It gives cowards and bullies opportunities to hurt people.

If you haven’t seen the video, I’m sorry, but I am going to ask you to watch it. It’s painful, but we need to see with our own eyes what we’re talking about. The president and his ghouls are trying to tell us that this woman is a domestic terrorist. That she deserved what she got. What she got, by the way, was shot in the face in front of her wife and dog.

Maybe it’s easier for some people to believe that. Believing that Good was a terrorist feels safer. Because if she were attacking ICE agents, then we’re safe. We’re certainly not going to try to run someone over with our car.

But we need to believe what we are seeing with our own eyes. Renee Nicole Good was not attacking anyone. She was not trying to hurt anyone. She was trying to protect herself and her family. She did not run over the ICE agent. And we have to face the truth, no matter how scary it is. It could have been me. It could have been you.

This won’t stop me from spitting on any ICE agent I see, by the way.

So today, I’m going to give you the same advice I give you every time the world gets too heavy. Contact your representatives. Make a plan to vote in your elections. Show up to protests if you can. Take care of each other.

History has its eyes on us. Let it see that we are not co-signers to this madness. That we do not agree with the dark and hellish deeds. Now is the time, more than ever, to fight for the soul of our very nation. Are we a nation of the fascist regime changers? Or are we Americans who believe these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal? Are we the land of the free and the home of the brave?

I also want you to do something else, though. Paint your nails. Read something that brings you joy. Watch a funny cartoon. Do something to put a bright moment in your day. Because while we’ve got to fight, we’ve also got to live. So I want you to put two things in the comments. First, tell me what you’re doing to fight for an America we can be proud of. Then, tell me something you’re doing to bring yourself joy today.

In conclusion, Fuck Trump and Fuck ICE.

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In case we haven’t met

2026 is upon us. Whether we’re ready for it or not. And it seems like as good a time as any to introduce myself. Or, reintroduce myself.

My name is Nicole Luttrell. I’m thirty-nine, and I live in Western PA. I write speculative fiction. I tend to inject at least a little horror into everything I write.

I’ve written two series. One is a fantasy series called Woven, about a boy who weaves visions and a girl who spins light. The second one is called Station 86. It’s about a police officer and a chef living on the space station of First Contact. I’ve also written a standalone horror novel, called Quiet Apocalypse.

Here on Paper Beats World, we talk about stories. We talk about writing them and keeping yourself healthy enough to do so. We talk about reading them and watching them. We talk a little bit about the business of writing. Something I want to do more of this year is talk about money management, because writers don’t make a lot of it, and we’ve got to make it count.

I like to take books I read and shows I watch, break them down, and talk about why they work. I talk about books about writing and tools for writers. I post here once a week, usually on Fridays.

Of course, as writers, we have to experience the world. Otherwise, what the hell are we writing about, and who the hell are we writing for? So from time to time I’ll talk about politics, religion, and world events. So you’re not caught off guard, I am, in fact, a bleeding heart feminist liberal who uses pronouns (She/her). I stand strongly against AI writing ‘art’. I defend banned books, trans people, immigrants, and drag queens. I am fiercely pro-choice. I am also bisexual and a Christian Witch.

I have a husband who’s disabled after a stroke, a dog named Oliver, and a cat named James. I also have a full-time job. It should be no surprise at all that I’m a big fan of coffee.

And wine.

My goal here is the same as it’s always been. To entertain you and teach you to fit a fulfilling writing practice into your life.

Now, for those of you who have been around for a while, I have bad news and good news.

The good news is that we have another year of writing, reading, and complaining about politics together to look forward to. I’m going to be refreshing the site to make it a little more personal and on brand. And I’m going to be posting new poetry or microfiction on Instagram most days.

The bad news is that I will not be publishing a new book this year. And it’s because I’ve been trying to write the book that I know some of you are waiting for, the finale of Station 86.

No lie, I have written two full rough drafts that were just terrible. They didn’t work at all. And this is the finale, you guys. It’s got to be what you deserve. What the story deserves.

So, this year I’m taking some time away from the project. There’s no sense in my beating myself bloody over something that clearly isn’t ready to exist yet. I’m working on a new-ish novel before I dive back into the Station 86 world.

That doesn’t mean, of course, that there will be nothing new from me. I have some fantastic ideas for the year. And I hope, whether this is your first visit or you’re an old friend, that you enjoy the journey with me.

If you love what we do here and want to support Paper Beats World, please like and share this post. You can also support us financially on Ko-fi.

Want to start of the year with a free book? Check out Seeming, book one of Station 86.

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The best books I read in 2025

2025 wasn’t a great year. It was, in fact, a damn hard year. But you know what? We’re not going to focus on that today. Because there was one thing 2025 was good for, and it was books.

The books that I read this year were, let me tell you, fantastic. Normally, when I do my top ten list for the year, at least some of them are old books that are just new to me. This year, every book on my list either came out this year or in 2024. So well done, everyone, keep up the good work.

I did review most of these books earlier in the year, so I won’t go into a lot of details here. I’ll leave links to the full reviews if you’d like to check them out.

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Told entirely from the point of view of a little girl named Bella, this is the horrific tale of a demonic possession that rips a family apart.

Sunrise on The Reaping by Suzanne Collins

This might be the final book in the Hunger Games series. And it was fantastic. If you’ve somehow not read this, do it now. Haymitch’s story is heartbreaking at every turn.

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This book was so cool. There’s witchcraft, lesbians, and Mexican ambiance. Everything one could want in a horror story. I almost wish I’d saved it for a more wintery month, as it feels like a winter horror book. So if you’re looking for something to read while the snow falls, this might be the book for you.

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

This book was fascinating. I learned so much that I didn’t really want to know about how terrible tuberculosis is, and how it really doesn’t have to be. We are choosing to let it be because, you guessed it, money and racism.

The Dead Husband’s Cookbook by Danielle Valentine

This book was fantastic. The tension was thick, the recipes were great. The subterfuge was well-layered. The cooking puns abounded.

Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

Alright, I lied. This one actually came out in 2014. But it was a great story.

I love a good haunted house. But I don’t think we consider that other buildings and places can be haunted. Like, for instance, a big furniture store.

This book kept me entertained while I spent a lot of time traveling back and forth to different hospitals for The Darling Husband. So for that, I owe it a great debt.

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

This was one of the last books I reviewed for Haunted MTL before it closed. This book also broke my damned heart.

You all know I’m a bit obsessed with fundie families, and the Ruby Franke case in particular. I was raised in the Mormon church, the same as Ruby and Shari. And it is so good to see Shari reclaiming her voice.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

For someone who isn’t a woman, isn’t a witch, and isn’t a pregnant teenager in the middle of the Summer in fucking Florida, Hendrix has somehow managed to capture the feeling of all of these things. I read this book in the dead of winter and felt too hot. I felt a lot of things reading this book.

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

This book was fantastic. Charlie and Eve are in the middle of renovating their new home when a mysterious family shows up. It seems like a simple visit down memory lane, until their daughter vanishes into the house.

At no point did I know what the hell was going on in this book. Though I will say that I’m glad I can recognize Moris Code.

This was a debut novel, and I am incredibly jealous. I can’t wait to see what else this author has in store for us.

The Conjuring of America by Lindsey Stewart

This was hands down the best book I read this year.

Look, I consider myself to be a fairly ‘woke’ person. I try. I want to understand racism and what I can do to combat it. But I did not realize exactly how much of my daily life I owe to Black women. Like blue jeans, Vicks VapoRub, and pancakes. I’m also newly angry at every racist person who was mad about the Little Mermaid being Black.

I learned so much from this book. If you have any interest in American history, I highly recommend it.

So now it’s your turn. What was the best book you read this year? What books are you most looking forward to next year? Let us know in the comments.

Also, this will be my last post of the year. I’m taking next week off for some much-needed rest and family time. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday. And I’ll see you in January for another year of writing and reading.

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My winter reading list 2025/2026

Winter is almost here. Inside of me, there is still a little class kissass who loved getting a reading list. (There’s still also some strep. So if you notice any grammar issues in this post, mind your business.)

I’m especially excited about this Winter’s reading list. I’ve asked for some exciting books for Yule. And, I found two new Christmas books that might well end up on a new ‘Christmas books that aren’t romance’ post once I’ve collected enough. You can find links to those posts here, here, and here.

In the meantime, here’s what I intend to read as the weather gets cold and hopefully I recover. They’re in no specific order. Some are witchy, some are fiction. Some are new, and some are just new to me. I hope you enjoy.

A Christmas Story, by Jean Shepherd

I don’t know how I managed to miss this one for so long, especially in the annual search for Christmas books that aren’t about a meet-cute at a ski rink.

I think everyone knows this story. A middle-class family fights and loves through the holiday season, while the main character only wants a gun for Christmas. Let’s see if the book holds up to the warm fuzzy reputation of the film.

Fear Not by Anne Holt

This is a dark murder mystery about a serial killer before Christmas. Feels like a pretty common setup. But it sure is catnip to me.

You weren’t meant to be human by Andrew Joseph White

The cover caught my attention at my local library. It’s about a dark alien invasion in West Virginia. I can’t wait to dig into it.

Can you sign my tentacle by Brandon O’Brian

I was lucky enough to hear the author read some of his poetry during the recent SFWA Quasar. It’s fantastic. I had to order it right away.

The End of the World As We Know it by various authors

Someday, I hope to be a well-known enough author to be invited to something like this.

This is a collection of stories in the world of The Stand. I’ll be honest, I’ve already partially read it before I put it aside for more festive fare. What I’ve read so far is fantastic.

Star Spangled Jesus by April Ajoy

I’m still looking for other people who survived high-control religions. April is hilarious if you’re not following her already on Instagram. I can’t wait to dig into this one.

Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes and Du Mez

In the same vein as the last book. I’m finding myself increasingly angry about how America has corrupted Christianity. I’d like to know more about this.

Your favorite scary movie by Ashley Cullins

My favorite horror movie franchise is actually Paranormal Activity. But Scream is a real close second. It’s a horror series for horror fans. And, being the big old nerd that I am, I’d like to learn more about it.

The Green Witch’s Guide to Herbal Magic by Annabel Margaret

I’m not a very green witch myself. But I do love making tonics, teas, and desserts that double as spells. And that’s exactly what this book has.

I also follow Annabel on YouTube. If you want to get started in green witchcraft, her channel is the place for you.

The Bible Says So by Daniel McClellan

As I heal from my upbringing, I find myself more and more wanting to be a good Christian. Part of that is trying to understand the Bible for what it really is. So it seems like the book written by a Biblical scholar who also happens to be the most liberal Mormon I know is a great place to start.

Marie Laveau Voodoo Grimoire by Denise Alvarado

Alvarado’s first book about Mother Marie was fantastic. When I saw this book on the shelf of my local witchy shop, it was an instant buy for me. I’m very excited to read it. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Discovering Christian Witchcraft by Sara Raztresen

Again, I want to be a better Christian. For me, that means being a better Christian witch. I also think Raztresen is starting an online church in January. Stay tuned, I’ll let you know when I know.

So now it’s your turn. What are you reading this Winter? Have you read any of the books on my list? Let us know in the comments below.

By the way, Smashwords is having an end of year sale. Most of my books are half off. This one is free.

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Do you care about me? A conversation about parasocial relationships

Do you like me? Do you really like me? Like, as a person?

I promise, this isn’t some desperate cry for attention. I’m not your ex or super needy friend texting you at 12:45 at night on a Thursday. Do you like me, Nicole, the person?

If you consider yourself a reasonably kind person, you might well want to answer yes. Of course you like me. You come here every week and read whatever writing or reading-related thing I’ve come up with between working and trying to keep my cat from eviscerating my roommates’ dog.

And yes, part of me wants you to like me. I am human. We all want to be seen and loved for who we are. But the other part of me, the larger part, doesn’t really give a damn. And if you’re a writer or content creator, you probably shouldn’t care if your fans like you, either.

That’s right, we’re talking about parasocial relationships today. And why they’re not only dangerous for everyone, but really don’t have any upsides.

Your readers can’t really know you

You can’t really like me as a person, because you don’t really know me as a person. You know the face I show to the internet.

This isn’t to say that I lie about the things I say online. I really am a writer, feral Christian, witch, progressive, horror fan who lives in Western PA and refers to Stephen King as dad. I really do love the books I praise and hate the books I berate.

But to know these things about me isn’t the same as knowing me. You can know a lot about a person online, and it’s not the same as having an actual relationship with them.

We know people in our real lives. People we’ve been able to have real-world back-and-forth conversations with. People who we’ve seen grow and change, and who have seen us do the same. Can this be done on the internet? Yes, of course. I have several good friends I’ve never met face-to-face. But it’s still a two-sided relationship with give and take.

Liking someone doesn’t always translate to liking their work

Even if you like a creator, that doesn’t mean that you like their creation. I love Cardi B as a person, but I don’t listen to any of her music. I like her politics, her sex positivity and the way she supports other female creators. But her music, while I can appreciate the quality and talent, isn’t for me.

Likewise, some people I am not fond of make some wonderful content. I don’t mean people I can’t justify supporting financially anymore. I mean people who are fine, just kind of dicks. Joss Whedon strikes me as a pompous ass. I’ll still watch almost anything he’s involved in.

Most people I’m a fan of, though, I don’t know a lot about. I know almost nothing about Sylvia Moreno Garcia, Grady Hendrix or Kirsten White. I’ll buy their books sight unseen. I don’t think liking them as people is a big part of that. It’s the fact that their books are fantastic.

Parasocial relationships are dangerous

I am very blessed. No one who’s ever been weird to me online has ever found me in real life. I’d love to keep it that way.

Other writers and content creators aren’t so lucky. One witch I follow on YouTube had someone trying to break into her home with a screwdriver. An Instagrammer had to move to another country because she was getting death threats and people were calling ICE on her.

Being online is scary. While the vast majority of people are perfectly kind and normal (And the comments you guys leave are so sweet!), it just takes one devoted crazy person to find a content creator and threaten their life.

This danger goes both ways. We’ve all heard horror stories of content creators taking advantage of their fans. Like Miranda Sings, for instance. The less said of her, the better.

That’s not why we’re here

We as writers and content creators aren’t here to make friends.

I don’t mean this in the mean, competitive way. I have certainly made friends in my writing journey. Other writers and creators are not my competition. And that is a blessing. But that isn’t why I started writing.

I started writing to tell stories. I started this blog to share my writing journey and hopefully help you with your journey. I’m assuming that you started writing to tell your stories.

No one needs to like us. They just have to like our stories.

So, do you like me? If so, that’s great. I’d probably like you too. But if you don’t, that’s alright. All I really want you to like is my writing.

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Your 2025 Holiday Peptalk

2025 is almost over. Winter holidays have arrived. My Yule decorations are up, my house is full of leftover turkey, and my playlist is going strong.

I am so glad to see this year go. It’s taken so much from me. I promise I won’t belabor this too much. It’s a downer for me, too. But most of my year was spent caring for the Darling Husband after a horrible stroke. He’s getting better now, but he still requires care throughout the day. My long-term critique job ended because the site folded. We had to move out of my dream apartment and are sharing a house with roommates for the first time in my life. And as if that all wasn’t enough, our beloved cat Harper died.

I don’t say all this to make anyone feel sorry for me. God knows life could be a lot worse. I say it all to let you know where I’m coming from. So when I say I’ll be spending the rest of the year doing whatever is needed to boost my holiday vibe, you’ll understand why.

If you see me on social media appearing way too cheesy and cheerful, mind your business.

And yet, all that’s happened to me this year is nothing compared to what so many have faced. Our country is in rough shape right now. People are losing jobs, losing loved ones, losing their very lives. People can’t afford to feed their families. People are afraid.

Joy to the world, indeed.

I swear, it feels like I’m singing carols and decorating my house while the world burns down around me. You might feel the same way. But here we are. The snow is falling, the calendars have just one page, and whether we’re ready or not, the holiday season is here. So, how do we handle it?

Don’t feel guilty

Do you enjoy the holidays? Great! Do all the holiday things you can. Watch all the movies. Listen to all the music. Wear the obnoxious sweaters. Post a million pictures of your decorations, food, and pets in silly costumes.

Please, post pets in silly costumes and tag me on Instagram. I want to see.

Don’t feel guilty about this. Yes, people are suffering right now. Yes, it can feel almost ghoulish to enjoy food and fun while people are not eating on the regular. But I want you to keep three things in mind.

One: depriving yourself of joy will not give joy to others. It will just mean there’s less joy in the world.

Two, you didn’t cause the suffering of others. I know, I feel guilty too. But we didn’t cause the exorbitant grocery prices. We didn’t ask ICE to kidnap our neighbors and family. We didn’t fire hundreds of government employees. None of us wants this to happen.

(Unless you voted for the current president, then you are absolutely at fault, and I hope you have the holiday you voted for.)

And three, while other people are struggling right now, you’re probably suffering too! You could probably use a little holiday cheer. If a peppermint mocha latte and a stroll through the Christmas lights feels like self-care to you, go do it!

Try to do good where you can

It’s always a good time to help others. But right now it might be needed more than ever. And it’s insanely convenient this time of year.

If you can, donate to food banks. Get something for Toys for Tots. Donate old clothes, toys, whatever you need.

If you haven’t got the extra money, that’s totally understandable. Is there a way you can donate your time? If not to an organization, maybe just in your neighborhood? Can you shovel a neighbor’s walk? Can you double a recipe and take some food over? What can you do to make someone’s day a little bit better?

We’re all in this together. We should do what we can to help.

Pivot!

For all the reasons we’ve already talked about, and a whole bunch more I don’t want to go into, you might not be able to do some of your holiday traditions this year.

Trust me, I’m right there with you.

It’s important right now to be flexible. And I get that the holidays are the time when details matter the most. The exact chocolates, the matching pjs from the same company, the specific trip to the specific store. With the specific person, of course.

Let me start by acknowledging that this is painful. Even if it seems silly, our traditions are traditions for a reason. One of the main reasons why the holidays are so important to us is that they’re so nostalgic. We cook the same things our parents made. We wear the same sorts of things as when we were little. We watch the same movies or TV shows that we watch every year. We read the same books we read every year. A disruption of that feels devastating.

But if we let ourselves get hung up on these details, we lose all chance of joy. And a little joy is nothing to take lightly.

I hope that your holiday season is full of rest, good food, and lots of books. I hope you get to spend it with someone you like. And I hope to see you around here again next week.

Paper Beats World is a labor of love. If you love what I do here, please consider liking and sharing this post and leaving a comment. You can also support me financially on Ko-fi.

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Stop doing everything

I recently moved. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that moving fucking sucks.

Moving is all-encompassing. It takes up every moment of your time. It disrupts everything. You don’t have anything you need.

And it takes forever! I still have unpacked boxes all over the house.

In short, moving means you stop doing everything that you normally do.

So, I stopped doing everything.

Now, to be clear, this isn’t a post about how we do too much and ask too much of ourselves. I am not saying stop trying to do it all, even though you should for sure stop trying to do it all.

What I mean is that I stopped doing literally everything. I took time off from the day job. I didn’t do any of my usual habits or routines. I wasn’t writing blog posts because I batch-wrote them in advance. I wasn’t writing outside of my journal. I wasn’t doing my FlyLady cleaning.

I wasn’t doing anything but moving house. And while that was in many ways an awful experience, it was also a golden opportunity. See, once I’d moved in and started unpacking, I could have started up all of my routines just as I had before. Instead, I took some time to see what I really wanted or needed to start doing again.

Some things came back right away

There are some routines that have to come back right away, because lives literally depend on them. The Darling Husband’s medicine routine. The plants watering schedule. And of course, my weekly planning time was reinstated as soon as it could be.

What was needed to live came back without a thought. So did the things I enjoy the most. It was kind of nice to know for sure what those things are.

Some things I stopped, but started up again

When I first moved in, I stopped doing my Flylady cleaning routine. This was practical at first, as it doesn’t make a lot of sense when you’re in the middle of moving. Then, well, life got complicated.

I soon realized that I missed having a clean toilet every day. So, I picked that back up.

There are a lot of little chores and routines throughout the week and month that I didn’t start doing again until I realized I needed them. Which was honestly a bit eye-opening. It’s amazing to realize how much I was cleaning because it was a habit, and not because it actually needed to be done.

I know, it’s flat heresy as a woman to say that something doesn’t need to be cleaned. But hear me out. I don’t care.

That’s it. I will keep my home clean enough. Because if I get to the end of the week with a clean house but empty pages where there should be writing, I’ll consider that week wasted.

Some things had to change

When we moved, we didn’t just move into a new house. We moved into a new living situation. Which is to say we now have roommates for the first time in our lives. And that’s actually been a lovely experience. But, it means that many of my habits had to change. Like casually walking from my bathroom to my bedroom with just a towel on.

I used to not worry about laundry baskets, because my washer and dryer were in my kitchen. So I’d just toss things in when they were dirty, and turn the washer on when it was full. Can’t do that anymore.

I also needed new routines. When do the bills get paid? Where do we put mail that belongs to another roommate? Who’s cooking dinner, and when are we going to sit down and figure that out? Everything had to change because we were now taking two more adults’ schedules into account.

I also have to order groceries more often because we no longer live right next to a shop. There are pros and cons.

Now, you might not be moving anytime soon. And good for you, moving is the worst. But the holidays are here. And most everyone’s routines get thrown right out the window while we’re making magic and memories.

So maybe just stop.

Maybe just stop doing all of your routines. I mean everything. Your morning routine. Your before-bed routine. Your chore charts, face care, everything. Then, see what you want to put back. See what still fits your life in the season you’re in. See if you can do some things better, or if there are some habits you can get rid of altogether. If nothing else, you can rest assured that everything you’re doing, you need to actually do. And at best, you can drop a lot of busywork out of your routine.

Paper Beats World is a labor of love. If you love what I do here, please consider liking and sharing this post and leaving a comment. You can also support me financially on Ko-fi.

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