I’ve been sharing lists of my favorite books ever these past few weeks. If you missed it, here’s the list of my favorite Horror books and Science Fiction books.

I tried to get this list down to just ten or eleven, but that didn’t really happen. There are just a lot of really fantastic fantasy books out there. So, I did finally settle on fourteen. In the event that there’s just a whole series that tells a whole story, I’ve included just the whole thing.

My usual disclaimer applies here. I don’t claim that these are the best fantasy books of all time. I just say that they are my personal favorite. So, if your favorite isn’t on my list, don’t take it as a slight. Just tell us about it in the comments below.

Thief’s Magic, by Trudi Canavan

This was a new find this year, and I can’t for the life of me remember how I found it. I think it was an Amazon suggestion one day on sale for a dollar.

It’s magic structure and world building is unique, the characters are admirable. The villain is hateful, and the ending makes me look forward to reading book two.

Protector of the Small series, by Tamora Pierce

Tamora Pierce is my favorite fantasy author. The Protector of the Small series is about a young woman named Kel who wants to be a knight. She’s not the first Lady Knight, following in the footsteps of Alanna the Lioness. More on that series to come. The four books take Kel from proving herself as a young Paige, all the way to her first task as a lady knight.

Rhenwars Saga, Darklands by ML Spencer

I’m pretty sure I reviewed one of these books back when I read it. I still need to go back and read the other books in the series. This is a true classic fantasy, about a war between light and darkness. At least, that’s what it appears. With betrayal, finding common ground, and some awesome characters, this is a great series.

Strange the Dreamer, by Laini Taylor

I literally just finished reading this book, and it was so good that it made the list already. I’m waiting until the new year to get the sequel, Muse of Nightmares because I’m halfway through like three books right now and I need to get a handle on that. But this book is so good!

While I felt like the ending was a little bit telegraphed, it’s fun to get to it. The story is full of mystery aside from that, and relatable characters. The magic is wonderful, the world is fantastic. I started reading this on vacation, and it was just a perfect story to sink into.

Harry Potter, by JK Rowling

Do I need to say anything about this series? I’m just assuming if you’re here, you’ve read everything from Sorcerer’s Stone to Cursed Child. It’s a great series, and I keep going back to it over and over.

Alanna the Lioness, by Tamora Pierce

The first of Pierce’s series, this trilogy inspired little girls like me and Jenny Breedon (comic author of Devil’s Panties) to be knights.

This is the story of Alanna, who dresses like a boy to become a knight. She’s a mage and a hot-tempered warrior. Along the way, she makes friends with the prince who will someday be king and the thief lord of the city. If you haven’t read it, get on it in 2019.

Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson

I can’t believe it took me so long to read Mistborn. It’s a heist story disguised as a fantasy novel. The political upheaval is awesome, the magic structure is realistic and instantly understandable. The story is rich, and the main characters are just so instantly endearing.

Bloodhound, by Tamora Pierce

The Bloodhound trilogy is different from anything else Pierce has written. The main character, Becca, isn’t a noble or a mage. She’s a rough girl from the streets who becomes a city guard (read police officer) who just happens to be able to talk to ghosts who attach themselves to pigeons. As I’m writing this I want to go back and re-read the whole trilogy. People who loved Alanna’s cat in the Lioness trilogy will find a familiar voice with a different name in this series.

This book ties into Alanna, as it’s set in the same city. It’s also about the ancestor of Alanna’s husband. Fun fact, half of her books are set in one fantasy universe, half in another. I’ll be talking about the other one soon.

Anansi Boys and American Gods

These two books are set in the same universe, so I’ll talk about them together. American Gods is a fantastic, massive, awe-inspiring story that I have a hard time really explaining.

The premise is that gods only exist if we believe in them. And, they exist right on Earth along with us. If you haven’t read these books yet, read Anansi Boys first, then American Gods. I did a full review on both before if you’re interested.

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman

Yeah, I have a thing for Neil Gaiman, and no I’m not going to apologize for that. Again, I did a full review of Coraline, which you can read here if you like. The movie is awesome, and the book is better. Don’t let the fact that it’s marketed for kids scare you away. I never saw this until I was an adult and I love it just the same.

Trickster’s Choice, by Tamora Pierce

This two book series is about Alanna the Lioness’s daughter, Aly. She’s kidnapped from the sea and sent to slavery. Her parent’s daughter, Aly is perfectly ready to escape and head home. But a trickster god makes a bet with her to stay and keep a group of noble children alive through the summer.

Circle of Magic and Circle Opens by Tamora Pierce

Okay, just one more Tamora Pierce series then I’m done.

All of the other books I’ve talked about so far have been from what’s called the Tortall universe. The other universe, the Circle universe, was my introduction to her writing. Specifically, the first four. The stories center around four children mages who accidentally spin their elemental magic together, making them much stronger than any other mages their age. Chaos ensues.

Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman

You know what I want more of? Fairy tales for grownups. That’s exactly what Neverwhere is. Imagine there’s a world built under ours, or into ours. Imagine that there are people living in that world that are all around us, in the corners and pockets that most people don’t pay attention to. And imagine that a grown man was tossed into that world, that resembles a mix between Wonderland and Sweeny Todd’s London. That’s Neverwhere.

Chronicles of Narnia, by CS Lewis

Finally, my favorite series of all time. I love the Chronicles of Narnia. It’s a spiritual story that’s never preachy. I could read these books over and over. And, if you’re wondering, I read them in their original sequence with The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe first. My husband, the heathen, reads them in the new sequence with The Magician’s Nephew first.

So what do you think? What’s your favorite fantasy books? Let us know in the comments below.

In Devon’s world, magical work is as common as turning a pot or fletching an arrow. What isn’t common is a man with thread magic. When Devon finds that he is a seer, weaving prophetic tapestries, his family tries to keep it a secret.
But the family can’t hide Devon’s visions after he predicts a devastating plague in the dragon lands of Coveline.

Get it here now

 

As you read this, I’m making way more sweets and cookies than anyone really needs in their house. It’s that time of year, though.

We’re a week away from Christmas Eve. Seems like a good time to talk about scary stories, right? I think so. I mean, my favorite Christmas story is a ‘Ghostly little book’. I didn’t include A Christmas Carol on this list, but it almost belongs here.

Last week I gave you a list of my favorite science fiction books of all time. If you missed it, here’s a link. Today, I’m returning to my first love, horror.

Horror stories will always have a place in my heart. The dark and gruesome little tales we tell each other by dark entertain me like no other. Science Fiction makes me feel excited. Fantasy makes me dream. Horror makes me reach for the popcorn for a damn good story. So here are my favorite horror stories, in order from my least to most favorite. I don’t say that these are the best horror stories ever. They are simply my favorite.

Goosebumps, by RL Stein

These might not be the scariest stories of all time, but you can’t deny that they’re popular. I loved these books as a kid. In fact, they’re what set off my lifelong love of reading. They’re the first books I got as soon as they came out. And while there are some, we’ll call them questionable installments, the good ones are still good.

Rosemary’s Baby, by Ira Levin

This book was a classic before I was born. Hell, the movie came out in 1968. But it’s still a chilling read. Imagine finding yourself pregnant, and being unsure of what exactly it is you’re carrying. Imagine being surrounded by people who say they just want to help, but all the time are plotting your personal destruction.

Bag of Bones

Strap in, you’re going to be hearing a lot about Stephen King on this list. Bag of Bones is probably one of the better novels that still suffered from what we’ll call the Panter Ending Problem. The ending of this is dumb, but the story up to that is terrific.

I might be a little sentimental about this book, though. A second-hand copy of Bag of Bones was the first thing I ever bought with money I made from writing.

Dr. Jekyell and Mr. Hyde

I didn’t just add this in because I felt like I’d better add a few classics. It’s a legitimately dark tale that speaks to some deep truths most of us don’t want to admit. There’s darkness in all of us, and it wants to get out. Mr. Hyde is that little voice that whispers, “Drop that fancy wallet in your purse.” Or when you lose your temper at the cashier and make them feel like shit. It’s the part that we try to control, but sometimes his ugly face comes out.

Frankenstein

This was the first real classic I read as a child. It’s still one of my favorite stories. Once again, we’re looking at the horrors that man creates for himself. No one made Dr. Frankenstein build his monster. He made it without any provocation and in fact with great effort. That’s not so far removed from some of the own disasters in our own lives.

Misery

Obviously, I love this, it’s about a writer being held captive by a crazed fan. While this has never happened to me, I secretly wish someone would be obsessed enough with my books to stalk me just a little. Misery is about a lonely, sad old woman who stumbles upon her favorite author after a horrific car accident. She saves his life and then imprisons him so that he writes another book in her favorite series.

Hearts in Atlantis

If you’ve read this book, which is honestly more like four novellas put together in one story, you might find it hard to call it a horror story. But it is. In a roundabout way, it’s about the biggest horror of the previous generation. It’s about the Vietnam war. And about, in a large part, how King responded to it. I’m not going to put him on the therapist’s couch. But I will say that this story couldn’t have been written by someone who didn’t live through that horror.

From a Buick Eight

I love this book. Like, love love it. It’s about an abandoned car found at a gas station, and how it affected a Western PA police barracks. Of course, I live in Western PA. I’m pretty sure the story even mentions Butler, my hometown. Yay! But aside from that, it’s a great story. It’s a moving story about a young man who loses his father and finds a part of him through his family on the force. It’s also about a car that sometimes vomited a monster from its boot.

Stepford Wives

Everyone already knew I was a feminist, right? This story, if you haven’t read it, is about a woman who moves to a new town in which the women are perfect. They’re beautiful, tireless, perfect cooks, perfect homemakers. They always have time for a little rustle in the sheets with their husbands. And they don’t have any ambitions of their own, past pleasing their husbands. As the main character gets farther and farther into the conspiracy, she realizes that her husband is planning to make her one of these Stepford dolls too. Don’t see the movie, by the way. The movie is terrible.

The House Next Door

This is probably my favorite horror story of all time. And I think I’ve gushed about it enough in the past. But just in case I haven’t, here’s some more gushing.

Most haunted houses pretty much tell you they’re haunted. They’re old, creaky dirty places where death has occurred and quite clearly will occur again. If not from the ghastly spirits that fester in the dark walls, then from the numerous housing code violations and safety concerns.

But the house next door is beautiful. Brand new construction in a bright lovely neighborhood. No one’s died here. Not yet.

Honorable mention, Dance Macabre by Stephen King

This is only an honorable mention because it’s not really a horror book. It’s a non-fiction book about the horror genre that made me rethink and appreciate it even more. King goes over books, movies and even to shows from artists that have been scaring the shit out of us for generations.

So now, I want to hear from you. What’s your favorite scary book? Do you think some of them should be on my list? Let me know in the comments below, I’m making out my reading list for 2019.

There’s a murderer on the station of First Contact. Detective Sennett and Godfrey, a chef from Earth, have to hunt down the killer when Godfrey’s wife is falsly accused. Get it free now, and enter the world of Station 86.

It’s come to my attention that I’ve been writing a blog about reading and writing for over four years now, and I’ve never done a round up of my favorite books. Seems like a dumb oversight on my part. Ah well, it’s easy enough to rectify. And hey, if you’re still looking for holiday gifts for anyone, maybe this will help.

I’m going to start with my favorite science fictions stories. I think if I did a full list of favorites it would take too long. So I’m going to hit my three favorite genres, then do an overview of some of the best stories I’ve ever read that might not fit into anything specific.

I’m not saying these are the best science fantasy books, just my favorites. They’re not in any particular order save for the order they came to me. So don’t be offended if I didn’t list your favorite. It just might not be mine, or I just haven’t read it yet.

1984, by George Orwell.

This book gets scarier every freaking year. Just in case you haven’t read it, it’s one of the darkest, heaviest dystopian future stories I’ve ever read. It’s one of those books that everyone acts like they’ve read, even if they haven’t, so you probably already know the story. It’s a world where the government controls everything. Our main character’s job is to write propaganda pieces for the government, trying to put a positive spin on things by just straight up lying. We’ve gotten some great phrases from this book, like doublespeak and the fifteen-minute hate. Every time I hear something about Edward Snowden in the news, it’s the fifteen-minute hate I think of. If you’re one of those people who pretend you’ve read this book and haven’t, put it on your 2019 reading list. But be prepared, it’s a messed up book.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly

I’d consider this a science fiction story, even if the science in it is a little iffy. Who am I to judge, after all. Someone asked me the other day how my space stations stayed in the air the other day and my response would have made Neil Degrasse Tyson weep.

I know everyone knows this story, but the original story is still worth reading.

Chobits

That’s right, I said it. The Japanese anime Chobits is one of my favorite science fiction stories. Fight me.

The story takes place in a world where computers are actual, AI people. You don’t have a laptop, you have an AI person called a persocom hanging out with you, doing your typing in their heads and being the world’s best alarm clocks. There are the same old questions about AI, especially when people start to fall in love with their Chobits. And when they are no longer distinguishable from flesh and blood people.

The story centers around a chobit named Chi is found in the garbage by a man named Hideki. The mystery of her origin, complete with these mysterious and beautiful books about a black and white rabbit, is a dark and fantastic fairy tale.

Dragonriders of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey

I was surprised to find this on lists of science fiction books until I really thought about it. There’s a lot of science behind how the dragons are reared. And, also the mystery behind the people’s parentage. I don’t want to give it away if you’ve never read it. But the trilogy is about a group of people who link themselves to dragons and ride them. It’s a great story of the interconnection between people and beast.

Flowers for Algernon

This is another one everyone thinks they know. It’s the story of a man who’s mentally disabled named Charlie, who wants to learn. He’s going to classes and trying to educate himself. When he’s chosen to partake in an experiment that can make him intelligent, it seems like a dream. And it is until the treatments start to reverse.

Dirk Gently

Douglas Adams is to science fiction what Neil Gaiman is to Fantasy. His work is modern, wonderful and defies all logic. It’s just twisted and seems totally random until you get to the end of it. Then, it all makes total sense. Damn, I want to write something like this.

Dirk Gently is the story of a man with, well, a different way of looking at the world. His way often gets himself and other people in trouble. The first book in the series involves a time machine, a horse in a bathroom, a grisly murder and a salt shaker in a pot. Trust me, read it. It’s awesome.

World War Z

I’m not talking about the movie. The movie for this book could have been amazing! I mean, this book is a collection of stories about people who survived the zombie apocalypse, years later, collected by a journalist traveling among the remaining human civilizations to get them. And it’s so much better than the movie! My personal favorite part of the story is that people learned to use dogs to detect zombies. And the best dog for the job? Dachshunds. There wasn’t a single zombie detecting dachshund in the whole movie and I for one would like to know why.

Hunger Games

Wow, this list is really dystopian future heavy. Oh well, I like what I like. And, in fairness, everyone likes this.

I assume you’ve already read or seen Hunger Games, so I’ll spare you the run through. Instead, let me just say that having the main character literally lose her mind through part of the series is a fascinating way to go. There were a lot of ways that could have gone bad, and I’m sure that there have been more than a few crappy rip-offs who got that part really, really wrong. (Please don’t share any.)

The Giver

Finally, this is literally my favorite book. I read it every year on my birthday. (Everyone who knows me just said that in a chorus.)

It’s the story of Jonah, who’s been chosen to be the next receiver of memory for his community. His perfect community where there is no war, no anger, no hunger, no choice. There are no broken families, but there are also no true families, not in the way we think of them. There are no real emotions, either. There is just existence, stripped of all the horrors, and all of the pleasures of life.

I keep reading this story for a lot of reasons. What it really comes down to, is this. The price of freedom is pain. The price of love is heartache. The price of beauty is ugliness. And that’s a price that I’m always willing to pay.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the list of my favorite science fiction books. I’d love it if you’d share your favorites in the comment section below.

Station 86 is shocked when a Khloe assassin begins killing members of the all powerful council. Officer Sennett Montgomery and Councilman Godfrey Anders swear to find the assassin after Godfrey’s wife is falsely accused. But the killer, and the council itself, are not what they seem. Neither, as it turns out, is Sennett’s daughter.

Get it free now, and enter the world of Station 86

I’ve never been a really physical person. I considered myself in fairly decent shape, but I’m coming to realize a few things.

1. That was a filthy lie.
2. A lot of my good health was because I was walking to and from my day job. Not to mention downtown on most of my off days. I no longer live close enough to downtown to do that.
3. I’m thirty-fucking-two, and my metabolism is slowing down.
4. There’s a litany of health issues plaguing the women of my family. Like, heart issues and diabetes. I’m not trying to go out like that.
5. I’m starting to breath heavy when I walk upstairs.

Guess who has two thumbs and doesn’t like the way this story is shaking out?

So I decided I needed to do something about it. Actually, I decided I need to do a lot of things about it. My diet is shitty, and I don’t exercise beyond a fifteen-minute yoga session in the morning. I’m fully aware that I’m going to have to fix both of these issues if I’m going to get my body to a place I’m happy about it again.

Don’t worry, I’m not turning this into a healthy living blog. I’m not going to start posting pictures of my body to show my progress and shame other people. I’m certainly not writing this to shame anyone. I’m writing this because there are some things I know to be true, and this is one of them.

Writers have a reputation for not taking care of ourselves. And we need to cut that shit out. Part of that is dispelling the image of an overweight writer sitting at a desk, consuming inappropriate amounts of black coffee and red wine.

I’ve decided to take up running. Why? It’s cheap, easy to get started on, and Natalie Goldberg runs. And this time of year, when sugary coffees and Santa shaped cookies abound, there’s nothing I’m going to do about my diet. My hope is that on January first when everyone’s talking about how they’re going to get some new shoes and pick up running, I’ll already have thirty days of a habit built. That’s my only goal right now, thirty days of trying.

And that is going to be the cornerstone of my success. I found a simple, start running plan on Pinterest, and it’s easy to follow. It includes rest days, and it takes no more than fifteen to twenty minutes out of my day. I have not bought a lot of expensive workout stuff, my old leggings and a pair of Sketchers slip-ons work fine for me. If I stick with it, I’ll buy new shoes. That itself might be enough to encourage me to stay with this.

I think it’s important to note that I’m not doing this to look better. I love my body, and I don’t think being fatter than I used to be is going to change that. I didn’t take off my clothes to take a shower and feel sick when looking at myself. I hate hearing those stories, you know? Of people starving themselves, killing themselves, because they were disgusted by their own bodies. This is the greatest gift I have in this world, a healthy body. So I should act like it.

If there’s something you don’t like about your life, and you want to make a chance, you might be thinking of making a New Years Resolution. Many people are this time of year. Let me give you some advice.

If you didn’t do it in 2018, nothing magical is going to happen on January first.

If you get new shoes and make big plans to take up running in the new year, you will most likely be left with a pair of expensive shoes and your same old habits.

Do you want to make a change? Make a plan and start today. Do you want to start running? Find the sneakers you know you already own and go for a walk after work. Tomorrow, go for a walk and run for a few minutes in the middle. Find a walking to running challenge. Start slow, make it something achievable, and start today.

The exact same advice applies to any goal, including writing. If you passed on Nanowrimo, and you’re planning on starting your novel in January, start today. Take fifteen minutes, sit down and start free writing. Get some thoughts on paper.

Don’t wait, start today.

Make it accessible.

Do it for the right reasons. Do it because you love yourself and you’re worth it.

You do those three things, and you can do literally anything.

So, what are you starting today?

Station 86 is shocked when a Khloe assassin begins killing members of the all powerful council. Officer Sennett Montgomery and Councilman Godfrey Anders swear to find the assassin after Godfrey’s wife is falsely accused. But the killer, and the council itself, are not what they seem. Neither, as it turns out, is Sennett’s daughter.

Get it free now, and enter the world of Station 86

I think black flats are a fairly standard piece of a woman’s closet. At least, I need a pair. Or, you know, two.

In the past, I’ve just gotten some cheap flats from a certain unnamed box store and wore them until they looked crappy. That didn’t take long. They also weren’t exactly what I’d call comfortable, or supportive. I couldn’t really walk around a lot in them, or my back would start hurting. But I figure, hell, they’re cheap right? And for most of my life, cheap was what I could afford.

Recently, this company came to my attention called Tori Burch. They make these flats that are iconic. They’re also almost $230.00 for a pair of bloody black flats!

Here’s the thing, though, I’m probably going to save up and get me a pair. And do you know why?

Because sometimes you’ve got to do an upgrade. Sometimes you’ve got to stop making do with the cheapest you can afford and invest in something real and of quality.

Okay, I’m not telling you all this to sell you on these flats. I’m telling you this because I had a mental shift that was similar to my transition from cheap flats to Tori Bush flats.

I realized that I, like my shoes, need an upgrade.

And since we’re nearing the start of 2019, it’s a good time to figure out what needs an upgrade.

I need to upgrade my internal voice, and that’s really where we need to start. Too often I find myself shortchanging myself. I get tired and lazy and start settling for what’s cheap, fast and easy. In many, many ways. Before I can fully fix that behavior, I need to start by understanding that I’m worth the effort. I need to put the effort into taking care of me before I take care of others because if I don’t I can’t take care of others.

I need to upgrade my skin care. And I’m honestly a little embarrassed that I’m still working on this. I’m thirty-two now, and I need to start taking good care of my skin. I mean drinking enough water, using a gentle cleanser, and finding a moisturizer that works with my hella oily skin. I’ve started using rose water as a primer and setting spray. It’s doing some great things for my skin. I also started, gasp, using an under-eye cream to get rid of my bags and decrease wrinkles. Yes, I understand that I’m going to age. I’d like to age gracefully. I’d also like to at least look like I slept last night.

I need to upgrade my money mindset. For instance, I just learned this year that there was a difference between a 401K and a retirement plan. I’m learning tons about investing, and how it’s not as unreachable as I thought it was. I’m also learning that I need a savings plan. Can you believe I don’t have a savings account? I’ve got to fix that.

I need to upgrade my attitude towards my writing. I’ve gotten into sort of a rut with my writing, and I’m finding that a lot of business decisions I’ve made in the past are just not working for me anymore. If they ever worked at all. So I’m going to be making some major changes in my writing career in 2019, doing some scary things that I’ve been hesitating to do. More on that soon.

I need to upgrade my faith in myself, finally. I have kind of a track record of quitting on things that I’ve found hard. I’ve not taken good care of my health, not done the difficult things when the easier thing was an option. I want to know that I can do difficult things, and have faith that I can do more than I believe that I can.

So what about you. What’s your Tori Bush level upgrade in your life? Let us know in the comments below!

What better time of the year could there be for a Christmas story? Enjoy twelve little Christmas tales, ranging from heart felt to horrifying. Meet a young man who recieves a surprise Christmas gift, a little boy who gets an unexpected visit from Santa, and a young woman spending Christmas Eve in a new coat.

Get it here now!

Nanowrimo is done now for another year. Lots of writers, like myself, are freaking exhausted this week because we just spent a month writing 50,000 words. My final word count was 50,016, which is actually not as much as some other writers I was buddies with. It’s okay, I’m not judging myself by other people.

Much.

This was the first time in three years that I’ve participated, and I was honestly a little unsure I was going to be able to do it.

Because it’s been so long since I’ve participated, I wanted to give you an overview of my experience. It wasn’t all great, but I’m absolutely glad I did it.

Here’s why.

What sucked hard

I rushed another project last month. To be specific, I rushed the end of another novel I was writing. It was supposed to be a novella. Actually, it started out as a short story and sort of blossomed from there. That’s the way of things, I suppose. But I’m not happy with the ending, and it’s going to need some major rewriting. I’m not really happy about how I left that.

Literally, nothing else got done this month. I did the bare minimum housework. I cooked the easiest things possible on my days to cook. My social media has been super lacking. I stopped doing Amazon ads altogether. I have the edits for Missing Stitches, and I’ve not worked on them nearly as much as I should have. I don’t think I sent out a single newsletter this month. I completely failed to do anything decent for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. I’ve let everything go in the pursuit of those 50,000 words. I’ll definitely be doing a lot more planning next year in October to get ready.

There were some days when I really had to push myself more than I’m comfortable with. Generally, I don’t spend hours writing in the evenings after I get home. But I spent a lot of nights doing that, only to go to bed late and get up early to write some more. That’s a schedule that I don’t intend to keep long term.

I scheduled a vacation and that was stupid! Honestly, the biggest problem I had with Nanowrimo this year was that I didn’t decide I was going to do it until about halfway through October. That meant that I was in no way prepared for this, and had already planned a four-day vacation to Erie! That meant that I needed to write way more every day than the normal 1,667 words.

My brain’s a little burned out right now. Again, I didn’t plan on doing this, which I think led to every one of my problems. If I had been smart, I would have written all my November blog posts in October, stocked up on oven meals, done a thorough cleaning job so I just needed to maintain, and not written a rough draft in September and October!

What was awesome

In an ideal month, I would have written 220 pages. Instead, I wrote 358 pages. And, I do mean, ideal. That’s based on me writing ten pages a day, taking one day off a week and not counting the days I was on vacation. To be honest, that probably wouldn’t have happened. There are plenty of days when I don’t get ten pages in, and I don’t usually play catch up. So I got significantly more done this month than I would have otherwise.

I was really excited to do this, and I’ve really wanted to do this for years now. I’ve missed doing Nano. And getting to do it this year was really great.

I met a lot of cool new writers, both online and in person. I can never have enough writing friends.

I free wrote a lot this month. Which is one of the reasons I approve of word counts like this. When I’m focusing on getting words on the page, I’m not thinking as much about what those words are. That sounds bad until you realize that’s exactly what freewriting is. It’s all about writing without ego, writing without forethought. Just, you know, writing. And when you’ve got pages and pages to do, you free write almost by necessity.

Normally my daily goal is ten pages when I’m writing a rough draft. Ten pages seem like nothing now. Like, after writing almost two thousand words a day, ten pages sounds like a freaking breeze. (Not having to stop and count words every five pages is also a delightful prospect.)

Finally, the real reason why I did Nanowrimo. I feel freaking fantastic because I accomplished something amazing! Something that people try every year and fail to do. Something that I can be really proud of. Yes, I’ve had books published, that’s not the point. The point is that we should always be striving to succeed in new things. We should always be setting new challenges for ourselves because we should always want to be better. But also, because it feels amazing to achieve new goals.

So what do you think? Did you participate this year? How did it go for you? Let us know in the comments below.

What better time of the year could there be for a Christmas story? Enjoy twelve little Christmas tales, ranging from heart felt to horrifying. Meet a young man who recieves a surprise Christmas gift, a little boy who gets an unexpected visit from Santa, and a young woman spending Christmas Eve in a new coat.

Get it here now.

Been awhile since we talked about shootings. It hasn’t been a while since we had one, but it has been a while since we talked about it.

Seems like, since Pittsburgh was a recent target, I’d go ahead and bring it up again. Because that’s my city, and I’m pissed off.

Full disclosure, I don’t live within the city of Pittsburgh. I live in a little town about an hour away. But even so, it is my city. It’s my home.

And it’s better than this. Every single day it’s full of love, tolerance, and acceptance. Unless you’re a Patriots fan. But this shooting cut deep. It hurt. We’re stronger than hate, but it still hurt deeply.

I don’t want to hear one person saying thoughts and prayers for the families of those affected. Not a single one. Those families don’t need our thoughts, and they don’t need our prayers. They need action. As do the families of the people killed in California. And the people in Florida.

Now’s a good time, too. We’ve got a whole lot of new politicians, and the election’s over.

So, here’s a link to your new local representatives. Feel free to email them, or call them, and ask them what they’re doing about gun violence. Most people agree that universal background checks are a great place to start. Do you agree? Do they? If not, what’s their plan?

Because thoughts and prayers aren’t enough anymore. We need action from the people who represent us. Don’t forget, they work for us. And this situation isn’t working for us. At least, it’s not working for me.

How about you?