Coming soon!
1. Total Bliss update: First edits are done, and I spent the weekend re-reading the first two books in the series, Happily Ever After and Yours Truly, to make sure I had my facts straight, my characters consistent, and that I wasn’t telling the same story over and over again. Now on to the second edit, a few minor fixes, and further tightening of the writing. *happy sigh* I loooove the editing process because every time I go through it, the book gets better and better, and that’s a really great feeling after the suffering the depressive crappy first draft when I’m absolutely positive I’ve lost all ability to write well.
And, you guys, I am loving Bliss so much. I’m SO excited to share it with you. It’s been a long time coming, and while I don’t have a release date yet, I am working my butt off to polish it up to a pretty shine and get it in your hands as soon as possible. Soon! You’ll be the first to know when it will be released.
Of course, there are a few other things taking up some of my time and attention, like…
2. I’m getting ready to teach a writing class for teens this coming school year and I’m a little ridiculously excited about it. My stack of beloved writing books is getting a re-read as I immerse myself in craft again. And, man, does that feel good. Not only am I going to (hopefully) be helping teens find their voice and self-confidence as writers, but as I create the class from scratch and go through the process of teaching, it will only improve my own writing skills as well. Because you get a deeper understanding of something when you teach it, and I have no doubt that as the class inspires the teen writers, it will inspire me, too. <3
3. I’m also going to be teaching a writing class for younger kids. Both of these classes are for local homeschoolers, and I’m stupid excited to get the chance to make writing a pleasurable experience for kids. Especially since it never was for me at that age.
And I think that’s what I’m most excited about, especially with the teens—turning the writing experience into something they enjoy. I know I’ll have some kids who love to write and some who hate it and think they can’t write. I identify deeply with that latter group. If, at the very least, I can help those teens see that they can write well, demystify the process for them so that they come to feel confident in their writing skills, then they will be well equipped for college and beyond.
I definitely have my work cut out for me, but it’s such good work. I’m equal parts excitedly-overwhelmed and overwhelmingly-excited.
4. My library’s fall book sale is in early September, and I’m helping to organize it again. It actually runs the same week my writing classes begin, so early September is going to be a blur. While I love being a part of the library book sale and thoroughly enjoy every aspect of it, it’s an exhausting week and a half of set up and sale. I’m a wee bit already looking forward to it being over.
5. And in the midst of all this there will be salsa making! And pickle making, too, if I haven’t missed all the pickling cucumbers this season. Need to make a run to my local family farm stand. I’ve had my head so deeply buried in Bliss, that I haven’t been up there yet this summer. *adds to my To Do list*
Well, back to work on Bliss for me. Hope you all are enjoying your summer!
<3,
jen