I have hit the strangest writing block of my life. It’s been almost three months since I’ve written anything substantial, and normally I would be a little panicky and/or depressed by this (and both are there, lurking just out of sight, giving me flutters of anxiety and making me sob at random and inconvenient moments).… Continue reading Reflections
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High Hopes
Querying is hard. That’s kind of a no-brainer–crafting a business letter to basically say “I promise my story is good, please give me a chance!” is as bad as writing a cover letter for a job (I mean, essentially, it’s the same thing). For me, it’s been disheartening and nerve-wracking and left me wanting to… Continue reading High Hopes
B&W Playlists: The Couple
I’ve re-written this opening to avoid some minor spoilers surrounding Solvi and her love interest(s) in Blood and Water (and beyond). As the author, it was obvious from the start which character would capture her heart, but in my critique circles people have come to shipping them (or not) at varying paces, so I’ll refrain… Continue reading B&W Playlists: The Couple
Solvi – Leika’s Bonfire (Pt. II)
As the midnight sun paints the world gray, I make my way toward the temple and the evening’s festivities. Gunda waits for me outside her longhouse. My best friend has always been one of the prettiest girls in Torblirost, and tonight is no exception. Her silver-blonde hair is twisted into a braided crown around her… Continue reading Solvi – Leika’s Bonfire (Pt. II)
Solvi – Leika’s Bonfire (Pt. I)
Tonight is my first visit to Leika’s Bonfire. I was eligible last year, but we had just lost Ulf. It didn’t feel right to celebrate love when my heart was broken. This year, I’m excited by the prospect of matching with one of the village boys I don’t know very well. Whether or not the… Continue reading Solvi – Leika’s Bonfire (Pt. I)
Querying
Well, I did it! I sent out a query letter to a handful of agents! I’ve got to polish my synopsis and try to ease off tweaking my manuscript because it is time, baby! Or maybe not–I’ve got another list of agents to query next week. I’m hedging my bets a little bit and leaving… Continue reading Querying
Pantheon of Blood and Water
There are a lot of gods in my book Blood and Water. Most of them are based in some way on Norse mythology, but I’ve pulled inspiration from other religions and mythologies as well. I’ve compiled my pantheon here: Vöder: aka the Allfather, ruler of the gods and overseer of Fallne Hallen Gull: aka the Divine Mother, protector of… Continue reading Pantheon of Blood and Water
B&W Playlist: Maiken
Due to our recent move halfway across the country, I’ve done a LOT of listening to music while packing/unpacking/relaxing by the pool to recharge after all that packing and unpacking. 😉 I already shared my main playlist for Blood and Water, but there are so many more songs that went into that novel (some I’m… Continue reading B&W Playlist: Maiken
Never-Ending Edits
I’m currently on draft number who-even-knows-anymore of my work in progress, Blood and Water. The cool thing is, every time I finish a draft, I feel really confident in it, like it’s the best I could ever accomplish. (To be fair, it really is my best work at that point in my life.) Then I… Continue reading Never-Ending Edits
Writing Vacation
Last week was a crazy adventure. In the course of 9 days, I spent over 24 hours in a car, 3 hours on a plane, and traveled to 5 cities in 5 different states to see friends, family, and watch the St. Louis Blues bring home the Stanley Cup (#LGB!). This came at a really… Continue reading Writing Vacation