Hello, lovely!
This month I juggled writing goals and snack b*tch duties. That's right, it was the school holidays. Keep reading to find out how I survived.
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My bookshelf
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WRITING UPDATE
The Sexy Bucket List
My second novel
This month, I tackled the 2nd draft.
The school holidays lingered for three looong weeks, but I continued to get up at ridiculous o'clock (4:25 AM) every day to write before my rugrats demanded breakfast.
The early morning writing sessions and overqualified TV babysitter allowed me to edit ten chapters.
As long as there's no pandemic, apocalypse or major catastrophe in the next two months, I'm on track to hand it over to a professional for feedback.
I also procrastinated by creating a mood board. See below. What do you think?
RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS
Jessie Cunniffe
Want to catch a reader's attention? Write a compelling blurb.
How? By learning from the best.
I was listening to the podcast Romancing The Story when I came across Ep 25 - Tips and Tricks for Writing Book Blurbs with Jessie Cunniffe.
Jessie is a blurb wizard (official title - book blurb coach) who teaches authors the magic formula to write a bestselling blurb. There's also the option to upgrade to an audit or have a bespoke one written for you.
The signature course, Book Blurb Magic, is aimed at indie authors who self-publish. Even though I want to (hope to) go down the traditionally-published route, I thought it'd be a valuable skill to learn.
I signed up for Jessie's self-paced online course to learn how to be more succinct when explaining my story. Super important for query letters and pitches.
I've worked my way through the videos and handouts, and am now tinkering with the blurbs on my Sneak Peek page. These are a work-in-progress. Apparently, a 'will they' question at the end is a big no-no. Eeep.
The course helped me come up with my 'movie poster hook'. Drumroll, please ...
THE SEXY BUCKET LIST
A curious divorcée. An irresistible stranger. And a sexy bucket list. Can he fulfil all her fantasies before she turns 30?
Slide into my DMs on Insta (@hollybrunnbauer) and let me know what you think.
MY BOOKSHELF
Duck à l'Orange for Breakfast ~ KARINA MAY
Karina May is an Australian author with a knack for witty banter and mouth-watering descriptions. She knows how to whip up a page-turner.
Reading is my cardio, but I gained a few kilos feasting on this delicious rom-com. Have your snacks (and tissues) nearby.
Grab a copy for you and your bestie. The cover is saaa pretty you won't want to share.
_____
Maxine 'Max' Mayberry, an ad executive with writing ambitions, is holed up in a friend's apartment after discovering her long-term boyfriend in bed with another woman. If that wasn't bad enough, Max has recently been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Enter Johnny: a cheeky yet charming Tinder pen pal and the perfect distraction. Together, Max and Johnny flirt and cook their way through The Laurent Family Cookbook (a recipe book from Max's ex-boyfriend's pretentious French family) without ever meeting in person.
The 'Fork Him' project starts as a joke, but soon transforms into something more meaningful as Max undergoes brain surgery, travels to Paris for a fresh start, and decides whether she believes in herself enough to chase the life - and the man - she really wants.
PERSONAL GOSS
Guess who went on a blind play date? Me! Two actually.
We're new to a small town and with the school holidays looming, I knew I had to make an effort to meet other parents. Since I seem to be one of the only mums from Mr 8's class who goes into the school for pick-up, that meant writing my name and number on a piece of paper and trusting my son to give it to his closest friends.
He did and I had two out of five text me to arrange play dates. Pretty happy with that.
For date #1, the weather was looking bad, so the location changed from the park to my house. I'd never met the kid or the mother. Guess what happened?
The mother walked in, gushed over my bookcase (arranged by colour) and then stated she only reads rom-coms. We're now best friends ... she just doesn't know it.
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Insta, I shared how I plan out my weekly writing goals. Watch my reel.
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