Happy New Year, lovely!
Welcome back to another year of writing updates, helpful resources, and book recommendations.
This is the first wrap-up for 2023. As Tay-Tay sings, "Ready for it?"
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My bookshelf
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WRITING UPDATE
I've been on a month-long holiday exploring Tasmania and took a forced break from writing. As someone who's always go-go-go, I struggled with the rest. That's why it's unsurprising, to anyone who knows me well, I squeezed in a blog post instead. Want to read it? Okey dokey - My 2023 Writing Goals.
RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS
Unpublished Manuscript Reviews
Let me start by saying, I haven't used this feedback service personally, but it's on my radar for the future and therefore worth sharing. When I do, I'll provide an update on the experience.
There are options to receive feedback from a selection of editors on your first 5k words and synopsis or synopsis only.
MY BOOKSHELF
The best thing about being on holiday is there's plenty of time to read.
Two Aussie authors kept me company on my Tasmania travels - Jodie McAlister and Rachael Johns. If you're in the mood for a rom-com and women's fiction (who isn't?), have a squiz below.
HERE FOR THE RIGHT REASONS ~ JODI MCALISTER
Are contestants on dating reality shows really there for the right reasons? Cece's certainly not. When she's cast for Marry me, Juliet (aka The Bachelor), she's got her eye on the prize—the money, not the man. No thanks to the pandemic her funds are dwindling and the only way to stay afloat is to last in the game as long as possible to leverage her fifteen minutes of fame afterwards and become a profitable influencer. Sounds easy enough, but when Cece gets eliminated on the first night, she has to find another way to get airtime. What she didn't bargain for was that this year's leading man isn't like the rest. Dylan Mellor is the first Romeo of colour, an Olympic gold medalist and mental health charity ambassador. He's got something to prove. But when the cameras stop rolling, they go off script and the love story plays out differently than the perfectly constructed one the producers were banking on.
P.S. There's a sequel coming. Squeeeal!
THE WORK WIVES ~ RACHAEL JOHNS
Deb and Quinn survive their nine-to-five with photocopier room catch-ups and dumpling lunches. They share everything about their lives. At least that's what Quinn thinks. She'll happily divulge her latest dating antics and even nudges Deb to get back on the horse. If only it were that simple. Deb's holding on to a heavily guarded secret to protect her teenage daughter, Romona. Putting herself out there again brings up a past she's spent years running from.
When a new man arrives at the office, it throws a spanner in the works. Quinn has fallen head-over-roller skates for him, whereas Deb wishes she never saw him again. How will her friend and daughter react when they find out what Deb's been hiding?
PERSONAL GOSS
I've spent the entire month traipsing around Tasmania and she's just as gorgeous as the postcard pics.
30 days. 7 locations. Lots of cheese.
We went old school and camped for the majority of the time, but squeezed in some luxe Airbnbs in between to hose off and do twenty loads of washing. Good times.
I'd been warned that I'd freeze my tits off in Tassie, but the weather gods were kind and delivered one sunny day after the next.
Planning a trip down under? I've saved the best bits on my Insta highlights. Check 'em out - @hollybrunnbauer.
WHAT'S NEXT?
I'm working on novel #2 - THE SEXY BUCKET LIST. Enjoy a sneak peek.
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