Hey, lovely!
It has been a big month. No, no, HUGE.
Lots of wonderful things have happened. I'm excited, overwhelmed and utterly exhausted.
Keep reading to find out what's going on behind the scenes.
Scroll down for:
Writing updates
Resource recommendations
My bookshelf
Personal goss
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WRITING UPDATE
CONTEST NEWS
Shortlist x 2
Shortlist 2024 - Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize - Hawkeye Publishing
Shortlist 2024 - Adaptable: Turning the Page to Screen - Queensland Writers Centre
Shortlising for 2 writing awards within 24 hours was not on my bingo card.
How did I celebrate? With a nap. My brain shut down and my body crashed. I'm old, these things happen.
What's next? Thanks to the Queensland Writers Centre, I'm off to Brisbane next month to pitch my manuscript to screen professionals. There is a minisclue chance anything will come of it, and an even smaller chance I'll meet a Hemsworth as a result, but hey, a girl can dream. I'm sure it'll still be a fabulous experience.
EDITING
Work-in-progress status
I've found my editing groove and am making progress with my WIP. However, it's not at my usual speed. I’m putting in the same hours, but my brain was quite foggy this month.
I suspect I've crossed the border into Perimenopause Town. Don't bother visiting; no rugged hotties live here and the locals are miserable. It's awfully muggy too. One star!
The good news is, I’ve got a beta buddy (hey, Bridie!) keeping me accountable with weekly chapter swaps. The better news is, I’ve fallen in love with my characters and enjoy spending time with them.
Fingers crossed the fog lifts soon, but in the meantime, I’ll continue to remind myself that consistent effort adds up.
RESOURCE RECOMMENDATION
I love nothing more than sitting down with a cup of tea and reading author newsletters. One that I get particularly excited about is Kelly Sgroi's.
Kelly is an author, book lover and someone who adds a lot of value to the writing community. She brings writers together, champions new releases and generously shares tips and resources. All her content is GOLD.
Do yourself a favour and sign up to her newsletter, pore over her blog posts, follow her on Insta (@kellysgroi.author & @writetillchritmas) and for the love of chocolate, check out her Writerly Q&A series. I can't get enough of her optimism, persistence and honesty.
P.S. Kelly started the @writetillchristmas Instagram account in 2023 to support writers to end the year strong. She recently held the #EditTillEaster challenge too. Scroll back for a dose of motivation with a sprinkle of writing tips.
MY BOOKSHELF
ALL THE GOLDEN LIGHT by Siobhan O'Brien
Historical Fiction
Adelaide is drawn to lighthouse keeper, Emmett, but dangerous circumstances keep them apart. To live and love on her own terms, she must fight for survival.
ME THAT YOU SEE by Anne Freeman
Contemporary Fiction
In a bid to shake things up, Lexi swaps coffee orders for camming. She soon discovers stepping into the spotlight pushes her further into the shadows. How will they see her when they learn the truth?
PERSONAL GOSS
I was out and about so much in March, I might have to return my hermit title. I’m talking EVERY weekend. No wonder I’m wrecked—I’m all peopled out.
Last weekend was chill though. For our girls' weekend, we ventured to a coastal town filled with wineries. Oops, how did that happen? Fortunately, someone was preggers, and we didn’t have to rock-paper-scissors over designated driver duties. A member of our crew also kindly put together a self-care goodie bag for everyone. We masked, iced and Gua Sha-ed our tired little faces off. 'Twas bliss.
It was the husbo’s birthday (on St Patty’s Day) and being the domestic goddess that I am, I baked him a cake. Okay, it came from a packet. Alright, alright, I made my six-year-old do the manual labour. And I had to call said husband and ask him how to turn the oven on. But as you can see from the pic above, it turned out well, I didn’t burn the house down, and no one died. Huzzah!
We also made an appearance at the local autumn festival and Easter carnival where the overpriced food trucks bled us dry. I can no longer afford to clothe my children, but at least we have the warm fuzzy memories to hold on to.
Last, but not least, I made a solo trip to one of the most dangerous places on Earth—a bookshop. How I came home with only one book, I do not know. Meeting Glenna Thomson, author of rural crime novel, GONE, was well worth it. Can’t wait to read it.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Read Behind the Scenes with Anne Freeman, author of ME THAT YOU SEE.
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