🎄Second Sundays - December 2022🎄

Happy Second (or rather third) Sunday!

Apologies that this is a week late. I got sick and was laid up for the better part of a week, so I've been playing catch-up. Part of my 2023 plan is going to be trying to get these newsletters prepped and scheduled in advance in case of hiccups like this one, but better late than never, right?😅

As always, thank you for joining me on this adventure. I hope you enjoy!

Although I didn't meet the 10,000-word count I set for myself during NaNoWriMo, I did finish revising the Dragonstone chapter I had been working on, which was the primary win I wanted. I also filled in some world-building holes in preparation for a future scene. So overall, some good steps forward.

Even bigger news, though, is Dragonstone is now on Wattpad! I decided now is really the best time for me to start putting my tentacles out there and gauge the interest in this story and get some feedback while I'm still in the revision phase. Better to find out about any problems now rather than when I'm nearing the final draft!

There are currently two chapters available, and I have I think two or three more already revised and ready for sharing. I'm not sure how often the updates will be, but this is also another level of accountability for me to make sure Dragonstone gets finished. 🤗

I got super derailed with my reading plans last month. Somehow November just completely got away from me, and December is kind of turning out the same. 🤷‍♀️

The first thing that derailed me is Madly, Deeply was released, and I very much wanted to read it. I had a bit of a false start with it though. It's not that it isn't interesting, but the fantasy force is strong with me right now, and after just a few chapters I was pulled away by another new release.

I chose A River Enchanted because it's the fantasy monthly pick at the bookstore, and since that's my writing genre, I want to stay up-to-date with these. I'm only about 1/4 of the way through because the pacing of the story is slow, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The story is set around the disappearances of little girls, suspected abductions by the nature spirits, and a bard who has been called home to his isle to try to summon the spirits and convince them to release the girls. The world-building has deep Scottish roots which is fun (though I am admittedly burned out that the girls are constantly referred to as "lasses" and nothing else). I'm hoping to finish this one by the end of the month so that I can jump back into my previous reading plans.

Speaking of finishing things, I finally got around to at least digitally coloring my Glaurung drawing from Smaugust!

I still want to do a watercolor version, but it was making me sad that the drawing had just been sitting there unfinished, waiting for me to come back. I'm really happy with how it turned out, especially the color palette. The Tolkien itch is also officially back, and it's inspired to make a new art project plan for 2023, which I will reveal in next month's newsletter! 😉

A LAST REFLECTION ON 2022

This was a weird year. January - April was insane as I finished up art school and got my degree (at last! 🥳), and then over the summer, a kind of steady downhill slide happened after I finished my first coloring book and the Fruit Bat Soot ebook. Now I'm at the bottom in December wondering how I accomplished so much and yet it feels like so little. 🤷‍♀️

I'm not really one for New Year's Resolutions, but I am in favor of at least making plans and seeing how they turn out, with plenty of room for adjustments. I'm still fiddling around with those said plans, but I know they'll involve lots of art, writing, and reading. We'll see how it goes!

🎅Happy Holidays!🎅