News

So, I've been writing. A lot. This being November, I've been writing the first draft of the first novel in my Fallen series. This novel's entitled Vendetta, and it's going well, for a first draft.

Unfortunately, I'm also feeling a need to get all cozy and relax with lots of hot tea, snuggle under my fuzzy blanket, and read. I save those last two for the evenings, but every day, I want to do it a lot sooner. I've been good so far, and I've resisted those urges.

I currently have a simmer pot going on the stovetop: two apples; two clementines; a cinnamon stick; an herb and spice mix of rosemary, ground ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom; whole cloves; vanilla extract; amber and eucalyptus essential oils. Put them in the pan, then cover with water. Bring to a simmer and simmer all day long, adding water when needed. It smells like autumn! :D

I've got a few things to share below. I hope you like them.

Happy reading!

Lois

News


* Reminder: This year's Halloween short story, "The Hellhound," is up, and you can read it for free here.


If you've been following my blog and caught my last update, you'll know that I'm gearing up for this year's NaNoWriMo. I'll be writing the first draft of Fallen: Vendetta, the first book in the Fallen series. The outline is ready to go, so come November 1, I'll be ready to write it.


In the meantime, I'm revising the outline for book 5, Vendetta. I plan to have it ready before NaNoWriMo begins on the first so I can focus on the book I'll be writing.


It's finally cooling off here, and I'm starting to think of ways to add hygge to my home and daily routine. I found a really great article on the concept, and you can read it here (http://hyggehouse.com/hygge). I started getting ready for the season by ordering some Yogi tea and Oregon chai tea concentrate from Walmart, and I plan to pick up some more tealight candles, as well. And some chocolate covered coffee beans, if possible, though that's my reward during NaNoWriMo and really has little to do with hygge beyond old memories they bring. If I get my words in for the day, I have some. If not, I don't. I also have my white fluffy throw ready to go, and my yeti pjs, which I've yet to wear. Of course, I do intermittent fasting most weekdays (four-hour feeding window, 20 hours of fasting), so I'm not sure when I'd work in the chocobeans and chai. I'll figure it out, though.


I've finally finished reading Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott . When I read this book years ago, I thought it was an awesome book. Now that I know a bit more about writing, I see all the purple prose, and it makes me cringe! It's still an awesome story. Just wish it didn't have all the flowery descriptions, explanations of every little thing, and so on. Now that I'm done with that, I've moved on to Black In the Box, by Russell Blake. It's a much faster read, and much more exciting!