May Catch Up and plans for June 

May slipped by and June has been here a week so it must be time for a quick cuppa and a catch-up.

Writing

Though I have made inroads to my WIP with nearly 50,000 words, I began to be overwhelmed by the disjointed scenes my brain had conjured and my inability to arrange them in a coherent chronological order. I found myself caught in a writing slump. Luckily, I heard that Shaunta Grimes was doing a course – ninja write a long (NWAL) and this was an opportunity to revisit my synopsis and characters; to get back on track. It is early days but I feel more upbeat and determined to finish Amber’s tale and a secret project, one Elsie is excited about.

My plans to be organised for the beginning of  NWAL fell apart with an injured hand and then a weekend hospital admission. Though my hand is better than before, physio and painkillers are the way forward to get it back to full use. If I was slow before, I am on snail pace now.

This is the month for taking stock and moving forward towards my goals.

I plan to

•  follow NWAL’s mantra to read and write every day
• enter two writing competitions
• solidify my characters and backstories
• arrange my scenes into chronological order – a big task
• research settings for Amber and Willow
• research Whitby history and folklore
• delve into the world of witchcraft and Druidry
• Make mood boards for my main characters

Books read in May

Some unique and wonderful books have been read in May including my favourite of the year and possibly my lifetime.

• The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton. I was eager to read this after reading the short story Alive. It did not disappoint.
• The Things We Should have Said by Rachel Burton.
• We Others by Sue Bentley. This book has got under my skin for its imagery, setting, and characters.  If you love fantasy and magical realism find a copy and enjoy. My review on Duvet Dwellers Books is here. It is Elsie’s favourite book too so I apologise in advance if it is talked about a lot.
• The Songs of Us by Emma Cooper. A romance it has a unique premise of a woman aptly named Melody sings when anxiety kicks in. It’s funny, heartbreaking and clever. There is an accompanying playlist to give the reading experience an added layer.

June reads

• The Date by Louise Jensen
• Every Note played by Lisa Genova
• Artisan Lovestyle by Kiltie Jackson
• The Quaker by Liam McIlvanney
• Book Towns by Alex Johnson

What are you up to this month? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy reading and writing.