As always, I’d like to begin this week’s progress report by thanking all of you awesome people who’ve followed, liked and/or commented on my blog!

Here are this week’s stats:

Words Rewritten This Week: 5,882

Last Chapter of Second Draft Completed: 11

Chapters To Go (subject to change): 14

Days Until January 20th Goal Date: 57

Thoughts?

I’m proud that I was able to knock out my goals from last week. I finished rewriting Chapters 10 and 11, as well as marking up Chapter 12 for rewrite. I will say that when I wrote the First Draft, I was still processing a lot of demons of my own and that helped (and continues to help, I haven’t forgotten) make the dark moments more authentic. This time around, with the Second Draft, I’m in a place in my life where I can lend credence to the lighter, happier moments. It’s amazing to know that my life experiences are helping me create my first book.

Last night, after eating far more food than normal, I finished Bared to You by Sylvia Day. For years, I walked straight by the Crossfire series at the book store, dismissing it as a likely Fifty Shades clone. I’m happy to say, I was wrong. True, there are many things Gideon Cross does that I do not condone (go through my phone without permission, mother fucker, I dare you), but Ms. Day creates some pretty interesting characters that even I can’t help but fall in love with.

I also completed the first issue of Fence by C.S. Pacat…within about ten minutes of sitting down with it. I plan to read over it a few more times to properly savor and appreciate the comic, but I’m already very excited to see where this story goes. In other C.S. Pacat news, she posted on Instagram yesterday that she’s begun working on her new YA novel. Talk about giving me something to be thankful for.

Goals For The Coming Week

This week, I’d like to rewrite Chapters 12 and 13. I’d also like to read the second book in the Crossfire series, Reflected in You by Sylvia Day. It’s becoming apparent that I likely won’t make my 50 book goal for 2017, but I still don’t want to stop reading altogether for the year. This has still been my best writing year to date and I’m very proud of that.

Note to Self

We’re going into peak season at work, which means that being careful with your time and checking in with yourself is going to be more crucial than ever. Let the writing and reading be your escape, your light, not yet another thing on the to-do list next to work and grocery shopping.