December 2023 Update

It’s me, hi. For those new around here, I write characters who are beautifully broken #antiheroes. At least, I try to. The truth is, outside of these monthly updates, I haven’t written much of anything since the summer. Let me explain… Earlier this year, I posted about what I can now (somewhat) jokingly refer to as the Great Sewage Pipe Fiasco. That incident behind us, and our bathroom painstakingly restored by the hubs, brought me to September. My goals included using the start of my children’s school year to get caught up. I spent the first two weeks the way I usually do– getting my annual check ups in. Enter September 12th, and the call no one ever wants to receive. My mammogram revealed abnormal findings. ** First & foremost, I’m blessed to report I’m FINE. ** All subsequent diagnostics revealed BENIGN results. But the time between The Call, follow up visits, and lab results was not conducive to writing (or much of anything, for that matter). About a week later, the hubs parted ways with a company he’d been with over a decade. This was not by any means an easy decision on his part, but one that was necessary despite a turbulent economic climate. I’ve held a substitute teacher certification in my state for a number of years. So, since mid-October, that is how I’ve been otherwise occupied. After trying a few local districts on for size, I seem to have found my niche at a school very close to my home. The administration is wonderful, and a lot of my assignments are in or close to my areas of expertise. Last week, for instance, one of the ELA classes was reading The Great Gatsby– the book that made me want to become an author. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to share this wonderful story with a new generation! It's inspired me to volunteer at my daughter’s school to head up their Writing Club. That role begins in January, and I'm excited to see the kids' stories! In terms of No Greater Love, I’ve carved out time for myself at the local library (which is actually where I’m writing this). I also plan to join some sprints groups, as I know other authors who find them very helpful with regard to both time management and accountability. Thank you all so much for sharing this journey with me. I hope to be able to post more about the sequels in the coming year.