Category: Writing Life
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Sago Palm Saga Update: Resurrection & a Pup
My Sago Palm Saga continues! The bush on the east end of my house looked completely dead even after having given birth to a pup this spring. But I returned from PA to new growth! Fingers crossed, the leaves will continue to unfurl into lush greenery. Send all your good vibes and green thumbs, please!!
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Meet Mischief! A Puuurfect Distraction to my Writing Life
Meet Mischief! A friendly neighborhood cat, this little dude has been visiting me every evening for several weeks, becoming a welcome distraction during the time I usually devote to social media posting after my daily writing walk. He’s so sweet, begging for treats and attention – I’m a sucker for needy fur babies and ripe…
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Fingers Crossed For A Healthy Sago Palm Tree Family
Our poorly tended garden has, despite our neglect, sprouted three more sago palm pups! I so much as look at a plant and it croaks, so I typically try very hard not to look. But Derek bravely separated the pups from mama sago, and we are now crossing our fingers for a healthy sago palm…
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Writing Race: 62K Complete & 28K More Remaining in Two Months!
I’m officially in a writing race with my younger self! In 2019, I wrote Beyond the Next Star in record speed (for me), clocking in a first draft at 89K words in five months. I officially hit 62K words in my WIP in only three months! Who thinks I can finish the first draft of…
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Master Class on Emotional Resolutions: Trilogies By Ilona Andrews
Another gorgeous day, reading at the pool! Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews is book 5 in their Hidden Legacy Series. One of my biggest challenges in my personal writing journey is finding emotional resolutions for my stories. I’m the queen of slow burn, so ramping up the tension is deliciously easy. Tying up my loose…
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The Art of Multi-Tasking: Writing, Reading & Tanning
Today was my first pool day of 2024! I love my community pool. The only thing that can compete with the sun, surf and sand of a perfect beach day is floating around my pool. I wrote in my WIP, finished another Ilona Andrews novel, and relaxed, all while working on my tan. 😎 I…
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Walking & Writing: Taking All the Luck I Can Get
A gorgeous sight while on my writing walk this evening! I’ll take all the luck I can get when it comes to finishing a first draft. This entire WIP has mostly been written on my phone in four mile increments while walking loops around my neighborhood! But I’ll take whatever works and run with it.…
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Book Mail: Arcane Society Special Editions of Blood Heir and Iron and Magic
I’m so excited to have received The Arcane Society special editions of Blood Heir and Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews! They are two of my favorite stories, and these hard covers displayed on my shelf are gorgeous additions to my collection! When I met them at Coastal Magic Convention, Ilona and Gordon had mentioned…
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From Side to Main: Being the Hero & Heroine of our Own Story
Today is a gorgeous beach day! After a morning of editing and an early afternoon of writing in my WIP, I enjoyed another Ilona Andrews novel, Diamond Fire. I love when interesting side characters from previous novels get to shine as main characters in their own story! There’s something so lovely about recognizing that we’re…
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Fresh Air Inspiration: Anything For That First Draft
If I’m not writing in my office, walking my neighborhood, or at the beach, I can usually be found lounging on my back porch couch, enjoying fresh air and the view of my yard while trying to find the words. (And waiting for Mischief, my friendly neighborhood kitty, to round the corner for some head…
Author Melody Johnson 