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I wish I could say that being an author was my only job (that is eventually the goal, of course!) I wish I could pour all of myself into my creative endeavors and never have to stick to a strict writing schedule. I wish I didn't have ADHD! Alas, all of these things play a part in my day-to-day, so I've had to find ways to work around what I cannot immediately change. Here's what that looks like...
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For years, those of us in the writer community have participated in NaNoWriMo, of which I know many of you have heard or seen me discuss. I believe even my last blog post had quite a bit of information regarding my plans for Nano for 2023 and TAFAR, etc. However, we sometimes learn things about our heroes which irrevocably changes our perspective.
There have been allegations regarding abuses made against minors through the forums on Nano, specifically regarding one mod in particular, in which those who were immediately in charge minimized and brushed under the rug. It wasn't until their board was finally made aware that the forums were locked down, however users were then being purged and subsequent complaints apparently were being removed. All in all, the handling of this was utterly disastrous and I never want to knowingly partner with any company who doesn't take allegations seriously - regardless of their intention. << I posted more about this in my IG stories, which you can check out here >> That being said, I have parted ways with Nanowrimo and apart from this blog and the story linked above, I will not be mentioning any affiliations with them going forward. For those who've decided to stay with the program, I urge you to be diligent in your work and advocacy for those who may be vulnerable and unable to advocate for themselves. Many are saddened by the ending of the NanoWriMo era, which is not unlike many nostalgic things we encounter in our lives, but the spirit of Nano is still alive in all the writers who've made it possible throughout the years. Want to write a novel in 30 days? Write 1670 words a day! Want the nifty badges of accomplishment? Make some cute stickers and reward yourself each time you complete your daily goal. Want to find a community? Head to a local library, search Facebook for groups, reach out using hashtags on IG or Twitter. You are in control of this new beginning and I believe in you!! Let's go kick December in the ass, shall we? Lisa xoxoxo For those who've noticed my absence over the past year or so...I apologize! Life has gotten stressful, to say the least. Priorities have shifted, responsibilities have grown, and I have been pretty tired, to say the least. Life has a funny way of doing that sometimes and there really isn't a good way to get through it other than getting through it.
Or in the words of Dory, "Just keep swimming!" A lot has changed for me in the past year, but I had never intended on abandoning my goal of finally finishing the rewrite and other stories which I'd planned to publish. But things happen, you know? It wasn't intentional, but in order for me to move forward, I have to be intentional now. That being said, I'm ready to kick this book in the ass! How might I do that, you ask? Well, just in time for Nanowrimo, of course! In case you didn't know, November is National Novel Writing Month (or Nanowrimo for short) and this is a time where authors are challenged to write 50,000 words in one month. Why 50,000? The standard length of a novel is 50,000 words (where for me, that's about 10 chapters!) That roughly calculates to about 1670 words per day, or 2000 if you want to buy yourself a few days over Thanksgiving (but really you're probably fine to write after the weird 2:00 pm dinner, am I right?) Ultimately, achieving this goal also instills the habit of writing every day, which for many writers is actually pretty difficult. We're the kings/queens of procrastination. Last year during Nano, I wrote about 15 chapters worth of words, however I came to realize that I had made a huge boo-boo and left out a major plot point of my book. I've since been combing through the chapters to make the corrections because otherwise this book will be a giant dumpster fire and I've worked far too hard and too long on it to allow that to happen. So, for Nano, I'll be picking up after these changes and writing the remaining chapters. That also means that I'll be extending Nano for myself into December, because there's no way in hell I'll finish this book by adding only 50,000 more words. (She's gonna be thiccc) So, if you haven't already been following me, head over to my socials and click the things. I'll be providing updates (starting next week!) It's been about five years since I've published and I'm ready to hop back into the bookish world with all the horror and glory it will bring! Are you ready? (I'm not sure I'm ready, but I'm gonna do it anyway!) See ya on the flip side Lisa xoxoxo It seems like just last week when we ushered in 2022 collectively hoping it would be better than the previous years. Personally, this year was full of much growth, learning, and healing on a personal level. I've set and met my goals, read a lot of books, attended therapy, managed my health and wellness, and overall tried to do better. Some of that energy carried into my professional life, which has helped me make new connections and grow my network, which is so important in the indie author world. I've been so thankful to have met some wonderful people who are so fucking talented it's insane! I'm learning so much about this new bookish world—although I'm still behind the curve a bit.
As far as 2023, I've got plans! Currently, I'm working on a revised version of my bestselling Legacy of Secrets series. It will be completely rebranded, reimagined, and rereleased. If you read LoS, you'll be familiar with the characters and some of the story, but the new version is darker, grittier, and spicier than the last and I'm stoked about it, if I'm being honest. While it's been a labor of love, I'm committed for this version to be the last, which means the series will finally have a conclusion after all these years! *crosses fingers* I also plan to have Falling Undercover revamped and released, though it will remain largely the same apart from new editing and some added scenes. This is currently being reviewed with my publisher and once it's been completed, the new version will be available first on KDP and then widely through retailers. The sequel, Loving Undercover, will follow later next year and there may possibly be a third installment, though that is still TBA as I'm not sure how far Kris and Joe's story will go! Shifter Tales will also be getting a bit of a face lift as NLM works through my catalog of books. Currently, there are about seven novels/novellas planned for the series, Thea's Reawakening will be the first to be released and Layla's Vindication will follow. Several more titles will be added between 2023 and 2024. Updates will be in my newsletter. There are so many more projects in the works that I can't wait to announce, but they're not quite ready for that stage just yet! Once I get the green light to discuss future projects, I'll spill the beans because I can't wait to tell everyone! I really hope you all will be as excited as I am! I'll be posting again soon (no seriously, I will!) xoxo Lisa  It's been about a year since I last posted a personal note and so much has happened, I'm not quite sure where to start. Sure, the pandemic has taken its toll, but even beyond those challenges, life has been interesting.
Near the end of 2020, I embarked on a mission of self-discovery and recovery. I have not been a truly happy person in quite some time, mostly due to past traumas I'd had a difficult time even thinking of as trauma in the first place. It's wild to see things for what they are after so long and it's honestly opened my eyes to many things about myself I'd previously thought were wrong, bad, or weird. Turns out, trauma changes you, even if you don't recognize it as such. That being said, I've grown. It hasn't been easy. In fact much of it has been a brutal and scary process, but it has been necessary! I'm also nowhere close to being finished—is anyone ever really finishing growing? I have much work to do going into 2022, and even though it makes me nervous as hell, I can't wait to come into the new season of my life which will be filled with many amazing things so long as I continue to cultivate this path I'm on. That being said, I'm inviting everyone along to see how things go in 2022. There are mere days left of this tumultuous year (which I'm SOOOO ready to see in my rear view) and I'm using this time to put energy and intentions into manifesting my goals. One of them will be getting this blog on my regular rotation because posting once a year is just silly! From my fam to yours - have a safe a beautiful holiday season!! Catch you next week and don't forget to catch me on the 'gram for more updates! xoxoxo -Lisa |
AuthorI'm a writer, a mother, a wife, a friend, a sister, and a daughter. My journey as a published author is in full swing and I'm inviting all my friends along for the ride! Archives
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