Although I have fallen a bit short on my promise to write more on this page, I have been writing. I am such an old-school writer though, needing pen and paper in hand, almost as if the pen is linked to my own body and the ink is actually flowing freely from my veins after being pumped out from the heart of my soul onto the blank page.

I just started a new job and have been pouring myself into my daily activities without much focus on the extracurricular, so-to-speak. Funny how the months fly by and, suddenly, you realize half a year has just passed. How easy it is to lose not just oneself, but the entire sense of oneself as well!

Creative ideas which have been lurking in the depths of my brain have been burgeoning forth, fighting for their rightful place in my daily activities; and finally, I find myself with multiple days off in a row for the first time, and feeling like a real person again, as I make a mental note of all my good to-do’s. I think I shall henceforth call them “will-do’s.” Perhaps, that in itself would make me keep my creative appointments with myself. (I even cleaned myself up with a haircut!)

I have noticed how I often put my “wants” on the backburner to complete everything else. I am trying to balance that out more, for what feeds the soul is not simply making your bed everyday, but making beautiful things from your dreams to fill your life with. It seems only fair to make a contract with myself, going forward, that a certain percentage of time and energy should be returned to art, creating, writing, daydreaming…and other things of that nature.

What have I been doing besides working? Let’s see…I watched Widow’s Bay, which was such fun, loaded with creepy suspense and dark humor. I sincerely enjoyed that! I heard that a second season is on order, which is also exciting. I have been reading a lot. I recently read What Moves the Dead, by T. Kingfisher, and the two books in the series that followed. I loved them. I also read The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett; I am eagerly awaiting the third installment in this series, which is due out in August. Both authors really devoted themselves to world-building, but RJB takes the prize. Still, I cannot decide which I loved more.

I am finishing up The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. It took me a little bit to get into the story, but once I did, I am loving her writing style and character development. Next in my pile o’ books is The Children by Melissa Albert and Slewfoot: a tale of bewitchery by Brom. If I could just sit and read all day with Raspy (cat) in my lap, and a cup of tea, that would be lovely. When we find our future forever house, I plan to have a cozy library stacked to the brim with all sorts of delightful nonsense. In the meantime, I will remain a book-hoarding dragon. (Roar!)

I am working on a few short stories and feeling quite behind on the times since my hubby has just finished his first novel and several amazing short stories, too. I try to remind myself that good things cannot be rushed and that we all must do the best we can with each day and work at our own pace, fast or slow. I have another story I am tweaking and plan to submit it shortly with hopes for publishing…why do I keep hearing Jeopardy music in the background? Haha.

Dear reader, this is where I leave you, for now. Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to let me know what you are watching and/or reading. I hope each day will bring you happiness. More to come soon. -PIP