Writing Life Updates + A Special Announcement

Scrolling through my blog, it’s come to my attention that I have literally zero blog posts in the My Life category. Other than the “about” page, you probably don’t know much about me and what I’ve been up to.

Well, here you go! :)

Quarantine life has been keeping me busy—in a good way, of course. I finished the first draft of False Crowns, a realistic fantasy novel (even though that’s not really a genre :P), completed during the month of Camp NaNoWriMo. In other words, there’s no magic but it’s set in a made-up world, one that was inspired by medieval times.

Next up, I sent out chapters for betas for my other work-in-progress novella, A Journey of Courage. In this novel, my characters get terrified by a deadly plague, quite similar to COVID (though oddly enough, it was written before lockdown). It’s not my best work—and in this season of life, it probably won’t be published anytime soon, but it’s been nice learning how I can improve (there are a lot of things I need to improve on, but no shame XD).

In between writing, baking, color-coding my bookshelf and making graphics for Instagram, I’ve been hanging out with a fluffy white cat and reading historical fiction novels. There’s something weird about historical fiction—all my life I’ve found that most of what I’ve read is of that genre. Hmmm...

While I’m at this, I might as well throw the reading bucket list (aka my TBR list) in as well:

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (historical fiction)

I’ve heard enough about this book to want to read it a bit more, since at the moment I’m intrigued by the time period this book takes place in (1940s), and hope to write my own book in it one day.

• Always Enough by Heidi Baker (nonfiction)

A written account of a missionary’s journey to minister to orphaned children in Africa, it gives a clear detailed account and is an encouragement to strengthen our faith. I’m currently reading this one.

• Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls (historical fiction? Adventure? Mystery? I’m not quite sure…)

I haven’t heard much about this book (as you can probably tell), but I loved Wilson Rawls’ Where the Red Fern Grows, so I’m hoping to get my hands on this novel ASAP.

• The book of Psalms

Throughout quarantine, I’ve been slowly working my way through the book of Psalms as part of a challenge. I’ve seriously never known there were so many jewels and things to learn from there before, so doing this during quarantine has really been helping me go through it without speed-reading or rushing over vital parts of God’s Word.

A short reading list, I know. :P That’s all I can really think of at the moment, and probably all that I’ll be able to read before I’m swamped with school.

Enough with my rambles (though it’s fun to write something informal once in a while :P)—now to my special announcement.

As y’all have probably heard on my work-in-progress page, there’s a novella I’ve been working (and feeling sad) over. God touched my heart with the storyline to write and I just had to write it. I couldn’t stop.

What is this novella, you say? And why in the world would it be so sad?

*picks up mic*

Enter. . . Voiceless.

Are you a lover of heartbreaking, tear jerking storylines with deep themes?

*nods* Then you might want to buy this book—oh, wait. It’s not published yet, which is why I need your help!

Spanning 25,000 words and many miles into the forests of Colorado on a journey of self-discovery and hope, Jenn and Aryon fight memories, grief, sorrow, and bitterness to restore freedom to themselves and their lives.

Intrigued? Click this link to read all about it and sign up to beta read!

Wait, Em—you might be thinking. I don’t even know what a beta reader is!

Overall, beta readers are people who get a free copy of the second draft (sorry, it’s not signed. It’s also not published either) and read over it, leaving feedback, comments, and general reactions to the story.

If you’re intrigued by this blurb, sign up to beta read and get the whole novel for FREE!

Your commercial is officially over. *puts down mic*

If you’re really interested and want to help me out, I’d love for you to be a beta reader. If not, I totally understand :) And that’s that.

*bows* Thank you. Em out.

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Despite my abrupt departure, have you ever beta read for someone before? What are your favorite types of novels? What’s on your to be read list? Anything else you want to tell me before I start spouting out random questions?