Embracing Our Story

God writes the best stories if we choose to accept His path. That's what this post boils down to. I hope as this crazy year draws to a close that you value your role more than ever.

During 2020, I went from knowing that God was worthy of my trust to experiencing that again. 

I got a great job (during a pandemic).

I got diagnosed with epilepsy (and wasn't panicky about it).

I had a ton of car repairs (but funds and helpful relatives).

I cried a lot (and learned that's okay).

I got a boyfriend (after some emotional turmoil).

I joined a new church (and watched it mostly online).

I re-engaged a new project on a whim (and am self-publishing it in 2021). 

I tried a lot of new things (and won't revisit half of them).

In short, this year was hard, but I spent each moment more determined than ever to live. I know it was hard for all of us. But at the end of the day, 2020 doesn't go down as a bad year in my book. I know who writes my story, and after seeing this chapter, I'm more confident now than ever that God is the best Storyteller. Not just for me, but for all of us.

It's part of me being made in His image that I got the storytelling gene, and I may never get over how cool that is. But let me tell you, His story for you is better than any you could ever write for yourself. Whether that feels like a reality or a dream, I pray you can embrace that truth as we step into yet another chapter of His story.

I kid you not when I say that this online community God blessed me with is a huge part of what kept me sane during 2020. Welcome to 2021, my dear friends. 

~~~~~

What's something you're thankful for from 2020? Any word for the year or resolution for 2021?

When Pressed for Reading Time

Let's be real: I'm short on time these days. This is my first blog post on here in e o n s. I barely have time to check my email, let alone send replies. Squeezing in my editing work around my full-time grocery store job leaves me minimal time for writing and social media posts. So reading? It's (sadly) at the very, very bottom of my priority list.

Reading is still a very valuable pastime to me, though! It's still edifying and entertaining, but ... I am learning that I do read differently when I'm pressed for time. Because when I've got time for maybe 10 books in a year instead of 50+, things are bound to change a little, right?

What I'm Reading

Historical fiction. I think we all know by now that it's my favorite genre and always will be. (If this is news to you, welcome to the Abi-love-his-fic club. Please send recommendations.) I want to soak up other cultures and other times and learn new things about history all while enjoying a good story!

Powerful themes. Confession: I will read a bad book if it has good themes. And by "good" themes, I don't mean that they have to be mindblowing or super unique. They instead need to be a well-written arc in the book and speak to me for where I'm at in life right now.

No-fluff plots. The faster a story engages me and hints at the grandeur of a plot left to unfold, the better. I love complexity and long books just as much as ever, so this doesn't mean I want short or shallow. I just really appreciate intentionality. 

Standalones. While I just bought myself a 13-book series for my bookshelves ... I hesitate to invest in a series these days. A couple hundred pages? Sure. A couple thousand pages? Eh ... Standalones hold more appeal for me than ever simply because I have less time to spare.

What's Changed

More DNFs. The amount of books I start and read only a page or (if they're lucky) a chapter of these days is so vast that I don't even bother listing them all on Goodreads. Because it's not always the book's fault if it didn't click with me at this precise moment.

Fewer genres. Most of the books I DNF (do not finish) these days aren't what I typically read anyways. And most of the books I do end up finishing? Yep, historical fiction.

More editing. As my editing business continues to grow, I get paid to read more books than before. While it's still a side business, it's also still my dream job. So paid editing having higher numbers than my casual reading is new, but it's also okay. Just because I'm editing a book doesn't mean it can't be an enjoyable read at the same time.

Fewer reviews. I hate this, but it's true. I try to make sure the books I actually finish go on Goodreads. But reviewing them? It's not a common occurrence these days, which is a pity for everyone, I know. Even when I do review them, it's super-duper short (almost more like an endorsement) than it is thorough and detailed and organized. Oh well ...

~~~~~

Truth be told, I just realized I hadn't blogged in eight months, even though I've been intending to for a while. Apparently, I can still only go without talking at length about books for so long!

How did your reading habits change during this pandemic season? Any recommendations now that you have some insight into my adjusted reading habits?

Martin Legacy Cover Reveal!

Why write an intro? I know you're all going to scroll past it to see the Martin Legacy cover. (But if you are reading this, check out the whole post for some neat info and opportunities!)

Cover

ARE

YOU

READY

?!?!

Isn't it gorgeous?! I am 101% in LOVE with it. Now, to be professional and give you the other info ...

Blurb

Gemma Ebworthy is a struggling single mother—but not for much longer. Engaged to a kind-hearted farmer boy, her turbulent life is looking more stable at last, but troubles are still on the horizon. It seems their efforts to build a legacy for their unique family are constantly under siege.

Farris cherishes the only life he’s ever known, even though he feels more called to the mission field than his adoptive father’s fields. Growing up among extended family and in the Christian faith, he’s always had a firm foundation.

Yet when the past Gemma is so ashamed of—the one Farris can’t even remember—comes calling again, the life they’ve built is put to the test. For it to remain standing, Gemma is going to have to silence her demons once and for all. But this time, she’s not alone.

Release Date

But when is it coming out, you ask?? 

Tuesday, November 12, 2019! (Thanks to Abbie Emmons for inspiring me to do a mid-week release for once.) At first I bemoaned picking a date that far away, but that's only six weeks away. *gasp*

Also, can we just admire that these two make quite the stunning duo. Just similar enough, but so unique.

Behind the Scenes

Okay, now for a peek at what went into this cover. You all know this book has been a little tricky for me to write and a long time coming. (Thank you for patience, by the way!)

As soon as my brilliant mother suggested the Martin Generations series be a duology instead of a trilogy, I knew exactly what I wanted on the cover. I tried several watercolor artists before landing on a newly acquired friend who does watercolor as a hobby. A huge shout out to Hannah Foster for tackling this daunting project and doing such a phenomenal job!

Like with Martin Hospitality, my uncle Michael Foley did the text, splicing, and sizing up (to meet Amazon's specs) for me. That's a huge part of what makes the cover match the first one so well in my opinion.

Of course, both those peeps have busy lives that don't revolve around finishing my cover. But they made time for it anyway, and I'm so grateful to be able to show off their talent! I couldn't be happier with the finished result.

Opportunities

Aaand this is where YOU come in! Here are some ways you can be awesome and join in on the fun:

1 ~ If you liked the cover, share it on social media! (Simply find me @abitheauthor, share, and tag me! The hashtag is #MartinLegacybook.)

2 ~ Sign up to be an early reviewer for an ARC! (You'll get a digital copy before everyone else.)

3 ~ If you're not up to committing to anything, simply add Martin Legacy on Goodreads as "want to read." 

~~~~~

All right, time for the opinions! Do you love the cover as much as I do?! (Actually, I'm not sure that's possible.) Can't wait for you all to have this story in your hands. It's beginning to feel real! :)

The Future of This Blog

My very first posts on this blog almost three and a half years ago were about blogging. That's funny to me because I don't think I've blogged much about blogging since! But today I'm here to discuss this blog in particular because changes are ahead!

As some of you may know, my family is moving soon. We do know where, but we don't know when. Year's end, perhaps?

Between the move, my editing business, all my other jobs, and publishing Martin Legacy this fall ... I've had a hard time blogging lately. All the changes are taking up a lot of mental space. I think I've posted late for this entire month. Oops ...

So as strongly as I feel about the importance of consistency and as much as I love blogging ... now is not a good time for me.

I don't intend to kiss blogging goodbye for forever, but I'm not sure what will happen next. I'm going to aim to continue posting once a month on a Saturday instead of every Saturday.

I have lots of projects and fun things in mind that I'd love to see come to fruition some day. Getting back to vlogging, making a self-editing course/series, publishing little e-books on writing ... But now is not a good time for those, either.

So even though I'll be scaling this back a little, I'll still be around! To make sure you never miss a post, subscribe in my sidebar (underneath the followers). You can find me on social media @abitheauthor.

Blogging was my first connection to the writing world, and you all mean so much to me.  Thanks for your continued support as I step back for a season. I'll have an August post up before you know it!

~~~~~

What's something you've had to set aside for a time? Can I count on you to stick around?? :D

My Next Two Releases

I figured it was finally time to give you all a writing update since most of that's only been in my quarterly newsletter or street team newsletter recently. (See the sidebar if you want to sign up!) There are still a lot of unknowns, but here's what I do have.

To start at the beginning the first book I ever published was Martin Hospitality. It's a full-length contemporary novel and the first in a series. I also published Andora's Folly, a little retelling novella that's completely separate and a standalone. (Until my brain decides otherwise. I make no promises.)

While I've fiddled with other things, the book I will publish next is the sequel to Martin Hospitality. While it's been known as Martin Crossroads for a long time ... it's been renamed to Martin Legacy. This is because the series will now be a duology instead of a trilogy. (A good and necessary decision, trust me.)

I'm ironing out all the crazy details for Martin Legacy and it goes to beta readers next week. Provided I get my editing act together. It will be published this year. So December 31 if things go south between now and then. But I'm aiming more for fall. ;)

However!!! Martin Legacy is not actually going to be my next publication! Just my next book.

HAVOK is going to publish a flash fiction piece of mine called Misfire on June 7, 2019. Because it's an online publication, here's how this works!

• My story will be free to read on gohavok.com on Friday, June 7. Don't miss it, because after that, you have to be a paying member to read it!
• If you're a member, vote on it! As long as I receive at least one vote, I can be considered for an anthology later in the year. :)
• Regardless of membership, leave me a comment on the story! Comments have to be approved, so you may not see it pop up. But once it is on there, I'll be sure to reply to it.

Read, vote, comment. Simple, right? And please share it if you enjoy it!! I can't wait for the little bitty fantasy story to be out there for you all to enjoy. Mark your calendars! Perhaps it can appease you until Martin Legacy comes out later in the year.

Have you set an alarm so you don't forget to read Misfire? ;P I'm excited for you all to have these stories in your hands!

2018 Goal Progress

Time to see how I did on my 2018 goals! I love doing this, but I've got to find a better way to keep up with my goals. I mean ... there's a reason my header image has a snail on it.

I made goals for 2017 and goals for 2018 on my blog. This year I even did a progress check in the summer which is the only reason I currently remember what any of my goals were for the year. I find this to be my favorite way to reflect on the year.

Yet if you look back at those posts (please don't), I'm obviously really horrible at sticking to what I plan. I'm trying to get better at being okay with that!

Memorize 10 items // meh

I memorized a lot of music for choir, a Scripture chorus, Luke 2, and a handful of other verses because I was teaching them ... Not quite what I was aiming for in increasing my poetry and Scripture arsenal this year.

Publish something // complete

The closest I came for this was publishing Snip, the flash fiction prequel to my novel Martin Hospitality. It's available for newsletter members only.

Read 40 books // complete

Yes!! My Goodreads shows that I read 41 books this year. While some were short stories, I didn't include any of the children's books I read, nor did I binge-read things in order to finish my challenge. So an honest finish! :)

I think it's interesting that 14 of these books were ones that I edited. There were also 3 I DNF'd ... but I don't know that all of them counted in my total. I also think I did a better job reading books I already owned and hitting some categories which I often lack (like classics and biographies). Overall, a successful reading year!

Review everything // complete

I wanted to review everything I read on Goodreads this year. This has by far been my favorite goal of the year! It's built a "review immediately" habit into me. While I'm currently a few books behind, I intend to be caught up by the end of the year. And I'll also get on top of copying a bunch of reviews to Amazon.

5 book buy limit // lol

HA! I mean, really, who was I kidding? What bookworm only buys 5 books a year?! I probably bought like ... 30. However. I think easily less than 5 of the books I bought this year were full price. (In fact, I can only think of one full price buy right now.) So that's encouraging to me, and still a good sign for my finances!

Travel // complete

I didn't even remember this being a goal, but it's one of my neatest. God has completely blown my mind with some amazing opportunities this year. When I originally made this goal, I was hoping for another writing conference. But no. I fit in one writer's retreat--a fun time getting to meet some Texas authors.

And then I went to NYC with my sister, aunt, and cousin in September as sort of a joint birthday trip. By far one of the best mental breaks and touristy trips I've ever had. We did allll the things and I would do all of it again!

In early December my two siblings closest in age and I made a somewhat last-minute trip to reunite with friends in Iowa. It was the best vacation. We did a gazillion little Christmassy things that got me in the Advent spirit.

So thank you, Jesus, for all the great people, sights, and experiences that came out of these unforeseen trips!

Writing experiments // complete

Mainly thanks to trying flash fiction, I did experiment with some different openings, POVs, and development styles than I normally go for in longer stuff. Flash fiction in itself was a new thing for me! I also wrote at different locations more than usual. My conclusion is that I have go-tos (writing  in third person, past tense in my bedroom) for a reason.

Finish writing lectures // oops

Weeeeell ... no. I finished the one Great Courses series I was in the middle of. But I still have two untouched ones that I need to complete. Unfortunately, I don't see myself making a bunch of extra time for these in the near future, but I'm glad to have them in my arsenal.

All in all ... I think the only goals I didn't complete were the somewhat unreasonable ones to begin with. And things like memorization and furthering my education with lectures ... it's all a matter of time management. Let's be honest--that's a continual balance for everyone!

I have previously combined my goal progress for the year with my goals for next year. But you'll have to wait till next week for my 2019 goals!! I kind of can't believe that this is my last 2018 post for the year. It's been quite the whirlwind. But I'm so grateful to have had you all tag along on the crazy journey.

What goal for 2018 did you complete? Do always have that one goal you never seem to finish?

If you have any ideas for tracking goal progress throughout the year, I'd love to hear them!

What to Look Forward to in 2019

'Tis the season for all the holiday madness and new year's resolutions. Among all of that, I'm been prayerfully considering what all of this--our community--should look like next year. Just like last year, that means there are a few changes headed our way!

Editing

For the rest of 2018, I charge $2/1,000 words for new editing customers and $1.50/1,000 words for returning editing customers. I'm completely reworking what I offer and how much I charge. SO ... Been thinking about using me in 2019? Get on the calendar this month and you won't have to pay the new prices! Yep. Book in 2018, pay 2018's rate.

I'm already surprisingly full for 2019, so no worries if you aren't sure when you'll want me, etc. Shoot me an email if you plan to use me next year and I'll pencil you in. And when I say surprisingly full, I mean for manuscript edits. Especially if you're new to using me, I recommend trying my cheaper, briefer services!

You can find all of my 2019 editing services and pricing HERE.

While I quit beta reading a while ago to make more time for my editing business, I'm afraid that in 2019 I'll no longer be reading ARCs or participating in blog tours either. As fun as both things can be, I simply can't afford the time constraints and responsibilities. It's so nice to help out other bloggers, but I think I'd like to get away from featuring blog tours on my blog, and I would feel awful if I didn't follow through. So better I just say no in advance. Blessings on all of you who these things work! You're awesome.

Still on the editing note, I've joined Reveries Co. This means that you can get a whole host of services for indie authors by going through them, some of which I offer. So no guarantee you'll get me, but I'm excited for all the awesome things offered here by some wonderful ladies.

Writing

In the writing world, my main goal for 2019 is to publish Martin Crossroads. I am still on track to finish the first draft this year! So many of you keep telling me you'll happily beta for me when the time comes. I wish I could keep track of that, but ... I can't :P

So! I think it's time I go all-out and make a street team! I've already begun a street-team-ish Facebook group HERE. I know not everyone has FB, but it's the best I can do for now. And you should know, if you join my street team, you will be known as a Resonator. *wiggles eyebrows* I plan to have a Resonators-only monthly newsletter up ASAP!

This means that I will be scaling back my regular newsletter to quarterly instead of bi-monthly and possibly add another incentive. The last one of these for this year will go out at the end of the month, so remember that you can sign up for it in the sidebar!

Instead of trying to publish anything else or start new projects, as I have no idea how the MC timeline will go, I'll be focusing on two other things:

• flash fiction submissions (getting published elsewhere looks nice and these are fun!!)
• querying Behind the Act (I still love this manuscript and want to find an agent for traditional publication)

And as for blogging itself ... I intend to keep that up once a week. ;)

That seems like a lot, but I think it will all be for the better! Any suggestions or tips? How are you changing things in the new year?

NaNoWriMo + What's Next

It's December! Which means National Novel Writing Month is over. While many of my friends clocked insane word counts (either in total or just yesterday in an effort to reach their goals), I haven't written in several days. Because I hit my goal early! (Stay tuned for snippets.)

For those of you who are new or can't keep your 100 friends' NaNo goals straight, my goal was to write a 30k novella based off my trip to New York. I named it Simply Jane Smith.

The 50,000 words that NaNo wants me to write is a little much for my sanity (and wrists). I've only written 30k in a month once before and that was when I wrote the first draft to my published novella Andora's Folly. I figured it was time to do it again since I needed a break from my main writing project anyway.

I'm happy to announce that I finished the first draft of Simply Jane Smith on November 28th at 28,449 words. A little short of my targeted word count, granted, but it feels so good to have finished something!! I think it's been ages since I did that.

I can already hear you asking the question but was it garbage? The exciting answer is no. While it's definitely a first draft, it's got a bit of a plot and some characters I'd be happy to revisit someday. 

"Someday" is the key word. I have no timeline to return to the story in the near future. So while I'm content with a finished draft, I know it stinks for you guys not getting anything published for another bit.

To tide you over, here are a few little snippets that stood out to me as worth sharing while I was writing:

Next, I'll be returning to Martin Crossroads. Right, the sequel. The sequel you all want. That refuses to be written. I've been reading about Tolkien some lately, and it was an encouragement to me that writing The Lord of the Rings took him literal eons and about did him in. But I will conquer just like he did!!! Or else.

While I'm sure I'll have plenty of life, editing projects, and whatever else distract me from my good intentions, my tentative writing plan going forward looks like this:

• finish the first draft of Martin Crossroads in 2018
• publish MC in 2019 at all costs!!
• squeeze in revising Behind the Act so I can query hopefully over the summer
• submit flash fiction for my "fun writing"
• possible chisel away at the other gazillion ideas I have ...

That sounds like a ton to me, but I'm also super tired at the moment, so who knows? Maybe it'll be totally feasible. My priority will be Martin Crossroads if it kills me. Don't get me wrong, I really do love where I hope the story will end up. It's getting it there that's slowly killing me. But it will come together and I will get it to you guys! 2019 is going to be the year. ;) Which means by this time next year it should be in your hands. Won't that be a wonderful day for all of us. 

Now tell me all about what you did this November! NaNo or not, what has your latest project been? What do you hope to accomplish in 2019? By all means, give me details as I certainly can't keep everyone's doings straight. ;)

Farris's Birthday (with snippets!)

Farris Ebworthy (who is but an infant in Martin Hospitality) had his birthday on October 2nd! Just like last year, I practically forgot. Such a horrible author, I know. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have the words "Farris Ebworthy, Oct 2" in literal print for all the world to see. So since a dear reader reminded me of the event, I thought we should do a little celebrating to make it up to one of my absolute favorites.

Farris is really the best. I know you all only got to see him as a six-month-old (and younger) in Martin Hospitality, but trust me. He's turning out well. ;)

SO happy birthday to Farris. Even though you're fictional, who passes up a chance to party? A.k.a. enjoy all the party-related things like food. Or in this case presents.

I don't think I've publicly shared any official words from Martin Crossroads yet, so I thought it'd be a good idea to share some Farris-y snippets with you all today.

I'll be honest--I absolutely hate finding snippets to share. I think it makes me panic that if I can't find one line or paragraph that's good on it's own ... maybe the whole thing is rubbish. But I put myself through it anyway just for you and Farris.

The first snippet is when he's coming on five years old.

“Farris!”

            “Hi, Mama.” He walked the beam a few paces as if he were in gymnastics—something Gemma had considered to get his energy out and now set her mind against.

“What are you doing? Josiah, go get the ladder.”

“It’s OK, Mom! Watch this.”

He crouched before leaping off the beam.

For one heart-stopping moment, Gemma foresaw him breaking every bone in his body as he fell the twenty feet. A stall consumed him with nothing more than a rustle for the sound of impact.

Josiah made it inside first.

           She released a breath when she saw two arms and two legs poking out of a loose pile of hay. He is in so much trouble.

~~~

And the second snippet from when he's fifteen ... ish

Farris felt something stir inside him. Something beyond pity. He hadn’t thought about dying today. He didn’t have to worry about where his next meal was going to come from, and he knew the twins didn’t either. Together their fathers had harvested the most prosperous crop for miles this past fall. Want was the last thing on their minds.

            Hannah set her chin. “There are kids who die every day from things like hunger and thirst. That’s not even the sad part. The sad part is that most of them haven’t heard about Jesus. People here all know who He is and lots of them still walk away. But there? They don’t have a chance unless we help them. So how will you help?”

            An uneasy silence settled over the room. She curtsied and applause followed.

            “Where did she come from?” Ash whispered.

            Noah shrugged. Farris didn’t care where she’d come from. Through his speech and the rest of the day, he couldn’t get her gauntlet out of his head.

~~~

That gives you a pretty good idea of his personality! So excited to share him with you all. To close it all out, if I could pick one song for Farris, it would be this one.

What do you think is in Farris's future? I'm so excited to share him with you all!!

Why Blogs Will Never Die + Author Website

I keep hearing things that say blogs are on their way out. I've not done any research on why people are saying this or if they're actually dying out, but I think it's impossible for them to die off completely for a couple reasons.

First, I don't intend to stop blogging for a long time. Therefore, at least one blog will remain on the internet. I can't imagine not blogging anymore if I'm honest. Which is crazy because I used to be SO turned off by the very idea of a blog. But here we are. God thinks He's funny or something.

Second, blogs are community-based! And while "professionals" keep saying blogs are phasing out, the desire for community is only getting stronger. It's almost reached the level of being a buzzword in today's culture, so why would something that helps unite people of common interests die?

Third, I really think blogs are unique. While exceptions of course exist, they're not life journals or formal articles. They're a beautiful blend where personality meets help. Again--a community! Blogs are great if only to know you're not alone.

Fourth, they're newsletters on steroids. Despite what professionals have been saying for a very long time, mailed-to-people's-homes newsletters (real print ones!) are still effective according to mutliple business professionals I've heard from lately. They can be more effective than electronic ones even ... And what are blogs but an electronic newsletter on steroids?

Fifth, I want to trust agents and publishers. If blogs were really on their way out, would all of us younglings be turned away for a platform that's too small? There are other platforms--I get that. But blogs die without community. I can have 500 followers without any interaction elsewhere. So I think numbers mean more here--and I think the big guys know that.

So I'm not sure why people think blogs are dying. I guess it's because blogs are easily abandoned, the internet evolves, kids these days don't read as much.

That doesn't mean blogs have to die! That just means presentation might have to be tweaked in order to meet muster. But, really, flexibility is what marketing and being successful is all about, then I know nothing.

*shrug* That's just me. I guess I'll believe it when I'm the only blog left standing.

Now, for the big news.

I HAVE AN AUTHOR WEBSITE!

Yes, I'll give you the link and all that good stuff, but I want to explain. I'm not going to stop blogging. I just wanted a more professional space to ... be professional! That way I can have my services, salesy links, and snazzier design over there without having to touch much here.

So expect minor changes to the pages at the top, but that's about it. The editing page will go away and perhaps some other things. If you're super attached to something, let me know! All of this is in an effort to make things better for all of you.

Now, for the link. You can visit my author website at abigayleclaire.com. Not too complicated, right?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Do you think blogs are on their way out? Why or why not?

ALL THE THOUGHTS on the author website!!

How I Remain Productive Amidst Chaos

Me, productive in July?? At first blush, not really. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I accomplished. It was a productive blur of craziness. I don't know about you, but I really want to know how I managed that.

OK, so first off I was not as productive as I wanted to be in certain things. However, some of the other things that ate my time were equally productive. (Hello, work?) So I think it's important to remember that every kind of productivity is productive.

If you're like me this means you get really good at productive procrastination. I think that basically sums up my July.

The aerial view of my life in July was being out of town the first two weeks and at work the last two weeks. Sounds like a recipe for productivity, right? Well ... yes, actually.

While out of town, I expected to:

• finish reading Thief of Corinth
• have ample quiet time to write toward my goal of 30k
• start reading The Blue Castle
• work for my aunt
• see fireworks once
• do some work on the train ride home

What I actually did:

• finished reading Thief of Corinth
• wrote half a chapter and then got a pedicure
• wrote the other half a chapter and ate ice cream
• enjoyed multiple Starbucks
• binge-read The Blue Castle
• attended my first major league baseball game and saw fireworks three times
• binge-read Where the Woods Grow Wild
• binge-watched Lord of the Rings with my cousins
• worked for my aunt AKA created flowers for two beautiful metroplex weddings
• had a movie night/sleepover with my other cousins
• googled things to do in NYC and visit with the girl next to me on the train ride home

Are you seeing a pattern here? Some things didn't happen so my inclination is to call it all unproductive. But actually a ton happened. No, it wasn't all productive, but it was all worth it. I'm not going to apologize for my goals; goals are a good thing. But I'm not going to kick myself (too much) for not hitting them all either. Sometimes I think we need to adjust our expectations and look at what we accomplished instead.

While back home and working, I expected to:

• babysit
• do secretary work
• go to church
• house sit
• celebrate my brother's birthday
• hit my Camp NaNo goal (now reduced to 10k)
• plan something for the Andora's Folly birthday
• edit for Kellyn

What I actually did:

• babysit, getting reading time, writing time, and treated to lunch
• joined a youth club to support local candidates
• did secretary work and handed out our info at a back-to-school event
• heard some of the best sermons ever and visited with friends
• binge-watched a TV show with my sister
• got down time at someone else's empty house and watched a movie
• decorated for an Incredibles 2 birthday party
• taught Sunday School
• had family in town
• attended a friend's violin recital
• did two sales, a giveaway, a painting, and more for Andora's Folly's birthday
• got over 200 downloads of Andora's Folly for its birthday (!!!!)
• hit my Camp NaNo goal of 10k
• almost finished editing for Kellyn
• wrote at a coffee shop
• researched NYC again at a coffee shop

Again, didn't technically do that all quite how I planned ... Being a goal-setter and general list-maker, that can initially be a little traumatizing. But I'm learning that things outside of plans aren't always bad. Being flexible is often a good thing.

Of course, deadlines must still be met and we can't shirk our responsibilities. That's not what I'm suggesting. But I think the only reason I was able to be as productive as I was in what was a very out-of-the-norm month was because I let myself branch out. Yes, that's right. Deviating from the plan can help be productive.

Everyone needs breaks, so make them worthwhile. All the non-negotiables and random things that popped up were nice breaks from all my to-do list items. Conversely, all my to-do list items were sometimes relaxing and different from how I earn money. In other words, I have "work-work" and "passion-work." One's always a nice break from the other.

Being productive isn't always fun, but fun can be productive. Breaks are productive simply because they energize me to keep going. TV shows and movies are blatant relaxations, but that doesn't mean I won't learn something or get a new story idea. ;) I guess it helps that I never fully switch my mind off. That means I can do things that keep me from burning out without it being a complete waste of time.

That's how I define productivity: it's less checking everything off the to-do list and more using my time well.

There's not a set formula to being productive of course, but those are some of the things that ended up helping me this month! I can't guarantee I'll be able to read that much or even write that much this month, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try. Everything's always worth a try!

I mean, let's be honest. As healthy as planning/goal-setting is, it's part of life to have plans change. Embracing all the crazy, fun things amidst my endless to-do list and letting a few things go paid off in the end. I have more memories as a result and didn't sacrifice much in the process.

It all comes down to balance. A thousand sayings sum it up. "All work and no play," imbalance. "Be in the world but not of the world" an easier-said-than-done goal for balance. The good news is we don't have to figure it all out alone, at least not if we think to ask God. In the end, I'm motivated to get things done so I have time to have fun. Meet the deadlines, but live a little.

I have to close with this Max Lucado quote because I feel like it was providential that I stumbled upon it while writing this post.

Guess what? This blog post was productive procrastination. It needed to happen, but I was only motivated to do it because I should have been billing for my dad, editing for a friend, or getting ready for bed instead. It's amazing what happens.

I mentioned all that stuff I did for Andora's Folly? The giveaway ends today, so you can still enter here! Or you can read the full post I did about the book's birthday here.

Have a good week, and prepare for an epic guest post next Saturday!

Get to Know Me Tag {Writers' Edition}

I decided to shake thing up a bit and do a full tag in a post. I did the non-writers' edition aaagggess ago. But do not feel obligated to read it. o.o It's back in the dark ages of the blog so really. Just continue on.

The rules:

• link back to the person who created the tag (Savannah)
• thank the person who tagged you (Rosalie)
• tag eleven bloggers (like I ever do that :P)

Vital Stats + Appearance

(pen)Name: Abigayle Claire, my first and middle name

Nicknames: Abi. Just so you know, that's the only one you're allowed to use. But there's also Babs and ... worse when my brothers get creative.

Birthday: August 15, 1998. So just like Rosalie who tagged me, I'm about to bid farewell to my teens which is ... yeah, I'm not ready.

Hair color and length: Reddish, brownish blonde. I've lightened it blonde at the ends for now. It's currently mid-back which is short for me.

Eye color: Green

Braces/piercings/tattoos: I've had braces, but currently only have pierced ears. That's all I'm planning on ever having.

Righty or lefty: Lefty!! Like that's news, haha. But since I do most sports right-handed I'm a little ambidextrous I suppose.

Ethnicity: I mean ... white American but a big European blend. My strongest strain is German.

Firsts

First novel written: Ha! Ok, the first one I ever, ever wrote was not novel length, but it was called The Dolphin at Grandpa's Hut. Basically as classy as it sounds all handwritten and illustrated by yours truly in a notebook.

First novel completed: Technically the one above was my first "completed" story longer than a page that I can remember. But for novel-length it's obviously Martin Hospitality.

Award for writing: I've won some voter-based ones from the 2017 Indie E-Con for Martin Hospitality, but the big one was Readers' Favorite. I ... still can't really believe it. I got a 5-star book review from them and then won an honorable mention in the Christian Fiction category. So amazing!!

                             

First publication: Again, Martin Hospitality for self-published. I hope to someday be traditionally published as well.

Conference: The first one I attended was a little one-day conference in East Texas. The first "real" conference was Oregon Christian Writers Conference last summer. *cue angelic singing*

Query/Pitch: I pitched at OCW which was ... terrifying. It was just an idea at the time, but even though it quickly turned into my first rejection, that idea is now a full-length draft. Behind the Act is waiting on some revisions, and then I'll keep pitching it.

Favorites

Novel (that you wrote): Behind the Act. I don't know if that's surprising or not. I think it's my favorite because it was my first manuscript to write off a long-time idea. Even though it hasn't gone far yet, I feel like it's going to be really powerful and go really far someday. That keeps me excited. :)

Genre: Contemporary. I never thought I'd say it, but my favorite thing to write is modern day. It adds a simplicity and relatability that I adore.

Author: Louisa May Alcott.

Writing Music: Typically soundtrack music. I have playlists of relevant songs with lyrics, but I cannot write with lyrics no matter how hard I try. 

Time To Write: Late at night. It's not always my favorite time to write, but it's simply the best for me.

Writing Snack/Drink: Chips, chocolate, or dried mango. Ice cream. ;) Occasionally I drink tea.

Movie: Oh gosh ... I can't choose just one. I love You've Got Mail, The Village, and Anastasia.

Writing Memory: I remember practicing the cursive alphabet for fun (yes, I was that sort of child). I also remember loving a library book on Helen Keller and trying to copy the whole thing down into a sketchbook so I could keep the story. I failed, so I guess my mom decided it didn't matter that I still have three-ish chapters of a plagiarized biography somewhere. xD

Childhood Book: THINKABOUTTHISAHHHHH

Currently

Reading: I'm actually ... not currently reading anything.  After reading two really good books (Thief of Corinth by Tessa Afshar and The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery), I'm in a lapse to soak up their 5-star awesomeness.

Writing: Chapter 28 of Martin Crossroads

Listening to: A Good Doctor episode :P (Highly recommend this show!) I'm actually trying to find some new artists to listen to, so give me recs! 

Watching: Anne with an E Season 2. I wasn't 100% crazy about the first season and it's not really following the books ... but I adore Gilbert soooo ...

Learning: I learned new kinds of flowers while working for my florist aunt for two weeks. I learned you can spell "acknowledgement" as "acknowledgment" too. (What?!) In general I'm working on learning patience hehe ... not my strong suit. But this draft isn't coming together as fast as I'd like it too. I babysit a lot and spent time with younger cousins. It's all good practice.

Future

Want To Be Published: I want to continue to be published for forever honestly. I'll be self-publishing Martin Crossroads next and then turning some energy toward querying Behind the Act.

Indie or Traditional: Both! I'm already indie published, but I really want to be hybrid some day. :)

Wildest Goal: To have my books in Barnes & Noble. It might sound silly but it's one of my biggest. I might die of a heart attack at that moment. To have my books in other languages would be pretty cool as I've already got it in other countries. I'd say to win a famous book award but I kind of fell like I've already done that, too. It's pretty neat to see how many crazy awesome things have already happened largely thanks to God and you guys.

And I'm really just getting started. So now I'm going to go work on Chapter 28. ;)

Nooo, I'm not tagging people. But please do feel free to do this tag or answer some of the questions in the comments! Also, I know I don't do tags on my blog very often. But don't be afraid to tag me if you want to. I often answer some of the questions I'm tagged with in my newsletters. :)

Have a great weekend!

Summer Reading + Writing Bucket List

I have a whole list of blog posts to write on my phone at the moment. I looked at the list several times this week and none of the posts spoke to me. So due to procrastinating and seeing Audrey Caylin's blog post in my inbox this morning, I'm going to do something different on the fly here. Prepare to see my summer TBR, writing plans, and how I'm doing on my year's goals!

As I've mentioned before, my newsletter is the main place where I keep you guys updated with life and all the little things going into my reading, writing, editing, etc. Mainly because it's hard to fit all of that in here and feel like I'm doing a good job including you all.

But every now and then I can't help but post on some of what's up. I'm sure you don't mind. ;)

Summer TBR

Since I'm quite the list-maker, I was working on a Summer TBR the other day. Of course, it's ridiculously long. I've decided as a working high school graduate that getting more time to read in the summer is a myth. I'm going to have to make more time. Thankfully my reading accountability partner Lisa has been good at keeping up with me.

Here's what I've got on my list so far (in no particular order):

• War of Loyalties by Schuyler McConkey // I own it and it's beautiful and she needs more reviews but it's so long I haven't delved in yet. I can't wait!!!
• Where the Woods Grow Wild by Nate Philbrick // Nate's hilarious and his book is awesome. Life happened and I never finished it. I'm thinking it's a good read-aloud-to-the-brothers option.
• Out of Time Series by Nadine Brandes // Yes, I've already read this, but it is time to soak it all up again and to expose the siblings!
• Something by Flannery O' Connor // I talked about this with my pastor's wife because we're both trying to read more classics right now.
• Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore // In progress and loving it.
• Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge // On loan from Kelsey Bryant.)=
• Tarzan by Edward Rice Burroughs // Because I've owned a pretty volume of it from Barnes & Noble for a year now and it will give me an excuse to watch the new movie again.
• The Irresistible Novel by Jeff Gerke // Jeff has an excellent sense of humor and I've heard such good things about this book!
• book club // This will be two more books that haven't been chosen quite yet.

12 isn't excessive, right? I cherrypicked these hoping to not bog myself down but fly through some really great reads! What are you trying to read over the summer?

Writing Plans

These change all the time. And even though I'm back to making good headway on Martin Crossroads, I have two other story ideas that will. not. leave me alone. No matter how nicely I ask!! So I'm obstinately refusing to give them any writing time like a good, focused writer. :P

Here's what I'm hoping for:

• a freebie for my end-of-June newsletter peeps. You hear that? You're gonna want to be subscribed to receive this! I'd been struggling on what to include, but I had a breakthrough the other day and it's now awaiting the feedback of my critique partner, Ivy. It's an understatement to say I'm excited. :D
• something fun for Andora's Folly turning one in July. If you have any ideas or things you'd like to see, let me know! I've got two ideas I'm hoping to make happen at the moment. :) I'll also be doing Camp NaNo again this month (woohoo!).
• the Self-Editing Checklist in August. Remember when I shared my Self-Publishing Checklist? I really want to do one as an editor to give writers some tips and such that I share when I edit for people. Whoever your editor is will thank you for knowing some things in advance! This will probably be shared in a blog post so everyone has access and be kind of a promotional thing for my editing services I suppose.
• a complete first draft of Martin Crossroads by the end of September. I'm currently at 40k and aiming for 100k, so this should be feasible if I don't drop the ball! (August is my true goal but I'm guessing the summer will explode on me.)

There. That's nice to have down on paper for my own sake. What are your summery writing plans?

2018 Goal Progress

*hides* I'm so bad at checking my goals that I was a little worried for this bit. Here's how I'm doing.

• memorize 10 items // I memorized a lot of music for choir??? No? Okay ...
• publish something // Maybe I can do a Christmassy short story or something as I'm holding off Behind the Act for traditional publication (hopefully ... one day) and Martin Crossroads still has a way to go.
• read 40 books // I've read 17 and am currently reading 3 more which means I'm still on track! *phew*
• review everything // Um, I think I've reviewed all 17 books on Goodreads and even a few on Amazon ... I'll need to double-check that ;)
• 5 book buy limit // BAHAHAHAAA Yeah right, who was I kidding? I've probably already bought 12 or so -_- However, I have stuck to my goal of all those books being on sale when I bought them so I shall not be ashamed.
• travel // Oh oh oh! It's official I will not be attending any writing conferences this year because $$ ... but I just booked a flight to NYC for 5 days in September. *screams* I'm going with my aunt, cousin, and sister. While I'm sure the 10-year-old will control the itinerary since it's over her birthday, I'm holding out for a visit to Harper-Collins (because hello tax write-off), Hugh Jackman's coffee shop (say what?!), and of course Broadway (which is a guarantee).
• writing experiments // Thanks to flash fiction and the checklist I plan on publishing, I think I'm getting there with this one.
• finish writing lectures // Oh yeah ... xP I did finish one series but I have two more to go!

Did you make any goals for the year?

That got long, but you are officially in the loop and responsible for holding me accountible! ;) What are your summer plans?