STATUS – 5.20.2025 –

Hello and good morning.

Summer is here and that means it’s time for a switch.

These last few weeks (coincidentally, lining up perfectly with the first few weeks of May) were hectic. Lots of events at the boys’ preschool to ready them for, which means a lot more for me to do since I, you know, work there. We had kindergarten tours, summer vacation planning, and just all the other chaotic stuff that happens when you have three kids with a fourth on the way. What’s crazy to me is that school only just got out LAST WEEK.

Suffice to say, I wasn’t too into the Field Notes Vintage edition I started in early April. I would say it was about halfway complete. While it pains me to switch something out, this is a mental thing.

A fresh start.

The summer is here. We got a lot coming up, and it’s the time for “Summer Projects.” No, I’m not building a green house or anything like that, but I usually think of anything that takes the length of the summer, internally, as a “Summer Project.” Starting a book? Beginning a new show? Trying to reorganize your toys?The family did collectively start playing the first Kingdom Hearts game together two nights ago and the boys are ALL SUPER INTO IT THIS IS MAKING MY HEART SING.

Two young boys are watching a television screen playing the Kingdom Hearts video game.

This came about because of the recent Final Fantasy collaboration with Magic the Gathering. As I was living through spoiler season, a wonderful time for Magic fans when they showcase all the new cards, it was like awakening a sleeping beast inside of me. I remembered why I fell in love with these games. I was soon listening to the music and looking up video retrospectives on my phone. But this also led to me flat out watching cutscenes from the games, the boys peeking over my shoulder to watch, and bingo bango, they know who Cloud is now and were asking if I could play one of those games.

While they might be too young for that, they’re not too young for DISNEY BABEEEYYY.

I felt more inspired than I have in months. MONTHS.

I don’t know. I know I’m supposed to spend time with the books and stories that are getting published in the age range that I want to write in (middle grade), but after weeks and months of trying to find a new one to get into, I suddenly feel more pushed to create and write than I ever did when I was forcing myself through another supposed “acclaimed” middle grade book. Most of the ones I tried to start I don’t even share on socials because why? Why spend time with a book you don’t like?

This all because of some Magic the Gathering cards.

We’re looking forward to playing the entire first game this summer.

PROJECT UPDATE:

#AMQUERYING – NESS and BIANCA are going out regularly. Nothing much more to report here, except I changed up my pitch not that long ago for NESS. Not for BIANCA, however, as that one needs to be a full trilogy to tell the entire story.

CITY – This one is actually coming along nicely in the plotting phase. If I don’t mess things up, I could be done by the end of May meaning I have a book to write in June. Again, another summer project.

CURRENTLY LISTENING: Like I said earlier, we just started Kingdom Hearts I as a family. That means Disney is on the mind so we’re listening to the Main Street playlist today.

CURRENTLY READING: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (B&N)

I know I’m several years late to this (and have been sitting on this paperback for about 5 years), but man is this good. Like I said earlier, I spend so much time trying to read middle grade stuff that’s getting published that doesn’t connect or resonate with me, but I feel like I need to read it because it’s “research.” Sometimes, it’s nice to read something I actually wanted to read.

I’m taking it slowly, only on page 60ish or so after about three weeks, but loving it.