So, coming to the realisation I cannot keep this posting schedule up at the moment for the foreseeable I have had to make the decision to decrease the amount I will be posting from October as life is about to get in the way.

So part of dealing with a dynamic disability means learning when and how to advocate for myself and right now, I need to slow down with even making the short posts on here. Not that I can be certain anyone reads them.

But even if I am talking to the void sometimes, that is ok.

It’s taken a lot to admit defeat, not that it is defeat, it’s just trying to take care of myself and put my needs first. So I will be posting when I can and less when I feel the pressure that I should.

Well… Ok I don’t normally update this frequently about projects, but I have been making some tough decisions with this story.

First of all I have ripped away all notion now of doing it as duology, I am instead making it a stand alone book.

So what is the plan?

Obviously smush both books together cutting words where needed. Also I have decided to change some of the “in between book 1 ending and book 2’s middle” so to speak. The general vibe and outcome are still very much the same as my original plan, however I have chosen to pair down the complexity and alter some outcomes.

I mean ultimately my intent is to have it concluded with wiggle room on the off chance I ever decide to revisit it.

Whether I want to or not is another story all of its own.

I fully intend to query this book. I hope it will work out. I will update here where possible. However I make no promises there will be much to update. I have a feeling real life is about to take over.

I haven’t indulged in this in a while so here goes nothing.

What’s going on?

Well, it’s been a bit chaotic of late. I’ve been trying to get a blanket knitted, but it hasn’t really happened.

Orkney had its island games a couple of months back and that’s when the knitting started unravelling, not truly but it stalled. There was a heatwave and I don’t do well in heat anymore. It’s not like I moved to Orkney for glorious sunshine and good weather, it was the bad horizontal wind and rain that brought me here excitedly. Summer is great and all, but I have been clinging on for dear life meaning that knitting isn’t possible.

But I do have a vision in mind for this project… think duck pond. Wavey blue blanket and then I will attempt to knit and stuff some ducks that I brought the pattern for from etsy. Not true looking ducks, ones that look like rubber ducks.

What am I writing?

Well, that is easy to answer, it is a project I have nicknamed mac and cheese.

Actually called “The magpie and the Crow” but still. MAC for short, hence how it got its nickname.

It’s kind of like if Shadow Hunters had a baby with original Charmed. Also great for people that loved Cole.

That has been the main focus, I want to get these drafts done and get it out to query as soon as I can. I have a good vibe about this.

It’s not to say I am abandoning “The Big Project” completely. I absolutely will without fail write that series. But I feel right now is a great time for MAC it has the vibe I want to write right now.

One thing that I stumble a lot with when it comes to MAC is that I under write. This will be a duology because I know that both halves together would be considered too long. Though I will write the second part in it once I get through this current draft and send it on out to my fabulous Beta readers.

What does the future hold?

Well that would be telling. Right now, I can’t say. I am taking each day as it comes and having faith in the universe that things will work out. There’s a lot happening that I am progressively getting ready for.

Definitely in the New Year I will probably be working on that whole “New Year New You” type thing. I am ready for some positive change, it’s been a while.

The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield has been my latest read.

With so much happening in my personal life I haven’t had the brain power to read as avidly as I would have loved to. But when I did sit down with this book I really loved it. It was beautiful.

I loved the voice to it. It did really feel like friends talking.

I didn’t go into it knowing much about the book. I will be honest, I saw this in the local bookshop, skimmed page one and thought meh why not? Turns out it was a great choice. It was a lovely story and gave new tones to Norse mythology that I wasn’t aware of. It felt like a lot of time and research went into this story and it really does benefit from it.

I recommend the book and will be sending it on to someone who I think will like and appreciate it. It was really lovely to read and there are some beautiful, and some truly frustrating moments.

I can’t recommend this enough if you want a different, lesser known aspect to Norse mythology to read.