Hello Amore!
Better late than never, right? The winter months aren’t my favorite because it is usually too cold for me to want to move out of the warmth of my home into the freezing temperatures outside. But who am I kidding? I live in California and I barely see the dip to 30 degrees (if I’m unlucky).
Home Life
My veggie garden is starting to come along nicely. I planted many by seed this time around, sprouting them in a plastic container on my kitchen window sill. I’ve never done this method before but I highly recommend it, especially if you’re not sure the seeds are good. We even created an extra bed for more and I think this year I’m going to try my skill at canning again but this time actually eat what I toil over rather than let them sit for years on the shelf.
So far I’ve visited Knotts Berry Farm 5 times in 2022. Season tickets and fast lane passes have made this a fun family pastime for us and something to keep the kids busy with. But damn, if I’m not drained of energy by 5pm - another testament to getting older. We started up the Seadoo to make sure the thing still runs and I can’t wait to take it out on the lakes of California again this year.
Writing Updates
I’ve finished writing The Shoes that Charlotte Wore. It is complete but the journey isn’t. There’s still the task of editing not only for errors but for style, clarity, and voice. There are parts of the story held together by loose threads that need a little mending. Parts of the story need to be weaved into each other a little more. Characters I want to have a distinct voice and I am always thinking of who these people are. If they were real, how would they react to various situations? How would they respond to questions? Truth be told, I struggle with this and I struggle with how to bring a character to life so I am investing in another book but this time about body language. I think it will help me figure out how to shape a character.
To read is to write and to write is to read!
What I’m reading
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I’m coming to the end of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I think it’s a great story, beautifully written and told, a far better story than The Shades of Magic series that Schwab also wrote. I think it’s because Addie is older, not older in age but older in spirit because after all, she’s lived lifetimes! Still, it is lyrical at times and reminiscent of Ann Rice. Schwab does a really well transporting me to different times and places in France and back to New York City and the blossoming love between a girl and a boy, a curse between the darkness and the naive.
Other than all that, I am looking forward to the Charles Dickens Festival this weekend. It’s usually put on every year in Riverside, CA but of course, COVID destroyed that last year. Later in spring I’ll enjoy a few days at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, another beloved event that I miss so much. Do you ever feel there aren’t enough days in a year to cram in all the fun? I do.