Inkheart, Creative Self-Publishing & Secret Projects

I lost my February in a book! Sometimes I dive so deep into what I’m writing that the days seem to vanish. February has been that type of month. Writing, writing, and more writing!

Progress on Book 3 of my YA adventure fantasy series continues. I’m growing happier by the day with how it’s turning out. This month, I crossed the halfway mark for Adeya’s storyline (a point where things get really exciting!!! Eeee!) But knowing I still have some writing to do on Kyen’s storyline, I’m never quite sure where to put the progress bar. 45% Maybe. Progress is never as fast as I’d like it.

You can blame my secret project. I made mention of a few life circumstances that have delayed the writing of book 3. (If you’re signed up for my mailing list, you might have seen it.) But I didn’t mention this one. I can’t tell you too much yet, but I’m hoping to make a more official announcement in March. You can join my mailing list now to be one of the first to hear about it. Until then, shh…

In Progress…

I wrapped up reading the Inkheart series this February. It’s a YA fantasy adventure, just like what I write, but it’s originally a German trilogy! I love reading books from other cultures and countries, because their storytelling method can be so much different from what I’m used to. Inkheart is no exception. It followed an epic set of characters crossing the lines between reality and the fantasy book world of Inkheart. The pacing is slower, true to epic-form, the fantasy setting is rich, and the prose has moments of brilliance. The character and plot arcs seemed a little muddled to me, but I wonder if its because I’m unfamiliar with the structures used? I don’t know the name of it, but there’s a storytelling style out there, usually wielded by pantsers, that emphasizes an experience similar to following real-life persons (usually marked by a lack of structure, slower pacing and unpredictable arcs.) Inkheart is exactly that! Overall, the Inkheart Trilogy was a grand adventure, and I’m glad to have read it.

Another book I finished in February, this goes up on the shelf of fantasy writing resources. The best part of this book is how it guides you to discovering your own personal values, goals, and infrastructure to running an author business. I highly recommend it for anyone who struggles to figure out who they are as a writer and where they fit into the writing landscape. I came out of this book so much more focused with a better grasp of my audience, myself and where I hope to head in 2024. This book encourages the practices of F-R-E-E writing (which has doubled my output) and journaling to troubleshoot your struggles as a writer. (Although I love journaling, this never occurred to me before!) All of it was super-helpful! It is light on the practical side of self-publishing, so if you’re looking for how-to’s, this isn’t the book for you. But if you’ve ever felt lost as a self-publisher and a writer, Creative Self-Publishing is a great tool to help you discover yourself and pursue publishing in a way that’s unique to your wants and needs.