Once the new year started, I dove headfirst into my reading and writing. I’ve been reading a cozy new novel called A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, and it’s a welcome escape from the real world. It’s the most recent in an ever-growing TBR pile that I’m looking forward to working my way through this year.

On the writing front, I’ve written nearly three chapters so far of DRASCANDAR, the second book in my Realms of the Brekenlight series. It’s been a few months since I spent my days in Varlandria, and I was more than ready to get back to the adventure. I’ve planned the entire five book series with a loose outline and can’t wait to share more of Fenn’s world with all of you.

Work also continues on my picture book, One Cat Short of Crazy. I’m in the midst of drawing illustrations and revising the text. It’s fun to exercise a different creative muscle with drawing alongside my writing. I expect it will be several months before the book is ready because in addition to finishing the actual work, I’ll need to learn how to format and publish a picture book. It’ll take awhile, but I’m enjoying the process immensely.

In addition to reading and writing, my husband and I have been using an old book I found in a used bookstore to plan tours through the backroads in our beautiful NC mountains. There’s a new edition of the book out now, but there’s just something magical about following the old black-and-white maps in our second hand copy. We drove the first tour last week, and it was an exciting escape into the nature around us.

The world is heavy outside my little book bubble. When discouraging thoughts begin to creep in, I’m going to remember what an editor friend of mine said recently:

“Dear writer, The world feels heavy today. You might feel like your writing is unimportant and small. But escapism and imagination are vital when people feel helpless. Authentic storytelling has been and always will be part of humanity. So stay vigilant, and keep writing.”

Bethany Dancel, Dancel Editorial

Keep creating, keep reading, keep going. And remember to take care of yourself. Your art- and YOU- are important.