I haven’t blogged in a couple of weeks, mainly because I’ve been lazy, but ROW80 starts back up on July 7th, so it’s time to get back in gear.
The writing has been progressing, and I’ve been taking an online workshop as well, so that’s good. I also got an accountability buddy, a writing friend who’ll keep me honest and give me a virtual kick in the pants if I’m being lazy–and for whom I’ll do the same if necessary.
I got confirmation of why I’ve been so tired the past six months or so: I have adrenal fatigue. I went to a hormone therapy clinic, and they did a round of testing, which revealed that I have very low cortisol levels. Cortisol gets a bad rap as it’s the stress hormone, but it’s also one we need a certain amount of in order to function. Normally, cortisol is supposed to spike a couple hours after we rise in the morning, gradually tapering off throughout the day. My tests revealed that mine barely goes up at all. Adrenal fatigue is curable, but there’s no quick treatment. All we can do is minimize stress (which I’ve already done), eat healthy (working on it), and take supplements, and get adequate sleep. I have some new supplements recommended by the clinic, but the latter can be a challenge, as one symptom of adrenal fatigue is insomnia! Supplements can help that, too, so hopefully things will be looking up there in a few weeks.
We had a great Fourth of July. The Fourth is probably my favorite holiday–not only because I’m a patriotic American, but also because I don’t have to cook, clean, or shop, and… fireworks! We went to some friends’ big party on the third with an impressive catered dinner and fireworks display. On the Fourth, we went to my brother’s, where we grilled out and let off fireworks of our own. Both were equally fun. We took Isis, who was less than thrilled at the fireworks. She did a bit better the second night, as we were able to just leave her in my brother’s house, where she watched out the patio door with a very concerned expression the whole time.
What I read this week: I finally finished Sacrifice: the First Book of The Fey by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. This is epic fantasy, and befitting of the term epic, was long, complex, and with many point-of-view characters. It was originally published in the mid-90s, but I hadn’t read this series before, and really enjoyed it once I got into it and got to know some of the characters well enough. That took a while, because there were so many different points-of-view, but was worth it. Even so, the story and worldbuilding were interesting and entertaining enough to pull me in. If you’re looking for something to read after Game of Thrones (or rather, the Song of Fire and Ice series), give this one a try. I doubt you’ll be disappointed, and better yet, all seven of the series are out and available. I’ll definitely be picking up the next in the series.
And now for ROW80: My accountability buddy and I decided that for now, my goal is to write a scene per week. I have three more scenes to complete this book, provided none of them are actually two or more scenes in disguise (that happens sometimes). The 7th marks the beginning of ROW80 Round 3, and I hope to finish this book by the end of Round 3, but since that depends on other people (beta readers, editors), I’m just going to shoot for first draft, initial revision, cover, and cover copy. For this week, the goal is to finish one scene, plus the assignment for my workshop (which incidentally, is about cover copy and other types of sales pitch type stuff).
Of course, I have to include a fun puppy picture!
How can anyone resist this face?
What about you? If you’re in the U.S., did you do anything fun for the Fourth? (Or the first, for our Canadian friends?) Do you like long, epic fantasy novels? Could you resist that puppy face? If you’re participating in ROW80, or have some semi-long-term project goals, what are they? Please share–I’d love to hear from you!
Jennette Marie Powell writes stories about ordinary people in ordinary places, who do extraordinary things and learn that those ordinary places are anything but. In her Saturn Society novels, unwilling time travelers do what they must to make things right... and change more than they expect. You can find her books at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, iTunes, and more.