Being “Selfish”
In this Edition:
NOTE: This post should be dated July 25, 2022
Quote
Update: Overwriting
Motivate: Doing something for yourself
Book review: IN A HOLIDAZE
Onyx Publications: New short story
Final thoughts
Update:
We’re back from our last mini trip of the summer. I love Chattanooga. It’s a small city with lots of activities. We didn’t overbook ourselves this time, so it’s a trip I feel a bit refreshed from.
Our B&B was located in the art district and overlooked the water. I spent a lot of time on the small balcony writing & drinking flavored iced tea. It was very pleasant. I’m not finished, but I’m closing in on the last scenes of this novel!
I’m too embarrassed to tell you my word count. Let’s just say I’m over my 90,000 word goal. Way over. Which means once I complete this draft, I’ve got a lot of work still ahead of me. That’s okay. The story is there. I THINK it’s good, and now all I’ll need to do is “polish.”
In other writing related news:
Several weeks ago, my writing friend Meredith and I were asked by an editing service to be a part of their social media outreach team. You may have seen some of our “duet“ Instagram reels we’ve done for fun.
We met the owner of Book Puma editing, Charles, at a writing conference. He’s a very ambitious, passionate person, and very interested in helping writers find their way in the publishing space. In order to be a part of this, Meredith and I experienced some of their services, and we both thought they had a good business model going. We decided to sign on for a 6 week trial period. I’m excited for the potential benefits of such a relationship. We’ll see how it goes.
Motivate:
A few weeks ago, I wrote on the topic of “doing nothing,” and since then, I’ve had a semi-revelation.
Lately, at the end of the day, I’m exhausted, just drained, and I don’t have the energy to even write. But on this trip to Chattanooga, I made it to the end of one day and had just as much energy in the afternoon as I’d had in the morning. I even wrote until 10pm. I hadn’t changed anything. But as I analyzed what might’ve been different, I narrowed it down to this:
I’d been “selfish.”
I splurged with food and drink (I didn’t go gluten wild, but still). Stephen took the girls on their own adventure, and I found myself out and about on the art district grounds doing exactly what I wanted to do without answering to anyone.
I didn’t do anything I HAD to do, only what I WANTED to do. I thought I’d been giving myself “breaks.” I’ve even encouraged you to take breaks and be okay with “doing nothing” but there’s a huge difference between “doing nothing” and doing exactly what you want. Because you might not want to do “nothing.”
We are always doing for other people. Answering calls, emails, invites, doing things others expect us to do, need us to do. At work and at home, we are doing what needs to be done. That’s great, necessary. My children would starve if I did exactly as I wanted to all the time because I’d never prepare meals. And the list goes on. But having a few hours where I did what I (ME alone) wanted to do, gave me more of a boost than resting did.
I was surprised.
If you’re not taking time do something just for yourself, to be “selfish” for a short time, I encourage you to do so.
Book Review:
photo courtesy of The Delighted Reader
So this is not the book I’m reading now. Nor is it one I read recently, but my plan had been to feature it in a “ Christmas in July” edition of this newsletter, when I discussed the Christmas hotel we stayed in when we went to Pigeon Forge. Well, I forgot. So before July ends, let’s talk about IN A HOLIDAZE by Christina Lauren.
This book is a Groundhog Day, Christmas romance. It’s not perfect, but for something light and fun (with perhaps a couple eye roll moments because of slight cheesiness. ), then I’ll recommend it for when you want that holiday read.
Goodreads summary:
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.
After receiving repeated phone calls, messages, and inquiries asking to purchase her home, widowed Deloris sets out on a mission to deliver her own kind of justice to these phone spammers. What she discovers might surprise you. What she does about it reveals the true character of shrewd women.
Afterward, we talk with Lynn about her previous work as a police lieutenant and how that influenced and impacted her writing. You’ll also hear how Lynn’s maverick ways, and role as one of the early women to take on police work, shaped her community and her personal life.
Final thoughts:
Consider doing what YOU want to do this week without asking anyone else’s thoughts or permission.
Don’t do it because you have to. Do it because you want to.
I’m curious to see if it gives you a boost.
Until next time, much glitter,
Melissa
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