Author Journey: July 14, 2023 - Progress!

 Welcome to the scenic route! Your visit encourages me to keep going and makes the journey a little brighter. I've got a progress report to share, as well as another creative prompt. Keep reading to check them out.

Author Journey: Progress is Definitely Progress

This round of Camp Nano has been significantly more encouraging. I kept my dot above the goal line this week and intend to keep to that trend. The win... it's what I'm keeping in mind. 

I know it's faint, but you can see the goal line and my progress line is the pale aqua above it. I haven't edited yet today, but that's the next thing on my to-do list. 

As for hard copies of The Tale of Outh'n Durr, readers will need to be patient. I haven't had much time or energy lately and all I have is spent on the daily chores and editing Surge. The plan is to put out a hard copy before November, but I can't guarantee that'll happen. For now, you can grab a copy of either Ripples or The Tale of Outh'n Durr by clicking on the links in the sidebar menu. It's on the left of your screen (or top left drop down menu on your device). If the Kindle link doesn't show up in the list of stores, just hang in there. It's coming. 

Writer's Life: The Busyness Continues

We're keeping busy in spite of the heat advisories and high humidity. I've been struggling with exhaustion and I'm about 75% sure most of it is due to having to go outside in the heavy atmosphere. I'm so glad we live in a rural area and don't have to deal with the added nightmare of smog. 

I've picked up jewelry-making again. I love shopping but my tastes run pretty eccentric, so it's hard to find exactly what I'm looking for. More commonly, I find ideas, take them home, and twist them into what fits my own style. Even that's varied. Did I mention I like costumes? Every outfit I put together when I go somewhere specific is a costume. I made a vintage 50s style choker necklace for my Resurrection Sunday outfit, which surprisingly, I found at Buckle (dress & light, long jacket) and at Burke's Outlet (sandals) (before they sold out to Beall's.) I also found a hat at Walmart two days before which topped off the outfit perfectly. 

We've also been doing some cleaning out and rearranging in our home. That's been a slow, grueling process and I'm about fed up...ready to just throw it all on a burn pile...if only there wasn't a burn ban. 

Spartacus is thriving. He loves the new toy I got for him at the beginning of the month and it's a great way to make sure he stays active. Somehow, we've misplaced the red bug (his laser light). He enjoys that, too, but until we find it, the other toy will do. I'd have a video for you, but he's been staying in the shadows and it's hard to capture the moment he comes out and does something awesome and cat-ish.

Just Keep Writing: Friday Fascicles

If this is your first time participating in this kind of writing exercise, you're in for a treat. If you've done this with me before, just keep scrolling for the prompt.

Rules:

1. You can use any/all of the words and/or the photo in the prompt below to create a unique written work. Fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose, even lyrics are acceptable.  
2. Please keep the material you write clean (i.e. nothing R-rated or worse) if you wish to share the link to your work here, as well as if you link back to my site. I strive to keep my site free of such things. My readers know and expect this. I respect your right to write whatever you feel you need to write. And you're free to use my prompts. But if your material is graphic, I'd rather not view it, and most of my readers will not wish to. 
3. Have fun! This type of exercise is perfect for growing in the writing craft, or for helping through a rough patch in your current WIP. If you're looking to push your author limits and you normally write in nonfiction prose, try a whimsical collection of lyrics. If you normally write poems about real life events, try your hand at a fanfic. Give yourself some room to explore.

Don't forget to leave a link to your creation (unless you're writing graphic material) so my readers and I can check out your work. I'd appreciate a link back to this post to help me reach more readers, but it's not required. 

When I first looked at this set of words, I thought, "Hmm, these are going to be tough." Almost immediately, though, a list of components clattered into place. Isn't it funny how that works? 

Thanks again for hanging out with me on the scenic route today. I hope you enjoyed your time here. Did you come for the word prompt? If so, did you find it helpful? Let me know in the comments below. 

On Monday, I'll have a new word prompt to share with you. Please come back and invite your creative friends! 

Until next time,
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