Category: Blog

As I prepare to dive into my next book, I’ve been hoovering up every sort of input I can get my paws on — podcasts, books, television.

I’ve also been hyper-cognizant of letting all the information I’ve been taking in stew a bit. My tear through Netflix/the Central Arkansas Library/Spotify was intentional.

I have to feed the beast.

I’ve also been stretching my muscles. Walking more. Doing some light weight training. Shooting hoops and playing backyard pickleball with the hubs.

Overall, it’s been a nice break. But I can feel the story stirring inside me.

I’m not going to poke it with a stick (or beat it out of my head). I am doing my best to resist the impulse to jump back on the writing treadmill at a dead run. I don’t want to think of writing as a grind.

This beast will not churn and burn anymore. This beast is spending more time hanging out in the library with Belle.

Whoops! October already??? Here are September’s #happythings

1. College football kickoff! Boiler up! 🏈
2. Road tripping with my guy. #homewardbound
3. Kidwellapalooza2022. 🏡
4. Adventures in SEMO.🎰
5. Home with our beasties. Sawyer and his driver stopped by. ❤️
6. Back in the groove. Leaning into finishing energy!
7. Cruising closer to the end! 🖥
8. Invaded by the Louisiana gang!
9. Put Sawyer to work. It’s about time the 3 year old earned his Scooby Snacks. 🥰
10. Pool party at Brinda and Brent’s – Woo pig! Sooie!
11. Finishing energy!
12. Ted Lassoed more Emmys. 😀
13. This book does not suck!
14. The end!
15. Stepped out of the cave. 🙂
16. Mucho nachos with my macho man.
17. Whew pig! Sooie! Buh bye, Bobby!
18. Paddling through a busy Sunday.🛶
19. Making plans for world domination with Sara. 🌎
20. Enjoying Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen. 📘
21. Massage day! Chat with my ISU OGs!
22. New kicks! New desk! Just a little spruce. 🌲
23. Frantic Fridays and fluffy friends.
24. Closet doors! Such luxury!
25. I falafel good about our closet update. Ba dum dum! 🙃
26. Cooler days a day hot hand with the hoops.🏀
27. Flu shot = caramel milkshake.🧋
28. Just being with my guy.
29. Harlequin party and candied pecans.🧦
30. Boosted with my boyfriend. 💉

Is there anything headier than the honeymoon phase? I think not. I love this part of planning a new book – getting to know a whole new cast of characters, figuring out what they want/need, and pinpointing exactly what makes them tick.

Because I am an intuitive writer and not a heavy outliner, I’m just letting the ideas flutter about in my head. Every once in a whole I collect tidbits of backstory or eavesdrop on my imaginary friends’ conversations.

Anyone scrolling through my Notes app would consider using this butterfly net on me.

Just a PSA for all those–who like me–thought today was Wednesday.

I know Sundays are supposed to be a day of rest, but not for Manic Margaret. Saturdays are my fun days, and we all know what Mondays are like, but Sundays are my Get Things Done (RIP David Bowie) days.

My Sundays have turned into an odd mixture of Saturday and Monday. I tend to do fun stuff, up until about 2pm, then the switch flips and I go into action mode. There’s food prep to be done. Laundry too. Oh, and I need to wash the car because we went canoeing. And I planned to soup for dinner, so I should get on the chopping and sautéing and such…

But here I sit, tired from paddling around this morning and wishing the quinoa I cooked would divide itself into containers. I’m also decluttering in anticipation of a refreshed workspace now that I turned in my book, so my office is torn apart.

The reorg includes releasing the balsa wood pirate ship Fodder and I built together. We were going to let the Arrrgh! set sail on her own, but we were afraid she’d capsize and her tiny (imaginary) crew would end up in Davy Jones’ locker, so we ran her aground on an exotic shoreline. Don’t worry, we’re sure the crew are partaking in the local rum (moonshine) with the wildlife, and the ship herself is made of 100% biodegradable materials.

Who knows? Maybe a new captain will come along and take her out on another adventure…

Hey, gang! I know I’ve been quiet lately. I’m busy trying to wrap up OZARKS WITNESS PROTECTION – the third book in 2023’s Arkansas Special Agents series from Harlequin Intrigue.

I hope you are well as we head into autumn. Me, I’m excited to kick back with some cooler temps, Crock-Pot dinners, and college football,

How about you? What are you looking forward to as we head into September?

Hi, friends! September is here…can you believe it?

Here are my #happythings from August:

1. Mellow Monday.
2. A productive day at work.✅
3. Coming home to nest after a long day.🏡
4. Hanging with Jewels and Tracy. Write on! 🖥
5. Friday night errands with my guy.
6. Bid fun with our big boy at Big Rock Fun Park.
7. Sunday snoozes. 😴
8. Comfy cuddles on a puny evening.
9. Rizatriptan.
10. Sharing ice cream. 🍦
11. Breakfast. It’s what’s for dinner.🥓🍳
12. Friyay!
13. Mexican Train Dominoes dominated by Vegas Mags.
14. Words were made. 🖥
15. Steak and potatoes. Yum!
16. Watching Indian Matchmaking with Jewels. 🇮🇳🪷💍
17. Recombobulating with a massage💆🏻, mashed potatoes, and MasterChef.
18. Clean as a whistle, inside and out.
19. Got a 5 year reprieve from ingesting Miralax cocktails! 🍹
20. LaFawnduh’s maiden voyage with Caddy Canoe 🛶, fussing about with Sawyer, and Kelli and I were punked by Bill. 🎇
21. Slept until I couldn’t sleep any more. 💤
22. Fabulous chicken melts.
23. Fortuitous oven mishaps and sugar cookies.
24. Spent the day letting Brene Brown whisper into my ear.
25. Walking the Home Depot and shopping Etsy!
26. A full chapter!
27. Big words and a night at the ballpark.
28. Survival of the warehouse shopping warriors.
29. Caramel lovers mix! Milk Duds, Rolos, and Reese’s Take5s!
30. Prepping LaFawnduh for a big trip!
31. A busy day, a lazy dinner, and an early bedtime.

Fall is coming. Though the weather will remain warm for some time, the football schedule assures me this is true.

Like the trees, I’m ready for a change.

I’ll be turning in another book in September, and I look forward to writing something completely different. I’ve had an idea running the hamster wheel in the back of my mind, and I’m ready to set it on the story trail.

I’m also thinking of redecorating my writing space. Interior décor is not really my strong suit, but I’m ready for something fresh. Likely minimalist. As I think about freeing my imagination, I find I’m also ready to get rid of some of the clutter.

I know, I know, I was supposed to clear things out in the spring. But there’s something about autumn that gets me going. Perhaps it’s a need to feather my nest for winter? Hard to say.

How about you? What’s your season of change?

It seems like authors get conflicting information every day.

Get off social media. But you have to be on Tik Tok. Instagram only works if you post consistently – make a schedule. Facebook ads might not be dead after all… Have you done a deep dive on your Amazon also-boughts? Reels are the thing to do! Buy yourself a ring light!

Gah!

I appreciate well-intentioned advice, but telling me I have to spend my time creating posts and not books isn’t going to work on me. Not anymore.

The posts I share on social media are for my pleasure and the entertainment for those who follow me.

I just finished another book that will leave me with a book hangover, but at the same time I’m thrilled there are writers producing work so engaging I want to step out of my world and immerse myself in theirs.

I thought I’d share a few of my current auto-buy authors. I’m purposefully not including author pals because I don’t want to risk missing someone, etc. So, here some writers making me a broke-but-happy fangirl from afar:

Emily Henry

Mhairi McFarlane

Kate Quinn

How about you? Do you have auto-buy authors?