The Write Life according to Lena George (A bi-weekly journal of one writer's life -- in the real world and the fictional ones.) issue #122 | october 18, 2024 ======================================================== Well, well, well. We've entered a season of vague updates. Very good news indeed! Updates will get vague because I'm working hard on my next book/deadline. As is typically the case for non-self-published authors, many of this project's details are not mine to share. Even if I could share, I come from the Stephen King school of draft with the door closed, edit with the door open. That messy first draft is a private affair. What I can and will share: process, process, process. Last week I traveled to the Jersey Shore for the first of two research trips this month. The main character in the new book unexpectedly inherits a beach bungalow with lots of emotional history. While my family did not provide the initial inspiration for this story, we do have a beach bungalow that's been passed down and enjoyed by several generations. I stayed there for a few days taking notes about the setting and getting back into the drafting headspace. I also met up with my aunt to chat about settling estates, what it means to inherit a property like this, and why many people choose -- or feel compelled -- to sell it and split the proceeds. Oh, and I did a bunch of writing! It feels really good to get momentum going on a draft again. By the time I left on Monday morning, I didn't want to put this book down. I spent the train ride up doing Duolingo lessons, reading, and refreshing social media. I spent almost the entire train ride home writing. The difference a few days can make! Also, if you've never been to the beach in October, I highly recommend it. The sun is still warm and it feels like Golden Hour all day (that is, unless it's cold and stormy -- but such is life on the coast). Maybe not prime sunbathing weather, but still perfect for taking long walks, reading a book in a hammock or beach chair, catching some surf, and checking out lots of migrating birds. This time we got an extra special treat: the aurora borealis! First we walked to the beach after dinner to look around, but we saw nothing. I tried to take some pictures of the moonlit ocean to send to a friend, but couldn't get a clean one -- did I really get my thumb over the lens every time? I have a visual arts degree! [photo: https://newsletters.jaclynpaul.com/writelife_assets/2024/122/IMG_7649.JPG] No, I did not get my thumb over the lens. The visual effect I saw was actually the aurora's magenta hues. An hour later our neighbors knocked on the door and told us we had to come out. I still didn't see much of anything, but they said, "Use your phone!" I held up my phone and magic appeared on the screen. Very cool. Not quite as cool as seeing this much color with the naked eye, to be sure, but I'm very glad I didn't miss this experience. [photo: https://newsletters.jaclynpaul.com/writelife_assets/2024/122/IMG_7658.JPG] As if all that wasn't enough, I'm headed back to Jersey at the end of next week. I hope to clock some more writing hours, interview a local realtor, and maybe even hike through the nature preserve -- for setting research, of course. Hope you're enjoying this beautiful October so far! xoxo, Lena ======================================================== ** Recent Stuff ** Consumption: * Eating: My favorite order from Andre's Italian Restaurant in Brigantine, NJ. It may make a cameo in the book! * Drinking: Bird Gang bourbon. Go Birds! https://botld.com/collections/bird-gang * Listening (music): Throwing back to long-ago Octobers, turning on U2's Joshua Tree album in the car * Listening (podcasts): Sports theme continues with the Tested series from Embedded https://www.npr.org/2024/06/10/1253921751/introducing-tested-from-npr-and-cbc * Reading: If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home By Now, a non-fiction pick for book club. I'll hold my feedback until I actually finish the book but I already have strong opinions about this one... https://www.harpercollins.com/products/if-you-lived-here-youd-be-home-by-now-christopher-ingraham Production: * Hobbies: Climbing with friends * Cooking: A whole menu of soup, stew, and chili this week * Work: In addition to this new book, putting the finishing touches on my talk for this weekend's Maryland Writers Association conference * Exercise: Proud of myself for checking out a new gym down the shore so I could maintain my schedule * Thinking: There is no way I'm going to get the house cleaned up in time for my mom and sister to visit in a couple weeks ======================================================== ** Upcoming Events & Appearances ** Harnessing ADHD's Wild Horsepower 12-week course with author and writing coach Paulette Perhach https://www.pauletteperhach.com/harnessing-adhds-wild-horsepower Tuesday, November 19, 2024 I'll be visiting this course as a guest one week during the course, which meets on Tuesday evenings from September 24 - December 17, to talk about how to actually finish a book-length project. If you're interested in the course, you can use discount code JACLYN for $50 off (full disclosure: this code will also give me a referral commission). Maryland Writers Association Annual Conference Readings and Book Events: Set Yourself Up for Success and Show Up with Confidence https://marylandwriters.org/content.php?page=MWA_Annual_Conference_2024___Workshops Sunday, October 20, 2024 In-person readings and bookstore appearances provide authors with excellent opportunities to showcase their work and make an enduring impression on readers. However, the thought of reading our work to an audience can make many of us want to run for the hills. This workshop will give authors a foundation of strategies to prepare for their next reading or book event. Even the most dedicated introvert can show up with confidence and enjoy giving readers an event to remember. ======================================================== ** How to support my work ** * Buy my books https://www.jaclynpaul.com/my-books/ * Add She's Not Home on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63107212-she-s-not-home * Rate and/or review She's Not Home on Goodreads and Amazon https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63107212-she-s-not-home https://amzn.to/3ALHab8 * Become a patron of The ADHD Homestead on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ADHDhomestead * Buy me a coffee https://paypal.me/ADHDHomestead * Follow me on social media (links below) ======================================================== Connect around the web: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaclynLPaul/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lenageorgeauthor/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@lenageorgeauthor Blog: https://www.jaclynpaul.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclynpaul/ ======================================================== Copyright © 2024 Jaclyn Paul & Summit to Sea, LLC. 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