"It was a September evening and all the gaps and clearings in the woods were brimmed up with ruby sunset light." - L.M. Montgomery
It's been a minute. It's been a summer! This summer looked very different at Camp Tadmor. A lot of working from home, and a few weekends in the coffee shop for me. You would think I would have more time to write, but a different summer here just means I have had different responsibilities. It has lent itself to a more chaotic, disorganized feeling.
I follow a lot of writers and readers on IG, it's a really fun community, and as one writer friend finished her draft of her first novel she revealed the truth of the drudgery: that it sometimes it takes writing even ten to fifteen minutes after work every day to finish. This was such a good reminder and an encouragement to me! We all know that Come To The Morning is taking a much longer time to write than No Way but Through did. Wow. Sometimes it's painful to write one paragraph at a time.
I'm learning a lot about writing, and a lot about myself through writing this book. Treating like a necessary part of my day, and not diving fully into my book thought world are a few new practices for me. This draft is about getting the story on the paper.
This novel is a doozy, it's epic, and I struggle with the fear that it's beyond me. Let's face it, this whole project, first and second book, is beyond me. I've prayed long and hard about whether this project is for me, and I will continue to pray, but for now, I just keep swimming, just keep swimming. Even when it feels like I'm swimming through molasses.
Here are some fun stats about Come To the Morning:
Current Word Count: 60,710 (changing inch by inch, day by day!)
Number of POVs: 4
Settings: Mexico City, Matamoros, Houston
Word Count Goal: Pushing 90,000
A teaser quote: "'The cafeteria was dark, so it was quieter than normal. When I picked up a tray. . . it was like I was back there. In the refinery again. Eating stale cereal.' Matt’s words came out in a whisper, but he couldn’t hold his sobs back any longer."
P.S. This is not the cover, just a fun picture/title.
Fall is my favorite season! The rain really lends itself to cozy days of writing. But Fall will also bring a new slew of camp responsibilities (which I love and am excited about!) so Come To the Morning will keep inching along.
Current Reads/Audiobooks:
Of Literature and Lattes by Katherine Reay - excited for this easy listen!
Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson - so far very tell-y and I'm not falling in love with the characters, but I'll probably stick it out
Switch On Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf - VERY excited about this one!
Breaking Free from Body Shame by Jess Connolly - This was a very sweet and thoughtful gift from my husband. He didn't get it for me because I have dealt with a lot of deep body shame, for which I'm grateful, but because it contains information for people who have worked so hard to take care of their bodies through chronic illness. This is something I struggle with. Because of my years and years of gut issues, I do have a different relationship with my body and with food. I also invest in a lot of young women who struggle with shame and this is already proving to be an important read!
Preemptive Love by Jeremy Courtney - I love everything this organization does and what they're about, and it's fascinating to read about how they got started!
Yes, I am reading all of these. As a lit major in college I had to read several novels at once for different classes and I've never kicked the habit.
Have a happy weekend! I hope you enjoy the first rain of the season!