July has been nuts! With the family vacation behind me, and my son's best friend moving away this week, it's been a hectic and emotional roller coaster.

Yet I still finished the Secrets of Annwyn scaffolding outline and prologue. Given how long Annwyn has taken up real estate in my head, it's freeing to finally get it down on paper. With over 60,000 words in character and plot development, and another 40,000 words in false starts, I'm on track and falling in love with writing again.

After Wendy is coming along. Transcription-style revisions are murder, but I'm trekking along and making it shine. If all goes well, I'll have a polished first act by the Colorado Gold Conference in September.

The kids go back to school on August 14, and I can't wait to have more time to write and create.

On the docket for August: writing 15,000 words of Annwyn; revising chapters eight through ten of After Wendy; editing; judging RMFW's anthology submissions; and perfecting my pitch for Colorado Gold.

Favorite Universal Studios Attraction: Hogsmeade Village

Favorite Re-Watch: Peep Show

August TBR:

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Eldritch Punks by Oliver Blakemore

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

This month has been a bit of a mess. I began with a couple short stories and ended with the goal of penning 126,000 words (or so) of The Secrets of Annwyn by mid-August.

Despite my reluctance to begin my epic fantasy series too early, I've since backpedaled, realizing I would much rather write about Cassilyn, Fenwick, and Marlowe than anyone else. I have set a goal of 8,400 words written a week and believe that's manageable—even with the looming summer break at the end of May.

Apart from Annwyn, I've been reading through After Wendy and making notes for new scenes. Fingers crossed I have it revised, polished, and ready to go by September, when I pitch to an agent in person.

I will be attending the Nebula conference from the comfort of my home in a couple weeks and will be attending—and running a workshop—at the Colorado Gold Conference in September.

Favorite Watch: Nope

Favorite Read: The Gemarine Chronicles by JP McDonald

May TBR:

Fractal Noise (ARC) by Christopher Paolini

Demon Riding Shotgun by LR Braden

Conscious Designs by Nathanial White

Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne

The First Bright Thing (ARC) by JR Dawson