I was paying attention, but I blame school being out (my soulmate’s a teacher) for how quickly it blew by… 💨 It’s been great, though. In thirty-four years of marriage, we’ve never spent this many hours/days/weeks together in a row. 😍
Daily Reading Practice
Two new books this month! 🥳 Because I finished two. I’ve gotta hurry up, though, I’m not tracking toward my 52-book goal. 😐
⏰ Big Time 50% [Morning Meditation]
🎧 Final Heir 77% [Obligatory Audio Book]
✍️ The Emotional Craft of Fiction 17% [Professional Development]
😈 Reverie (Hellgate Chronicles #2) 3% [Obligatory Fiction]
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At ProWritingAid’s Novel Camp 2026, I will be presenting a session called Stick the Landing: How to Create a Cathartic and Satisfying Conclusion. Here’re the deetz:
There’s a lot to consider about THE END before (and maybe after) you type those words…for each novel. Are you sure you got everything? Do you know what to check for? Do you know how to even check? Join us for some satisfying tools and scintillating conversation about how to know you’re done when you’re done.
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Morning Meditation
Big Time is my new morning meditation because I’m a masochist…and who better to do that with than the queen of 168 Hours? Here’s to finding time abundance!
Obligatory Audio Book
I listened to the most recent Soulwood earlier this year and kept feeling like I was missing some of the punchlines and easter eggs. Turns out, I should’ve listened to Final Heir first. Doh! Now I’m catching up and things that should’ve made sense are starting to make sense. Maybe?
All Book Shaman posts will always be free. Share this post with a novelist or writer of any kind whom you love or hate. 😇 😈
Professional Development
Everything by Donald Maass is amazing. The Emotional Craft of Fiction is doubly so. He takes on the “myth” of internality-is-bad and advocates for precisely the opposite. Love it! 🔥
I could’ve sworn that I read this one before, but… My Brilliant Minds book club forced me to pull it out of my bottomless TBR pit and realize that I have not read it before. 🤯
Obligatory Fiction
It’s hard to believe that Reverie is only book two of the Hellgate Chronicles by my best frenemy (it’s an enneagram Eight thing—you wouldn’t understand), but I suspect that’s because I’ve also read Diana’s prequel and Allison’s novella. I love ‘em so much. 😈
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What are you reading?
I’m always looking for good books to add to my endless To Be Read list.
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