I didn’t write a monthly wrap-up in April. As the last Friday of the month approached, I was aware that I was scheduled to write one, but I also felt there wasn’t much point. I didn’t have anything to say. I hadn’t been writing. I hadn’t been reading much. If I’m honest, a lot of April was spend eating leftover Easter chocolate and watching A Place to Call Home.
Each month, I sit down at my computer, and I reflect. How am I doing with my goals? Am I reading down my TBR? Am I getting through the older books or just reaching for the shiny and new? Have I been reducing the amount of clutter in my life, my notes app, my screenshots folder, my brain?
The biggest question of them all is, am I writing?
Last month, the answer to most of those questions was no.
But then…
I am not the kind of writer who writes every day- I can’t do it. I will write obsessively for a few months when I am in the throes of a draft, but once a project is finished, I find it really tricky to move on to something new. I call this Post Project Paralysis, and in April, I was in the thick of it.
In fact, April was a month in which I barely wrote in my journal, barely made progress on any of the too many ideas I have for book three, barely moved the needle on reducing my TBR number, barely touched any of my side projects.
It’s a necessary evil, this downtime. I needed to let myself enter that terrifying fallow period between projects, knowing that I had to give myself time to come out of the world of the book known as The Good Daughter before I would be ready to start on the idea that I am calling A Heart of Gold.
It is wonderful to be immersed in a project, to feel as if time stops moving in the usual way as you sit with your eyes glued to the page of a word document, but knowing that you are seeing a whole world play out, created by what you type. The flip side of that is the terrifying, crushing malaise of being without that world and those characters, which is what happens to me between big projects. It is usually how I know that a project is done. I don’t feel as if I am resting between drafts, but rather grieving the end of something. (Doesn’t that sound dramatic!)
But, it was worth it, because one Sunday in May, I sat down at my keyboard, just thinking I would have a look at the tiny bit of writing I had done on Novel #3 back when I first had the idea and then suddenly… I had written the first 3000 words and I had a few surprising subplots and character arcs beginning to unspool before me.
Of course, the second that I really started to get into the swing of things with Novel #3, things began to happen with Novel #2, didn’t they?
You may recall that back in February, when I finished revising, I began to send The Good Daughter out into the world. I had been fully expecting for it to take months, and potentially even years for the book to find a home. (Hey, my last novel was 17 years from idea to holding the finished product in my hands, so can you blame me for being a bit pragmatic?) But mid way through May, exciting things began to happen, and I am still pinching myself in disbelief because I have signed with Fremantle Press for a second work of historical fiction, to be released in the first half of 2027.
Yep, you read that right.
2027, as in next year.
No title as yet (it probably won’t stay The Good Daughter), but if you’re curious, here’s my elevator pitch again, as well as a cover that Toby from Books in the Brewery made me that has absolutely nothing to do with my book but is still fun to look at.
If you haven’t picked up your copy of The Distance Between Dreams (my first historical fiction book) yet but have been meaning to, now might be a good time, so you’re all caught up in time for the next one.
May has been a really good reading month, and I am on track to hit my target of reading 10+ books in a month, which I am very happy about. The secret? Audiobooks! I have a bit of a long commute to work three days a week, but the time feels well spent listening to an audiobook, and I found a few great ones last month. A real highlight was the recording of Nimblefoot, written by Robert Drewe and read by Nikos Andronikos. I also found myself unexpectedly moved to tears by Victoria Graves’ narration of Lola in the Mirror, by Trent Dalton. I listened to both of those on the library app Borrowbox, and I am also using Libby through my library a bit more than I used to. (They also have Traces magazine which is an awesome resource for learning how to search your family history.)
My current listen is Judy Nunn’s Kal, and I’m really enjoying it…even if it does feel a bit weird to be listening to some of the sex scenes when I am stopped at the traffic lights. I am sure that people in the next cars can hear the narration.
Project Backlist Update
I would have thought that Nimblefoot and Lola in the Mirror would count towards my Project Backlist goal but unfortunately no. While they were both TBR veterans they were added to my home library too recently to count towards this goal! Might have to place a few audiobook holds I think to help me catch up.
I am reading Revolutionary Road at the moment, which is on the project list, so I hope to be able to cross that one off next month. I somehow really doubt I am going to clear this entire segment of my TBR by the end of 2026, especially now that I have a book to edit!
You may remember that last year I competed in the Chapters for Change Readathon, reading as much as I could to raise money and awareness for literacy projects in Cambodia. It was an awesome way to connect with other readers (including the awesome founder of the Readathon, Sally Hetherington), refresh my reading habits, and do a bit of good in the world whilst enjoying my favourite pastime.
I’ll be participating again this year with a team of readers including my work pal, Rachel and my TBR accountability buddy, Sam. My goal is to read more than 12 books over the month of July, and to raise $350. If you’d like to donate, or if you’d like to join my team of readers, you can find out more in the links. This year, I’ve gone with the team name ‘Having Fun Isn’t Hard When You’ve Got a Library Card.’
It’s not 100% writing related but on the 13th of June at 10am, I’ll be doing a presentation all about the history of knitting (and a little bit of crochet) at Civic Square Library in honour of World Wide Knit in Public Day. There will be tea, biscuits, a presentation, and then a bit of social crafting. While I can’t actually teach you to knit, I’ll have some QR codes available with great how to videos you can watch if you want to give it a go, or if you want to refresh your skill set, and I am sure there will be some skilled yarn yielders in the group who might be able to lend a hand as well. It’s free, but bookings are essential.
I’ll also be in conversation with Shaeden Berry about her book, At Cafe 64, on Wednesday the 24th of June, also at Civic Square Library. There’s a $7 fee for this one which means wine and cheese!
I’m also very excited about a couple of upcoming book launches around Perth so I thought I’d list them for you here.
We have Anthea Hodgson doing a few events around the place about her novel The Palace of Lost Virtues, including this one in Leederville.
Hungerford Award shortlisted authors and my fellow Fremantle Press authors, Fiona Wilkes and Howard McKenzie-Murray will be in conversation at Subiaco Library on the 22nd of June.
Lynsey McDonnell is launching her gorgeous debut novel Bailey Street on the 29th of July - I was lucky enough to read this and provide an endorsement quote and it’s a great read all about love, Fenians, and a little yellow house in the Fremantle port area that most of you will probably know of.
The Promised Ephemera
Found this little blue pizza dude in Manning after Mothers’ Day lunch. He was just painted in an alleyway in Manning when I went to check if there was anything good in the street library there. I have also seen similar little blue dudes painted on a planter at Silly Goose cafe in Maylands. Anyone know who paints them, or why? I rather like them, I also get a bit silly about pizza.
That’s all for now! See you next month… when I emerge blinking into the light after a lightning round of edits.
-Emily
Buy my book from your favourite bookshop
Buy my book from my publisher
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.