On to why I'm posting now... I've been writing again! I'm also hoping 2022 will be better. Will everything magically improve overnight? Of course not. Will I keep making gradual improvements? Yes. Every step backward feels like a failure, but I will keep moving forward in spite of myself.
So, on the writing front, I finished a first draft. How's that for news? I haven't finished a draft since...okay that's embarrassing, I don't want to admit it. So next year I will start on draft two, and if all goes well I might even be able to publish North Pole: Confidential in time for the holidays. Don't hold me to that. Every time I try to establish a reasonable timeline, life smacks me in the face again and tells me to go to the back of the line.
I accidentally won NaNoWriMo this year. Had no intention of trying to reach 50K words, but for some reason they just started flowing. I've continued writing through this month. I will keep going as long as the groove holds, and hope to finish the first draft soon.
What is the new novel? Well it's a Viking-ish story. What does that mean? It means it is more inspired by than faithfully set in the Viking Age. Late Viking Age. Early enough for petty kingdoms to still exist, late enough that Christianity is taking hold but the old ways are not gone. Working title is Against the Ashes.
I'd add a question for my readers, but I'm not sure I have any anymore. If everyone gave up on me, I understand. For a while, I gave up on me too.
Not much else to say actually, other than I hope everyone stays safe and well, and has a peaceful 2022.
Kate