Cozy all the way

Tis the damn season

💻 what I'm up to 💻
It is almost the end of year and that means it’s the time of year where I need to give myself nightly pep talks just to floss my teeth. My brain is done. I want to spend a few days wrapped in blankets and cats on the couch with my husband, playing Dreamlight Valley, putting together puzzles, eating soups, drinking hot buttered rum… you get the drift. Capital C Cozy. 

I have too much writing to do after Christmas but between today and Sunday? It’s baking cookies, bundling up (that cold front is bringing unusually frigid temps our way), and resting.

Lately I’ve been feeling how much I love living in Asheville. I only saw Frozen 2 once but I’ve been playing the soundtrack on repeat recently and I keep going back to “Home (Outtake).” I don’t even know if it’s in the movie, but it’s Anna singing about how much she loves Arendelle and wants to give it more.

The song’s been hitting a mushy spot for me and I didn’t expect it. When we moved here in 2021 it was pre-vaccine. That year was a lot of staying at home and getting takeout and doing things outdoors when we could, gradually exploring more after we got vaccinated. But 2022? It’s been the year of plunging roots into the ground more fully. I’ve never loved living somewhere as much as I love living in Asheville.

The community, the nature (mountains!), the local businesses, the food, the farmer’s markets, the 5000 Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood. We set up a bird-feeding situation in our yard and put in native pollinator plants; we’re making plans for bee and ladybug hotels now. We’ve developed regular spots and routines and know some of our neighbors better. I’ve identified my go-to writing coffee shop. I am oozing gratitude.

Home. It feels good.

📘 my book things 📘
The Art of God of War Ragnarök drops soon! You can still preorder a signed copy from Malaprop’s (you can order signed copies of any of my books from them).

That other licensed project I’ve been mentioning for a while is listed on the publisher’s site. I haven’t received official clearance to blab about it so… stay tuned. I’m very excited to be working on my first Marvel book!

Otherwise I have my theme park romcom, which I hope to get out on proposal in Q1, my middle grade fantasy that’s about a National Park but for mythical creatures, and I have the beginnings of an idea for a cozy fantasy. I just need to write. Easy to say.

I’ve been hard on myself and my lack of productivity this year, but I have to kick myself and remember I wrote 2.5 books. That’s not nothing. It’s not what I wanted to get done, but not nothing.

📺 what I'm watching 📺
This time of year my husband and I rewatch our holiday favorites (like Elf, Klaus, Home Alone, and Die Hard), but outside of those, I’ve been looking for shows to make me laugh.

 Avenue 5
I remember when season one of Avenue 5 premiered in 2020 that I wasn’t sure if I’d dig it. Then I had the same feeling before season two because I’d forgotten the story and tone but soon into the recap of season one I remembered, ah, yes, the writing on this show is so sharp and the performances are *chef’s kiss*. It’s about a luxury, not properly staffed spaceship that gets thrown way off course and can’t return to Earth for ages and things go downhill from there. Like, all the time. Hugh Laurie is hilarious in this offbeat, irreverent show.

Mythic Quest
Y’all, this show gets better every season. It’s a workplace comedy set in the video game industry and again, sharp dialogue and excellent performances. Charlotte Nicdao is everything and Rob McElhenney is delightful. Season three is wonderful so far.

📚 what I'm reading 📚

You Can Go Your Own Way by Eric Smith
Boy do I have the perfect wintertime read for you. This one's set in Philadelphia, mostly in a pinball arcade. Adam is trying to keep his dad's pinball business going, while one-time friend Whitney's dad is trying to buy the space and turn it into an esports cafe. Then a blizzard sweeps in and Adam and Whitney get stuck in the arcade... it's so fuzzy and cozy and will make you want to go play pinball (even if, like me, you're terrible at it).

*This book is by my lit agent but that is not why I'm recommending it.

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
The cozy theme continues! In this one - a holiday rom-com!! - two identical twins must swap places for reasons that only happen in novels. It takes place both in LA and in a fictional small mountain town called Starlight Peak. Both sisters' stories involve a lot of baked goods and warm fuzzies.

🐳 something whalesome 🐳
I like wholesome things and the whale emoji is cute so: whalesome!

Meet Footloose! This very sweet boy was attacked by a snapping turtle in the fall but he made a full recovery and is on his way to becoming an ambassador animal for Appalachian Wildlife Refuge. I started volunteering with them in early December and Footloose sits behind me and supervises while I do recordkeeping. He’s chatty, he makes the most noise when he eats and drinks, and he is generally adorable.

appalachianwild

A post shared by Appalachian Wildlife Refuge (@appalachianwild)

 🍃 creativity corner 🍃
Here I’ll share tips and tricks that are helping me write, imagine, and/or stay productive.

Chasing ideas… how do you not do it to the detriment of your current projects? I have two perfectly lovely books I’m excited about (and my agent is into) but this cozy fantasy idea, I just want to dive in. Why are brains like this? Is it better to chase the new idea for a while to give it life beyond your brain or should I write it down somewhere and move on?

This clearly isn’t a tip or trick; it is a cry for assistance. What do you do when this happens, fellow writers?

📃 quote of the month 📃
“Well, you can go on looking forward. There may be unexpected feasts ahead of you.” - Gandalf

If you’ve been enjoying the newsletter this year and you’re able, please consider throwing a few dollars to Appalachian Wildlife Refuge. They do wonderful and hard work rescuing and releasing injured wildlife in Western North Carolina.

I hope your holidays are wonderful and restful and whatever you want them to be. Thanks for reading this newsletter! (If you didn’t get a postcard, sorry, they went fast! And if you did get one, I apologize for my handwriting). My very best to all of you.