7QTF: Updates, Book Sale

I…I’m linking up, want the world to know, got to let it show, I’..I’m linking up with Kelly! After more than a year away, I think it’s high time I got back to the world. So what happened in the last thirteen months? Well…

[1]

Me: Pretty happy with life. One of the best times in the past year: visiting the Wicked Tulips farm in Rhode Island.

 

[2]

Momming It Up: My little Aslan turned one last Fall and is currently all toddler. He’s such a joy, and also, such a…toddler. When you hear about raising kids, you hear about the “terrible twos” and the “threenagers.” But no one ever, ever tells you about the “ornery ones.” You might think I just made that up, but no. It’s one of the biggest secrets withheld from new parents until they themselves experience the tantrum because you gave them the blue wrapper snack instead of the red one. But anyway, Aslan and I have had a lot of fun together in my 19 months of being home.

[3]

Wifing it Up: Dearest husband, PJ, aka Mr. Sweet, spent his year seeking out a promotion, getting it, and working it (well into the weesma’s some nights). We managed to have our first date night with a non-family babysitter, too. While we haven’t achieved a complete balance among being spouses, parents, and workers, overall, we’re content and starting to thrive.

[4]

Homing In: A couple months ago we bought a house! Sold our condo, moved, and got almost everything set up. All that’s left are PJ’s large collection of video games and my large collection of books to unpack…once we get the furniture for where they’re going to go.

[5]

Working It: Right after my last post in May 2017, I started the interview process for THREE jobs and got none of them. Then it was a job famine until, yup, May of this year, in which I applied to another three, got interviewed twice for one of them, but have actually ended up only being offered the SURPRISE HIRING LIST VACANCY at our town library where I’d worked part-time pre-Aslan and was crushed to have  lost out on last July. Well, later this month, I will be starting full time as a technician, which entails doing lots of the behind-the-scenes things like mending, cataloging, sending books off to other libraries, and even bookmobile runs, as well as circulation and info desks.

[6]

Writing: I am still failing and flailing about in my authorial career. I think it’s a combination of Imposter Syndrome, Second Novel Syndrome, and Sheer Laziness. I did submit pieces to Pauline and got some feedback on a picture book text that I’ve since edited and just need to hit “Send” already. I did also submit a different picture book text to another company and just need to wait 6 months. And even though it seems odd, I think my getting a job will actually help with my writing life, as I will have no choice but to get the words on the page, as I won’t “have tomorrow,” like I’ve been telling myself each nap time. My work schedule will involve some mornings off and alternating Fridays and Saturdays, so I’m intending to take advantage of that.

[7]

Booked!: My realistic novel for teen girls, Ten Commandments for Kissing Gloria Jean, is on super sale at Pauline Books and Media. Perfect for mother-daughter book clubs, Confirmation programs, and 8th grade English and religion classrooms, this book now goes for a limited time at a price to buy a whole set. Here are some discussion questions!