My kids are starting to freak out that it’s mid-December and there’s no snow in our sleepy mountain town. I’m starting to freak out that our town doesn’t feel so sleepy anymore. It feels like every day there’s more traffic, less parking, and more pressing anger between our neighbors fighting for spots on the street. The only one who seems to be in a Christmas-y spirit are our neighbors who have blazed their house with all sorts of lights. It’s… a month.

But in good news — I’m taking the last two weeks of December off work and plan to have plenty of time for reading and writing. What’s on my plate?

Currently Reading

I have a great ARC I’m halfway through that is just tickling my need for dark, fantastical magic at the moment. I rarely have that itch, but it’s a nice treat — especially as it features a house kept perpetually in winter.

The Serial Killer thing… I thought I was done with it, but I stumbled across a Katee Robert serial killer book that I didn’t know existed called The Surviving Girls. I absolutely love Katee Robert. I usually read their Dark Olympus series and other books that exist in that world. But I saw this on Audible and immediately had to grab it. One of my favorite authors writing about serial killers. How did I miss that!?! Getting into the book, it feels like it contains everything I don’t like in serial killer books: more of a mass or spree killer than an actual serial killer, a focus on the cops solving the case, a romance between the lead detective and an “affiliate” (can be a reporter, doctor, psychologist etc, — in this case it’s the trainer of a cadaver dog)… and yet I am still enjoying it. Perhaps it’s the expectations I go into the book with. Usually I know I dislike these things, but now I’m willing to give it a chance because I know I’ll enjoy the writing.

Apparently this book is also part of a “series”, but I’m not clear on if it follows the same people or if it is just connected by all being romantic suspense about cops/FBI agents. Again, I don’t usually like anything that feels procedural, but the first book in this series also caught my eye: The Devil’s Daughter. I’m wanting to do cult stories as my next “special interest”, and this might be a good way to kick it off. We’ll see how the first one goes.

Currently Writing

I’ve gotten some more feedback on my latest cosmic horror book, and I’m deep into the next draft. This one involves tech, cults, and creatures from other dimensions. It is stretching my knowledge and abilities and I am loving it. It feels really good to be writing again. I am passionate every time I sit down and start. The only issue is I have troubles stopping, and that is not particularly great for my work-like balance.