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Insights into the writing life of an exhausted mom of four 8 and under. |
| Hey guys! Aly here. Just a little bit of an update here as spring begins to bloom all around. :) PERSONAL LIFE Things are slowly settling down. As many of you may know already, our family suffered a tremendous loss at the end of 2022. It's been a slow process to try and regain a sense of normalcy, especially as probate drags on and estate decisions are put into our hands. However, we are trying to look ahead to the future with hope, for our own sake as well as for our young kids. We were able to pay off all of our debt due to the legacy of our dear loved one who left us too soon. While we'd rather have her here, we know we can't change reality, and we're choosing to make the most of what's in front of us for the betterment of ours and our children's future--just like their Gammie would want. We've decided to sell the home which will be inherited by my husband and save the proceeds for a home closer to our church. This has been a dream of ours for a long time--to move closer to our church family and enroll our kids in the school there. The home desperately needs some updates before it can be sold, however, so those logistics are the brunt of what we're dealing with now on the practical side of things. On the grief side, some days are better than others, and some moments find you buried under a mountain of sadness you had no idea was lurking around the corner. The oddest things trigger memories and little tearful moments, but in a strange way, I'm glad for them. It reminds me that love lives on even when the person we long to share it with is no longer here with us. And it's a sad, strange, and beautiful thing. WRITING I've been really digging into my writing as a creative way to cope with my intense emotions lately, so I've gotten more done, not less. A brand new idea has come to the forefront of my mind, one that's well under way and may start trickling out either alongside the third and final installment of the "Kingdoms of Saelyn" series in June, or perhaps after. I haven't quite decided yet. I'm still steadily ghostwriting and have almost finished my first series. It's been a really fun ride so far, and I'm thinking ahead to the future about what I want to do moving forward. Do I want to leave more time for my own books and series, or do I want to keep making a steady income until we're settled closer to church? I'm not sure at the moment, and I'll be sure to update you guys when I come to a decision on this. NEW IDEA The new idea I mentioned above is a young adult urban fantasy romance series I'm tentatively titling "Hanna Skye and the Sons of Thunder." The premise is that a 16-year-old girl finds out she has ice manipulation powers and is enrolled as a trainee with a mysterious organization called "The Sons of Thunder." She then falls in love with the youngest of four brothers who train weather magicians like herself. This premise came to me in a dream and was so full of potential I immediately started jotting down ideas for how to expand it. It's since taken off, and I've almost got the entire first book written. Did I mention I had this dream only a few months ago? It's crazy how this idea has simply latched onto my subconscious and DEMANDED to be written. The two main characters and their stories came to me so readily, along with names, descriptions, and their relational dynamic. All I've had to do is let my fingers fly over the keyboard. I love it when that happens. All that to say, you'll want to keep an eye out for this series if any of the following tropes or concepts are your cup of tea: enemies to lovers romance, high school marching band shenanigans, I-would-die-for-you friendships, found family, secret identities/disguises, weather magic, forced proximity, touch-her-and-I'll-unalive-you, hidden powers, corrupt organizations, and love squares with alter egos. Also keep in mind that though this particular story is a little more heavy on the relational subplot, there's TONS of high-stakes adventure, fun high school drama, mystery, and an overarching redemption vibe that I think elevates this beyond your basic fantasy romance. FANFICTION I'm taking a hiatus on fanfiction right now while my original stories take over the pilot's seat. Expect lots of new story news in the next few months!! KINGDOMS OF SAELYN The third book is in the drafting stage, and the second book is going to final edits and formatting. My tentative release date for the Amazon Kindle edition is June 14 (my birthday!) so keep an eye out for official announcements on my social media and through email (if you're on my newsletter list). I'm getting so close to the end of this series, and I can't wait to finally have it finished and in your hands/on your e-readers! I think that's about all I have for updates. I know it's been a while--February and March were hard months as far as getting back on the horse with all the admin work of being a writer. Hopefully I can stick with it from here on out and be more consistent with my updates. Thanks for reading and for putting faith in me and my stories. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know.  Until next time, Aly |
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