June Update

June has been already been rollercoaster. Writing wise. Temperature wise. Emotions wise. The whole shabang. And its been awhile since I’ve updated this little internet corner of mine so why not make a lil summer update for anyone who cares to read about my mostly normal existence.

Grappling with Novel Editing

This month, I found myself immersed in the painstaking process of editing the second draft of my novel. And boy, is it painful. I always tell myself nothing can be worse than banging out the first draft, right? Wrong. Very Wrong. At least for me. Editing has been a task. I’ve wrestled with refining my characters from flat cardboard cutouts to actual functioning people in a narrative, strengthening plot points, and ensuring the pacing flowed smoothly (so the story feels less ramblings and a more cohesive tale). Despite the challenges, I remained determined to bring my story to life and stayed focused on the ultimate goal of sharing my work with the world…and yes we are just now getting to Chapter 5/25. This is a cry for help.

Enjoying the Unpredictable Tennessee Weather

As a Tennessee resident, I’ve learned to appreciate the precious moments of pleasant weather before it takes a sudden turn. This June, I seized (most) opportunities to spend time outdoors, soaking in the sunshine and basking in the beauty of nature. This roughly translates to sitting on my apartment steps and watching the neighborhood cats scurry about before I decided it’s much too humid to be existing.

Taking Life’s Curve Balls

I recently graduated college with my four year degree and, as a breathed the air of freedom, asked myself the question that we all ask ourselves after completing a multi-year long accomplishment- Now what?

For some silly reason, I though I’d know what to do when I got here. I thought job offers would be clambering at my feet or something of that nature but instead I’m greeted with…uncertainty. None of the jobs I’ve looked at seem very appealing- some demand years of experience that I don’t have yet. Some wouldn’t be making any use of my degree and pay like it. Some wish me to travel all over the good Lord’s creation. And still others would require me to relocate to a certain nearby city that I really, really don’t like. (Nashville traffic is legendary).

So here I am. In a season of waiting and looking. I’m not really sure what’s next but at least that does give me time to work on my book in between working my customer service job and trying my hand at home cooking.

Cafe Hopping

As an avid coffee lover, I made it my mission to visit and explore some of the highly-rated local cafes in my area this month. Each cafe offered a unique atmosphere, friendly baristas, and, of course, delicious coffee. It was a fantastic way to meet new people and discover some hidden gems so I will leave you with a little gallery of coffee here (ignore the starbucks one, I just loved the sharpie stars around my name):

Hopefully that gallery put you in the coffee mood. Take care friends! And, as always, thanks for stopping by!