Updates, now with pictures!

January, like every other month, flies by. I've been keeping busy with the writing (hit my word count goal!), making submissions, making freebies, and then looking at my spreadsheet and crying quietly :P

My 5,000 words for January mostly went into finishing the BDSM short and writing a new ending for BAW (just finished that this morning). The short needs to sit, because I feel like it's, well, too short. I'm sure when I return to it with fresh eyes I'll find five a few thousand more words to add. For BAW, I need to start at the beginning and do some serious chopping out of unnecessary scenes tightening all the bits into a good story. So that will be my new week-day project.

On the weekends, when I actually can write (because I haven't found a good way to get my brain to write during the weekdays), I'll be rewriting a story I wrote a long time ago. I love the story and the setting and the concept, but I have a fight scene that takes four lines at one point. It's one of those things that just needs to be trashed and re-written, although much of it will remain the same.

And I have my trust ol' writing mug with me, of course.

You can see it, because it's imprinted, but it says "fresh-brewed inspiration for the day ahead." And this technically has hot chocolate in it. Don't judge.

The book I read in January was Fifty Shames of Earl Grey by Fanny Merkin, which was amusing and had moments that were laugh-out loud, but didn't blow me off my feet, either. It was playful and cute and I could see the moments where events in the 'original' were turned on their head and mocked, but it also didn't rely upon having read the source material. Which is good, because I only got about halfway through the first before I returned it to the library.

That said, people who read the books (painfully) might enjoy this more. It was a quick read, too, which mean I was able to fit in another short book (book 1 of The Crimson Spell), which I've read before but am trying to read the whole series now that they are actually being translated.

Artwork by DA ID Hinata141

While it's sort of porny, especially in the beginning, the art is gorgeous (if you like the detailed style), and from what I remember of the story, the plot begins to pick up as the story continues. Also, the one main character turns into a hot demon covered in black markings. Mmm.

The story is focused on a young prince who takes up a cursed sword in order to save his people from invading demons, but now he's, well, cursed. He travels afar to a wizard who promises to help him break the spell, and thus their journeys together begin! The prince only turns into a demon sometimes (mostly at night?) and the wizard finds ways to...restrain him. And...keep him distracted.

If you know what I mean.

Now to spend the rest of the weekend being productive!

Right?