January/February 2023
Happy New Years to you all!
I hope your new years resolution are easy and attainable. Remember, go for sustainability not consistency. This year my only resolution is one which I high confidence I will accomplish: I intend to put the final pieces together for my book. I’m confident that I will have it done in plenty of time to fulfill this resolution!
Where am I?
This winter I’ve been able to be home these last couple of months, but I am writing this from Arizona right now. I got stuck in that Southwest Flight Cancellation Fiasco. Luckily, I came to visit my sisters’ families, my mom, and especially my little niebling.* She is two and starting to get words and sentences down. This delay has also given me the opportunity to attend more practices with my dance troupe, Fairhaven Morris! So, I’m not really bummed about being “stuck.”
Soon I will be packing all my things up again and heading back to perform with them at the Arizona Renaissance Festival. I love being in AZ in the winter. I have also found my favorite spot to write that’s not too far from the faire site (or my parent’s house). Queen Creek Olive Mill is lovely, great food, great coffee, and an amazing outdoor space. I plan to come here at least once a week during the AZ Faire season!
*Neibling is a modern term for a sibling’s child created as to be gender neutral. As an Auntie/Uncle/Auncle, why assume gender? The kid probably doesn’t even know!
So What’s Going on with the Book?
Here it is! Your official early access to excerpts of my WIP!
As mentioned in the previous newsletter, I have ADHD and because of that sitting in a quiet room with nothing going on is very difficult. Nay, impossible. So if I am not out, or even if I am, I listen to music. I just wanted to drop this little playlist here for you all to enjoy. It’s almost 2 hours long, but it’s got some lovely and relaxing tunes.
These are songs that have played as I wrote, giving me inspiration on a scene or setting the mood for one. (Of course there's Mediaeval Baebes) Each one on their playlist has a little quote from the manuscript. (Of course there are Morris Dancers!) Your first preview!
I have a much larger playlist that I will put together when the book is closer to being read by the public, but for now, enjoy getting a little sneak peek at the general emotional journey of the story I am writing.
The playlist includes:
Academia Sia
Under the Same Sun Radical Face
Laments Hop Along
Hypotheticals Lake Street Drive
Sunday The Cranberries
Timetraveller My Glorious
Song for Saul They Dream by Day
Alba Mediaeval Baebes
Song of Joy Erutan
Horseback Tenors Efterklang
Golden Bells Mediaeval Baebes
Karuna Faun
Urano Niklas Wagner
Winter Solstice Lights & Motion
Moth, Butterfly, and Torchbug Brad Derrik
Light Among Shadows Erik Wøllo
Song for Bob Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
May 26 Saxon Shore
Áss hinn hvíti Sigur Ros
The Night Comes Eisley
Elements A Fine Frenzy
All the King Horses Karmina
What am I reading?
WELL TRAVELED by Jen DeLuca
This book was the most recent book in the series of the Ren Faire Rom Com that starts with WELL MET. Jen DeLuca spent time working at one of the many Florida Renaissance Festivals and was inspired to write these delightful books. The first one follows Emily as she volunteers at her first Renaissance Faire in Willow Creek, Maryland. The second (WELL PLAYED), is about her friend Stacy as she navigates a blooming online correspondence with a travelling Rennie who may not be who he seems. WELL MATCHED put two side characters together finally! April and Mitch’s story is probably my favorite. The last one, which this review will cover, is about Lulu and her abandoning her high-power attorney job to go on the road! Oh, and hooking up with a handsome guy in the process.
The latest installment of the series (hopefully not the last!) is WELL TRAVELED and follows Louisa “Lulu” Malone as she finds she is done with the corporate, misogynist world of Law and runs away with the Renaissance Festival. I have personally known a few people who have left high pay, high stress jobs for a life on the road, so this was completely believable. She ends up hanging out with Stacey and the Dueling Kilts (kilt jokes included!), spending time getting to know them, particularly their front man, Dex McLean, the “Red Faire Lothario.” I absolutely loved his persona because if you have ever worked a faire a day in your life, you know the type. Thankfully there is a lot more for Lulu to discover in Dex.
If you love Romantic Comedies and the Renaissance Festival, I highly recommend this series! For those of us who have worked one, or many, it has a lot of fun bits and characters that you’ve seen. DeLuca even adds some real-life performers too! I chuckled when I recognized a friend or two. Enjoy this lovely series and get carried away like Lulu did! But don’t throw your phone into the Laundry Wench Well.
Where can I get this book?
I have opened up an affiliate shop on Bookshop.org! If you want to read this one or see another recommendation from me, check out my own curated bookshop and support, not only small, independent bookshops around the country, but your soon-to-be favorite author as well! (Me, that’s me.) Keep checking in as I add new reads and old favorites!
If you liked this newsletter or want to know about something specific, let me know!
