The October That Needed an Exorcism (and a Nap) — AKA My October Update

 

Remember last month when I said, “This month wasn’t as bad as previous ones,” about the PMDD situation?

Famous last words. 😅

A few days later, PMDD hit hard — right as I started HRT to treat it. I’m sure it’ll help long-term, but right now I’m just adjusting to the hormonal chaos.

I actually wrote a longer post about my experience as a neurodivergent woman seeking treatment for PMDD — spoiler alert: some doctors seriously suck!

➡️ The Day I Realised Patients Shouldn’t Have to Fact-Check Their Doctor

As if that wasn’t enough, Oldest managed to knock over a candle and ended up in A&E with burns. He’s healing well now, thanks to Hubby being an absolute saint with all the hospital trips, but it was a rough few days.

So yes — not the most productive month. But I did reach my October goal: hitting 20k words on Kiss Me After the Kill before heading into Novel November.

Now I’m diving into my annual NaNoWriMo alternative, Write On!

It’s a kinder, more flexible version of the challenge — community, accountability, and creativity without the pressure. This year, it’s happening across the Kindred Creativity Club spaces, with:

✨ Weekly live sprints (via Google Meet)

✨ Daily check-ins and Celebrate Your Wins posts

✨ Motivational prompts and reflections

✨ A special 50% discount on Write Here, Write Now membership from Karen Sanders Editing (use code KINDRED50).

I’ve also shared a free November calendar and word tracker, plus sneak peeks from KMATK and art by N.S. Armstrong, available to all newsletter subscribers.

💌 Subscribe here for the freebies and bonus shorts!

In other news, my Frosty-the-Snowman-inspired spicy romantasy short is returning!

A WINTER’S KISS (formerly part of the Step Into Christmas anthology) will be re-released on December 2.

Sign up for the cover reveal and pre-order announcement on November 5 here:

👉 https://forms.gle/dxPUpzjEYjKfLNhLA

Between hormone changes, vampire writing, and planning Write On!, I even got a new story idea — a cozy, sapphic rivals-to-lovers fantasy I’ll work on next year for a Snowy Wings Publishing anthology.

Oh, and I rage-quit Pokémon Legends: Z-A because I hate fighting mega evolutions. 😂

For the full, chaotic saga (plus my current reads and behind-the-scenes updates), visit the full post on my website:

➡️ The October That Needed an Exorcism (and a Nap)

That’s everything for this month — and it’s about time to go make dinner, so I’ll leave it here.

Until next time — stay safe, keep creating, and may your words flow as freely as your imagination.

T.T.F.N.

Cover Reveal - Step Into Christmas Anthology

 

The day has finally arrived for us to reveal the full cover for the Step Into Christmas anthology,
written by the members of the Write Here, Write Now Community from Karen Sanders Editing!

Blurb: Get ready to sleigh into the holiday spirit with Step Into Christmas, a heartwarming collection of short stories, each one inspired by a beloved Christmas song. From the timeless classics to the jolly jingles that fill the airwaves, this anthology brings a fresh twist to the songs that define the season.

Packed with festive charm, holiday romance, and seasonal surprises, these stories capture the joy, nostalgia, and magic of Christmas. Whether you’re by the fire or under the mistletoe, these tales will fill your heart with the warmth and wonder of the season.

So grab a cup of cocoa, press play on your favourite Christmas playlist, and dive into this enchanting collection of yuletide stories. Perfect for anyone who loves the music and magic of Christmas!

Pre-Order Now for Release on November 12, 2024

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My story in the anthology was inspired by the song FROSTY THE SNOWMAN, here's the blurb:

Felicity usually loves Christmas, but this year, her perpetual singleness casts a shadow over the holiday cheer. To shake off her gloom, she agrees to babysit her niece and nephew, Mia and William, while her sister Emily gets some much-needed Christmas shopping done.

Building a snowman with the kids brings a smile to Felicity's face, but it’s a temporary distraction from the loneliness she feels. When she confides in her sister, Emily teases, “If only Frosty the Snowman could come to life like in the children’s song.”

Later that night, Felicity is startled awake by a strange noise outside. Expecting to find a stray animal rummaging through the trash, she's stunned when she sees the snowman she and the kids built earlier *moving*.

With Emily's teasing words echoing in her mind, Felicity rushes outside, unable to resist the impossible notion that Frosty might have come to life.

Under the winter moonlight, Felicity watches in awe as the snowman sheds his frosty exterior, revealing a breathtakingly handsome snow-elf named Talvi, summoned from the faerie realm by a surge of solstice magic.

Felicity’s first thought is to find Talvi some clothes before the neighbours catch sight of his chiselled, naked form. Her second thought is just how irresistibly sexy this snow-elf is.

Inviting him inside, the two warm up over mugs of hot chocolate. Felicity muses that maybe Emily's joke was more than just that—perhaps Talvi has been sent to melt away her loneliness.

Rather than being put off by her theory, Talvi smiles and reveals that in the faerie realm during Yule, there's a tradition for keeping warm—a tradition he'd love to share with her.

Despite his icy origins, things quickly heat up as Felicity leads Talvi to her bedroom, where she soon discovers that his ability to control his body temperature makes for some *very* tantalizing experiences under the covers.

The Importance of Finding Your People

With the recent (deserved) backlash against NaNoWriMo.Org, now it's more important than ever for all writers to find their people, and I have a recommendation for you.

Promo Help Wanted: After the Rain, a charity anthology from the Write Here, Write Now Community

 

The Write Here, Write Now Community from Karen Sanders Editing would love to invite you to help us spread the word about our forthcoming charity anthology, AFTER THE RAIN, which is set to release on June 11th 2024.

All proceeds from the anthology will be donated to Hopefull Handbags UK - a charity supporting survivors of domestic abuse. You can find out more here: https://www.hopefullhandbags.org/about-us/

Participating authors: Clare Bentley and Kyra Lennon, Clare Dugmore, Toya Richardson, Louise Emerson, Drew Duncan, Donna Frank, Katie L Smith, TS Arthur, Samantha Lewis, Julie Archer, M.B. Feeney, HL Heidemann, Anna Edwards

Key Dates:

Cover Reveal: May 6 2024

Release Date: June 11th 2024

COVER REVEAL SIGN UP FORM: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzlojP5WNJeB6O80-glS-kmh7hk4dZi5nYw4ZrOaYXDaUuYQ/viewform?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2xXQSvbZNx6GQq5KNFeU3Pj0wWHe03JIUGbTuz7hFyTnlnM47BHtzlebY_aem_AWXS55rB9qFJeMEr-kIZU7BwjxNhQYqBfvDfyWRPp04xRrGcmhdbu-wug4TLPcuc0rmf7qQh7rladC427etzpMx2