An Anniversary of Sorts: Reflecting on 16 Years of Writing & Creativity

 

I’m a day late to the party, but this month marked fourteen years since I rebranded my blog — and sixteen years since I began writing original fiction.

In this update, I’m reflecting on my journey as a writer, recent progress on Kiss Me After the Kill, upcoming projects, and the launch of Kindred Creativity Club’s first event of 2026.

It’s been a month of re-entry, reflection, and looking ahead — and I’m feeling more settled and hopeful than ever.

Read the full entry over on my blog at ClareDugmore.com

https://claredugmore.com/blog/an-anniversary-of-sorts-reflecting-on-16-years-of-writing-creativity

December & 2025: A Year-End Reflection

 

December didn’t go quite as planned for me — and honestly, that feels like the most December thing imaginable.

Between the holidays, family commitments, recovery from Novel-November and the Kindred Creativity Club Charity Auction, my brain very firmly decided it was time to rest. So I listened. Writing slowed, projects paused, and Christmas became about spending time with the people I love, recharging, and managing ongoing health stuff.

There were challenges — especially navigating family health concerns — but there were also so many good moments. Quiet celebrations, birthdays, games nights, too much food, and the kind of small joys that remind you what actually matters.

As 2025 comes to a close, I’m incredibly proud of what I achieved this year, particularly with Kindred, which only began in June and still managed to raise £280 for charity, host multiple creative spotlights, and build a genuinely supportive community.

Looking ahead to 2026, I’m excited to return to writing, finish Kiss Me After The Kill, work on new short fiction projects, and expand Kindred in meaningful ways — including a mental-health-focused charity anthology and more community initiatives.

If you’d like to read the full December and 2025 roundup, including my writing plans, Kindred goals, and reflections on rest, burnout, and creativity, you can find it here:

👉 [Read the full post on my website]

 

November has felt like a whirlwind, but in the best way possible. Most of my focus this month was on Novel-November, where I worked almost exclusively on my vampire romantasy, KISS ME AFTER THE KILL — and I’m thrilled to say I wrote almost 54,000 words! It’s the first time in years that I’ve taken part in a NaNo-style challenge and actually won, which feels incredibly motivating.

I’m not quite finished with the draft yet. I still have about three chapters and several spicy scenes left to write, but after such an intense month, I can feel the burnout creeping in. Instead of forcing myself to reach my original goal of 62k, I’m taking a break until January. Then I’ll dive back in with the plan to finish the first draft by the end of the month and begin revisions with Hubby in February. That said, I’ve already sneaked into some early revisions because I woke up with the urge to polish things — so the timing has worked out nicely!

Alongside KMATK, a few new story ideas have been growing. For the Snowy Wings Publishing nursery-rhyme anthology, I’m returning to my original concept: a YA story about a girl marked for death who falls in love with a fae grim reaper. It matches my preferred tone perfectly and feels much more manageable than the cozy sapphic magical-school idea I briefly considered.

I’m also planning ahead for my next big project for 2026: an enemies-to-lovers fae romance featuring a masked, shadow-drenched Prince. I’m desperate to write it already, but I’m keeping myself disciplined — planning only, until KMATK is done.

This month also brought a major personal and career realisation: I’m stepping away from self-publishing. My spicy Christmas short, A Winter’s Kiss (out December 2nd!), will be my last self-pubbed project for the foreseeable future. I have nothing against self-publishing, but it no longer feels like the right path for me creatively. I want to focus the next few years on querying romantasy, fantasy-romance, and paranormal-romance, which feel like my truest writing home.

On the health side, things are looking brighter. My PMDD has been the mildest it’s been in years — hopefully a good sign that my HRT patches are doing their job. I’m also still waiting to hear from Psychiatry UK about ADHD medication, but overall I feel like I’m moving in the right direction. This new stability has inspired me to reach out to my ADHD coach about helping me take the Kindred Creativity Club to the next level in 2025.

Outside writing, November was quieter. Hubby was ill for part of the month, Oldest started his new job, and we didn’t get out much — though I did buy a dancing gecko that sings “Feliz Navidad,” which genuinely brings me joy every time I look at it. Holiday prep is mostly done, Youngest’s gifts are on the way from Japan, and we’re figuring out plans for Oldest’s partner depending on her dog’s health.

It’s wild to think December is here already, and that I’ll be posting both a December wrap-up and a yearly one soon. If you’d like to read the full, detailed version of this month’s update, including all my writing reflections and holiday plans, you can find it here:

👉 [Read the full November wrap-up blog post]

Thanks for joining me this month! 💜

Bookish Auction in Support of The Trussell Trust

 

On the weekend of November 29–30, the Kindred Creativity Club will host a bookish charity auction in support of The Trussell Trust — a UK anti-poverty charity and network of food banks working to end hunger and destitution.

A total of twelve bookish prizes will be up for grabs! The highest bid received by November 30 at 11:59 p.m. will win each item. All prizes will be mailed out by their generous donors within two months of the auction’s end.

For any comments, questions, or concerns, please contact claredugmore@gmail.com

You can also view the Jumblebee Auction Page Here: https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/KCCBookishAuction

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.

August Reflections & September Goals

I started August with big plans—two WIPs to write, Kindred Creativity Club events to run, and even helping my husband revise his novel. But life had other ideas.

PMDD hit me hard this month, and I had to step back. At first, I felt guilty for slowing down, but I’m learning that rest isn’t failure—it’s part of the process. Most of August was spent reading fanfiction, watching YouTube, playing The Sims, and even treating myself to some new Halloween decorations (because spooky season is always in my heart 🎃).

The good news? That pause worked. I feel recharged and ready for September. KCC’s Creative Connections Spotlight is just around the corner, and I’ve set my sights firmly on finishing Divine Unmaking—a story that feels closer to my heart than anything I’ve written before.

I also can’t help but celebrate my husband, who finished and started querying his first novel (with book two already in progress!). Watching him chase his dreams has been a huge inspiration for me to keep going with mine.

If you’d like the full update—with more on my writing goals, KCC events, and, yes, a peek at my Halloween haul—you can read it here 👉 [https://claredugmore.com/blog/august-reflections-rest-creativity-and-comebacks]

Shiny, Sweaty People - AKA My June Wrap-Up

 

June has been an absolute whirlwind — creatively and weather-wise! While the UK melted under another heatwave (with no air con in sight), I managed to channel that sweaty chaos into some solid writing wins and exciting story developments.

I’ve been deep in revisions for Fractured Loyalties – Act One, working closely with my most trusted (and most handsome) beta reader — Hubby. We’ve been tackling Nola’s arc and refining some of the world-building, especially around the PID, to make things feel even more sinister. It’s been both challenging and energising to revisit this story with fresh eyes after so many versions.

But that’s not all — what started as a short prequel for an anthology has now exploded into two full-length novels! The lore was just too juicy to keep short. I'm calling the series Before the Fracture, and it’s shaping up to be something really special.

June also marked the official relaunch of The Kindred Creativity Club (formerly The Kindred Book Club), with our first event, Creating With Pride, spotlighting amazing LGBTQIA+ indie creatives and raising funds for Stonewall. The response and support were wonderful, and I’ve already made some great new connections.

And then, just when I thought I had enough on my plate, a new plot bunny ambushed me. Imagine a sapphic dark fantasy romance inspired by The Dark Phoenix Saga, Sansa Stark’s arc, the Persephone myth, and the film Labyrinth. That’s Divine Unmaking, and it’s currently consuming my brain in the best possible way.

To keep everything manageable (and my brain from melting), I’ve carved out a flexible weekly schedule where I rotate projects, dedicate time to The KCC, and actually take evenings and weekends off. I’m learning to listen to my ADHD brain and respect its rhythms — whether that means powering through a 6-hour Spotify playlist session or stepping back when I feel blocked or anxious.

If you’d like a more in-depth look at what I worked on this month — including behind-the-scenes updates, word counts, and how I’m balancing multiple projects without burning out — you can read the full post over on my blog:

👉 Click here to read the full June update

Thanks for following along, and wherever you are — stay hydrated, stay creative, and take care of yourself. ❤️