Tag: reading

Snapshot 12/31/20 // “The End.”

~ Jai Lynn ~ 3 Comments

Currently listening: “champagne problems” – Taylor Swift
Currently watching: 90 Day Fiancé S2
Currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Currently reading: __________________________

I don’t remember much of December TBH. After the busy bee I was in November I took the time to relax and chill in December. I didn’t post as much as I usually do, since I didn’t have a discussion post this month or a writing update, and I took some time away from my WIP to clear my head a little bit in order to tackle it again in January with fresh eyes.

Christmas wasn’t the same this year. Last year was a bad Christmas and who would have known it could be worse. A lot of little things just adding up (we even lost power on Christmas morning) but I KNOW next year will be better. I KNOW IT, I SWEAR. Things happen for a reason. So, I’m going to just sit year till the new year indulging in laziness, anime and the entire plate of brownies my Grandma made for me. Cin, cin!!

December Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, outlining & WRITING my WIP! Check, I did do a little bit!
  2. Become more interactive on social media! Check… I did a little bit, I swear. My handle is @jaiiiilynn4 for both Insta and Twitter if you want to connect!
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! No check, but I expected as much.

January (the month where 2020 was just a nightmare and now we are awake again) Goals:
(AKA my 2021 resolutions in general)

  1. Be healthier! In everything… honestly I have been garbage since Christmas. I’ll get back to doing my yoga in the morning, exercising at least three times a week, eating vegetables lol, positive thinking and leaving the old behind to move on to better things.
  2. Write! My WIP draft for The Lowell Sage is halfway done (and that is better than never started) and into 2021 I will keep writing. No deadlines, just keep going. Every year I keep getting closer.
  3. Get a tattoo! I wasn’t able to get my 2020 tattoo because of a global pandemic. So, dammit, this pandemic better be over so I can get it in 2021.

What I Read:

  • The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. I was enthralled by this book. So much so I read it slowly and savored every damn chapter. Honestly. I started this around the beginning of November and finished it mid-December. That’s a long time for me to be continuously and consciously reading a book. The story is basically a love letter to readers and writers alike. It’s deep, touching, and resonating. That being said the story may not be for everyone, especially those who don’t like slower paced novels. But I’m also going to say it’s a beautiful book and I love love love love it so much. 5 STARS BABYYYYYY! All the way. I can’t. So many feelings and I just love Erin Morgenstern so much. So if you are a reader or a storyteller go read this book! I’m not going to spoil anything, just enjoy it 😉
  • ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. It was a good book. But, though I do appreciate Steven King, his writing style isn’t for me. It was a great story, realistic. I wasn’t scared per say but I enjoyed what I did read. It’s perfect reading for the fall and very outside of the usual genres I read. But I can see why it is a classic. I don’t think I’ll read it again but I am glad I read it. 
  • The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur. I honestly have so many post it notes sticking out of this book. So many of the poems are so good, and healthy, and just give off all the vibes we need to hear and know. If you are looking for relatable, healthy and contemporary poetry pick this up right now.

What I’ll Be Writing:

  • Poetry- posted every Wednesday
  • Writing Is Hard | WIP Writing Update- posted in the middle of the month
  • Snapshot! Monthly Recap- posted the last day of every month
  • Announcements- posted as needed

If you want more information about any of the above, you can check out the About page on my site or just click here.

My Round Up of December Posts:

I learned and did a lot in 2020. I grew so much and learned so much about myself. I’m taking all of it and throwing myself into 2021. Throwing. Myself. Full force.

Down with 2020. Up with 2021! Be on the look out for some changes to the blog in the coming month. Jai is getting her shit together lol, haha! 😀

What are your resolutions for the new year?

2021 can be about making all the changes you want to become the best you. Together let’s stick to them to make this a much better year. This is the beginning. Make it count.

Till next time,

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Snapshot 11/30/20 // “Victory.”

~ Jai Lynn ~ 2 Comments

Currently listening: “Sympathy For The Devil” – The Rolling Stones
Currently watching: The Office S8
Currently playing: Hollow Knight
Currently reading: ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

November was a month. Honestly, I don’t have much to say lol. When I wasn’t at work, I was still at work at home. Writing. I didn’t do much else. I didn’t even finish reading one book this month. Wow. That is a first for me. But… I did it. I WON NANOWRIMO FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.

50,000 words of my draft for my WIP The Lowell Saga is complete.Whew. No where near done with the first draft. But I’m getting there. Little by little. Word by damn word. As for whether I finish the draft this December… I’m going to try my hardest. 2020 hasn’t beaten me yet.

November Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, outlining & WRITING my WIP! Check.
  2. Become more interactive on social media! Check. I was pretty consistent, for me, with updating on Twitter.
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! Failure, but I’m not worried. My WIP was the focus this month because of NaNo. AND I WON THAT MAJORLY.
  4. Continue to eat healthier! Check. Not perfect but not as horrible as I could have been. So that’s a win in my book.

December (the month where Christmas happens) Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, outlining & WRITING my WIP! My last chance this month to finish that first draft before 2021 hits us in the face. (Or hopefully gently caresses us instead…)
  2. Become more interactive on social media! My handle is @jaiiiilynn4 for both Insta and Twitter if you want to connect! I did better this past month but still want to continue the habit so I’m listing this goal again.
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! I’m calling it now, this probably won’t happen cause I’ll be busy with my WIP but I don’t want to forget this goal so I’m putting it down again.

What I’ll Be Writing:

  • Poetry- posted every Wednesday
  • Writing Is Hard | WIP Writing Update- posted in the middle of the month
  • Snapshot! Monthly Recap- posted the last day of every month
  • Announcements- posted as needed

All of my fiction writings are independent of each other and stand alone so no need to read any of the previous work to understand. If you want more information about any of the above, you can check out the About page on my site or just click here.

November Round Up of Posts from Nifty People:

My Round Up of November Posts:

My Thanksgiving this year was small but still lovely. My step dad and I made an apple pie and it was the most delicious pie I had ever eaten in my life! We might need to make it a tradition. All in all I’m grateful for everything I do have and will keep looking forward to a brighter tomorrow. December could be brighter!! Let’s cross our fingers.

How were your Thanksgivings, if you celebrate? How was November overall for you guys? Did you meet your NaNoWriMo goal if you participated?

Let’s chat in the comments below!

Till next time,

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Snapshot 10/31/20 // “The Circus, At Night”

~ Jai Lynn ~ 6 Comments

Currently listening: “Season of the Witch” – Lana Del Rey
Currently watching: The Haunting of Bly Manor
Currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Currently reading: ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

Cloudy skies and misty air are lingering outside my window as I type this, and it fits. October and I have been on the same wavelength all month and I am here for it. A lot of fun fall activities fell into my life these past few weeks and finally I feel good. My life feels like it is starting to come together, and honestly perfect timing because NaNo is right around the corner. Or rather by the time this is posted… knocking at the door.

October Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, outlining & WRITING my WIP! Check! My word count is up and I am so happy!!! I don’t want to jinx anything because I’m superstitious like that so I won’t share too much but… that first draft is getting WRITTEN. Mark it, guys. Making history over here, lol 😀
  2. Become more interactive on social media! Check! I’m doing it! I’m doing it!
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! Failure…. but I’m working on it. I did more than I did last month at least! (like opened one new tab, lol…) It will probably be a failure next month too if I’m being real with NaNo going on, but not giving up!
  4. Read & finish three books! Check! Not exactly all three books that I planned but I finished my two re-reads Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. As well as Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl. All fantastic reads that I highly recommend! I’m about a third of the way through reading Salem’s Lot by Stephen King and enjoying it so far! Waiting for those twists!
  5. Rewatch The Haunting of Hill House, and revisit Supernatural S4 and Gilmore Girls S1! Check! Supernatural and Gilmore Girls are like my mac and cheese and buttered biscuits. I also finished The Haunting of Hill House and loved it just as much the second time around! The Haunting of Bly Manor I’m more than halfway through and can I just say, I love Victoria Pedretti? Like, I really do. I hope by the end it hits me as much as Hill House did and right now I’m expecting it too.
  6. Watch Halloween movies! Check! Halloweentown, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Over the Garden Wall, and Corpse Bride, among others. Even Hocus Pocus. Okay, okay I relent. It’s a classic and I’m a little less bitter about Binx now. (SPOILER) He’s happy in heaven and now that I’m no longer seven I accept this conclusion. (SPOILER END).
  7. Go apple and pumpkin picking! Check, check! Even though I got EATEN and I mean EATEN by mosquitos (my ankle swelled up like a balloon and got infected, yuck!) it was so worth it. I had a blast! I posted some pics on my Insta if you are curious!
  8. Make Halloween cookies! Check. And they were delicious.
  9. Eat healthier! Mostly check. I had three bad days this entire month, but that is less than September. The other 28 days I followed the moderation plan so this is a win. Building healthy habits never felt so gooooood! One day at a time. One cookie at a time. One brussel sprout at a time!
  10. Look at the ocean one last time! Check and it was magical ❤ (I also had pumpkin spice ice cream for the first time and damn, it’s good! )

November (the month where I am alive and dead at the same time) Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, outlining & WRITING my WIP! OOOOOOOOOHHHHHH IT’S ON NANO. I’M CALLING YOU OUT. My username is JLynn047 if you want to be friends and cheer each other on!
  2. Become more interactive on social media! My handle is @jaiiiilynn4 for both Insta and Twitter if you want to connect! I’m gonna try to rage on Twitter all month about my writing frustrations (and hopefully victories!). Feel free to commiserate (and revel hopefully!) with me!
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! I’m calling it now, this probably won’t happen cause I’ll be busy with NaNo but I don’t want to forget this goal.
  4. Continue to eat healthier! Moderation and NO stress eating. (Even though I will probably be emotional and stressed all month but I will resisttttttt through mindfulness and sheer force of will.)

What I Read:

–Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl. Everyone needs to read this book. I don’t care if it’s not your genre. I don’t care if your TBR list is huge. I don’t care if you don’t read. I don’t care if you are a nihilist. This book is bigger than us. It should be on the essential reading list for humanity. Everyone knows the Holocaust. It’s THE most iconic tragedy in the history of civilization. Dr. Frankl, the author of this book, experienced this terrible blight on humanity first hand. He had the option to escape, but he chose to stay with his parents who couldn’t leave and in turn all of them ended up in a concentration camp. A lot of us, thankfully, today will never know those horrors first hand. But he did. And he survived. His experience shaped the motivation and learnings in this psychology book. The main point that I took away was that man needs meaning to survive and he finds that in either 1) his vocation 2) a person or 3) courage in the face of an unimaginable situation. Meaning, meaning, meaning… what is the point of this life? Why are we here? Nihilists will argue that everything is random, there is no meaning. Some think the point of life is to chase happiness. Some think power is everything. But Dr. Frankl alludes the more you chase those things the harder they will be to find. If your life has meaning then you have the will to go on, and the success and happiness will follow. If you think everything has no point and that all is random what’s to stop you from bringing about another Holocaust? There’s no point right? Deep down we all know that not to be true. We are human, we feel, we live, we suffer. We suffer and suffer and suffer. Would it make you happier to reason it towards nothing, or everything. I only glazed over the key points here and there is so so much more. If I haven’t said it already, just read the book. 
–Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. This one was a reread, one that I hadn’t exactly planned on but one that happened anyway. This book just screams October. I read it for the first time last year and you can read my original review here. Looks like I did end up re-reading it like I mentioned in my review last year, haha!! I didn’t disappoint my past self. Maybe I will just end up rereading it every year. Who knows? Pretty much all the same feelings, but what is different this time is that I think I understand the book even more. Its nostalgia, its structure…. and its view of the universal personal conflict of being human. There is just something about this book. Something… Maybe next year I’ll be able to tell you what it is when I probably end up reading it again.
–The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I love this book, so much. My soul and this book …. I can’t even articulate it. I just love this book, so much.

What I’ll Be Writing:

  • Poetry- posted every Wednesday
  • Writing Is Hard | WIP Writing Update- posted in the middle of the month
  • Snapshot! Monthly Recap- posted the last day of every month
  • Announcements- posted as needed

All of my fiction writings are independent of each other and stand alone so no need to read any of the previous work to understand. If you want more information about any of the above, you can check out the About page on my site or just click here.

I might do another discussion post… depends on how much time I’ll have (not much…) but we shall see. Never say never and inspiration might strike again!

My WIP post this month will also be very heavily NaNo related FYI just so you guys are forewarned! I might check in with mini updates for NaNo every now and then too besides my big monthly WIP update but I haven’t decided yet. (More like anxiety rearing its ugly head that I am taking on too much and perfectionism screaming DO IT ANYWAY…) Well…

October Round Up of Posts from Awesome People:

I read so many fun, thought provoking and inspiring posts this month! To my fellow bloggers, great work guys!!

My Round Up of October Posts:

To NaNoWriMo my fellow writers! May productivity rain and may we all survive the storm!! ROARRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

Oh, and btw… Happy Halloween 😉

Till next time,

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Snapshot 9/30/20 // “Feathers, Feathers Everywhere”

~ Jai Lynn ~ 7 Comments

Currently listening: “seven” – Taylor Swift
Currently watching: Gilmore Girls S1
Currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Currently reading: Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Empty hallways, weathered books, slow breezes, Ancient Greek letters, philosophical thoughts and feathers floating down from the sky all tied into one month. That is what September means to me. Whenever it rolls around, as you can see, I tend to get moody.

Or totally rapt up in a dark academia aesthetic. Same thing.

September Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, outlining & WRITING my WIP! Check. I’ve actually written a lot this month and am up to over 4K for my first draft! I wasn’t even planning on doing that much but it happened. Guyssssss, things are happeningggggg.
  2. Become more interactive on social media! Check! I was slightly more interactive than last month sooooo…
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! Failure. Failure. Failure. At least I am being honest.
  4. Be more present/observant in my life! Check? Yes, unfortunately I may have been too present in my life this month, and it was a hard emotional month for me because the stress at work and in my personal life was getting a little too much. And if you are like me and tend to hyper fixate on things and over think to your wits end then… Yes, that happened. But at least I kept writing.

October (the month of EVERYTHING I WANT RIGHT NOW) Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, outlining & WRITING my WIP! This should be no surprise. It’s been on my goal list since the beginning of the hELL year of 2020. I want to finish this first draft, and no better way than a last minute sprint in the last 3 months of the year. yay.
  2. Become more interactive on social media! My handle is @jaiiiilynn4 for both Insta and Twitter if you want to connect! I’ve recently had some inspiration and have a few ideas I’d like to showcase. Look forward to it guys in my beloved month of OCTOBER. I love October.
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! Who knows if this will happen? I will probably get distracted by writing my WIP but just in case, I don’t want to forget this goal so I’m keeping it on here.
  4. Read & finish three books! My reading these past few months has been dismal. I want to change that and there are three books I’ve been dying to read when October rolled around. And now it’s here. Two are rereads: Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. But the last is new, Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. I’ve never read it before and I really want to. Really. Want. To. So much so that I am legit staring at it right now as I type this.
  5. Rewatch The Haunting of Hill House, and revisit Supernatural S4 and Gilmore Girls S1! I have been rewatching episodes of Supernatural here and there, but since it’s October now I feel like NOW IS THE PERFECT MOMENT to watch more. I watched my first episode of Supernatural ever on a Halloween many years ago. So the month and the show are tied together in my head. Gilmore Girls just makes me feel happy and good and safe and so I’m going to keep watching that too since I restarted the series from the beginning this September. The Haunting of Hill House though I have been craving since summer began and now, totally on the opposite side of the spectrum from Gilmore Girls, I want to be scared and haunted and filled with dismal longing. Or maybe I just want to see those feelings reflected in someone other than me. (September was tough, guys. My mental health sucked. But I’m getting better now.)
  6. Watch Halloween movies! I always rewatch Halloweentown, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Over the Garden Wall, and Corpse Bride without fault every October. This year I might even try Hocus Pocus again. Listen, I was traumatized as a child at the end when (SPOILER) the black cat died/passed on. Traumatized. I was seven, he was my favorite character and then he died at the end. That stuff sticks with you. Maybe this year though, I’ll give it another chance. Maybeeeeeeeeee…
  7. Go apple and pumpkin picking! This is one of my favorite fall activities that I do every year. Along with bringing out the boots and flannel. I’m going to be dressed for success and carrying home a ton of deliciousness that will keep me happy all month. All about the little things, my friends, the little things.
  8. Make Halloween cookies! I didn’t make my Halloween sugar cookies last year so I’m damn well doing it this year. Dammit.
  9. Eat healthier! Lol, right after I say I’m making cookies. Listen, healthy eating is all about moderation. I’m going to be eating cookies and apples! September I had a lot of stressful days and I ate a ton of garbage I shouldn’t of. Binge eating is a curse. Don’t do it. This month my Mom is teaming up with me to eat more healthy and not let our emotions control our eating. So far we are seven days strong. The key is to eat the healthy food first and only eat one cookie instead of the box. I can totally do that, and I also have a partner in crime. A burden shared is a burdened lessoned, I think that’s how it goes.
  10. Look at the ocean one last time! My August birthday wish was to go to the beach one last time but unfortunately we never got there. I hope this month, even if I can’t swim and am wearing a scarf, I can see the ocean one last time and say my goodbye. At least until next summer.

I have a lot of goals this month but most of them are just there to remind myself to have some fun and enjoy life. I got so lost in September; I’m finding myself again in October. I’m calling it now. IT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT MONTH. Done.

(I will Robin Williams, I will, I promise!)

What I Read:

–If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio. With September always comes one of my favorite aesthetics of all time, dark academia. The two in my mind are just intrinsically linked and I have no regrets. This book has a psychological, in your head, murder, but also Shakespeare! spin that I just immensely enjoyed. The story revolves around a group of seven conservatory trained actors and the various works of Shakespeare they preform throughout. They all have their roles, the hero, the tyrant, the villain… and it isn’t long before that role starts to take on their real life. So of course there is a dramatic murder. I loved the story resonance throughout the book and how the characters roles shifted with their arcs. The tale was beautifully rendered but I admit this book won’t be for everyone. If you enjoyed The Secret History then this book is right up the same alley. One of my favorite quotes that really portrays the essence of the story is “How could we explain that standing on a stage and speaking someone else’s words as if they are your own is less an act of bravery than a desperate lunge at mutual understanding?” (pg. 114) and that line really hit me in the face. Why do I write if not for my words to reach someone else and, even though we are in different spaces, reach some sort of recognition or shared feelings? To know we are not alone. It’s so human.

What I’ll Be Writing:

  • Poetry- posted every Wednesday
  • Writing Is Hard | WIP Writing Update- posted in the middle of the month
  • Snapshot! Monthly Recap- posted the last day of every month
  • Announcements- posted as needed

All of my fiction writings are independent of each other and stand alone so no need to read any of the previous work to understand. If you want more information about any of the above, you can check out the About page on my site or just click here.

I posted a surprise this month! My discussion post about why Autumn is a GREAT thing was totally unplanned and totally an impulsive decision that I just jived with. The best part being all the responses I got!! Who knows? I might think up more discussions for the future. Thank you guys for commenting and sharing your thoughts, really. Each one means the world to me ❤

September Round Up of Posts from Stupendous People:

To my fellow bloggers, this section is for you! Great, beautiful work this month guys ❤ There are many different types of posts above and all of them are 100% worth a look!

My Round Up of September Posts:

I found feathers everywhere this month. At first black feathers scattered here and there, showing up when I least expected them. Then white feathers appearing in droves as I walked around my neighborhood. Even the other day I found a blue feather. September was hard but I want to believe that there was a reason for it. I know there was a reason for it. Maybe October will let me know…

Either way, I’ll be sitting here sipping my tea, analyzing philosophical musings, and wondering where this journey is leading. Oh and, as always, searching for the magic.

Till next time,

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Snapshot 8/31/20 // “My Horoscope Might Have Been Right, Lol”

~ Jai Lynn ~ 4 Comments

Currently listening: “august” – Taylor Swift
Currently watching: Gossip Girl S1
Currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Currently reading: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

August did seem to slip away like a bottle of wine. And I really did need the wine this month. Life has been chaotic at work since a lot of things are changing. COVID is still a thing. Boys are stupid. Weather has been violent lately. All in all August was not easy.

When I read my horoscope at the beginning of the year saying that August was going to be a bad month I just pfffffffft it. August is my birthday month, it’s summer, there is no better part of the year to me. Well. My horoscope was right. This August was a doozy. I’m just writing it off as 2020’s fault because anything that can go wrong this year seems to. It’s not my beloved August’s fault. Next year will be better. I pray.

August Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, and outlining my WIP! Check.
  2. Become more interactive on social media! Check. My activity was about the same as last month but given what a hell of a month this was this is definitely a check.
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! No check here. I didn’t have time this month to submit anywhere.
  4. Be nicer to myself. Check? Maybe? I don’t really know. Honestly, I feel like everything I know is a lie at this point and the world is on fire.

September (the month I used to dread but now enjoy) Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, outlining & WRITING my WIP! Been doing this and will keep doing this till I finish my first draft this year! Gonna get it done. Gonna get it done. I believe in myself. I believe in myself. Yes. This is me telling the universe what I want & therefore hopefully sending out the vibes so I can get it done. (INSPIRATION COME AT ME, I’M READYYYYYYY)
  2. Become more interactive on social media! My handle is @jaiiiilynn4 for both Insta and Twitter so let’s connect! I definitely need to do better. And if I keep putting this as a goal and making this a habit I. DETERMINEDLY. WILL. GET. BETTER.
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! Same as above. I. DETERMINEDLY. WILL. GET. BETTER.
  4. Be more present/observant in my life! Life get’s hectic but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be grateful for every damn day we have. You never know when or what can happen. I want to pay more attention to what’s around me. I want to expand my world. As a writer being observant is an important skill to have to make your writing as authentic as possible, and as a human there is nothing more valuable than being more present in your own life. No matter what happens good or bad. I do believe there is a reason for everything that happens and since time machines don’t exist (yet) we have to savor this moment… because this moment right now will never come again.

What I Read:

–American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I felt different after reading this book. Or, to put it in other words, I felt changed. The way I read it was a little disjointed, with time gaps between some chapters or bunches of chapters. Life got in the way. But this book in its way is also about life, the soul, religion, belief and America. Oh, America…. one day I’ll read this book again and maybe my review will make more sense than this paragraph I’ve cobbled together (is it just me or do a lot of books tend to leave me blubbering speechless with weird rambling reviews…?) this August of 2020 in one of the weirdest time periods of my life – and probably everyone’s life – but for now this will have to do. I enjoyed this book, it changed something in me (gave more levity to my life and grasp on what I value and how I think about things in relation to others) and that’s how you know a book’s good whether you liked it or not. I encourage others to read it if you haven’t already. It’s a weird story but a great one and an honest one I think...(which is honestly my reading vibe 98% of the time). Yeah, yeah, yeah…. Shadow too… I love Shadow. If you need any other reason to read it at all just read it for Shadow. Then that’s good enough for me. But if you really want to understand my garbled mess here then you MUST read the book. It’s very human, or whatever being human means to you. I think you will find that here in this book. Yes.. that’s the right way to put it…
–More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn. This book was all the good vibes after the seriousness of American Gods. I needed its slice of life, its sweet moments, its simplicity, its music (and there is so much music in thisssssss) and its healthy romance. There wasn’t any love triangle and there was barely any shenanigans with side characters competing for either MC’s affection. It was more wholesome and I loved that. It makes me want to have my own Luke Greenly to share songs over text with. He’s a down to earth, sweet, BRITISH, caring guy that I am here for. Vada I loved too. She is strong, and she knows who she is and what she wants and she is going TO GO GET IT. Go Vada!!! Go out there and get what you want. Life isn’t just going to hand it to you. Hard work builds the foundation and then one day you’ll make it. Man, did I just make a cute YA romance into a philosophical lesson. Probably, blame Neil Gaiman.
–Geekerella by Ashley Poston. I need to read more contemporaries, like, for real. I ADORED this. So MUCH. Geekerella is quite clearly a retelling of Cinderella but for nerds. If that doesn’t sell you already… well. It has falling in love over texts, it has celebrities, it has PUMPKINS, it has cute dogs and badass best friends and everything someone needs in their real life. Friendship, love, adventure and a little magic sprinkled on top. So go read it. Now. Especially if it feels like your life is on fire. Especially.

What I’ll Be Writing:

  • Poetry- posted every Wednesday
  • Writing Is Hard | WIP Writing Update- posted in the middle of the month
  • Snapshot! Monthly Recap- posted the last day of every month
  • Announcements- posted as needed

All of my fiction writings are independent of each other and stand alone so no need to read any of the previous work to understand. If you want more information about any of the above, you can check out the About page on my site or just click here.

August Round Up of Posts from Wonderful People:

Each of these posts resonated with me in some way. Some are serious, some are funny, but all are beautiful. Keep doing great work out there guys!!

My Round Up of August Posts:

August was a double edged sword. Good thing I like swords. I really believe that through this hell of a month something great will be happening (eventually). How were your months? Did you get a lot done? Do you remember anything fun you did? This month was a blur for me. I feel like I’ve been running with no destination and no end in sight. It will be okay. I keep telling myself and I’ll tell you too. If you had a hell of a month too, I promise it will be okay.

Everything’s okay in the end.

That’s a quote from something I read and since I am a writer (a woman of words) I trust quotes. And wine. Just kidding.

Till next time,

Twitter | Instagram|Pinterest

Snapshot 7/31/20 // “The Cicadas Are Singing & So Is Taylor Swift”

~ Jai Lynn ~ 9 Comments

Currently listening: “Homecoming Queen?” – Kelsea Ballerini & THE ENTIRE ALBUM OF FOLKLORE BY TAYLOR SWIFT (such a mood)
Currently watching: The Bold Type
Currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Currently reading: American Gods by Neil Gaimon

Is it weird that I think that the music of cicadas in the summertime is one of the most beautiful sounds to listen to in the world? Because I really do, and honestly it is one of the things keeping me grounded in these high flying times.

Summer is and has always been my safe place. I would much rather be hot than cold. I would much rather have more daylight than more night. I would much rather be licking mint ice cream off my lips than hot cocoa from my chin. That’s not to say I don’t love the cold, or the night or hot cocoa. I do. I really do. But summer has always been special to me. In summer, I have no worries… usually.

This summer is different. It looks like summer, feels hot like summer, and sounds like summer with the cicadas outside but as we all know everything is different. Part of me, which I never thought I would actually feel in my entire life, wants summer to end and the fall to come and by doing that hopefully bring an end to this pandemic. The rest of me though is struggling to stay in the moment and appreciate life for what it is right now. Summer… my favorite season…

So that’s where I’m at.

July Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, and outlining my WIP! Check, yes.
  2. Become more interactive on social media! Check. I might have been a little less interactive this month but I was still ON social media so this is a win.
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! Check! I was actually asked to submit something this month by Radiate Literary, which is a super cool online literary journal promoting young voices. (If you want to check out the poem I wrote here’s the link……. #kthanksbye #awkwardselfpromo).
  4. Continue to do yoga every morning! Checkity-check. Check.

August (the month which might be when my birthday is…) Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, and outlining my WIP! I actually started writing the first draft of my WIP of 2020 this month. (I KNOW.) I didn’t even finish world building or outlining or my original intention of planning… BUT the story called to me. So, I started writing.
  2. Become more interactive on social media! My handle is @jaiiiilynn4 for both Insta and Twitter so let’s connect! I’m keeping this goal on here because I definitely need to do better. Even though I still checked them somewhat I have to be more proactive. I’m trying. I promise.
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! Trying to make this one a habit. I need better time management skills though I feel. This is the goal that honestly falls to the wayside the most.
  4. Be nicer to myself. This one sounds easy but honestly, it might be the hardest goal on this list. I have a tendency to beat myself up pretty badly when I can’t do something I planned to do. I am also the type who constantly assigns blame to myself for things I in no way have any control over. So, this month (my birthday month which is fitting!) I am going to try being kinder to myself and indulge in some self care.

What I Read:

–He’s Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. This was so eye opening to read… and brutally honest. This books is meant to give you a major reality check when it comes to dating and guys, and let me tell you it doesn’t disappoint. You will feel a bit naive and, dare I say, stupid after reading it but!!! Not to say also full of hope. With just as many red flags it points out it also uplifts you equally as much. Every chapter ends on a positive note and tells you just how much you are worth finding a good guy, one who is not afraid to show up and be there for you. You’re fabulous, amazing, smart and funny. WE ARE!!!! And we deserve someone who appreciates all of that and doesn’t take us for granted.

What I’ll Be Writing:

  • Poetry- posted every Wednesday
  • Writing Is Hard | WIP Writing Update- posted in the middle of the month
  • Snapshot! Monthly Recap- posted the last day of every month
  • Announcements- posted as needed

All of my fiction writings are independent of each other and stand alone so no need to read any of the previous work to understand. If you want more information about any of the above, you can check out the About page on my site or just click here.

(Omg look at this gif! It’s so cute!! {not really relevant but… w/e!})

July Round Up of Posts from Wonderful People:

Each of these posts touched my heart and I just wanted to share them with you all in the chance that they might touch your heart too. Times are tough and life is short. Any bit of happiness helps ❤

My Round Up of July Posts:

Hey, hey, hey… have you guys heard Taylor’s new album? Like for real Folklore is my life right now. And forevermore…. it’s too real and raw and I’m drowning and swimming and, like, hiding in the woods in a witch hut surrounded by magic and mystery and sadness and hope with ladybugs flying all around me all at the same time…

What are you listening to?

Till next time,

Twitter | Instagram|Pinterest

Snapshot 6/30/20 // “The Month Where I Find I’m Actually Super Busy”

~ Jai Lynn ~ 11 Comments

Currently listening: “Imagination“- Shawn Mendes
Currently watching: Sense8 / Looking For Alaska
Currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Currently reading: American Gods by Neil Gaimon

Finally it’s summer.

I feel like I’ve been waiting a millennium for this season to roll around and now it is actually here. 2020 I thought was going to be a whirlwind and, in a way, it definitely was, I’m just glad that the sun is here now and the heat and all the great feelings that only summer can bring. June was a busy month, so busy in fact I only got around to reading one book which is highly unusual for me. On the bright side though, did I mention it’s SUMMER???

(Me, for the next three months)

June Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, and outlining my WIP! Check. World building brick by fucking brick.
  2. Stick with my NEW blog posting schedule!Check.
  3. Become more interactive on social media! Check.
  4. Continue making submissions with my writing! Check.
  5. Continue practicing the piano and my violin! Check.
  6. Do yoga every morning! Check, check, check. CHECK.

July (the month where there’s so many fireworks) Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, and outlining my WIP! World building is time consuming it appears. As Kaz put it, “brick by brick” my dears, brick by fucking brick. Look forward to the writing update for this month! I’m sort of in love with doing this post because it is helping me keep more accountable for working on my WIP and that’s what I need!
  2. Become more interactive on social media! I’m using Twitter a lot more this year than I ever had and slowly stepping back into Instagram. Just got to keep building momentum with this and eventually it will become second nature. My handle is @jaiiiilynn4 for both so let’s connect!
  3. Continue making submissions with my writing! Just keep swimming.
  4. Continue to do yoga every morning! I feel good! My body feels so much better after incorporating this into my daily routine. Every morning I just. do. it. Then the stress pains stay away all day. Ha ha! Be gone pain!

What I Read:

– God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World — and Why Their Differences Matter by Stephen R. Prothero. I originally picked this book up for research for my WIP but I found I loved it more than I would have thought. This book is so informative and really breaks down the major religions of the world into ways that we all can really understand. I highly recommend it for everyone to read, and really everyone should read this book. Information can only bring us closer to understanding one another whereas ignorance will only bring us apart.

What I’ll Be Writing:

  • Poetry- posted every Wednesday
  • Writing Is Hard | WIP Writing Update- posted in the middle of the month
  • Snapshot! Monthly Recap- posted the last day of every month
  • Announcements- posted as needed

All of my fiction writings are independent of each other and stand alone so no need to read any of the previous work to understand. If you want more information about any of the above, you can check out the About page on my site or just click here.

June Round Up of Posts from Stellar People:

My Round Up of June Posts:

All in all, I’m glad from the very core of my soul that summer is here. I hope it stays a long time…..

What are y’all doing for summer? Any interesting goals for July?

Till next time,

Twitter | Instagram|Pinterest

Snapshot 5/31/20 // “Living Really is a Giant Adventure”

~ Jai Lynn ~ 5 Comments

Currently listening: “I Wanna Get Better” – Bleachers
Currently watching: Oh My Venus
Currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Currently reading: God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World — and Why Their Differences Matter by Stephen R. Prothero

May, oh May, oh Mayyyyyyy!!

I enjoyed May immensely. I felt like I was so productive this month so please let me revel in it a bit universe because I am in such a great mood! I did a lot of thinking (all good things, all good things!) and in June I’ll be ready to implement some of my thoughts into my blog and writing! Oh, and I’m so excited about it because I feel like I learned so much. I read so many books, researched so many topics, and let myself have some fun because you know even though we are all trapped in our houses might as well enjoy it, right?

(Me, living my best life surrounded by learning)

May Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, and outlining my WIP! Check. I researched, commenced more world building and even did some prewriting so….. GO ME!
  2. Become EVEN MORE interactive on Twitter! Check. I’m checking it daily now, and even interacting more with the writing community! Baby steps but steps in the right direction.
  3. Continue making submissions! Check. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.
  4. Continue practicing the piano and my violin! Check, check! Now that I’m practicing more consistently I definitely see a difference in my playing!!

June (the month when SUMMER begins) Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, and outlining my WIP! Step by step by step by step, and then the first draft…. the bane of my existence (i.e. the road block I must defeat in the perfectionistic tendencies of my mind). Working on my WIP this past May through research and world building has really invigorated me so much that I want to share my writing journey with you all so I’ll be attempting to post at least one writing update this month! This will keep me more accountable for working on it and hopefully keep my mind on track!
  2. Stick with my NEW blog posting schedule! Surprise. Some minor changes are coming this month with my posts but they are all good!! I’ll elaborate more later in the “What I’ll Be Writing” section below!
  3. Become more interactive on social media! Twitter I’m looking at you. Instagram, get ready! I’ve had both for a while (and I just went back to Instagram) but I’m going to try to be active on both this month. My handle is @jaiiiilynn4 for both so let’s connect!
  4. Continue making submissions with my writing! Status quo now. Just got to keep making it a habit, and before long it will be so much a part of my life that I won’t even need to write it as a goal because I’ll just do it!
  5. Continue practicing the piano and my violin! Me, over here, just giving myself an easy goal that makes me happy. #NoShame
  6. Do yoga every morning! This is something new I started this month and I love it. I suffer from a lot of shoulder and neck pain related to stress and since the current world problem that shall not be named because this is a positive post happened I have been in a lot of pain. Then, I started doing yoga every morning and honestly, because it did feel this way, like magic my pain went away.

What I Read:

–Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia by John Dickie. This is a great nonfiction book. The way the author makes the language accessible to the average reader is to its advantage especially when pulling from so many sources into one comprehensive text. Not to mention the content of the book itself. I have always been fascinated by secret organizations and the mafia is one of the most infamous. This book starts at the very beginning in Sicily and links all the way to the early 2000’s, even linking to America and then back to Italy in between. The stories are gruesome, made even more so because they’re true and nothing is held back. It shows great insight into where the Italian government failed and also how something as huge and interlinking as Cosa Nostra went under the radar, despite its bloody history, for so long. There are a lot of names though littered throughout and it can get confusing from time to time just who this one particular person is when they were mentioned long ago in the book but that’s a minor complaint given to the information compacted inside. I highly recommend this read, especially if you are interested in history, secret societies or just Italy in particular.
–The Day of the Owl by Leonardo Sciascia. I’ve read this book before in college, and it was a solid read then but not something I would have thought to gravitate back to. Well, it turns out I gravitated back to it and among many other things this reads better with age. The book is a genre I don’t read much of- metaphysical mystery, and in the future I believe that is something I want to try to change. We’ve all read our fair share of crime fiction, detective stories, or thrillers and the metaphysical mystery genre is similar in vein but a different animal on the outside. This genre explores the philosophical side of a mystery. There is a crime, like in detective stories, but in this case there is much less fanfare and more focus on the bones of logic, reason, and underlying study of the reality of what occurs. At least that is how I understood it through this book. It’s a quick read, engaging in its brevity, and takes a hard look at Sicily and its mafia ties. I recommend it if your interested in Sicily, the mafia, or crime fiction in general because it is a fascinating read. (MINOR SPOILER ALERT) Despite the forlorn (and yet realistic outcome of the novella) the ending does offer hope (SPOILER ALERT OVER). My heart goes out to Captain Bellodi, and all the men like him, just trying to serve justice in a sometimes very unjust world.
–The Library Of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey. This book was exactly what I needed. I’m a strong mood reader and this just really fit my mood. Full of sweet romance, Peter Pan allusions and a voracious reader of a main character I adored this story. I can’t even right now so all of you just need to go read it!
–Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. I have always loved Peter Pan, and I will ALWAYS love Peter Pan. No matter how old I get Neverland will always be home to me. This retelling makes a believable prequel to the classic story and I found myself smiling and laughing to myself at all the clever ways the authors told the origin stories for all the beloved characters including Hook, Tink, the Lost Boys and even Neverland itself. It’s a good read for all ages and I know I’ll probably reread it again sometime in the future (for some reason I always need to read something Peter Pan related in May…). Molly was also delightful, I enjoyed her immensely. I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for some good old fashioned magic and adventure.

What I’ll Be Writing (MINOR SCHEDULE UPDATE):

  • Poetry- posted every Wednesday
  • Writing Is Hard | WIP Writing Update- posted in the middle of the month
  • Snapshot! Monthly Recap- posted the last day of every month
  • Announcements- posted as needed

All of my fiction writings are independent of each other and stand alone so no need to read any of the previous work to understand. If you want more information about any of the above, you can check out the About page on my site or just click here.

So, here’s what’s up! I’m changing my posting of the Living Life vignettes from every other Friday to just the first Friday of the month. That way I can give myself more time to focus on my WIP and my new writing updates to share with you all! Truth- I am a slow writer. Also truth- I tend to let my anxiety get the better of me when it comes to working on my WIP. SOOOOOOOOO, in order for me to combat this I am going to hold myself accountable to post an update every month. This way I can share all my writing fails (lol) with you guys and in turn hopefully get some sound advice on how to do things better through the comments you guys leave. It also, hopefully, will help me understand my writing process a little bit better. Which will, hopefully hopefully, lead me to fufilling my dream of publishing a book one day!

(Me, hoping & praying & dreaming [& solving murders in my spare time])

May Round Up of Magnificent Posts from Magnificent People:

My Round Up of May Posts:

It was definitely a good month. I feel like I was much more present in everything I was doing which was probably a major contribution. When you really focus on a task, especially if it’s something you love (*cough* like writing *cough*) you get a lot more out of the experience. Yoga definitely played a part in me being more mindful, and I hope I can stick with it going into June.

How has May been for you? Are there any exercise routines/ sports you love to do? Let me know in the comments below!

(ALSO, SUMMER IS COMING AND I AM READY! BRING ON THE HEAT!!)

Till next time,

Twitter | Instagram|Pinterest

Snapshot 4/30/20 // “In Which I Wish I Was Animated”

~ Jai Lynn ~ 5 Comments

Currently listening: “Yellow” – Coldplay
Currently watching: Hey Arnold!/ Invader Zim/ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX/ School Rumble/ Naruto
Currently playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Currently reading: The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey

So March was bad but unfortunately April was worse. Much worse. I don’t even want to discuss it because I think we all know the news is doing enough of that. So, instead, I want to focus on the nicer aspects of April. As we all know, April showers bring May flowers and let me tell you guys, I am so ready for flowers.

(Just like Alice I want to sit and talk to all the flowers for hours…)

April Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, and outlining my WIP! Check. Still more work needed to be done but I did do this.
  2. Keep my desk clean! Check. Check. Coming along nicely, and almost done sorting and organizing.
  3. Stick with my blog posting schedule promise! Check. Check. Check! As you can see I HAVE STUCK TO MY SCHEDULE! GO ME!
  4. Become more interactive on Twitter! Check! I’m definitely posting more and reading more on Twitter.
  5. Make submissions again with my writing! CHECK. Now to see what happens lol… but I’m proud of myself for at least submitting again, no matter the results! Failure is just as much a part of writing as success.
  6. Change my profile pic! Check.
  7. Be less stressed out! Okay so. Half a check? I was much more stressed out this month than any other this year but on the bright side I’m coming down off of that mountain and each day getting better at bringing that stress level down.
  8. Practice the piano and my violin again! CHECK, CHECK! Yesss, and I’m loving it ❤
(Me, just bowing down that stress level)

May (the month with just the flowers that will bring the stress mountain alll the wayyyy downnnnn) Goals:

  1. Continue researching, world building, prewriting, plotting, and outlining my WIP! This one is staying on here, and spoiler alert may be on here for a few more months but eventually it will turn into WRITING THAT DANG FIRST DRAFT.
  2. Become EVEN MORE interactive on Twitter! Okay so, as you guys may or may not have noticed I do things slowly but I do DO them. It just takes me some time to build a habit so this goal and a few others are going to be repeats and they may appear for a while but this is just… how I work? (*shrugs*) If you’re on Twitter let’s connect! My handle is @jaiiiilynn4
  3. Continue making submissions! Rejection or acceptance, at least I’m trying right?
  4. Continue practicing the piano and my violin! Nothing brings my stress level down lower than music. This goal is STAYING.
(Not to get philosophical, but does anyone? Really? If so, contact me.)

What I Read:

–The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne with decoration by Ernest H. Shepard. I love Winnie-the-Pooh. I really do. My mug I use every day is a Winnie-the-Pooh mug with him, Piglet and Christopher Robin looking over a bridge at the river down below. So what better way to spend time in a crisis then indulging in the sweet, nostalgic tang of honey and wisdom. Everyone should read this. It’s lessons are so simple, so simple, that they are often overlooked a lot by people today. In this busy world we are always trying to move faster, better, stronger. We forget so often to live in the present moment. Pooh doesn’t though. He takes his time, he makes mistakes, and he learns at his own pace. The stories were made for children but adults can appreciate the clever wordplay layered throughout the Hundred Acre Wood. Also, side note, Disney really pepped up Eeyore because in the book he is SO much more depressed. He broke my heart and the ending also broke my heart. It wasn’t necessarily sad because it did leave room for hope but it ends with an experience every child goes through when eventually it’s time to grow up. Some of us though… 😉 can always stay a child at heart no matter how old we get.
–King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo. Okay, okay. Where is the second book already??? I NEED it. Leigh Bardugo’s writing never fails to amaze me and on top of that this is a book all about Nikolai, ahem, one of my favorite characters of all time. Yes the book is a little more slow paced which may not be for everyone but I’m here for it. Everything connects and picks up where Ruin and Rising and Crooked Kingdom left off. The story resonance is fantastic. This book even made me fall in love with Zoya. I know. I know. Now she is one of my favorite characters and I have no regrets. The book is great and I don’t want to give any spoilers away but we do see a lot of familiar faces. Most welcome, and some not lol. This book is highly recommended for anyone who needs to return to the Grishaverse or anyone who is as desperately in love with Nikolai Lantsov as I am. Along with Nikolai and Zoya’s storyline, Nina returns and has her own arc running throughout the book as well and let me tell you I am here for it. Her story is continued and so far I agree with how its proceeding.
–Neon Genesis Evangelion: 3-in-1 Edition, Vol. 1 by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. When I am sad I have two ways of coping through reading. This month I went both ways. Eva is dark, and philosophical. It was an anime that I put off for a long time, one that I had even written off years ago. Last year, I gave it a chance and I fell in love. It’s not for everyone, but it has some of the most relatable characters I have ever seen. When times are dark, I sometimes go for that apocalyptic vibe so this year I decided to read the manga and it brought back so many memories. If you are looking for something deep, and dark and so, so human I highly recommend checking it out.
–Fruits Basket, Vol. 2-5 by Natsuki Takaya. The other way of coping when I’m sad is to read books with fluffy, contemporary, soft vibes. So after the religion that is Evangelion, I did a 180 and went to Fruits Basket. It’s a manga series I read for the first time in high school, and I hated high school, but Fruits Basket (Furuba, as fans lovingly refer to it) made it better. The romance is gradual, the growth from chapter to chapter is incremental but believable, and the characters just make me want to give each and every one of them a hug, lol. Even Akito and sometimes Shigure… sometimes. It’s a classic, I believe, that a lot of people have heard of but if you haven’t and are in need of a hug from a book I highly recommend, lol. The lessons it teaches are all just so positive and healthy. It gives all the feels.<3

What I’ll Be Writing:

  • Poetry- posted every Wednesday
  • Living Life vignettes- posted every other Friday
  • Alternate Reality flash fiction collection- posted the last Tuesday of the month
  • Snapshot! monthly recap- posted the last day of every month
  • Announcements- posted as needed

All of my writings are independent of each other and stand alone so no need to read any of the previous work to understand. If you want more information about any of the above, you can check out the About page on my site or just click here.

April Round Up of Awesome Posts from Awesome People:

My Round Up of April Posts:

I don’t think I’ve watched as many animated shows at any other time in my life than I’m watching now. Hulu is a God send. I’ve got Hey Arnold!, Invader Zim, Naruto, School Rumble and Yu-Gi-Oh! GX all going at once. #Noregrets. Before you jump to conclusions I’m just going to say yes I do watch all of them at the same time.

… (*cricket chirp*)

Just kidding! But now I do believe I hear them calling my name! Which one shall I pick now…

(Me, every other hour of the day when I crave my animated fix)

What have you guys been watching/reading lately? Do you have any comfort shows/reads you go to when life gets rough? Let me know in the comments below!

Till next time,

The Sunshine Blogger Award

~ Jai Lynn ~ 11 Comments

So, we can all agree that it feels like the world is ending. What we have to remember though is that we. will. get. through. this. As long as we all do our part. I know it’s also tough to keep your spirits up, anxiety is making a mess of us all, but that is all the more reason why we need to keep up our positivity. Whatever you need to do to relax (as long as it’s not at the expense of others) I’m giving you all the excuses to go do it, no judgement.

In the meantime, I am going to be over here doing what makes me happy! Nothing is happier to me right now than sunshine. Thanks so much to Sophie @ Sophie’s Corner for this nomination! She is a fantastic blogger, writer and human being overall so I really recommend you check out her blog. Now without further ado…

The Rules

  1. Thank the blogger who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
  2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
  3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
  4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post/or on your blog.

If the situation becomes dire and you have to trade away your precious books in exchange for food, and you can only choose 5 books from your TBR to keep, which books would you choose?

Difficult one right off the bat! Probably King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo since I still have my Crooked Kingdom hangover from having finished it in March, then Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson because I still can’t believe I haven’t read that yet, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid for obvious reasons, Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater for more obvious reasons and lastly House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City) by Sarah J. Maas.

If you can only choose 5 books to re-read, which books would you choose?

This one is much easier to answer, lol. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones and The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater.

What food can you never get tired of eating?

Easy. Peanut butter, hands down. Also bananas. Preferably, the two together.

What is your favorite thing to do in the comfort of your home, other than reading or blogging?

I love to play video games and, not going to lie, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is my life right now.

What are your thoughts about exercising inside the house?

As being a serial pacer, I’m all for it. When given the opportunity to go outside though ALWAYS go outside. Fresh air does wonders.

If you wake up tomorrow and realize that your life up until now has been a dream, and that you in fact have been living in a different country or fictional world your entire life, what country/fictional world do you want to wake up in?

Hmm… this one is hard. There are so many to choose from! Probably, Shadowhunters. Secretly, I have always wanted to kick demon ass for a living.

Which pet (real or fictional) would you choose to be your self-isolation companion?

I have always wanted a dragon. So I pick that. Can you imagine just casually owning a dragon? Come on, right or wrong, that would be the coolest thing ever?

Takeout or home cooking?

Home cooking all the way. I rarely eat takeout since I, unfortunately, get indigestion super easily.

Favorite social media platform?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm….. I don’t know. Pinterest probably.

TV shows or movies?

TV shows. I only watch movies every once in a while, whereas I watch way too much TV. Like have y’all seen the Tiger King series on Netflix? Omg, crazy stuff.

Do you binge-read books or read a bit at a time?

I read a bit at a time, and I’m such a strong mood reader. I love to savor books because you only ever get to read them for the first time once.

My Questions

  1. If you had to pick one book to re-read for the rest of your life what would it be?
  2. If you could meet any three authors and sit down to dinner with them who would you pick?
  3. Are you pro or against writing in the margins of your books?
  4. If you had to choose between eating vegetables for the rest of your life or fruits for the rest of your life what would you pick?
  5. If the world was in danger and you were picked as one of the chosen ones destined to save it how would you feel?
  6. If you could read any three fictional characters to life who would you pick?
  7. If you had to would you rather be a pirate or a ninja?
  8. If you could only drink one thing for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
  9. If you could have any magic power what would it be?
  10. If you could only live in one season for the rest of your life which would you pick?
  11. If you had the power to save any one fictional character from dying who would you pick and why? Would it change the course of the story they are in?

Now, I tag each and every one of you who read this to the end!

How would you guys answer some of these questions?

Sending good and healthy vibes to each and every one of you! Stay safe and if you can stay home. Please.

Till next time,