I always seem to forget that September is part of my busy season, and this September I’ve been busier than usual. Unfortunately, I also caught that cold that was going around. Thankfully, it was short lived, but a lot of my writing time got replaced with napping time. The cats really enjoyed the resulting snuggle piles at least.
In between the naps and snuggles, I started my new part time job as a neighbourhood crossing guard! Out of all the contracts/part-time jobs I’ve taken on in the past 3-4 years since leaving the workforce to be a full-time author, this one is hands-down my favourite. It meets my disability requirements, there’s no bullshit office culture, and there’s lots of fresh air and breaks from my desk. I’ve even managed to structure a new writing routine around my shifts that seems to be working really well for me so far.
During the admin parts of my day (because no matter how much writing gets done, I can never escape the administrative work) I’ve been working on some important behind-the-scenes stuff for Can*Con. This is my second official (and third unofficial) year on the planning committee and I’m loving the work I do. I feel like there’s been even more for me to do this year – which isn’t a bad thing. And that probably has something to do with the fact that I’m the one planning the Spooky Social Party that’s happening on Saturday night of the con.
But Stephanie! What about the writing?!
Don’t worry, I got that done too. Since coming to terms with the fact that The King of Clowns by Throckmorton would be delayed, I’ve been taking my time with that story and really living in that world to flesh it out. I’ve also been submitting chapters to my critique group for ongoing feedback so that I can ensure the story it as good as it can be.
I’ve also been taking my time working on a sequel to The Tunnel. I had more freedom writing Skull Daddy II as that story works as a stand-alone, but this Tunnel project is a strict sequel, so I’ve had to be much more thoughtful and methodical in my plotting and brainstorming. This month, I’ve been working on character studies, so if you’ve seen me writing in a beautiful metallic notebook at events, that’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve got most of the characters fully fleshed out, and there are just a couple more who need some love before I toss them into this horrific world I’ve created. This is turning out to be a slow-and-steady kind of project, but I’m really enjoying every phase of the process.
And, of course, when I need the break from these rather intense projects, I’ve been having fun with my next experimental piece From the Lake. This story has changed so much already compared to that half-finished first draft I wrote all those years ago and I’m having so much fun being weird and meta with it. And I’ve even started chatting with a local artist about some special commissions related to this piece – but more on that in the new year.
Sounds like a lot going on, right? Well, that’s not all. This past week, I’ve been planning every aspect of October. Between personal and professional, I have something going on almost every single day that month. Later on, I’m sure I’ll be grateful for taking the extra time to plan. I always forget that I don’t get much writing done it October, and that it’s my slow season (November through February) when I really crush my writing goals. So, I’ll try to remember to be kind to myself while I pick away at my writing projects next month. But until then, there’s one week left of September to enjoy.
Stay Spooky!
