This is going to be a boring roundup since I’ve spent the entire month of November writing and editing!
Yep, I’ve been getting down to work for National Novel Writing Month which hasn’t left me with much time to read books or play games. I’ve also severely neglected this blog due to the pressure of NaNoWriMo, so apologies to all!
But Christmas is coming, and with it, a chance to relax…
What I’ve Been Writing
The question should be what haven’t I been writing this month? Because it feels like everything! I started November off strong by diving into my NaNoWriMo project. This is a new adult fantasy project which is a mix between historical fantasy and steampunk. Here’s a very early description:
Twelve gods rule over their own domain and the Mortals who reside there. Those Mortals who consider their god cruel find shelter in the only domain the gods cannot touch; Chime, the city of the godless, and a melting pot of the weird and wonderful. One godless woman discovers she truly is godless after summoning powers which belongs to none of the twelve, but her need to discover her patron god will throw the careful balance of gods, and the godless of Chime, into chaos.
I wrote a staggering 80,000 words on this beast, blasting my NaNoWriMo target!
Sadly, I’m not done yet and I still need to finish off the rest of my project. Towards the end of November my edits came in for Fire Walker, so I’ve needed to switch and make finishing off the sequel to Sand Dancer my priority. Lots of writing and editing!
What I’ve Been Reading
Despite juggling NaNoWriMo this month, I did manage to fit in two amazing books. First, I read the conclusion to the epic The Poppy War series by R. F. Kuang which ended more or less how I expected it and brought about much tears and screaming. Thank you for such a glorious fantasy series! I can’t wait to see what the author works on next.
I also got around to reading Ninth House by my new favourite author Leigh Bardugo, and WOW. This is one of the best books I’ve read in years, it was truly everything I ever wanted from a modern-day fantasy. The writing style was much more detailed and intricate than Bardugo’s YA fantasy series, and whilst I loved those, Ninth House is miles ahead in terms of pacing, plot, characterisation and everything else. I felt like I was watching a fantasy TV drama, it was just that good. Apparently there is a massive wait for the sequel, which pains me, as I desperately need more Darlington in my life.
I’m looking forward to reading the final book in the An Ember in the Ashes series next month!
What I’ve Been Playing
Honestly, I’ve been so busy that I’ve not had time to play much this month. My Skyrim addiction is well and truly over. However, my most anticipated game of the decade is coming out next month! Cyberpunk 2077! I’ll be racing to get my writing projects wrapped up before this beauty launches… Expect me to start writing cyberpunk fiction in 2021 haha!
Well that has been a very busy month, but I’m excited for some time off work over December to get some projects wrapped up!