SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS // 2017

"Have you heard what Mozart's up to?"
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"He's decomposing."

(sometimes I use stupid jokes as blog post intros. now to the highlights of september we go :P)

VACAAATIONNNN! I retreated with my family to a lakeside cabin resort for a couple of days, and it was so nice. Vacations are meant for relaxation, but for me vacations = WRITING RETREATS! So I plopped myself down in a comfy chair and window table and basically wrote there all week long. It was glorious and reconfirmed my dream of being a full time writer someday. How glorious would it be to write, blog, brainstorm, + socialize over the internet all day long? :P

We went hiking a few times over the vacation, and I expected a few hills, maybe just a slight burn in my calves after we were done... BUT THEN END UP TAKING A PATH THAT HAS 437 STAIRS. *collapses* As I writer I have put my characters through many less-than-desirable situations... but I would never torture them to such an extreme as this. :P

Our room in the resort also had a giant media screen projector, which meant watching lots of movies (yay movies! especially eating snacks during the movie xD). I rewatched Interstellar for the fourth (?) time, and it is my favorite movie ever. Someday I'll write a post about my extreme love for it. IT JUST INSPIRES ME AND IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF VIBE I WANT MY STORY TO HAVE. *happy sigh* Just writing about it makes me want to go watch it again. <3

this was my writing view all week. TAKE ME BACK. <3

Random, but I've been better about going to bed early? ("early," hahaha) Last year/beginning of this year it wasn't rare for me to stay up past one, but that hasn't happened in a long time. And if it does, it happens on a Friday night when I'm rushing to finish my blog post. :P I'm TRYING to be better about healthy sleep habits, but it's so hard when I'm a natural night owl. >.<

New song of the month: Dreamers by Oh Gravity. I've been playing it on repeat on my Spotify ever since I discovered it. Snippet of the beautiful lyrics below:

We're the lines in between, in the shadows we glow
As the world falls asleep, we're the voices that don't
And together we sing, what our hearts can't contain
Whatever comes next we'll bring all the stories we make

LOOK! I READ MORE THAN TWO BOOKS! The last time this happened was in May, and before that February. I'm a happy bookworm. And since I don't plan to be doing much writing in October -- just plotting -- I'm hoping for another five next month. 

I just really adore stories. I lowered my Goodreads reading goal last month, and that was really freeing, because now I only read when I genuinely want to read. Which has been happening a lot more -- it's great, but also frustrating because I need to write and work and do school and a bajillion of other things as well. xD

Vengeance Road [3/5] - This may sound harsh, but I am not a fan of western stories. So, considering that, this rating is actually quite high! xD Lots of gun shootin', lots of twists, and lots of me squealing over the beautiful cover. // goodreads

Unsanctioned Eyes [4/5] - Huzzah for dynamic, tea-loving characters! This is an extremely quotable book filled with many witty, fun, and thought-provoking one liners. There's so much promise for future stories from this author. :D // goodreads

Broken Wings [2.5/5] - This is the second book in the Angel Eyes trilogy, and for some reason it didn't click with me? Which is disappointing since I rated the first one five stars. But the reviews on Goodreads rave over the third and final book, so I'm still going to give it a go. (supposedly there are lots of plot twists so that gives me hope!) // goodreads

Midnight at the Electric [5/5] - THIS BOOK WAS SO SURPRISINGLY GOOD. I randomly picked it off of the library shelf (which I normally never do) and read it all in one sitting after midnight. Gorgeous lyrical writing, dynamic characters, beautiful interwoven plot... READ IT. <3 // goodreads

Welcome to Night Vale [3/5] - It's a very entertaining story, but if you're choosing between the podcast and the book... go for the podcast. I maybe would've liked this more if I listened to it on audiobook, but it dragged on at some points. *shrug* // goodreads

this is the closest I'll get to my story's setting in real life :')

WRITING WAS SO MUCH FUN THIS MONTH. Editing didn't feel like a chore! I actually wish I had more time to edit! And coming from me, that's a big statement. But I'm passionate about this story. I want to make it better and share it with others someday. <3

I've been working on the second draft of Where Shadows Lie for several months, slowing chugging through the story. But the vacation helped create some extra momentum, and I'm so close to finishing the second draft! *confetti* I'm hoping to go into "super-ninja-editing-mode" after work this afternoon. I WILL GET IT DONE (maybe :P).

We went up north by Lake Superior for our vacation, and the setting was PERFECT for my story. I sat on the rocks by the lake while editing a chunk of my novel that takes place on the sea. It was epic, even though I soaked my boot in the water (oops). And birch trees! They are what first inspired this story, so it was awesome to see little clumps of them scattered throughout our hikes.

October will be the beginning of #NaNoPrep. (of my superhero story!) I'm FINALLY starting to make progress in creating a general plot line. There is still so much to work out, but Hannah has been a huge help in brainstorming the novel. *flails wildly* I'm super (haha, get it? super? as in superhero? sorry) excited about writing in a modern day setting. That means technology and cities and cars and the internet! It opens up a whole new world of possibilities. :D

Do you people watch? Lisa wrote a short story of her observations on a simple Saturday drive, which was so beautiful. It makes you wonder about everyone's story. <3

Anna has some AMAZING tips on "how to stay sane when life isn't." Check it out because she shares some seriously wonderful advice.

Alea shared this next post with me (thank youu!). It's a very insightful article by a successful author and blogger (K.M. Weiland) about "protecting creativity." <--good stuff right here.

Thinking about a Bible reading plan for next month? Nadine's introducing a new challenge: Old Testament October.

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HOW WAS SEPTEMBER FOR YOU? If you're participating in NaNoWriMo, will you be joining the ranks of plotters in October? Or are you a die hard pantser? Somewhere in between? I hope preparation goes amazingly for you -- START STOCKING UP ON COFFEE NOW, hehe. xD

<3,
katie grace

how was your september, my friends?