I was going to write another peppy post about what was great about last year and what I’m looking forward to this year...

But.

It wouldn’t be very authentic. Because I’m struggling. With health, with hope, with knowing what to do in ANY AREA of my life. I feel lost, floating in a dark place; I don’t know where I am, how big this place is, how to get out...

Well, if you didn't see on my or Thinklings' social media, the comic con was postponed till next July. I'm sure you can guess why. I should've seen that coming, but I have been so busy with all my job responsibilities that the possibility didn't cross my mind.

Fortunately, though, I was able to snag a table at my local mall, even though it was last-minute! I was on a waiting list, and a spot opened up. So I was able to sell Thinklings' books on Saturday, Dec 4th, and Sat, Dec 11th. It was so much fun, especially on the 4th, because it was Shop With Your Dog Day! Click Read More to see the pictures!!

Thinklings’ newest book (Sand to Glass, a dark literary fantasy) has got me thinking more than usual, lately, about mental health, personality types, and how everyone has their own way of coping with stress. . . . It’s a timely book—very timely, indeed!

Hey, everyone! Just a quick post to tell you that I'm going to be selling Thinklings' books at a (smallish) local comic con on December 4th and 5th! :) :)

I'm so excited!! I've never done this before, and I've got almost everything ready now - just waiting on the shipment of books! Got a beautiful banner, signs with QR codes, swag to give away . . . I've been doing some research, reading various articles by authors who have experience selling at cons. (And yes, I've arranged a house/dog sitter, lol.)

I promise I'll take lots of pictures and share them around! :)

I can never decide whether I love fall or spring more – but since it’s fall now, it’s my current favorite! ;)
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Despite some obnoxious setbacks that have happened this month, autumn is probably my most productive season. The invigorating chill in the crisp air energizes me; the oppressive heat of summer has fled, but bone-chilling winter won’t make its unwanted appearance for a while. Fall (like spring) is a reprieve between extremes . . . and I, for one, am not fond of extremes in temperature or weather; they’re hard for my body to handle. It’s also the beginning of hygge season – and it doesn’t get much better than curling under a soft blanket in the evening with a hot drink, some chocolate, and a great book!

I wondered if I should really do a post on this topic . . . I mean, I don't have the most interesting life ever. Unlike that guy from the memes. ;)

But my life sure is a whole lot more interesting now, with Thinklings, than it was back when I worked in customer service (*wince, grimace, flinch, internal screaming*) or just as a proofreader - which was way better, but I still felt that I wanted more. I just didn't know what it was until becoming COO for Thinklings Books!

Ahem. Well, not really a flamethrower, sorry. I know - I want one too! ;)

Anyway, just a quick post to say that Thinklings has a Redbubble shop now! And we'll be adding more designs now and then, general book-lover/fantasy/sci-fi designs or specific ones for each of our books. My favorite so far is the Never Interrupt a Reading Dragon one, pictured above, which you can find here. It happens to be ON SALE right now too, for a limited time! Fellow nerds, rejoice!

Happy going-back-to-Hogwarts day, by the way! If Thinklings had a Potter-esque motto, it would be the one on the shirt above. :)

Here's the initial design for my book, one for mugs, and one for magnets and stickers. When I have time I will make more. (Yep, I put these in Redbubble myself! Obviously, I can't take credit for the beautiful book covers, which were all done by the awesome Nada Orlic. I can't take credit for any of the other lovely artwork, either, which is from Pixabay.com - and yes, I followed their guidelines carefully and the images are free for commercial use, no worries!)

Do you have any slogans or design ideas you'd like to see on a t-shirt or other product? Let me know in the comments, and I'll see what I can do!

P.S. - In case you don't understand the title of this post, it's a reference to Spaceballs...one of my favorite movies!

P.P.S. - Latin translation courtesy of my professor, not Google Translate (lol), so I'm 99% sure it's accurate.

You guys, you guys, you guys!!! My friend Katherine Vick's new book just came out today, and it is indeed EPIC!! The Merry Band (and the first book in the series, The Disposable) is absolutely HILARIOUS and reminiscent of Terry Pratchett books (which I keep meaning to reread) and The Princess Bride - which I did read in college, and the book's just as awesome as the movie!

Find both books here: ​https://www.thinklingsbooks.com/books.html

I recently came across this article about how a lot of authors don’t feel like they have much or any support from their family and friends, when it comes to their writing. It struck a big enough chord in me to write a blog post about it.

​If you follow me on Goodreads*, you may have noticed this year I’m kind of into fairy tale retellings (FTRs). Those are super popular right now, but I’ve never been terribly interested in them, myself. I never hated or opposed them, either, but I just never got swept up in the obsession. (At no point have I felt the urge to write one. Fanfiction? Yep. FTRs? Still nope, at least right now.)