Read Around the Rainbow

Read Around the Rainbow • Hello, Spring! #RAtR →

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It’s me! And I assure you, I’m as surprised as you are to find me here. It’s been an entire year, but I’m trying to get back into the swing of writing, and taking time for Read Around the Rainbow is part of that plan. I find writing of any kind to be a good way to exercise my creativity muscles. And, as I have a deadline hurdling toward me, it’s also nice to have a little writing away from my current work in progress.

This month, Read Around the Rainbow is talking spring! And while that is a rather broad topic, with any number of interpretations, I’m pretty sure none work particularly well for me. But let’s give it a go!

Spring Stories

The truth is, I don’t usually write stories that take place in spring. Other than The Death of Digby Catch—which takes place during the week of World Naked Gardening Day—I’m not at all sure I have another story that takes place during this time of the year. Maybe Watching Elijah Fall? But I honestly don’t know, and I guess I’m too lazy to try and figure it out. LOL The thought that I don’t is odd, because I love spring. Just not as much as fall. But there’s no shame in second place!

Now I feel determined to write another springtime story!

Green Covers

Though I might argue that the Digby Catch cover is greenish—I used to have the walls of my house painted that color and in the right light it was definitely green—I’d have to say, that once again, I only have one story with a green cover.

The Twelve Coffins of Dr. Coffin is truly an anomaly for me, with the story taking place in the late summer (Summer! Yuck!) of 1959’s Hollywood, (I never write period!) it is the greenest of all the green covers!

The Twelve Coffins of Dr. Coffin not only has my favorite title of all my books, but it also might be my favorite cover. My one regret is that it wasn’t longer. I wrote if or JMS Books 13th Anniversary celebration, so the word count was limited. But if I could go back in time, I’d like to have written it as a long novella or even novel length. *sigh*

Well, that seems to be it for now! I’m still scratching my head about my lack of spring and green, but it is what it is. Hopefully, I’ll not only be back next month but not suck so much at the topic. LOL

You can check out the other Read Around the Rainbow authors by clicking their names below!

Addison Albright • Holly Day • Lillian Francis • Fiona Glass • Ofelia Gränd • Nell Iris

A.L. Lester • K.L. Noone • Ellie Thomas

See you in April!

Read Around the Rainbow • Would You Rather... #RAtR →

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Hello again! It’s nearly the end of January, and so far this year I’ve managed to stick to the promise I made myself—Notice how I avoided the word resolution? That word has failure written all over it!—to take more time for writing and editing and keeping up with my monthly RAtR posts. Allowing myself time is something I’m particularly bad at. There is always something—or someone—else that needs my attention, and these moments, no matter how limited, can feel selfish. But after the last three years, I’m determined to make my mental health more of a priority and grab a little fun for myself.

This month Read Around the Rainbow is answering a few would you ever… questions. We are a group of authors spread across the map, so I’m interested to see how my answers line up with everyone elses.

I’ve never participated in a would you ever… post, and it sounds like fun. I haven’t really looked at the questions yet, but it seems like three questions wouldn’t make for a particularly long post, but being that I tend to go on and on—something that is exclusive to my writing and not me in person—we’ll find out together.

So, let’s get into it…

Would you rather publish one insanely great-selling book and never write again … or publish a string of 15 average-selling books over 20 years?

This is a hard one to answer, because who wouldn’t want a wildly successful selling book? But to never write again?!! That might just be too much to ask. Also, you’d have to assume that there are certain things a wildly successful book would bring with it—book tours, interviews, expectations, everyone knowing who you are—that are far less wonderful.

But if I could have a wildly successful selling book, and be able to write but not publish? That might be okay. I’ve sworn off writing before, only to have it call to me like a siren. I don’t think I could cut writing out of my life, but I might be able to cut out the publishing aspect of it and be content. And then, if I did it right, someday when I’m gone, my grown children would find my writing and think…wow, mom was quite the perv. #lifegoals

Would you rather be recognized wherever you go… or live a quiet (monetarily successful) life of anonymity?

I think I accidentally answered this one above. I am an introvert. I find the idea of being recognized everywhere absolutely horrifying! LOL

Would you rather write in a rooftop garden surrounded by city noises — or in a quiet studio with cows as your neighbors?

This is an easy one! The rooftop garden, surrounded by city noises! For me, nothing sparks creativity like the city, and everything that goes along with it.

Shortly after I was first married, my husband and I seriously considered purchasing an old Victorian in the middle of downtown. This was in the early 2000s when you could still afford a 100+ year old mansion of a house. One of my husband’s arts school buddy’s father had purchased it as a place for his son to live off campus, and after he graduated was selling the place. It was beautiful, and everything I always wanted. But we were young, and in the end were scared off by the cost of furnaces and windows and paying to heat a house with so many fireplaces. I still regret it.

But someday, when the children are out of school and we no longer have to worry about good school districts, we haven’t ruled out grabbing one of those lovely highrise condos with their view of the city lights to write by.

Well, that was longer than I thought but not as long as normal. Go me! Now, go check out how everyone else answered! That’s what I’m going to do!

You can check out the other Read Around the Rainbow authors by clicking their names below!

See you in February!