A Week of Highs and Lows

Last week was a bit of a rollercoaster. I experienced a proper up-and-down of polarised emotions. Everyone experiences highs and lows, but when the lows hit, it’s not easy to remember you’re not alone and that they will pass. We’ve got to get through it, and that’s the difficult part.

Last week started with an uphill struggle because, as you know, I was trying to find reading material I enjoyed. However, it settled. Things with the day job were going well, and I’d found a couple of books I might enjoy, so I ordered them from my library. Plus, I did lots of work on my current WIP.

On a High

The peak came when my author copies of Austen Tea Party arrived on Wednesday. I eagerly opened my first published work in paperback format. It was so strange to see my name and the words I’d written in print. I had to sit and hold a copy for a while before it felt real. Have you got your copy yet? Click here if not.

Downhill Again

The next day, I plummeted into stress and anxiety because of a family issue. It’s nothing that can’t be sorted out, but at the time it hit light a punch to the gut. The problem still hasn’t been completely resolved yet, but I hope the stress will evaporate by the end of this week.

However, last week ended on a positive because I wrote some new flash fiction which I hope you enjoyed. It was a little on the dark side, but I’m putting that down to my emotional state at the time of writing, and a little fixation I’ve developed for vampires recently.

Keep it Steady

Fingers crossed, this week will be less high and low and more of a steady, bump-free journey. I’d like a nice monorail meander through the week. Will I get it? That remains to be seen.

Thanks to those who gave recommendations to help me out of the reading slump I discussed in my last post. I’ve added quite a few things to my TBR list, and I’ve already made a start on venturing into different genres. I took a giant leap out of my comfort zone and picked up a copy of The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett.

I finished the book yesterday and I don’t know what to make of it. While the world-building was excellent, I found the characters to be flat, and I didn’t seem to connect with them. The narrative was broken into four parts, which I felt could have been stand-alone short stories, mainly because the author repeated some details. There are 35 books in the Discworld series, but even though I felt some of the unfinished threads in this story may be resolved in later books, I doubt I’ll be reading any more.

Next week it’s National Read a Book Day in the US, so I’ll be using that as an excuse to talk about more books. Like I need an excuse! Will you be joining me and what are you currently reading?