NaNoWriMo Begins & The Book Connection Review Requests

 

Hope you're having a great week. I'm going to tackle NaNoWriMo again. I'm not as prepared as I was last year, but many of the pieces are already together. I simply didn't have time to create scene by scene details. Wishing all my fellow NaNoWriMo writers good luck!

My review schedule for the rest of the year is full, so please note I will not be taking any more book review requests in 2024. Thanks for your interest. 

NaNoWriMo 2023 Winner!

 

Thrilled to announce that I joined the NaNoWriMo 2023 Winner's Circle in the wee hours of the morning. More than 50,000 words in my Christmas small town romance were written in 28 days. 

Congratulations to all those who dedicated time to write this month. You have the power to make your dreams come true!

NaNoWriMo Project Announcement: Home for the Heart by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

 

NaNoWriMo starts today. This is the first time in years that I've even attempted it. I've never enjoyed the pressure; I write too slowly; it usually takes me years to finish a 50,000 word project due to my other commitments. So, why tackle it now? 

I've missed writing. Though I have a picture book under contract, I have only written one new story this year. 

All three children are now adults. One has lived on his own for 18 years. One of them is gone four days a week. The other one lives in North Carolina nine months out of the year. 

The last few years have brought a ton of transition and change into my life. We lost three close family members, the kids don't need me as much, and real estate has changed in so many ways since the pandemic that have made my schedule a bit more manageable despite being busier and producing more than I ever have. 

This year, I hit my mid-50s and decided that I want more enjoyment out of life. I want to cook and bake more. I want to walk more regularly. I want less stuff and more experiences, like weekend trips with my other half. 

So, I am giving NaNoWriMo a shot. If I don't win, I'll survive. It won't be the worst thing that happens. I am, however, much more prepared than in years past and writing in a genre I love.

Here is my project:

Title: Home for Heart

Genre: Seasonal romance

Blurb: Chloe Bennett inherits her childhood home and returns to Cedarville after her mother’s death. She has to work with her high school sweetheart, Blake Anderson, the town's real estate broker, despite not having seen him since college.

Blake never understood why Chloe ended their relationship. But life in Cedarville has been good to him. He manages Cedarville’s growing tourism business and the real estate brokerage passed down from Chloe’s late father.

When a fire breaks out at the Cedarville Inn, Chloe opens her historical home to the inn’s owners and their guests. Trying to manage a Boston waterfront hotel from afar, she also wrestles with memories of past Christmases. Then a major plumbing issue brings Blake back to the house.

As Chloe’s heart warms to Cedarville, old feelings between Blake and her resurface. With Christmas approaching, Chloe must choose between returning to her Boston career or making a home with Blake in Cedarville.

Because I am a visual person, I put together a Pinterest board for this project. You can find it here if you want to take a peek. I also have a Spotify playlist here.

Wishing everyone participating in NaNoWriMo or any other writing endeavor in November the best of luck and the greatest success!

NaNoWriMo Anyone?

 

It is possible I am crazy. I'm not a NaNoWriMo person. I've tried a couple of times to spend November, one of the busiest months in my world, writing a 50,000 word novel. It never works. That's why I started participating in Picture Book Idea Month, now known as STORYSTORM. Way easier to come up with 30 picture book ideas than write 50,000 words. Yet, I decided out of the blue on Sunday that 2023 would be a NaNoWriMo year. 

One must ask herself why. I mean, this will be the best year for me in real estate since I started. I'm looking to expand my real estate business in 2024. Rarely do I take a day off and, even when I'm on vacation, I'm working. So, why now? 

Maybe mortality hits you in the face every once in a while. You look up to find you have gray hair and haven't checked much off your bucket list. Not that life hasn't been great, but sometimes you wonder if more exists for you out there. And if it does, isn't it your job to make it happen? Who else cares about it more than you? Who else can you rely on? 

So, maybe I am crazy. Maybe I'll burn out in a week. Who knows? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

Wondering if any of my loyal readers are also participating in NaNoWriMo this year. Please let me know in the comments. I would love to follow your progress. Here's to NaNoWriMo and all the writers out there willing to plunge right in!