I’ve been binge watching Stargate Universe, again. It’s strange. I’ve even had a few people point it out to me; I write fantasy fiction, but I love watching sci-fi. I wonder why that is.

Usually I watch television while I’m doing something else. Like right now I’ve got Stargate Universe on and I’m working on this blog post. However, I’ve had large chunks of time this last week when I realized that I was watching the show and not doing anything else. Then I panic and have to get words done. The only way that happens is by me turning on Pandora and listening to music.

But I needed some time to veg out. It gave me some creative space.

That, along with a drive by myself, I got to have a moment to think about Cirvel’s, Elliot’s, Rivic’s, and Steigan’s stories. They are all so closely threaded together. Certain elements have to fall into place. As I’ve stated before, I have to write these together like this; it’s what the process is telling me to do. It’s what my artist-child demands (little brat that she is!). It’s worth it when I receive the gem of the idea that I need. Oh, and this was beautiful.

Sorry, I’m not telling. It’s tangles through all the stories and would ruin the storytelling if it got out too soon.

I didn’t get to my cover for Cirvel’s story starting this week. But there’s a few days left. I’d also like to release a newsletter telling my email list about the new book starting up.

I am so close to having Tangled Magic read through. It’s still not where I feel it needs to be — that’s a gut feeling — but it is close.

Also been working on the audio for Manifest the Magic. Chapter 2 is giving me fits; I have 8 major characters (not including Steigan) and a couple minor ones. Trying to thread together the dialogue into the narrative is quite the experience. There are so dang many characters in this series. I keep having to gently remind myself that this is only the beginning. There will be plenty of scenes where I do nothing but patch in dialogue I’ve recorded.

(Aside: I will say that I wish advertisers would consider what they are putting out there to the world. I’ve just seen a commercial I do wish I could unsee. There are just some sights that can never go away.)

It’s definitely been a week of slow progress. It’s a typical thing though: I think all creative types want to have more done, be further along, feel like they are not achieving enough. Especially if they have that achiever’s personality.

Of course, I was fighting headaches most of the week. They would start in the morning and by afternoon after I’d fought them back enough with essential oils, dim rooms, and migraine medicine, I just felt like I had the stuffing knocked out of me. I also got news from my son which wasn’t entirely unexpected, but it just puts me into another phase of my life I’ve always known would come some day. Even if he were 40, I don’t think I’d be ready (yeah, there’s a reason Arlyn says this line to Steigan — it has always been a reflection of my own life). I went to dinner with friends. And I watched Ant-Man and the Wasp with Adrian.

Let’s take a look at the numbers. I’m sure I’ll do some more talking about this week there.

Fiction words written last week:  4,463 words.

Blogs/Newsletter articles/non-fiction written:  1,191 words.

Daily word goal reached for 184 days! Weekly word goal reached for 29 weeks.

Writing month to date total:  9,504 words

Writing year to date total: 34,668 words

Drawing/painting last week: I started and finished a 10″x10″ painting this week. I had one set of plans for it, but as I worked, it took a different direction. I tried to force it to my original idea — that’s usually when I ruin paintings — and it just didn’t look good, so I moved back to what it really wanted to do. I wonder if I will ever grow up as an artist and learn to paint what I want (as well as planning it, but that’s a whole other anxiety there).

Audio: I spent 8 hours editing and recording audio. This week, I have managed to record Searn’s, Centhya’s, and Laurient’s voices throughout the whole book. I also got Keteria’s voice recorded for half the book. As I was merging voices into chapter two, I realized that Palinade’s voice sounded a heck of a lot like Helana’s. Rather than re-record, I’m trying to work with it as it is. This might be interesting.