Category: Random

Life, Lockdown, Random, Writing

More lockdowns and writings

geethakrishnan75

The lockdown in our State is continuing, and we had triple lockdown in our district the last one week. The good part? Gave me time to write. I wrote 15k words in this one week, and I am rather proud of the effort.

Fiery Magic wasn’t moving forward, so I tried something new. I plotted. Yes. I did. I know. The world hasn’t ended. But it did rain heavily here for a few days. Anyway, it has helped. It is now moving forward, and I’m hopeful of finishing it by Monday at least.

I also started rewriting Soul of Magic. Yet to look at all the beta feedback to be honest, but I remember most of them saying this could be larger. Well, guess what? It is larger. Looks like my cute little novella is going to be a cute little novel.

I am also planning to take a second look at Colliding Forces. I hope that one doesn’t grow into a novel too. Or Bleeding Gold. Or WIzard’s Debt.

My sleep schedule has been thrown all out of whack during this lockdown even if I have work on some days. I have been getting up almost at afternoon, and unable to fall asleep in time during the night. Hopefully. I will be able to get things back to normal before the lockdown ends on the 30th.

In the meantime, there’s all the writing.

Child Loss, Depression, Life, Random

The travails of lockdowns

geethakrishnan75

I know it is necessary here, with how the Covid cases rising everyday and deaths too, but I’d forgotten how inconvenient a full lockdown was. One good thing is banks don’t have to work every day. Three days a week with 50% staff and timings up to 2, so I had to go only one day this week with Work from Home the other two days.

Writing hasn’t been going well, largely due to the deaths happening in our organisation. Many people I know personally died, and I have so much fear for my friends and family.

SPFBO 7 opens today, and I’m submitting Deathless Ones and keeping all my fingers crossed. I haven’t got around to reading much after I finished the Grishaverse, but I might start something next week or so.

I had dreams about my son on most days, and most of the days I wake up wishing I hadn’t. Anti depressants can only do so much, and several nights I had lain awake wishing I were dead. Some days are harder than others and I know I just need to hang in there on those days, but it is so difficult.

I plan to get my writing back on track by this week. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Grishaverse, Nikolai, Random, Shadow and Bone

A new addiction

geethakrishnan75

I started reading Shadow and Bone on 27th and finished the whole series with Rule of Wolves on 4th. My mind is still lost in the Grishaverse to the extent I am unable to do anything. I also bingewatched the show on 2nd, but frankly, nothing compares to the books.

Nikolai is my most favourite character in the entire series. It has been a long time since I fell this hard for a fictional character. I can’t wait to see him in the second season of the show, and if he isn’t going to be there, I’m not watching the show again.

Zoya and Genya are my favourites after that and then the entire Six of Crows crew. To be honest, I liked the Six of Crows duology the best of all. The character arcs as well as the plot was far more engrossing than Shadow and Bone and King of Scars.

I am also making plans for doing some interviews and stuff, and yes, get Out of the Blue and Magical Mayhem to betas.

Why can’t I sit and dream about Nikolai all day?

Help a friend, Life, Nanowrimo, Random, WIP, Writing

Another Friday and More Thoughts

geethakrishnan75

I have been quite busy this month, and for once, it is not work. I have been helping out a couple of friends with editing, and having a lot of fun. One of them had had some quite exciting changes happen, but more on that later.

I also caught up to my camp nano goals, and keeping my fingers crossed to get Fiery Magic finished this month. The rewrite/edits of Memories also is almost at an end. That is a big relief.

Come what may, I am determined to finish applying the beta notes of Life Remains and Bleeding Gold this month as also to finish the first round of edits of Curse of Souls and Out of the Blue.

Braving the Storm is still nowhere, not because I have no ideas, but because I can see it going in too many directions, and I’m not sure which one to pursue. Joys of pantsing. I know how I want it to end, but I need Freya and Hallie to tell me where they are going next.

The Spell of Gods, on the other hand, is going along a way I hadn’t expected. I’m not sure what is going to happen to it at this point, but I’m down for the adventure.

Editing is such fun, but also draining? I have also been alpha reading a very fun Pride and Prejudice retelling with magic and dragons by a friend. P&P is not my most favourite of books, but I do love cute retellings with magic. I am just waiting for another friend to publish her retelling with angels and monster hunting.

Death of Summer is coming along nicely as is Before the End and that reminds me that I should have a blurb ready for Shades of Spring at some point and start looking for betas. Getting betas for a series is such a pain, but hopefully I can nab some?

Depression, Life, Nanowrimo, Random, WIP, Writing

Weekend Plans

geethakrishnan75

I haven’t got a synopsis for RevPit yet, but there’s still time? I’ve got my submission document ready for now. I’m also behind in my camp nano goals, so plans for the weekend is to catch up and maybe build up a buffer.

Even though I’m behind on my goals, writing is still happening, and right now, that’s all I can ask for.

I’m also doing some editing for a friend, and hope she finds them useful.

I submitted my resignation at work. I’m planning to leave on July 31st. Many people including my mom is questioning my decision, but I have no doubts. There will be some financial insecurity and issues, but right now, I can’t deal with all the stress of this and everything else in my life. Something’s got to give and I’d rather not end up in the list of long line of bankers who have taken their lives due to stress of the job.

There are days when I feel like a complete failure, but hopefully such feelings will pass.

Right now, all I am thinking of is the weekend and all the writing I need to do.

Life, Nanowrimo, Random, WIP, Writing

April is Camp Nano

geethakrishnan75

I did finish Wizard’s Debt in March. I have too many things to do in April, but I am hopeful that work being less stressful would help with that.

I also signed up for Camp nano. At this point, most of my nano projects are titled Miscellaneous. Which works since I never seem to be able to stick to one project.

The daily accountability of Camp helps a lot to keep me on track. I’m thinking I could continue to create projects in nano site and carry on with the process even when camp is over.

I am watching Hannibal. Binged most of the first season yesterday and I’m completely hooked. I ship Hannigram so much!!

Taking two days off work has helped me relax a lot. It is also helping me with writing. The writing targets don’t intimidate me as much as the editing and the applying beta notes and all that part.

Many people in my life, people I personally don’t even know, have supported my decision to quit the job to be a full time writer. For some reason, it has brought all my imposter syndrome to the fore. I feel like I need some external validation of my writing from people who have actually read my books.

Hopefully, this will pass in a few days.

Till then, I’ll just keep writing and even if it is trash, it is still my trash.

 

Life, Random, Writing

Some positives

geethakrishnan75

I watched Zach Snyder’s Justice League today and I loved it. Mind you, I loved the 2017 movie, but even then I’d wanted the Snyder Cut and this one didn’t disappoint at all.

I also started watching Hannibal yesterday. Watched three episodes, and if not for watching JL, I would definitely have watched more of it.

Both were good distractions from the stress of work, and everything else. Also, it’s been a while since I was able to sit and watch something lasting more than an hour. Good sign, that.

Wizard’s Debt is slowly crawling along, but I’m hopeful of getting it finished soon. I finished the edits of both Banished Secret and Magical Mayhem, and now started on Curse of Souls.

I also joined a discord for covers, though I don’t know why since I am on a cover ban.

On the whole, in spite of all the depression, stress and feelings of worthlessness, there has been some good things this week.

Life, Random, WIP, Writing

Random Thoughts

geethakrishnan75

March is usually the busiest month in the year for banks in India, and to say work has been crazy would be an understatement.

I’m so exhausted after work, but watching Elementary during dinner is one of the highlights of my evening. I had forgotten just how much I loved this show and its characters.

My reading is more or less stalled, and so is my writing. I need a break before I can find joy in writing again, and without that joy, I’d rather not be writing at all.

I’m finding a lot of joy in editing my finished works, though. Banished Secret has been such a pleasant surprise. I always thought of it as mostly trash, but it has been proving me wrong. I’m rather proud of my own writing.

I took stock of all my books recently, and I have 17 published books. That itself is so surprising. That plus 28 finished works and another 45 WIPs puts me at 90 works in all. That actually awes me.

I’m pretty sure I can add one more to the list of finished books this month, but I can’t be certain the number of WIPs will diminish since I always seem to have new ideas.

Something to look forward to.

New Release, Random, Writing

Some Musings

geethakrishnan75

At the end of another hectic week, I’m home and feels like I’m a zombie. The first week of March has not been good in terms of writing, and so far, this week has gone better. I hope the trend continues and that I manage to get some writing done.

I am all but decided to submit Flame of the Dragon’s Oath for RevPit despite a lot of reservations. What decided me was the realisation that they are not looking for perfection and that I have nothing to lose by submitting. I might even get some useful feedback.

Today I got the author copies of There’s Always a Morning. It is such a rush holding a physical copy of my brain baby in my hands. The book looks so good, and the cover is awesome.

The book has also been selling rather well. Maybe because it is the launching month, but I am already at 15 sales and that is better than any other book has done so far!!

Don’t forget to pick up your copies here!

Life, Random, Writing

Some health scares and other things

geethakrishnan75

The week started off with my gut trying to kill me. Spent a whole night, mostly puking mu guts out and unable to sleep. Had to take Monday off and couldn’t even enjoy the break, lol. Slept a bit during the day, though.

I did finish the first draft of the Curse of Souls as I had planned on Sunday before shit went down, so that’s something. Right now, Blue 2 is coming along nicely, and Wizard’s Debt is also looking good.

I have been reading a lot of gay romances, most of them short and enjoying myself thoroughly. I do have one beta read going on and I am enjoying that one immensely too.

I think I may need a developmental editor for Rage of Gods. It is such a mess. I hope once the first round of edits is done, it will at least be palatable to the developmental editor I hope to hire.

My gut still hasn’t returned to normal, and I feel nauseous very often. Hunger too has been remarkably absent, as has appetite. Hopefully, everything will get better in time.