Novel-writing requires consistency and fortitude. While I know many people who are able to get great amounts of writing done by simply writing whenever they can, I’m able to write the most when I establish a routine and enjoy certain rituals.

I started 2023 on a productivity roll: well into rewrites of my work in progress, committed to blogging, getting into a groove on Bookstagram, and more. Most joyfully of all, my husband and I are also expecting a baby boy! With the onset of morning sickness, away went all that productivity. Slowly this spring I got my energy back and finished my rewrite. This summer, I printed out the manuscript and began line-editing each chapter.

I finished this behemoth of a book — The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon — and I have SO many thoughts! Keeping them spoiler free because this book is daunting, but I loved going in pretty blind and I’d encourage you to do the same.

Happy Sunday! Who else is watching Season 2 of Shadow and Bone? I finished it yesterday and I have allll the thoughts about it….

Happy Friday and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The Irish poet W. B. Yeats is one of the greats and I take any excuse like this to share his poetry.

If you’re reading this, there’s a more than decent chance that books are some of your favorite things in the world. They certainly are for me. When it comes to reading (and writing) books, music often plays a key role in illustrating the emotions on the page.

Just about three years ago I started working from home… and I never want to go back! The company that I work at now is fully remote (YAY!) and the second I saw this book on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read it.

Do you ever just feel like you need to take a big stretch and a long nap and a nice walk to clear your head? I love sharing the highs of my reading and writing journey here but I think it’s good to share the lows too. I’ve been feeling pretty burnt out lately and I expect I’m not the only one! January and February are weird months.

For the shortest month of the year, February sure seemed to last forever! However, I’m a little bit grateful for the cold weather and shorter days, because nothing is cozier to me than wearing a big sweatshirt, lighting a candle, pouring a hot cup of coffee, and sitting down to write.

Ever since I saw this tag floating around Bookstagram, I’ve been mulling over my favorite moments in media. I think I might share my music & books moments down the road too, but here are some of the moments in film that live in my mind rent free…

I used to pride myself on reading quickly, but I think I’m entering my slow reading era.

I’m one of those New Years resolution girls and tried my best to hit the ground running after the holidays. Here’s what I spent January doing…

Keeping it simple today… here are five of my all-time favorite books that each have a core memory attached to them.

I write because… It energizes me. Writing is like working a muscle, and the more that I use it, the stronger it gets, and the more I want to return and “build reps,” so to speak.

"A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children isn't a good children's story in the slightest." This C.S. Lewis quote has been close to my heart for a long time. I thought about it often as I re-read Harry Potter this year. The books we read can shape our lives. The ones we return to can reflect the subtle (and momentous) changes that we go through as we grow up, and grow older.

I read 103 books last year. Here are the ones that I absolutely cannot forget…

I’ve always loved reading, but I’ve never loved it quite like I do now. I used to have a set, somewhat inflexible idea of the types of books I liked. Thanks in part to Bookstagram, I’ve opened up and learned that…

Like many people, my earliest exposure to the classics was in school. For most of my life, reading Shakespeare, Austen, Homer, and more went hand-in-hand with writing essays, prepping for class, and studying for exams. I loved all of my literature classes, but I wasn’t exactly reading for pleasure. Slowly, I’ve tried to reorient how I view these great works of literature…