And here we are in March, already… The final week of February proved to be a bit grim as I became ill and rather miserable. The unending rain didn’t help, either… Nonetheless, it proved to be a reasonably productive month as I wrote just over 49,000 words altogether, with nearly 35,500 words on Mantivore Warrior, just over 11,500 words on the blog and just over 2,000 in lesson planning and evaluations.
Reading
I read twelve books in February and DNF’d an audiobook because I couldn’t get on with the narrator – the first time that’s happened to me. This is the list of twelve books I completed:
You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce – my outstanding read of the month
The Case of the Reincarnated Client – Book 5 of the Vish Puri series by Tarquin Hall
AUDIOBOOK Uprooted by Naomi Novi – audio read of the month
A Blight of Blackwings – Book 2 of the Seven Kennings series by Kevin Hearne
P is for Pluto – Book 3 of the Molly Marbles series by Jackie Kingon
AUDIO
BOOK Salt Lane – Book 1 of the DS Alexander Cupidi series by William Shaw
Sacred Bride – Book 3 of the Olympus series by David Hair & Cat Mayo
Skyward – Book 1 of the Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson
The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter
Murder Your Darlings – Book 3 of the Francis Meadowes series by Mark McCrum
Magic Bites – Book 1 of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews
Writing
I was some 75,000 words into Mantivore Warrior and decided that I was within touching distance of the end – so decided to blast for the finishing line. A mistake – I was nothing of the sort, given that I had a fair amount to tie up in this the last of the trilogy. And as I tried to prioritise my writing to the exclusion of everything else – I was a bit dismayed at just what a struggle it was as there are still a lot of calls on my time. And the stress of trying to push so hard pitchforked me back to feeling dreadful, both physically and mentally… Let’s hope I’ve learnt that lesson and don’t make the same mistake next time around.
Blogging
Given the car-crash I made of managing my work/life balance at the end of the month (I didn’t…) it won’t be a surprise to learn that keeping the blog going was an almighty fail. Sorry folks. It doesn’t help to drop all the balls, I know. But hopefully this won’t happen again! On the plus side, I’ve been buoyed and comforted by the kind messages and encouragement that I’ve been receiving about my decision to ease down on my blogging frequency. Thank you so much for taking the time to send said comfort – it’s been mightily appreciated and certainly justifies my decision NOT to completely walk away from my blog.
Brainfluff 
Good luck with everything, I know it’s hard to balance our busy lives. I’ve personally been so distracted by the coronavirus, as everyone has, I’m sure, that it’s been hard to focus on reading and blogging.
To be honest, it’s only the last 24 hours I’ve even really been aware of the growing issue regarding the coronavirus… But then I’ve been wrapped up on a planet a long way away with a draconic alien struggling to keep his species from going extinct!
It was a bit of a shock listening to the PM discussing the threat of the upcoming pandemic this evening:(
It is very hard to get to that work/life balance I feel you.
Thank you, Kimberly – yes… I haven’t nailed, that’s for sure!
Uprooted was one of the first audiobooks I listened to and bought. I LOVE it! (Actually I won a giveaway and could choose any audio as a prize and picked it)
We all have our problems with work / life balance. I’m taking a break from house projects because I’m just feeling tired and with everything going on in the world I’m resting up for the next round of things I need to do. Best wishes!
Thank you, Anne for your comforting words. I can understand why you would want to take a break from your house projects – you have been full-on since you’ve moved, haven’t you? And I’m glad that you loved Uprooted as an audiobook, too:)
Even when you’re feeling under the weather you manage to achieve so much. It’s very impressive. Stay well and enjoy taking a (slight) step back from blogging 😀
Lynn
Thank you, Lynn. To be honest, when I’m feeling quite so grim, I tend to throw myself into work to escape…
If you managed to achieve so much while feeling under the weather, I wonder at what you can do when you are free from troubles! Jokes aside, you can be quite proud of your accomplishments!
And I hope that you keep getting better 👍
Thank you, Maddalena:)). To be honest, I was more or less working flatout, anyway – I think that’s one of the reasons why I became ill…
I am glad ye did not decide to give up the blog because ye be one of me favourite bloggers. I am stuck inside due to the corona virus panic and so inadvertently have free time to FINALLY read a book. Plus the kittens are all being super cuddly. Looking at the bright side. Arrrr!
x The Captain
Thank you, Cap:). I love the book blogging community too much to want to walk away – and with what’s coming up, I’m guessing many of us are going to find ourselves stuck indoors with some extra reading time on our hands. Glad the kittens are being so cuddly – we take our comfort where we can:)).
What you wrote about being so close to the end that you just tried to power through it – oh my goodness, how I related to that sentiment. I’m often doing them and ending in all kinds of meltdowns because it didn’t really work out and I just ended with a burnout and high stress. Hope you do finish it in March but if you don’t, hopefully that work/life balance was still there and made it all worth it!
Thank you, Athira:). I should have known better! My books generally pan out longer – and yes… I did successfuly complete it in March, but I was exhausted by that stage. I’m leaving it alone before I start the editing phase and moving onto something else in the meantime.
Hey, what matters is that you plucked up and feel in better health again. Sickness sucks enough as it is, and blogging should NEVER be a source of stress. xxxxxx
Thank you, Jean. And yes – I’m still trying to get it right, but I really, really don’t want to stop the blog because it is such a source of comfort:))