Life is steadily settling into some kind of normal – though not the one we were used to before Lockdown. My shopping expeditions are still infrequent and stressful and though we have been out for a few meals and cups of tea, it still feels odd. The big bonus continues to be that we can see family – although we have to be mindful of those who are shielding as Himself is a key worker.
Reading
I read sixteen books in August with again, no DNF’s. It’s turning into an outstanding reading year for SFF generally, which is just as well as 2020 is going to be remembered for all the wrong reasons, otherwise. My Outstanding Book of the Month is A Memory Called Empire – Book 1 of the Teixicalaan series by Arkady Martine and my Outstanding Audiobook of the Month is Charlotte Sometimes – Book 3 of the Aviary Hall series by Penelope Farmer. My reads during August were:
The Mother Code by Carol Stivers – see my review
AUDIOBOOK Finding the Fox – Book 1 of The Shapeshifter series by Ali Sparkes. Review to follow
The Last Astronaut by David Wellington. Review to follow
Deadly Waters by Dot Hutchison – see my review
The Ghost Fields – Book 7 of the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths – mini-review to follow
Chasing the Shadows – Book 2 of the Sentinels of the Galaxy series by Maria V. Snyder. Review to follow
Grave Secrets – Book 1 of the Lavington Windsor Mysteries by Alice James – see my review
NOVELLA Silver in the Wood – Book 1 of The Greenhollow Duology by Emily Tesh. Mini-review to follow
A Memory Called Empire – Book 1 of the Teixcalaan series by Arkady Martine – OUTSTANDING BOOK OF THE MONTH Review to follow
Afterland by Lauren Beukes – see my review
Snowspelled – Book 1 of The Harwood Spellbook by Stephanie Burgis. Mini-review to follow
AUDIOBOOK Starless by Jacqueline Carey. Review to follow
Every Sky a Grave – Book 1 of The Ascendance series by Jay Posey – see my review
AUDIOBOOK Charlotte Sometimes – Book 3 of the Aviary Hall series by Penelope Farmer – OUTSTANDING AUDIOBOOK OF THE MONTH. Review to follow
Fearless by Allen Stroud – see my review
Ink & Sigil – Book 1 of the Ink & Sigil series by Kevin Hearne – see my review
Writing and Editing
Mantivore Warrior was released at the end of August, as planned and overall I was pleased with the way it went. I worked on Picky Eater 2, between editing and preparing Warrior, editing my Creative Writing textbook How To Write Authentic Characters, and making a start on the series of short, instructional videos I shall be releasing alongside the book. So it won’t come as a surprise to learn that I haven’t made all that much progress on the second Picky Eaters book. And as I need to get the videos filmed during September, when the light levels are still good, I don’t foresee that much progress is going to be made in the coming month, either.
Overall, I wrote just under 38,000 words in August, with just over 20,000 on the blog, and 12,500 on my writing projects, which is fairly dire. No point in beating myself up about it, though – unless I can produce a writing clone, there are always going to be months when my productivity goes down. This brings my yearly wordcount to date to just over 321,500 words.
Blogging
I have spent more time on my blog, and I’m pleased with the new Cover Love feature and the ongoing Tuesday Treasures. It’s worth it, because during this year, I’ve found the blog a source of great comfort. Take care and stay safe.x
Brainfluff 
Congrats on finishing your second trilogy! I have to check it out!!!! 🙂
Thank you, Anne:). This one turned out to be unexpectedly emotional. The Arcadian Chronicles was one of the first trilogies I completed and Mantivore Dreams had several near misses with traditional publishers. So this one is dear to my heart and seeing it out there, with grumpy old Vrox’s story now complete, has been wonderful.
Oh wonderful! I grabbed the first one, and am looking forward to it so much!
Thank you! I very much hope you enjoy it:))
Sounds like a very successful month both reading and writing, Sarah.
Thank you, Carla:). Yes, it’s been an amazing reading year – and so far, I’m pleased with the way the writing has gone, too:)).
You always amaze me with how diverse you read. It’s wonderful! I do hope that I can learn to be so adaptable.
Hope you are well otherwise. It does take some time to for things to get back to normal hey… We are almost there in South Africa and I’m looking forward to a bit of holidays in a week’s time. Yea!
Hope you will have a great week!
The Sunday Post #11
Aw – thank you for your lovely compliment, Mareli:)). And yet – I look at a number of other bloggers and shake my head at how narrow my reading interests are in comparison! I think we are all on our own particular journeys, regarding our reading lives. It is such a very personal thing – that we need to honour where we are and what we do… I regard reading as FUN and so I pick the books I think I’m going to love:). While there are a number of other folks who read to become better informed and educated.
2020 is definitely a very strange year. Everytime I go somewhere and see everyone wearing masks, I feel like I’m looking at a scifi movie instead of real life.
Sixteen books in a month is amazing. Great job 😉
Have a great week and happy reading.
Thank you, Maureen – and oh yes… I’ll absolutely agree with you regarding the strangeness! Yes… 16 books – guess who’s running from reality and hiding between the covers??
Looks like a fantastic reading month! I really want to read more Elly Griffiths and I love the look of Grave Secrets. I’ve been reading almost exclusively cozy mysteries lately but I think I need to branch out a bit!
I’ve been really enjoying the direction that the Ruth Galloway mysteries take – and Grave Secrets is just a hoot. Right now, reading whatever you feel like picking up is a given.xxx
Wow, 16 books, that’s so impressive, my reading has been much slower this year, I may not even make my standard 100 books in a year which is practically unheard of.
Lynn 😀
Yes – well I’m reading to escape!