Here it is. The Bookshop @ Writing Wrongs, my online bookstore.
Feel free to visit. If you spot a typo or a broken link, drop me a note in the comments here. I’d appreciate it. I was going fast and furious with all the connections, uploads, and whatnot.
BookFunnel handles delivery of both the ebook and the audio (you can listen to the audio in their app or in a web browser).
And if you’re in a shopping mood, feel free to use the coupon NOWOPEN at checkout for 25% off. (Good until October 31st.)
Since today’s Booking Through Thursday’s prompt is highly visual and I can’t drop an image in the comments, here’s mine, the book I bought based solely on the cover:
Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS by Lisa Rogak was sitting there face-out in Barnes & Noble. I was there to buy another hardcover book: Women of War: The Italian Assassins, Spies, and Couriers Who Fought the Nazis by Suzanne Cope (you’re sensing a trend, aren’t you?), when Propaganda Girls caught my eye.
Y’all, I barely flipped through the pages. Luckily, I had a gift card and a coupon.
I did enjoy the book. If anything, I wanted more detail, not less. Still, it was easy and enjoyable to read, and I don’t regret buying it.
Because just look at that cover.
I’ve been re-reading Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. You know, as one does. This bit from day five jumped out at me:
The first is to treat your to-read pile like a river, not a bucket. That is to say: think of your backlog not as a container that gradually fills up, and that it’s your job to empty, but as a stream that flows past you, from which you get to pick a few choice items, here and there, without feeling guilty for letting all the others float by.
I have so, so many books. I feel guilty about having so, so many books, even when I give them away in my Little Free Library. And some books I may never re-read, but I keep them around because 1) I like them, and 2) you never know.
I don’t need to hustle and grind my way through my to-be-read pile. All I need to do is dip my hand into the stream and pluck out the next book. Obligation vs. fun and adventure? Well, I know which one I’d rather have.
P.S. Note on the image. It’s from 2012, so definitely human-created, not AI-generated.
Oh, y-a-w-n. It’s everybody’s favorite time of year, when we lose an hour. I feel as if I should go look for it; maybe it’s hiding in the basement.
Or not.
I do know that in a week or so, I’ll be grateful for the extra daylight in the evenings. I won’t feel as if I should be hibernating.
Last week, late Saturday/early Sunday, my daughter arrived home after another international adventure, this one in Australia and Italy. We spent most of last week catching up, figuring out groceries for two, getting her car squared away, and watching the Frost Giants play.
Also? I’ve been mystified by how an extra person in the house exponentially increases the number of dirty dishes.
On the writing front, I’ve been heads down working on The Marigold Miracle. I like where it’s going, but I do worry a bit about the length. It’s going to be longer than the first book. Although, since I’ve added a point of view, maybe that’s expected. Then again, it’s fantasy, so I feel like I have more word count to play around with.
In any case, I hope to have this draft wrapped up by the end of March so I can let it rest all of April before diving back in.
Also, I have all of March’s Booking Through Thursday posts ready to go. You can look forward to:
Hope to see you on Thursday!
Yes, it’s that time of year again: Read an eBook Week.
You know what that means? It means Smashwords must be having a sale.
All my titles are 50% (but, you know, not the free ones … those are still free).
Welcome to March and happy reading!
It’s that part of February where we get a classic warm spell. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit yesterday with lots of sun, and we’re looking at that for today as well. Yes, it’ll get colder again, but considering that a month ago, the highs were below zero, we’ll take it.
In fact, I saw people out shopping in sleeveless shirts yesterday. They looked so happy.
In writing news, I completed the new opening of The Marigold Miracle. There’s a lot of revision to be done on the existing draft. Even so, I’m pleased. I feel more confident in saying that I can publish the book this year. (Lord willing and the creek don’t rise. I’m always hedging my bets.)
Today is Sunday, which means it’s Jane Eyre day. I’m going to listen and clean my house a bit. It’s getting to the point where someone might question whether I have ever cleaned my house.
Wishing you warm weather and plenty of sunshine.
So, more than a week into my new (very) early morning writing routine, and I’m pleased to say that it seems to be working. I’m getting more words per day, and they feel like better ones. (I mean, they may not be better ones, but they feel that way.)
Something is clicking in these early-morning sessions, writing before the day intrudes. I don’t even check the weather before I start writing. But I get my words in, and then it doesn’t matter so much how the rest of my day goes. Like last week, when the furnace decided to stop working.
I also decided to dive into the slow read of Jane Eyre. In fact, I was listening to my chapters yesterday instead of writing my check-in. And while the narrator is working well in the audio version, it’s really Caroline’s voice that is so soothing. I loved listening to the Possession debriefs, and I’m looking forward to the first Jane Eyre one today.
Well, January was certainly the longest year.
It’s been a lot, I’m not going to lie. But I’ve managed to do some writing, and some reading, and I even made it to the first meeting of my book club.
We read If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. We all agreed that, in its own way, the book was a timely read, even though it was published in 1974. The group was so welcoming to me, as a new member, and I’m excited for next month.
I’ve rearranged my schedule, so I write in the very early mornings, while it’s still dark out. Although, can it actually be morning if it’s still dark out?
When I can, I read. Another thing I’ve been doing? Duolingo. Really. Last year, I was using it to learn a little Italian before I left on my trip. Now, I’m revisiting German. Between the four years in high school and two in college, I figured that would be the easiest language to start with. Maybe it’s that familiarity, but it’s an oddly peaceful activity.
I’m also thinking of signing up for the slow read of Jane Eyre over at The Tattooed Governess (formerly Book (& Craft) Alchemy). At some point, I bought the audio version, and it’s oddly soothing in the moment, too.
Finally, if you’re looking to help Minnesota but don’t know where to donate, may I suggest ICA Food Shelf? They do tremendous work. Currently, they’re ramping up new support programs and would be grateful for any amount you can give.
So, I read 91 books in 2025. This is a good number, great even. Generally, I read between 85 and 100 books a year. (Although one year I logged 118.)
This might sound strange, but in 2026, I want to read more. Or perhaps differently. Most of my reading this year was recreational—which is awesome—but I need more variety if I’m going to write.
Odd thing: when I was commuting to the day job, I was getting that. The fastest I ever got to work (door to parking garage) was 45 minutes. Heading home? Oh. Don’t get me started on that, but easily an hour and a half. (Some days? In winter? A three-hour drive home.)
I was a captive audience; I had to listen to whatever I’d checked out from the library. Either that or drive-time radio and … no, thank you.
This, I realize, really fed my writing. The reading wasn’t necessarily research-related. It was more like fueling my brain for writing, filling the gas tank, if you will. (In CliftonStrengths terms, I’m a #2 Input; I need input.)
Despite how busy I was, I could get several hours of reading in each day.
What’s my problem now?
I’ve confined my reading to (mostly) the evenings. I’ve always read in the evenings, so this isn’t a surprise. What I need to do is add afternoon sessions.
This feels decadent. I feel like I should be doing something. (I blame the hustle/grind culture and toxic productivity for this.)
But isn’t reading doing something? I think it is. And it’s something I need to do if I’m going to write. So, one thing I want to do in 2026 is practice those afternoon reading sessions. And I have one planned for today.
Booking Through Thursday launches tomorrow. Visit the page to get a sneak peek at the prompt.
I’m excited about this and hope we can build a fun book community here this year.
Anyone can participate, and you don’t need a blog to do so. Read all the details on the Booking Through Thursday page.
