Already Mid-Month

It's already mid-month this week. In about a week and a half, we get the first day of autumn (finally!), and then we'll be staring down the new month. So it seemed like a good day to look at this month's list, writing and life in general. Haha.

The writing progress is still slow, but moving, so that's good. I'd like it to be faster, but as long as there are new words on the page, I'll take it for now. I just went yesterday for the annual booster shots for flu/covid, so one more big thing off the list (plus that gets checked off the list for the day-job as well, so yay!). Still waiting for oldest to let me know what kind of cake he'd like and what his meal of choice is this year for his birthday, but we still have a bit of time. And I've gotten in more reading time recently, which makes me happy as well. There are still ongoing things on the household list (scanning those family photos, weeding out things I no longer want or need from the closet, etc.) but that list is a constant. I have a couple smaller things I want to do for the day-job (need a smaller binder and a new notebook to replace the dwindling pages in the current one), but there's no deadline there. Maybe I'll knock out the notebook later today after I get the last two things checked off the weekend to-do list.

I'm also looking ahead at the November signing event, making sure I have everything I need for that, and starting to think about next year's events (I might have some news on that soon, as well).

We all have these kind of things every week, every month, right? The household chores, the work obligations, the things we actually want to do. Some of you balance better than I do. Haha. But that's okay. We figure it out, eventually.

Before I get back to my list for the day, I have a snippet for you this week from Protecting Medusa.

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            It seemed an eternity before she heard steady footsteps crunching in the snow leading to the door, and she tensed even more, pain sliding up the back of her neck to squeeze her skull. Her breath escaped in a rush when she saw Ryder step inside, and she lowered her dagger to her side, eyes closing for a second. Thank you, Gods. 

            He shut the door and knelt in front of her. “It’s all right.” He touched her cheek with cold fingers, and she shut her eyes again.

            “Gone?” She opened her eyes and found his expression somber, his brown eyes hard.

            “Dead.”

            She gasped, the room tilting sharply to one side.

            “Either him or you, and I’d prefer him.” He helped her to her feet. “I’ve got to get rid of the body.” He cupped her elbows in his hands while he studied her expression. He guided her back to her seat and pushed her into it, then took the dagger from her nerveless fingers. “Drink some of that orange juice, baby. You look mighty pale.”

            While she wrapped both hands around her glass, he tugged her skirt up far enough to reveal the soft leather sheath strapped to her thigh.

            “Nice,” he murmured, then put her blade into it and snapped it shut. His fingers, hard, a little rough, lingered along her skin, distracting her from her chaotic thoughts for a couple of seconds. He inhaled shakily, then pulled her skirt into place, rising again. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Do not go anywhere without me, Mena.” He bent to kiss the top of her head, then strode out to his truck after resetting the alarm.

            She rose, still shocked, then stood there at the door, staring out into the snowy back yard as the sound of his truck faded away.

            He’d killed someone to protect her.

            The thought chilled her. Not necessarily the idea he’d killed someone. She imagined he’d killed before, during his time in the military and working for the intelligence agency. But to keep her safe... Someone who would have killed her given the opportunity. That was the chilling part.

            The Harvesters had really found her.

            She shivered, wrapping her arms around her waist, and turned away from the door. Her mother and Jason were in danger with her here. Far more than she’d ever let herself imagine.

            Fear tightened her chest. She needed to go somewhere else. Somewhere the Harvesters wouldn’t kill her family to get to her. Away. 

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Are you making some time between all the 'must-dos' to do some things you just want to do? I hope so! I'd love to hear about it, and about what you're all reading this week!

Until next week, happy reading!