Hey there! I had my first in-person social event in sixteen months last weekend. And it was like going on vacation. So lovely to see people again and hang out. There were even hugs. Remember those elbow rubs?
I thought I'd let you know what else I've been doing.
What I've been reading
I read The Last Hours by Minette Walters a few years ago. A departure in genre for me, it is a historical mystery set in the 14th century during the time of the Black Death. I picked it up because I love Walter's writing and opened myself up to being wowed.
I absolutely loved The Last Hours and made it one of my favorite books ever. There's tension, and battles, and dastardly deeds, a fantastic female protagonist, and family betrayals. It had everything.
It ends on something of a cliffhanger though, so I was delighted to see a sequel released. The Last Hours was so rich and so much has happened since I read it that I have been reading it again in preparation for the followup story, The Turn of Midnight, that should show up next week (paperbacks only for me, baby!)
What I've been watching
The Pact, a British drama in which four coworkers are involved in a mysterious death which leads to so many shenanigans, twists, turns, betrayals, and intrigue that I am reminded of Harlan Coben (a very nice man, by the way,) and Trapped, an Icelandic mystery drama, a favorite genre of mine.
Neither of these are cozy by any stretch but I've countered that with some easier, if sometimes offbeat movie choices:
Moonrise Kingdom – weird, but entertaining
Eurovision – so silly and fun
Supernova – wonderful, but devastating
Paddington I and II – movie gold
What I've been writing
It's been a plotting kind of a week:
- Detailed plotting for IG 8
- Outlines for IG 9 and 10
- Character arcs for five IG books
It was a lot of plotting, to be honest. I am more of a pantser. I like to see where the story and characters take me rather than the other way around. But I've learned from experience that some outlining is necessary, and I look forward to the deep dives that will happen over the next few months as everything gets fleshed out.
Happy reading!
