June Update: Better late, than never

Well, here we are halfway through the month and I'm just now getting around to writing the monthly blog post update. At this point, "better late than never" seems to be the theme of the month. If you've noticed things have been moving a little slower than usual lately, there's a reason for that. For those of you who haven't been with me long enough to be "in the know", I live with a chronic illness/pain that likes to remind me who's really in charge from time to time. Most of the time I have it managed well enough that it doesn't impact my day-to-day too much, but every once in a while, it likes to put me on my behind. Unfortunately, the past several weeks has been one of those times.

The good news is that I'm okay. The less good news is that the combination of fatigue, pain, and generally feeling like my body has decided to file a formal complaint against me has made it difficult to maintain my usual pace. Writing has continued, but it's been happening in shorter bursts between naps and repeated reminders to myself that resting isn't the same thing as being lazy.

Despite that, progress is still being made. I've been working on Cloaked Hearts, Pam's story in the Meddling Memaws series. I know Dandelions readers have been waiting a very long time for this book, and I'm happy to report that the manuscript is finally taking shape. Spending time with these characters again has been a lot of fun, and I'm excited for everyone to finally get Pam's story after such a long wait.

Once Cloaked Hearts is finished and safely in my editor's hands, I'll be shifting my focus right back to the Blackthorne Academy world. I know many of you are eagerly waiting to see what happens next, and trust me, the academy crew has not been far from my thoughts.

Outside of writing, June is also bringing another reminder that time moves entirely too fast. The teen turns fourteen later this month. Fourteen! Around here that means she's about a year out from her learners permit and I am not ready! In my mind she still needs a booster seat, not a driver's manual to start prepping for the permit test!

So that's where things stand right now. Progress may be a little slower than I would like, but it is still progress. Thank you all for your patience, support, and understanding while I navigate the occasional curveballs life likes to throw my way. It means more than you know.

XOXO

Zoe