Catching up on some work I didn't get to this week. Needed a mental health day.
I'm finding this round of editing #FarNorth to be really enjoyable. Partly because the chapters are cut better; having more that are shorter was a good call for the beginning. I'm also enjoying the character interactions more. It's not "perfect" but so far I'm pleased enough with it to want to put it out for others. 😊

#WritingWonders Jul 15
Any kissing/intimacy moments? 😉

So, I suppose now would be a good time to mention that my demiromantic ass loves a good slow burn. Like a really slow burn. Like you may not even know it's burning kind of slow burn.
There is definitely some kissing in #FarNorth, but not all of it is welcome. Sex and control often appear hand in hand when abuse shows up. That isn't to say there aren't tender intimate moments, there absolutely are. Robert and Vic have plenty, Johann and Emily are too cute for words. I just haven't figured out if I give the reader the satisfaction of Robert and Vic kissing yet.

#WritingWonders Jul 9
What are you good at writing?

Yikes, this is tough. It's been years since I've gotten in-depth feedback, and that was mostly for poetry. Most comments then seemed to center around descriptions and metaphors, which was high praise then because I wanted to emulate an Imagist style.
Alpha feedback for #FarNorth included praise for tension, character, and setting. So, I'd throw that in the descriptive category. I see scenes in my head, like a movie, and I try as much as possible to describe everything that I see that goes beyond just the action.

Current Projects
If you want to follow along with progress on current projects, feel free to follow the tags below. 😊 I also update my blog monthly with progress reports and other personal tid-bits.

#FarNorth - my debut novel series. Vampires, trauma, and authoritarian governments -- oh my!
#GreenhouseMuseum - solarpunk slice-of-life altnow short stories series following a group of friends trying to transform an old strip mall into a community greenspace.
#TopicTuesdays - research series diving into different aspects of New Age and New Thought beliefs.

Thanks for being here! Always appreciate eyes, likes, and boosts on anything. 🙏❤️ Enjoy and happy reading!

#WritingWonders Jul 1
What to do about MCs arriving at my door

Back to writing about #FarNorth for the month 😊 It's been fun to switch back and forth between projects from month to month.
If Robert and Vic showed up at my door, my natural first response would be a bit of shock...then to invite them in as quickly as possible. We've clearly got a lot to discuss. Chiefly, how the hell did they get out of the pages and land here, of all places? And what happens after the end? What did they get up to? How are Emily and Johann?
I think, overall, it'd be a bit like welcoming surprise friends in to catch up.

#WritingWonders Jun 30
Playlists

I don't have a Playlist for Greenhouse Museum, only #FarNorth. I can't listen to it while I write because I get way too distracted 😅 I'm also one of those people who sometimes associates specific songs with specific characters or scenes, so if one of those comes on at the wrong time it could pull me right out of what I'm writing.
At any rate, here is the complete playlist...for now! Mostly instrumental tracks with a few 90s hits and some 80s goth vibes scattered in. Enjoy!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ckCohTaHeYbLnUyyFT1Jn?si=ystgArRBQ4uAKgO1YyaRxA&pt=68d68a36bb103f4383b68583af481581

Shameless plug for my blog this weekend ❤️📣
First, an update on #FarNorth and other projects. I'm really excited to put out more things for you all to enjoy! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/byrdbrnz/project-update-may-2023
Do you want to imagine an alternative-now #solarpunk world that focuses on reclaiming wasted retail space? Are you curious about the #WIP I'm talking about in #WritingWonders? This is the story that started the whole idea. - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/byrdbrnz/rebuilder
Happy Pride everyone 🏳️‍🌈 This year, let's take inspiration from fiction to build the worlds we wanna see.

Ok, one last read through for obvious mistakes and then #FarNorth goes out to beta readers!
Does it ever stop being so nerve-wracking to have a work go out? 😅 Also working on Fighter -- a story following what happened between Charlie and Will before the events in Rebuilder. It's become a two part short story all of a sudden lol 😆 I have loose plans to write something for all of the characters in the Rebuilder world. So if you enjoyed that, I'm aiming to bring you more soon!

5 pages away from the end of editing Book One of #FarNorth
I'm excited and a little shocked. It happened so fast

#WritingWonders May 1
3 facts about a favorite side character

Back to focusing on #FarNorth this month! 😊 Thanks to everyone who weighed in last month on the unnamed WIP, it was really helpful in sorting some ideas out. 🙏❤️ Today I'm picking on the Lady Camille Rameriez.
-She was named after Camille Vasquez, the lawyer from the Depp v Herd trial, and a friend of mine who suddenly disappeared from the internet. (Bonus fact: her servant is named Benjamin, after co-counsel Ben Chew🤣)
-After being lifted out of poverty by her wife, it became her mission to lift others up as well, while trying to preserve their culture. She and Lucille (her wife) run the family preservation society together
-Her favorite color is powder blue, which she always wears to functions and is spread out in her interior decorating as much as possible. Lucille never seems to mind since it brings Camille so much joy

Headache/migraine (??) from last night seems determined to force me into a general malaise today 😒
Taking my holiday break early, I guess. Trying to spend as little time as possible with a screen in front of me, but I'll be back to pop in and finish up the #WritingWonders prompts for the month. ❤️ Shameless plug for my #writing that you could read this weekend:
📚 "Rebuilder" - a #solarpunk #SliceOfLife #ShortStory following a heartbroken young man, trying to build himself back together: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/byrdbrnz/rebuilder
📚 #FarNorth update for April is here! Along with some other content announcements: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/byrdbrnz/far-north-update-apr-2023
📚 Last, but not least, a look into the #NewAge concept of #IndigoChildren and Crystal Children. From the history to how it harms the #ADHD and #Autistic communities: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/byrdbrnz/topic-tuesdays-indigo-crystal-children

Have a great weekend and Happy #MayDay! See y'all again on Tuesday! ❤️🙏

I don't think this is how #editing is supposed to go...
Added another three pages and nearly another 2k words to #FarNorth. 😅 It's good stuff, honestly, but I thought I was supposed to be editing down not editing up! Ah well, I think it adds, hopefully the beta readers will agree

@wendyparciak #FarNorth so far has a dark academia, 80's goth, 90's goth/emo, and folk bent. All the main cast is associated with a specific instrument; it helps me find music where they're harmonious or disharmonious. Overall, I'd say there's a dark moodiness that gives way to fight/flight and hope/forgiveness at the edges

📚BLOG UPDATE
It's the end of the month, so it's time for another #FarNorth progress update. Also, talking about plans to get back to writing articles covering #union and other news. My burn out seems to slowly be lifting and a new direction emerging, which I'm incredibly grateful for.
Check it out and let me know what you think!
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/byrdbrnz/far-north-update-mar-2023

📚Blog Update
Updates for the month of February 2023. Finally getting through the editing notes and making plans for beginning the rewriting process. Was a bit of an interesting month, hoping that March allows for more of a narrow focus on the novel. 🙏
Read time: ~2 min
https://buymeacoffee.com/byrdbrnz/far-north-update-feb-2023
#WritingCommunity #WIP #FarNorth

A friend is currently in Utquiagvik and took these wonderful photos. 💗
#Alaska #FarNorth

#WritingWonders Feb Day 1
Intro + cool fact!

Hi everyone, I'm Amy Byrd or A Byrd for short. 😊❤️ My current #WIP is a now four(!!) book series called #FarNorth. The first book is currently in editing, about to be in Draft two.
I'm actually a newbie at longer fiction works! Fun fact: this series has been in the works for the last ~10 years, last seriously worked on when I was in college 😱 I shared quite a bit about the series last month, but I'll be popping in and out this month.
To all the newcomers in the tag, welcome! I hope you find it as helpful and enlightening as I have over Jan. There are a lot of great people with fascinating works to learn about, so I can wait to read all your responses!

Far north. Hammerfest, March 2020.

#photography #hammerfest #FarNorth #psychogeography