[A Week of] Balancing a Drained Life

November is always a stressful month for me. I always find myself with an insane amount of projects no matter how much I try to clear my plate. It always seems to be the biggest burden for me, what with the holidays right down the block and my new full-time job snagging me from a lot of the time I want to use freely, but there is one part of November that I try to value:

National Novel Writing Month.

This year, I have a novel deadline to meet in February, so I thought that this would be the perfect time to finish it. There’s three months left until it hits, and that gives me plenty of time to make the words flow, all right before the holidays and crazy times sweep in to steal me away.

I did not think this through. Dear god, I never think this through.

The biggest flaw with writing in this time period is the holidays, the extensive workload, and trying to keep your cool all at once. So, how do you tackle it and knock it down? I’ll let you know when I find out.

…I’m kidding, you know.

The best way that I try to tackle my workloads is through a proper balance. I make my word counts for NaNoWriMo first (usually after I get off work), and then I sit down to work a bit at a time on the other projects on my plate. And all in between, I’m listening to some fantastic music tracks or crime shows in the background.

Yep. Crime shows. I promise I’m not contemplating murder. Maybe. Not today.

This month, I have about four projects I’m hoping to get done. :3 Including one to do some proofreading work for a friend of mine’s debut novel releasing next month, which you can read about in length here. Luckily, I just finished up that one as I write this blog post, so that’s some excitement off the plate. Also, preorder it! You’re going to love it if you love magic, mystics, and shifters!

Wanna know what my plan is after I clear my plate? A full month off from all the stresses of writing, working, and everything in between. After I’m home from work, it’s going to be strict relaxation. And rage-gaming, because that’s always fun. I have to look forward to time before Kingdom Hearts 3, where I’m going to disappear for at least a week in order to play it. You all read it here first.

When you put yourself through the ringer and throw a lot of hard work at yourself, it’s always great to try and find something to look forward to once it’s over. I’ve been going pretty gung-ho all year long between releasing two books after finishing them, becoming a freelancer, and wanting to start back up my voice-acting chops, and I think I deserve the time to unwind.

It’s gonna be an exciting new year soon! I’d better be ready for it!

EXCERPT 101

“Gravekeeper” is my current work-in-progress for this year’s NaNoWriMo, and I’ve been working on the second half of the book. I’m through eight of the ten planned chapters and hoping that it turns out well! For now, I’ll share a small excerpt of it, and try to avoid any massive spoilers for the book!

~~~~

Reena sighed. “Why are we all the way back in the field?”

Elijah didn’t answer, setting his violin case down in the flowers before brandishing the polished adult-sized instrument. After straightening his back, he tilted the violin to the right and planted it under his chin, gently tuning the pizzicato.

“Take a seat,” he told her, pointing his bow at a patch of grass. “You’re about to have your own private concert.”

Reena decided to comply with his order, folding her legs in front of her. Elijah gently smiled before beginning to play the nostalgic tune of Canon in D. Reena gradually took in the feel of the peaceful and jittery sound, slowly closing her eyes. Elijah opened one eye to observe her actions before giving the ground one good stomp.

As the music drifted along the nighttime breeze in flow with his rhythmic tune, the flower petals behind him gradually began lifting into the sky from the light breeze. Reena opened her eyes, becoming bewildered upon noticing the petals were practically dancing around him. Elijah’s face softened a bit more. She got to her feet and ran over to him, still stunned as he continued to play.

“H-How-?”

Elijah chuckled, charmed by the confused look she had. “I told you. It’s a talent. Standing in nature is like stringing together music notes. They flow to an elegant sound. And the musician that is controlling them plays and dances only for his muse.”

Reena blankly stared at him as he spoke before she broke into laughter. Elijah was befuddled by the gesture, but he also found himself blushing wildly from the embarrassment that she threw at him. “You sound so cliché.”

“I’ve been compared to a walking rom-com, yes,” Elijah mumbled, fiddling with the strands of hair caressing his neck. “But I was trying to be serious.” Reena shook her head, continuing to giggle. Clearly it wasn’t working well. Of course, it wasn’t going to; Reena was able to read through his jokes and step right over them as if they were spilled milk.

“I have to admit though, I’m impressed with your handiwork,” Reena told him. “Not many people have the will to bend themselves to nature and take advantage of timing. Is that something you taught yourself to do?”

He shrugged. “It’s something that I’ve always done. My mother noticed it first. When I played, flowers would sprout faster, or the petals would fly with the wind, or some other strange occurrence. She said that I have a way with nature.” He ruffled his hair. “I guess the flowers like listening to Vivaldi?”

Maybe that was his own personal tie to the Gravekeepers, Reena thought. He was bound to seal a place among them if she couldn’t keep his mind away. Someday soon, others were going to catch on to his identity, who he was with, how he was discovering them, and that would make things more dangerous for his family. She couldn’t bear to see him crumble even more.