Here's a bit of fun today. Open book blog hop is making digital jigsaw puzzles out of our book covers. Cute and fun distraction. https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2024/01/every-novel-is-puzzle.html

Just a little sneak peek of my next publication. My story is called “Suburban Blight”and takes place in a neighborhood suspiciously like the one I live in. When I write my creepy little stories about suburbia, they’re set in a fictionalized version of my own neighborhood called Shadow Hill. You’ll be able to get your own copy at the end of March. Watch this space for more details! #CoSoWriters #CoSoReaders

I had a moment very much like this nearly twenty years ago, when the man who had been my friend was about to become my permanent best friend, my Sweetman.

Like the characters in Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher, we'd both been hurt before and crossing that threshold was as terrifying as leaping off a cliff.

And there it was, captured perfectly on the page. This is why I read. #CoSoReaders

#CoSoReaders I'm reading Paladin's Grace by T.Kingfisher and it's breaking my heart in all the best ways. This is my second book by her (not counting her children's work published as Ursula Vernon). Any fans here at CoSo?

There’s nothing like selling a full series to a new reader. Such a show of faith! I’ll ridd high for days on that. Thank you, Tanya! #CoSoWriters

A bit of then and now comparison, 2007 and 2024. Odd, I feel the same inside.

Finally took a moment to reflect on what I read last year, and I read a lot of good things! Revisited some favorite authors, found some new ones. How about you? https://medium.com/we-paw-bloggers/2023-my-year-in-books-1c2a05980083 #CoSoReaders

Check out these beautiful game pieces for Wingspan! Sweetman picked them up for me. He’s the best!

#CoSoWriters #CoSoReaders Do y'all make use of BookBub? Either as writers promoting or readers finding deals? We're talking about it for the Insecure Writers Support Group blog hop today. https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2024/01/bookbub-or-bust-iwsg-post.html

I may not have accomplished much today, but I did find all of the words and spelling bee. That’s even cooler than when they call me a genius.

My first day back on the clock after the holidays and it’s also a required in office day. That’s some serious disorientation, man.

It's that goal-setting time, and I have some actual numbers to use. (tracked in Jamie Raintree writing and revision tracker.) So, what have I learned?

I'm spending too much writing time on the wrong things. Hoping to change that in 2024. How bout you? Got goals? #CoSoWriters

Took the kiddo for some quality time with goats today. Lovely day. Better than all the presents, good food, and holiday glitz is the time for moments like this.

Christmas wears me out. But, all the work of it is worth it when you get a gasp of delight out of someone you bought a present for. Look at our cozy little crew!

I grew up in the Midwest so now that I live in North Carolina it’s always a little weird that snow is downright unlikely during winter holidays. Still, there is something to be said for still seeing vibrant flowers in December.

My kid still-at-home is such a quiet critter generally speaking. But right now, they're in the living room with two good introvert friends back in town from college for the holidays and their giggles are rocking the house. I'm hiding in my office, half-terrorized and half-delighted to my introvert mom soul. #CoSoParents

Today, we're talking moving from idea to finished story on the Open Book blog hop. What decides which of your ideas grows to fruition and which wither on the vine? https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2023/12/from-idea-to-story-open-book-blog-hop.html #CoSoWriters

Bumbling around this morning, I watered my window plants. It wasn't until the water spilled back out that I realized I had also watered this plastic model of Audrey 2. Hope your morning went better than mine!

It's that "looking back/dreaming forward" time of year again, so my Monday blog is about the best bits of my writing life in 2023. How did the year treat you? https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2023/12/top-5-of-2023-open-book-blog-hop-post.html #CoSoWriters