Look at my header on this blog. There is a person walking there with a dog. That person is my dad. If you follow me on Instagram you know he died on the 11/2 in the year 2022 when I was barely two months post partum. To say that it was an emotional trauma is an understatement. Add the wars around the world, the economy crashing, impending doom and all that, I haven’t really felt like writing. I tried occasionally, as one does when you’re an authos. And yes, I did pick up my computer on Novemeber 2022 as per the last post on this blog. It didn’t lead anywhere. For most of 2022 and 2023 I wrote nothing.
Which is why I’m so happy to announce that I am not dead. Not as a woman, not as a human and certainly not as an author. It’s now only January of 2024 and I sent the novel “Charlotte Times Two” to my beta readers late last night. By the time I sent it in, I was even proud of it. It’s good, in the end it was something I’m proud of.
You might also notice that I’ve added a new page under my header called Saltbridge Hollow. It’s connected to “Charlotte Times Two”, but more on that at a later time. I’m carefully optimistic that I will finish another book this year and I’ve already outlined it. For the first time in a long time I’m excited about the future.
I didn’t pick up my laptop yesterday. Or the day before that. Or the day before that. Or the week before that. Or the month before that. On the 4th of May I took a positive pregnancy test. Anybody who has been following my blog knows I have tried to get pregnant for years and it’s been a hard journey. As soon as I sat there with the positive pregnancy test, everything else went out the window. Nothing else mattered.
I was suspended from work in mid-September (they’re suspending pregnant workers in Sweden because of risks with Covid for people who can’t work from home or who have risky jobs). For the first weeks I was just enjoying being home. Preparing. Resting. I joined a pregnancy swimming group. Took walks. Finished playing God of War and started a new legacy run on Sims 4. And then…
This morning I was on Instagram and I saw a post on NaNoWriMo and then I started thinking… Back in my regular Tumblr days, when I was a student, before I had published anything, NaNoWriMo was huge. And I usually tried to participate, writing long fanfictions about Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Then I grew up, started working and became a published author. And I never participated in NaNoWriMo again.
It’s November in a few days. I’m not really prepared for NaNoWriMo, not with the sequel for Bittersweet and Sparrow that needs a lot of preparations but I took up my laptop and I’m in full author mode. So that is my big update, I’m trying to do NaNoWriMo, not through the site but independently and tracking my possible progress on Instagram. I’m however seven months pregnant so no promises, both baby and body are fickle and some days I feel crap. But I’m so glad to have the creative juices flowing again.
I talked to my sister-in-law who is a writer with a Tumblr but who had no idea what NaNoWriMo even is. She is six years younger than me, so I feel like there is a generational gap between us when it comes to Tumblr culture. However, I couldn’t believe that she doesn’t know what it is… at all.
How about you guys? You who are reading this, are you doing NaNoWriMo? Do you know what it is?
Ah, Valentines Day. What day is better for a teaser from my upcoming novel “Bittersweet and Sparrow”? That’s right, no day like today. This is the first teaser, a second teaser will be posted on 23rd of February. So what are you waiting for? Click on the read more and enjoy this steamy teaser!
Rathmoria Emporie, a beautiful pearl in the middle of the continent. Even though our homeland has no sea borders, it offers rich variants in climate and nature. Rathmoria has it all, lush forests, stimulating city life and fields that invite running and playing.
Rathmoria Emporie is run by Chancellor Timothy Rathmore, the head of the PFJ party. He was elected in 1688 in the second election of the common era, finally beating the previous Chancellor Kendrick who hadn’t done anything for the good of our nation. Chancellor Rathmore started his first term by growing our nation’s economy and setting the course of the nation. He opened up trade routes where there was none and he healed the damaged relationship with our neighbours.
Please do visit our capital, Rathmoria City. When Rathmore was elected for his second term, he had a vision. To build a new capital on the bones of the old industrial town of Waerdi. The Chancellor oversaw the plans himself and today Rathmoria Emporie has the largest capital in the west. The old structures are incorporated, leaving beautiful bronze buildings, combined with newer wooden houses where the best and brightest in all the land live.
Speaking of the best and brightest of Rathmoria Emporie. The Chancellor has, in his wisdom, closed the old public schools and opened the Ameliorate Institutes all over the country, the biggest one pulsing in the heart of Rathmoria City. The Chancellor has decreeded that all children should be raised at home and taught by their mothers until the age of 8. Then, if you’re lucky, you might get accepted into the Institute. There you will be taught about our country, advanced maths and chemistry and you will get a chance to sample books in the most complete libraries in the entire world. The students who graduate from the Institutes get a unique chance to serve in the Amelioratite branch of service, the Chancellor’s personal special force. The students get to serve for one or two years and if they do really well, some of them go on to have full careers with the Amelioratites. Most of the graduates however, go on to take on essential jobs, have families and live happy, full lives.
No visit to Rathmoria Emporie is complete without a trip around the countryside. Rathmoria has, regretfully, during the last few years had a problem with countryside bandits, so take care when travelling. There are guides to book at the Rathmoria City tourist center and lists of safe places to visit. If you do meet bandits, please alert the authorities and help the Chancellor and the Amelioratites to stamp them out. Stay especially clear of the old town Stochhall Hollow or the bandit’s stronghold called Anchorage.
If you want more information, or to find literature or book guides, visit the Rathmoria City tourist center, or talk to the local Rathmorians who love to help.
I hope you enjoy your visit to Rathmoria Emporie!
Author note: This is a teaser for my upcoming novel “Bittersweet and Sparrow” that is coming out in the beginning of March.
I’m so proud and happy to announce that the first installment in the Waerdarei-series will be published on the 1st of March through Triplicity Publishing.
The Blurb
Rathmoria Emporie, 1719. Sparrow Stonehill, a street walker, is forced to leave her house of employment when it’s bombed one night. From now on, Sparrow’s life will be on the run. Between a brutal oppressive leadership and an equally violent revolution – where is her place? What side is she on in the civil war? And what does Astrid Dace, the alluring general of the revolution, want with her?
A love story set in a fictional industrial age dystopia; Bittersweet and Sparrow is the exciting first installment in the Waerdarei-series.
There is still romance, there are still complicated female characters, there is still tears and emotions and sex but otherwise this one is different than my others.
I shall over the following weeks posT a few teAsers and reveaLs as We get closer to the release date, starting with “Welcome to Rathmoria Emporie” that will be posted on February 4th.
Five days ago I wrote a post saying that this was the most unproductive summer I have had for ages and how it’s good for me to take a break and all. And then the bombshell hit.
I put my current work in process on ice and started another one. And in just three days I’m up 9 THOUSAND words. I don’t know what’s happening but I’m just grabbing my laptop and holding on for dear life.
I start work in ten days. Technically I could be up to 40k words by then. Doubt it, but I think I shall be close. The words are just pouring out of me.
I can’t tell you about it though, because then the magic will go away. I just hope it will be beautiful.
…and don’t worry about my other one, the Saltbridge Hollow #1. I put “A Tale of Spiders and Canned Soup” for hold for over a year while suddenly finding myself writing “Stargazing” and both books are out now and all is well.
It’s summer. Usually my summers are filled with writing, transformation, more writing, reflection, growth and even more writing. I opened the main document for my work in process (the first part of a series called “Saltbridge Hollow” so that’s exciting) it said that it was 5 days ago since it was edited. FIVE DAYS. I haven’t opened my work in process for five days.
Home of the bibliomanic writer 