November Wrap-Up + December Fun

Disclaimer: All links in this post are to the books’ respective Goodreads’ page. The images in the post are all my own. 

Wow, yes, I know what you must be thinking: Didn’t you say November was meant to be a review heavy month? And yes, I did, but I didn’t realise how much NaNoWriMo would take up. So why did you try to juggle a review heavy month and NaNoWriMo in the same month? Because I’m just the worst. I thought I could juggle but apparently I just have no idea how to juggle or what juggling even is? Isn’t it something to do with circles and then you loop it around your hips? It’s obviously that one, right?

So this post is sort of a November wrap-up, and what’s to be expected of December. I’m traveling for most of December and January (travelling with my parents to Australia to stay with my aunt and uncle and then we all fly over to New Zealand to spend Christmas and New Years with some cousins. As of now (like I’m editing this post on the 24th of December), we’re in Hamilton, New Zealand). My mom’s busy making little boxes with Hershey’s kisses inside (and I helped to close the boxes and there were too many Hershey’s as well…), my aunt’s finishing up with Pavlova; and they’re both annoying me with all their countless singing.

We’re in New Zealand for 19 days and it’s back to Melbourne again. I know we’re going to Hobbiton (I’m bringing my copy of The Hobbit so I can pose with it in front of a Hobbit Hole. And then hide somewhere so I just stay there). We’re also going to Waitomo caves, and I’ve seen the photos; they look gorgeous and I’m super interested. And we’ve a lot more things to do!

I’m not sure how my schedule will be, though, blog posting wise. Maybe I’ll be able to post some Top Ten Tuesday posts, maybe even a review; but it’ll mostly be follow-up posts – what I’m busy doing. More personal than posts about books, yes, but still fun. And yes, I’ll also add some photos in – scenery and all. But now and then we see some brands that we have back in SA and that makes me a bit happy.

Here’s some photos already!!

– Apparently there’s this street (In Melbourne) where most of the houses go all out with Christmas lights and people just come and look? Sometimes with their dogs! My parents and I had a good laugh – if you tried this in South Africa the lights would be stolen some or other time. 

– ISN’T THAT A BEAUTIFUL BOOKSTORE NAME??? I think I probably squealed when I saw it (and then I saw it had Elvish on the inside window and immediately called for my dad!) 

 

November wrap-up

Books read: 3 – I was actually impressed that I read any? Mostly since I was so busy writing.

• The Dark Beneath the Ice (I loved this!)
• Thrall (I went into this thinking it was a paranormal romance (it wasn’t) and I wasn’t even unhappy – that it wasn’t a paranormal romance!)
• Jilted (THE BEST!!!! Definitely a must read!!!)

Currently reading: 3 (I started all three of these books in November and haven’t finished them yet). 

• Scythe
• Moonshadow’s Guardian
• The Swooning Moon Saga: Wing Walker

Writing:

So, I didn’t end up winning NaNoWriMo! I realised that within the first week. I had a flare up (RA, so my wrists have real fun with that), so that took me off writing for a few days. But I did my best to write at least a thousand words each day. And then it felt like NaNoWriMo carried on to December too (well, at least the first half of the month!)

So I’m VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT I’VE REACHED 35 000 WORDS (hit it on the 12th of December). LIKE WHAT?????? 35 000 WORDS OF THIS STORY THAT GREW FROM A RANDOM THOUGHT I HAD AFTER WATCHING A MOVIE???

Like I know this is only a first draft but it’s just wow to me?? And yes, I know that’s not actual words but listen I’ve written over thirty THOUSAND WORDS; I’m allowed to use words that aren’t words.

I’m currently (as I’m writing this, it’s the 12^th of December) writing Chapter 11, and I have no idea if that’s a good thing or not? That I’m nearing the end of Chapter 11 and I’ve got 35k words. How was your first drafts, those who’ve written before? Or do you think I should wait until my 3rd or 4th draft to begin the worry?

I hope everyone enjoys their holidays and family! I’m by (most of) my mom’s side so it’s mostly Italians in a room – i.e. VERY LOUD – which I’m a prime expert at.

Hope to post again before the end of December! Maybe I’ll wake up earlier tomorrow to get some reading done before it’s time for family again…

So Long and Thanks For All the Fish!