Fall time has been a busy time, full of its rewards and stressful events. Below is a short update on what I’ve been occupied with.

Work

My move to a full-time job has been quite tedious to say the least. Working 45 to 50 hours a week (mandatory overtime) in a high physical job has drained much of my energy when I’m at home. What creative juices leftover I’ve spent on Blade of Dragons.

Regardless, I’m pleased with my paychecks and the benefits. I’ve already used the funds to purchase a new CPU—after my old Dell died after 12 years! Word 2021 is better over my old 2003 version, and I enjoy how fluid it is.

I’ve also upgraded this blog to a Freelancer WordPress site with my new funds. Ethereal Seals.com definitely needed an overhaul. Expect to see some changes in style and design as I experiment. 🙂

Reading

I haven’t done much reading, but I did finish Jill Williamson’s YA fantasy To Darkness Fled. The story and the characters were entertaining, but there were plot holes and out of character scenes that didn’t sit well. The magic system, a mixture of telepathy and mind powers, is most intriguing and how Jill has the characters use it.

Regardless, the plot captivated me enough, and I’m interested in the third book in the series next.

I also finished an ARC read with my blog pal, Rebecca Alasdair. Holding Up the Sky was a departure from my normal fantasy genre preference. The story was a YA drama with a focus on homosexual issues in society. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it, and the plot and characters were well done.

Writing

Blade of Dragons has evolved tremendously over the months since my editor’s feedback. I’m pleased with the progress, and the character arcs read better. I’ve had to ditch a few side characters, as per my editor’s advice, and focus on the main three protagonists.

I’ve also invented some new words in the Primëal. Language wordbuilding is fun and adds depth to a story.

Naturopathy and Health

I’ve been experimenting with some new supplements, notably vitamin C from Global Healing. Vitamin C may be a nutrient we take for granted, but stress can easily deplete it. With my new job, C has become a godsend.

I’ve also focused more on getting to bed early and proper hydration with liquids like celery juice.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned!

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Aspectä rey’lief, fair reader, and thanks for reading!
—Ed R. White