June: Mid-Year Check
Dear friends,
School’s out (for me) for summer, and we’re halfway through the year! Halfway!!! It made me wonder how I’m doing on the goals I set for myself back in January. A mid-year check in. Ready?
So here they are:
Goal 1:
Publish 5 titles this year. All of the titles are Maci Aurora titles, In the Shadow of a Dream (January), In the Shadow of a Vow (February), In the Shadow of the Truth (April), the first book in a new series, The Accidental Sereph: Carran Hollow Fated Mates book 1 (June), and a secret project (November) which I’ll tell you more about later. Why no CL Walters? After Imogene Sol, I took time off, so there’s nothing drafted. However, see goal no.2
The update is that I did publish In the Shadow of a Dream, In the Shadow of a Vow and In the Shadow of theTruth. The Accidental Sereph comes out in 5 days! That secret project is on track to drop in November (you’ll get more on that soon!). That’s all on the publishing front for the most part, but I can add that paid subscribers are also getting to see the drafting process of Mattias’s story In the Shadow of Time here on SubStack—chapter 4 will drop next week! An exciting development is that The Ring Academy: The Trials of Imogene Sol is getting made into an audiobook as you read this and plans for In the Shadow of a Wish to also get made are in the works. I’m really looking forward to that next step for my stories.
Goal 2:
Write four new stories. In the Shadow of an Obsession, the final book in the Fareview Fairytales; the second book in the Carran Hollow series; and two CL Walters novels, one of which is a Ring Academy novel. I would like to publish these in 2025.
This was a big goal, and I’m still worried about it. Not that it will get done, of course, but rather how long it will take. I am still working on In the Shadow of an Obsession. It’s going slower than I wanted, though I’d rather get it right than rush a subpar ending to the series. I’m nearing the midpoint of the draft. I have The Reluctant Sereph started with some world building and the premise drafted. I’ve been world building the next Ring Academy book. I edited The Memory Map, so work is getting done. And I outlined a new college romance that I’m looking forward to starting. I just wish there was more time to do it. Having gone back to work full-time has slowed things down, but not my desire to tell the stories, of course.
Goal 3:
Maintain my SubStack load and find ways to make it even more meaningful and enjoyable. I will have been using this platform for a year in May, so I will reevaluate if this is the best platform to meet my goals.
We’ve officially been on SubStack together for a year. The anniversary was April 18 (I’m terrible about celebrating milestones for myself). So far, this platform has seemed to be the best means to get you information, so it makes sense to stick with it. Here’s to growing!
Goal 4:
Read 100 books.
As of writing this, I’ve read 75 books this year. So I’m ahead of the goal. I LOVE that! One way that this happens is that I am usually reading more than one book. I’ve got an audiobook in my car as I drive, and ebook for when I’m stuck somewhere, and then the book on my bedside. Currently, I’m reading Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (scifi), The Network Collapse by Martha Wells (scifi), and Forged by Malice by Elizabeth Helen (romantasy).
Goal 5:
Declutter my house.
Haven’t even started. Okay, that isn’t exactly true. I pulled some books and donated them to a free library. Now that it’s summer and I’m not going into work everyday to teach, I’m hoping to dive in and start deep cleaning.
Goal 6:
Work on my own personal wellness: mind, body, and spirit.
This has been terrible. Haven’t done it. I’m awful at prioritizing this. I do okay with the spirit side of things and the mind side. The body side of things has been subpar. Okay. 6 more months to do better.
Goal 7:
Do the planned read-alongs with the exclusive gift box giveaways.
Done! Last month was the fifth read-along and fifth gift box giveaway. So far, I’m on track. The Stories Stars Tell was just awarded and I’ll be starting In the Echo of this Ghost Town for this month. I love how the book boxes have been personalized to the characters. I’ve given away books, t-shirts, candles, trinkets like a watch for Seth’s pick-up, bookish bags, and notebooks. It has been a joy putting these boxes together for participants, considering what they might like to commemorate that read-along.
Report card: 5 of 7 means I’m earning a C- and my failure is in the self-care side of things. Okay, Cami. Time to be more diligent about taking care of myself!
How are you doing on your goals so far this year?`
Cami
The Accidental Sereph Releases June 6!
This is a spicy angels and demons adventure with the fated-mates trope. Atlas Black has found his fated mate, Ivy, but she knows nothing of their world. Ah oh.
In the Echo of this Ghost Town read-along
We’re hanging out together on IG. Join us!
Traveling to Oregon
I’m headed to Oregon to spend time with family and celebrate my Aunt’s 80th birthday! I’ll also be writing.
I plan to spend June 12 writing in Archive Coffee Bar in Salem, Oregon from 10 to 12. I love this spot to write. In fact, part of The Bones of Who We Are was written here. If you’re in Salem, Oregon that day and would like me to sign one of your books, I’d LOVE to meet you! Bring your book!
In the Shadow of Time—Chapter 4—coming next week to paid subscribers.
Art Work
Isn’t this a beautiful bit of artwork for In the Shadow of a Wish (Have I shared this one already? I’ve lost track). Know the scene?
