7 Things: The Busy Writer's Edition

It's been way too long since I updated this blog. I've got a lot going on, which is why (obviously), so here's a brief list of what's happening:

1. Marketing is time-consuming.
2. So is research.
3. I had no idea how easy it would be to get stores to agree to book signings, and now I've got a trip to Calgary planned every two weeks until the end of March (starting last weekend.)
4. Which is awesome, but WHOA! Best part: Awesome new friends. Seriously. I've only done three signings, and have already met some of the most amazing people in Alberta. Can't wait to see who else I get to meet!
5. I'm on Chapter 5 of The Mermaid's Tear, and it's going to be wicked-awesome.
6. Writing historical fantasy is fun, but see number 2.
7. Marketing is also fun, but see number 1.

Lastly, on Monday, Melissa Keaster featured me as a guest on her blog with a post about my journey of recovery from child loss--a journey that is also intimately connected with the writing of Finding Heaven. If you're looking for a little encouragement and inspiration today, I urge you to go over there and check it out. (Even if just to prove that I still do some actual writing once in a while. Lol.)

A couple of months ago, I began writing my newest book, a historical young adult fantasy with the working title of "The Mermaid's Tear". Almost immediately, I realized that if I was going to be dealing with the Atlantic Ocean and sailors at the end of the 18th century, I was going to need to know about what was happening in the slave trade at the time, especially as one of the major themes of the book is the consequences of slavery. So I ordered in what seems to be the definitive work on the subject: "The Slave Trade" by Hugh Thomas. . Guys. This book is 900 PACKED Trade-sized (6"x9") pages. I bet it's 300,000 words. And while the topic itself is tragic and heartbreaking, all those facts and dates and names are like the most dry parts of history class. (And I LIKE history. But this is something else.) Needless to say, it has taken me a while to get even this far--merely 1/3 of the way through the book. . I've been getting frustrated, because I only have a few chapters of my story written, and I have felt like I couldn't progress any further because I didn't know enough about the world to do it right. But today, I decided: I'm going to just start writing it again. I think I have a pretty good idea where I want to go now, and I already know MUCH more about the Atlantic slave trade than I did when I started. If I discover errors as I keep writing, I can tweak the story later, but I doubt there will be major revisions required. And you can't fix what never made it onto the page! . Whew. That's a relief. I've been starving for my normal creative outlet and haven't even been reading fiction so I could force myself to read this textbook. Now I'm itching to dive in again. No pun intended. . I'm so excited to be swimming with the mermaids again! What are you planning to do this week to reach your goal? . #writerslife #amwriting #amresearching #bookstagram #history #freetheslaves #fantasy #mermaids #youngadult #historical

A post shared by Talena Winters (@talenawinters) on Jan 15, 2018 at 3:17pm PST

Bookstores: the happiest place on earth. . It's been awesome hanging out with all these brilliant authors all weekend. ;-) I'm here at Indigo Shepard Station until 4. If you're in the neighbourhood, please stop by! . #yyc #calgary #booksigning #writerslife #writersofig #indieauthor #chaptersindigo #womensfiction #findingheavennovel #bookstagram

A post shared by Talena Winters (@talenawinters) on Jan 28, 2018 at 11:05am PST

Not my traditional list of 7 Things, but, uh, Blog, consider thyself updated.

Happy Wednesday friend!