1. 2019: The Year of Balls-to-the-Wall
2. 2020: Maintaining the Momentum
   • Release Date for Kari Hunter book 2, The Necromancer’s Knives
   • Free Serial for Newsletter Subscribers
   • Kari Hunter Book 3

2019: The Year of Balls-to-the-Wall

It was an incredible year for me. You probably didn’t know that because I didn’t say anything about it. But 2019 was a game-changer.

The year started in a way I didn’t expect, when my friend and writing compadre, Candice Bundy, said to me, “I have so much writing to accomplish. What would happen if I gave my maximum effort for three months?”

My overly cautious self immediately responded, “Whoa, crazy lady. Slow your roll. No one could sustain a balls-to-the-wall speed for three months. Three weeks, maybe. You could probably do a lot in three weeks.”

And that’s when the proverbial light bulb clicked on above my head. I realized I could do a lot in three weeks, too.

I’ve talked about my journey as an author and a writer, as well as some of my setbacks. For years, I’ve struggled to finish the sequel to The Fourth Channel, to no avail. As of 2018, I’d started going in the right direction, but everything still felt stalled. I needed to turn this boat around and start producing some books, fast. By 2019, I’d tried everything — every trick, every method, every tip. So far, nothing worked. Trying maximum effort for three weeks?

I had nothing to lose.

And so, the balls-to-the-wall three-week stint began. (Well, Candice called it “maximum effort” time, because she’s a freaking lady. I went with “balls-to-the-wall” because I’m, you know, me.)

During those three weeks, a weird thing happened. I realized that I’d had this preconceived notion of what I was capable of: with my time, my ability, and my talent. The balls-to-the-wall weeks threw off every idea I’d ever had about my limitations. Within three weeks I learned that I was capable of more than I’d thought, and the limits I’d put on myself had held me back.

The official balls-to-the-wall stint started in January 2019 and it never stopped. The whole year was balls-to-the-wall.

In mid-2019, I released a second edition of The Fourth Channel with a revised opening that contained new content.

In November 2019, I finished the second book in the Kari Hunter series, The Necromancer’s Knives.

And then I started working on new stories.

2020 Releases

I’m very excited about what I learned and accomplished in 2019, and I’m excited to bring that forward into 2020. Here’s what YOU, my amazing readers and friends (reader friends?) will get in 2020:

The second Kari Hunter book, The Necromancer’s Knives. I’ve sent this off for copy edits and proofreading, and it will be available in March 2020. If you’re a newsletter subscriber, you’ll receive an exclusive sneak peek of the book this coming Friday! (To sign up for my newsletter, click here!)

But wait, there’s more.

This year, I also started writing a novella from Mikelis Priedis’s point of view. This story takes place 10 years before The Fourth Channel. It’s been a blast writing from Mikelis’s point of view. He’s so different from Kari. Surly. Snappy. Paranoid. Gets stalked by crazy voodoo masters, but only on Fridays.

This story will be sent to my newsletter subscribers as an exclusive and free monthly serial. When the serial has run its course, I’ll release it on Amazon. (Are you seeing a pattern yet? Please sign up for my newsletter. Ha!)

Lastly, you’ll be happy to know that I’ve already started working on the third Kari Hunter book. I can’t say much about the story right now, as everything would be massive spoilers for the second book. However, I’m very excited about the direction in which this series is going. The world of Kari Hunter is expanding in ways that I never imagined — and I’m thrilled. I’ll share more about this book soon.

I promise that you’ll hear from me a lot more this year:

My blog will feature project updates and information on upcoming book releases.

Newsletter subscribers will receive notifications on book releases, exclusive sneak peeks on coming books, and free stories, like the Mikelis Priedis novella.

Also, I love staying in touch with you. Feel free to connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

I’m excited to see what challenges and stories 2020 will reveal.

Let’s embrace it together.

Until next time,
Jen

Oooooh! Aaaaah! WHOOOOOOAH!

Okay, the third word is supposed to be “OH,” but if I spell it out correctly, it just looks like the “ooh.” Ooh, ah, ooh? That doesn’t make any sense. You get WHOA! We’ll all channel our inner Keanu for a moment.

Anyway, The Necromancer’s Knives will be out in the next few months and I. Can’t. Wait! You know, so I can start the whole rigamarole with the third book. We’re currently in the beta feedback stage and then it will go through edits. I honestly don’t know how long that will be, but I’ll keep you peppered with teasers and information until we get there.

So, here’s a Q&A about The Necromancer’s Knives:

1.  What will this book be about?

Three months after the events of The Fourth Channel, the tour for Kari’s comeback album is brought to a screeching halt when a serial killer starts targeting fans. When he sets his sights on Kari, the FBI wants her to play the bait.

Kari returns home to discover her necromancer alter-ego is one of the most wanted fugitives in the world. To ensure her safety, all she has to do is lay low and pretend she’s not the necromancer everyone’s looking for. Unfortunately, nothing about Kari screams subtlety, and her friends and family aren’t helping.

When Immortal Intelligence breaks into her house and starts snooping around, they know who she really is. They give Kari an ultimatum: become a weapon of the Immortal State or die. But she can’t allow anyone to get hurt. She’ll need to get creative to stay alive.

2. Where did the title come from?

In this book, all three of Kari’s sacrificial knives get their chance in the spotlight. We’ll learn more about all of the knives, including Rambo, Kari’s creepy monotone knife…. I’m pretty excited about that!

3. Will my favorite characters be back?

Almost everyone from The Fourth Channel will make an appearance. It will definitely be a full cast. After all, Kari did leave a few loose ends that we’ll need to tackle…

4. Is this the last Kari Hunter book? Will there be more?

There will definitely be more Kari Hunter! There’s a broader story that I’d like to tell with this series and we’ll see more of that in the second book. I’m not sure how long it will take to wrap up the bigger story so I won’t commit to a number, but we’ll definitely have more books.

5. What keeps you motivated writing Kari Hunter’s story?

The beauty of writing Kari is that, when you think she should do something, she does the opposite… and all the while, her sacrificial knives are making comments. It’s hard to get tired of that.

6. Could you write the scene where Kari meets Mikelis?

Actually, I’ll do better than just a scene: I’ve been working on a novelette for my newsletter subscribers. It will be a prequel to the Kari Hunter series told from Mikelis Priedis’s point of view and will include the first time Kari and Mikelis come face to face. If you’re interested in reading it, just sign up for my email list. Coming very soon!

7. Can we see an excerpt from the book?

Sure!

I took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m taking you outdoors, and you know the rules. When I touch you, don’t try to teach me anything, and say nothing until we’re back inside the house. One peep out of you…” I shook my head and gave the knife my most threatening glare. “I swear, I’ll devise a punishment so bad it will make the underwear drawer look like a vacation. Agreed?”

I agree! I’ll be even better than Stubby!

Not exactly setting a high bar, but I’d take it.

I reached for Longy’s handle. Black smoke and glittering particles floated up from the blade and swirled around my trembling fingers. The front of my skull vibrated from Longy’s excitement. Even Stubby and Rambo were silent with anticipation. My fingertips brushed the cool black handle for two seconds. I panicked and jerked my fingers away. But nothing happened. My mind was free of murderous details. I sucked in a deep breath and reached out again, slipping my fingers around the perfectly shaped handle. I held the knife up.

Yes! Now I am the resident stabber!

I let out a breathy laugh, releasing all of my tension. “Okay. If all goes well, when we get back you might get those presents I talked about.”

Don’t screw this up, Longy.

Yeah, we’re counting on you.

Before leaving the house, I created another protection spell so that Longy could learn the coordinates and help me if I needed it. Afterward, I wrapped Longy in a pair of hideous yellow granny panties and a couple of hand towels, and I stuffed the bundle into my bag. I was just wrapping up when Mikelis texted me to say he was waiting in the driveway.

I locked the deadbolt on the front door and started jogging down the porch steps. I hadn’t even reached the bottom when Longy let out a headache-inducing scream.

HEY YOU! HEY YOU!

I was so startled that I tripped down the last stair and wiped out, face-first, into the grass.

YOU! YOU! I SEE YOU! I SEEEEEEEEE YOOOOOOOU!

After I righted myself, I whirled around, frantically looking for an intruder, but there was no one on my front lawn. Only Mikelis was in his car, idling in the driveway. Death Radar was otherwise clear, but Longy was still screaming louder than I’d ever experienced a knife scream before.

RUN AWAY! RUN AWAAAAAAAAY!

I did. I charged back up the wooden stairs, flew across the porch, jammed my key into the lock, and rushed into the house. I was so upset that I got halfway down the hall before realizing my keys were still dangling from the front door. I had to run back and grab them so I could open the lab.

“I can’t believe you! We weren’t even outside for thirty seconds before you were screaming your presence to the world!”

Yeah, my reaction time is amazing!

I was too furious to respond. I seethed all the way down to the panic room. Rambo and Stubby were completely silent while I opened the panic room door, pulled out the drawer, and opened the cutlery box. I let my expression say it all, tossing Longy inside without explanation. I left the box and the drawer open with a clear view of the dark television screen, just so they could all think about what Longy did. The latest season of Autopsy: Special Ops? Forget it.

8. When is the book release?

I don’t have a date, but it’s getting close. If you want to be notified as soon as the book is out, please sign up for my newsletter. I promise I’m not signing you up for spam — I only use this email list for new book releases. Please sign up here: Jen’s New Books

Did I miss anything? Leave me a comment if there’s a burning question that I didn’t answer. I love hearing from you.

Jen

This refreshed edition is something that I’ve wanted to write for a while now. Since the second Kari Hunter book is almost done, it’s the perfect time to release it. I can’t wait for you to read it.

Since it’s a second edition, a new cover is in order! Seedlings Design created this new cover, as well as one for the sequel, and I’m really happy with this new art direction.

I have another little surprise for you! I don’t want you to jump through hoops to get the new chapters. In case you have the paperback, or want to keep the original eBook but want the new version, too, I’m making things easy: I’ve sent the new chapters to all my newsletter subscribers for free.

If you’d like to receive the new chapters of The Fourth Channel and get notified about new books, just sign up for my newsletter here: Jen’s Newsletter

I promise you won’t get spammed with emails. You’ll get notices about hot new releases only!

More soon.
Jen

Like writing.

Honestly, the past twelve months have felt like creative rehab with a twelve-step program. I’ve been writing more than ever before, I learned a lot about my own writing process, and I created tools and methods that work.

But the most effective thing I did? I got myself a goal buddy.

Every Monday, my goal buddy and I email each other with our updates. We encourage each other for the week ahead and state our goals for the new week. I’ve heard many people say that accountability has been key to their success and progress. I always thought it was crap… until now. Maybe it’s because I’m super competitive and I don’t like failing..? I don’t know. I just know that I do not want to be the person who emails every week to say they sucked on their goals.

Which means I have some books coming out in 2019.

I know. When I realized it, I was kind of shocked, too! And excited.  Definitely excited. Hopefully the work I’m doing now will get my book production into a working rhythm. I’m really looking forward to seeing what I can do in 2019, building on what I’ve done this past year, building on the actions that have created my writing inspiration. And that will mean a new mantra for 2019: “Chase What Energizes You.”

I can’t take credit for the mantra. I got it from motivational speaker Mel Robbins who was talking about people finding their purpose in life. In short, she says: Don’t. Instead, chase what energizes you. And for me, that’s writing.

I’m cautiously optimistic that I can maintain this momentum going forward, especially because all this hard work (action) means you’re going to see two books and a novella in 2019.

Here’s what you can expect from me in 2019:

The Fourth Channel, Second Edition: It’s already gone through one editor and now we’re waiting for the Spouseditor to wrap up edits on his end. It will come out with an updated cover. If you’ve been to my website in the last few months, or have seen my Twitter or Facebook pages recently, you’ve probably already seen it:

HOT.

What’s different about the second edition is that the first few chapters are rewritten and rearranged. It’s different, but the same. I’m excited about it, but that’s a given: if I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t let you read it.

After the new edition of The Fourth Channel is released, we will release the second Kari Hunter book, which is called…

The Necromancer’s Knives.

OOOoooOOOOooooOOOooo!

I know. I’m excited, too. I have a cover for it and everything.

I’m currently wrapping up the last five chapters. I need to make one more edit on the whole thing, and then I’m sending it out for edits. We’re employing an external editor this time around so I’m not sure how long it’s really going to take. She’s pretty fast, but throwing a professional editor into the mix is a first for me and the Spouseditor, so bear with us while we work out the process. We expect that she’ll be doing the heavy lifting in the editing process, and then the Spouseditor can wrap up with the proofreading and whatever comments he has.

And then I’ll work on a standalone novella. I’ll have more information about that next year. Right now, I want to put all my focus into finishing the first two Kari Hunter books.

I’ll also do a cover reveal for The Necromancer’s Knives next year so I can have more to blog about. And yes, now that I’m getting into a real rhythm and I expect to be releasing books more regularly, I’ve made it a major goal to keep my blog somewhat updated. If you want to connect with me even more, you can find me at my Twitter and Facebook links (look to the left!), and hey — I’m now also on Instagram!

Anyway, let me wrap up 2018 with a retrospective thought: I’m not going to make another sweeping statement about how I’m going to rock out tons of stories for you to read. Because we all know how slowly the last six years have gone. I’ll say that I’m relieved to be in a place where I’m writing more and actually finishing my projects. Now I just need to stay accountable and chase my passion with action.

See you in 2019!

Love,

Jen

Not to get all Han Solo on everyone, but I was convinced that there’s no pithy saying that controls my destiny.

A mantra still doesn’t control my destiny, but it’s certainly helped. Not only has it proven to be true, it’s kept me moving forward when I wasn’t motivated and lacked good writing habits. Last year, I made a lot of changes so I could focus on my writing and I’m determined to show results for all my efforts.

Speaking of efforts, let’s talk about a book update!

KARI HUNTER BOOK TWO

I’ve been writing like the wind, working on the second book in the Kari Hunter series. Seriously, I’ve never written so much and so consistently in my entire life, and it feels so RIGHT. I hoped to be a lot closer to the finish line by now, but we have a few chapters that need rewriting. Once that’s done, I need to give the whole thing one more quick read-through, and then it goes off to editor #1.

I’m so freaking excited about this new story and I can’t wait to share it with you. It’s just that I’m looking at the calendar and I can’t figure out how it’s already March.

Meh.

But I’m cruising along. I have a title for the new book and a new designer is working on the cover art. I wanted to hire the original artist but she’s no longer in business, so I’m working with Jenny at Seedlings Design. She’s extremely talented and I’m so excited to work with her. We’re going to have a cover and title reveal coming up soon.

But first, a new cover artist means cover changes for The Fourth Channel.

If you’re following me on Twitter or Facebook, you probably heard me talking about this. It’s too much work for artists to replicate a different artist’s work, and I want all of the books in the series to fit together visually, so I need to put new art on The Fourth Channel. While I was originally torn (and kind of sad) about this, it gives me the opportunity to do something I’ve been thinking about for a very long time: release a second edition of TFC.

THE FOURTH CHANNEL, second edition

The feedback I’ve received about The Fourth Channel has been amazing. However, I’ve heard from a few people who felt lost during the book’s opening. They were confused about the time period or the world or who Kari was… and I understand. I’ve learned a lot about novel structure over the last few years, so I know how to fix it.

Remember chapter five where we go to the club and meet Cody Springer, and Cody meets Kari and the fire extinguisher? That’s now chapters one and two. I’ve already sent the revised book off to my developmental editor and she says the new order is good. She had a few notes that I need to address, but otherwise there are no huge changes. Please believe me when I say that I didn’t rewrite the story. There’s not a lot that’s brand new here. It’s simply a change of order, and I think you’ll find some additional color that will interest you. But know that the story is the same: Kari’s still a hot mess, the knives are still hilarious, and Cody Springer’s still a jerk.

The new edition of The Fourth Channel will be out before the second book. I have the new cover in my hot little hands, and we’re going to do a cover reveal very soon.

Stay tuned.

If you’re new to this series, this is the (mostly) monthly segment where we crown the hottest of the hot, the sexiest of the sexy, the most kissable of the, uh…

Hey, I write fiction, not poetry.

But you get the idea! Those who receive this honor will stand amongst our running line of pinups, including righteous time-traveling dudes, ass-kicking space Marines, and that one guy who’s really obsessed with mashed potatoes.

So let’s get to it!

Mr. January is an archeology professor who drives the girls wild, but he prefers to hang out in booby-trapped caves, searching for lost treasure. He spends his time being chased by gigantic boulders, aborigines, and Nazis, and trying not to get his face melted off by powerful ancient artifacts. His trusty leather whip never leaves his side. He is…

…Indiana Jones!

Actually, that’s not even his real name — Indy’s the name of his family dog! But whatever. He’s Mr. January so he can call himself whatever he wants.

Mr. January’s turn-ons include locating ancient treasure, not getting ancient treasure stolen from him by annoying Frenchmen, and not getting his beating heart ripped out of his chest. His turn-offs are Nazis and snakes. He’s been featured in three movies so far.

I SAID THREE! Crystal Skull is dead to me.

Now on to Miss January!

Miss January would probably tell you she’s from nowhere and everywhere, but she’s actually from a town called Purgatory. After bouncing around, she’s finally moved back home to the delight of absolutely no one. But at least now she can attend to family business. Just arm her with her great-great (great?) grandpappy Wyatt’s gun and let her at it. She is…

…Wynonna Earp!

Miss January’s turn-ons include alcohol, tight pants, more alcohol, and sarcasm. Her turn-offs include the demonic scum invading her town. If you head out on the town with Miss January, uh, just stand out of the way of her gun and get ready to run!

Congratulations to Mr. and Miss January 2018!

Thanks for joining me for the January pinups! For more pinup action, please subscribe to my website. You can find the link in the sidebar.

If you’re interested in hearing more about my upcoming book releases (the next Kari Hunter book is coming!) please sign up for my newsletter.

Happy 2018, everyone!

This is not that kind of pinups list… weirdo.

No babe is honored on our Science Fiction and Fantasy Pinup list unless they’ve got the brains and all the right moves.

Being blue or green doesn’t hurt either.

So let’s announce our November 2017 pinups!

Mr. November runs to us from the future, where he’s the underdog on the hottest reality show. He spends his time running, trying to stay alive, running, clearing his name of a crime he didn’t commit, and running.

And did I mention all the running?

Mr. November’s turn-offs are being attacked with chainsaws, being attacked with flamethrowers, being electrocuted, and homicidal hockey fans. His turn-ons include staying alive and insulting shady game show hosts.

He is…

…Ben Richards from Running Man!

When you’re out with Mr. November, you’ll spend your time running. And you’ll be doing it in a neon-yellow spandex suit, so let’s hope the gladiators who chase you are all colorblind.

Congratulations to Mr. November!

And now for our next pinup, Miss… uh, Mister… Wait a minute — this pinup isn’t bound by gender!

This hottie lived a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. They started out as one of the bad guys, but they were reprogrammed to be one of the good guys. So you know this hottie is on your side. Mostly. Probably. Okay, this hottie’s only helping you because the pilot said so.

Still, this pinup is dashing and daring, known to come to the team’s rescue. They’re a master analyst with superior tactics, and can be found flying around the galaxy wielding masterful insults.

They are…

…K-2SO from Star Wars: Rogue One!

This pinup’s turn-ons and turn-offs include… uh, nothing. K-2SO doesn’t have any because it’s a robot!

Thanks for joining me for the November pinups! For more pinup action, please subscribe to my website. You can find the link in the sidebar.

If you’re interested in hearing more about my upcoming book releases (yes, the next Kari Hunter book is coming!) please sign up for my newsletter.

Happy November everyone!

*Photo of K2SO courtesy of Star Wars.com.

I was going to say, “I’m back!” but that’s not entirely accurate. I was never “gone” from writing, from the self-publishing landscape, or from Kari Hunter.

However, I wasn’t fully present, either. I’ve commented before about how I put too much priority on my day job, though I didn’t go into specifics. The truth is that I was trying to make my day job my number one, two, and three priorities… while trying to shoehorn my writing and my life into the same top spots.

It didn’t work. For the last five years I’ve been straddling a line that’s been diverging more and more as the months rolled on.

And I can’t do the splits.

THE HUMAN BRAIN SUCKS

Late last year I delved into minimalism. At first, I did it because I was desperate for a solution — I wanted family time, personal time… and writing time.

So, I did all the things that a Minimalist is supposed to: I cleaned out my closets. Gave myself more room to be creative. Removed non-essential tasks, clutter, and relationships. Invested in positive relationships. Created more time for all the things that I wanted to do in life. And it worked!

Sorta.

I’d begun to improve in every category except one: writing. Many of the improvements I made went to my day job: the extra energy, the creativity, the positivity, and more. So, after all that work, I still wasn’t giving my writing the time and care that I wanted to give it.

I have a few ideas why this happened, and I’ll probably look back on this in another year and still have new insights. Right now, I think it comes down to two issues:

1. Our brains are programmed to protect us from danger and failure. Although I was never in mortal danger, stress induces the fight or flight response — and our brains try to put us back in a safe zone in any way they can.

Simply put: my brain decided that being a writer was too dangerous.

Bizarre, right? After all, I only want to write, not become a Navy Seal! Writing isn’t exactly dangerous.

But your brain thinks it is, because:

2. Art is hard and it’s scary. Quite frankly, a desk job is safer… Easier. Quicker. More seductive.

Being creative and exposed and having artsy-fartsy goals isn’t safe. And it can feel stupid to tell people that you aspire to be a writer. I’ve spent most of my life reinforcing my brain’s desire for the safer option. When I suddenly wanted a radical change of direction — choosing writing over a day job — my brain started doing what it always does. It switched to fight or flight mode to protect me from danger.

I’ve been running in place at full speed.

STEP ONE: LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND BE HONEST

The first step to righting this ship was to be completely honest with myself about what I truly want: to write. Once that hurdle was out of the way, I removed what was inessential and started over: I left my job to focus on writing.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking: Whoa, what?

Over the last few years, I’ve read hundreds of articles from people who decided to leave their successful careers behind so they could travel or pursue art or achieve that elusive thing called “happiness.” And I’d always wonder, “Who would actually do that?”

You know, besides super lucky people who can afford it.

Quitting work completely would be too much pressure and it might make my head explode. I’m still working, and I’m even at the same company, I’ve just moved into a different position. It’s just not one of those career-building, ladder-climbing positions. The new job allows for more work-art-life balance, and helps me put more attention into writing.

And now I can get down with my artsy-fartsy goals.

THE STATE OF THE KARI HUNTER UNION

That brings me to some very exciting updates. Almost five years ago, I released The Fourth Channel. You guys came out in spectacular fashion to support the release. The book reached Amazon’s Top 1600 ebooks. There’s no one on the planet who was more surprised by that success than me. If you can’t tell, I’m still in shock.

A long time has passed since then and a lot of things have changed in self-publishing. In the coming year, I’m looking for more ways to connect with all of you, while writing a lot more. Like the next Kari Hunter book. It’s coming!

Actually, the second book is mostly done. It’s in the editing stage now. I still need to choose a title (it’s hard!), get a cover made, and write a book blurb. And you will have it sometime in early 2018.

I’m also working on a novella from the Kari Hunter universe. The story won’t be from Kari’s point of view, but from someone close… This story will be free and available to all my email subscribers. So, if you’ve subscribed to my newsletter, you’ll get an update when that happens.

If you aren’t subscribed, and you want to hear more about my book releases and receive free stories, please sign up for my newsletter:

Jen’s Newsletter

If you want to receive regular blog updates, sign up at the link in the sidebar.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more!

I do it because I care.

If you like what you see, subscribe to my email list and receive more crazy-hot monthly pinup action. Probably more crazy than hot. You’ve been warned.

So let’s get to it!

Mr. October is a vehicle enthusiast who dabbles in extreme ride-pimping. (Xzibit ain’t got nothin’ on this pinup!) Mr. October spends his time going back to the past and then backtracking to the future. He’s also an avid inventor, hoping to one day create a “golden ticket” invention to bring fame and fortune. In his free time, he likes to play pranks on the Libyans.

When you’re out with Mr. October you’ll think you’re on the road to adventure! But remember: wherever Mr. October goes, you won’t need roads.  He is…

Doc Emmett Brown from Back to the Future!

Mr. October enjoys walks by the clock tower, flux capacitors, and going precisely 88 miles per hour. His turn-offs include short extension cords and people who meddle with the future. Mr. October was named one of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time, coming in at #20, but this month he’s #1 in our book.

And now for Miss October!

Since we celebrate Halloween this month, I had to cast this Scream Queen as our leading lady. She’s a shy, All-American, midwestern girl who prefers books to chasing boys. She also has a teeny-weeny sibling rivalry problem. But don’t let that scare you off! Sure, she may have poked her brother’s eye out with a coat hanger, shot him, stabbed him a few million times, and also decapitated him, but Miss October is lovely.

Initially she’ll seem like the quiet type, but once her lungs get warmed up, you’ll change your mind about that. In fact, after a night out with Miss October, you should call your physician to get your eardrums checked out. She is…

Laurie Strode from the Halloween franchise!

Miss October’s turn-offs include psychopathic brothers, stalkers, and getting stabbed all the time. (So annoying, am I right?) If you score a date with Miss October, remember that you won’t be alone, so wear a comfortable pair of shoes. As the old saying goes: as long as you can outrun your date, you’ll be fine!

If you want a little more of Miss October, you’re in luck — she’s coming back for another Halloween movie in 2018!

Thank you for joining me for the return of the Monthly Pinups! For more pinup action, please subscribe. You can find the link in the sidebar.

For those long-time readers who may be wondering: the answer is YES, I’m back. I’ve recently made some big changes that allow me to focus on my writing, and I have some news to share. (Yes, Kari Hunter is coming!)

I can’t wait to tell you all about it. Stay tuned and Happy October, everyone!

It’s an incredible feeling.

If you’ve been to this site at all in the last three years, you know that writing has been a struggle for me. Between a demanding day job, my home life, and other commitments, it’s a lot to juggle. If you’re also a creative type and you’re struggling to squeeze it all into a 24-hour day, you know what I’m talking about.

For me, the road to “figuring it all out” has been slow but fulfilling. I’m still working at it, but I want to share what I’ve discovered so far—especially since this latest lesson has been such a game-changer.

I learned about minimalism.

Now you’re imagining that I’m living out of a backpack on a beach somewhere with questionable hygiene, right? That couldn’t be further from the truth! I just mean that I looked at every area of my life and trimmed the fat. I reassessed what was truly important to me and everything else had to be reduced or eliminated. If you’re struggling with juggling, allow me to introduce the idea of minimalism and give you three reasons you should consider minimalism, too.

1. Get Time Back

We have only 24 hours in a day. Once the hours are gone, we can’t make more. There’s nothing left but regret and the vain hope that something magical will happen tomorrow and we’ll be able to work on our art. But it never happens. It’s an endless, hopeless cycle.

Minimalism gives time back—as much time as you want.

When I first considered minimalism, I needed more time in the morning for setting goals and doing writing exercises. However, I need eight hours of sleep and I need to be at work by a certain time, so the hours I have to spend are limited. I started looking at my day differently. I listed every task from top to bottom and figured out exactly how much time I spend on each. Google Calendar is perfect for tracking this because you can easily spot the blocks of time that suck up your day: get up, make coffee, shower, get dressed, fix hair and makeup, go to work… Calendaring every little thing you do sounds pretty silly, but I was surprised by how much time even the most mundane tasks can suck up—like getting dressed for work. Once you see where your time is going, you can group related tasks together, but I still recommend tracking them and budgeting your time.

As I started tracking my tasks on the calendar, I realized I was spending an hour or more just getting ready for work in the morning. There were a couple of days that I spent an hour and fifteen minutes on it. What in the world was I doing all that time? I wasn’t transforming into a Victoria’s Secret model, that’s for sure. If I had, I’d probably be more receptive to the time spent. But I wasn’t.

So, I researched how people were applying minimalism to their mornings, and discovered some interesting (and initially scary) concepts like The Work Uniform, The Ten-Item Wardrobe, and Project 333.

And yes, my fellow shoe-lovers, those concepts might be just as scary as you think. Click the links at your own risk.

But these practices are freeing and they work. I now have a hair and makeup routine that takes a fraction of the time it used to, and having a mere 37 items in my closet has eliminated much of the time I used to spend getting dressed. Yes, I shower every morning. I brush my teeth. I do all the things that I did before, just more efficiently and with less stuff. Plus, everything in my closet is awesome. Once I’m dressed, I feel awesome. Obviously, I can’t control what others think when they see me, but what matters is that I feel awesome.

Don’t we all deserve to feel awesome? (The answer is yes, yes you do deserve to feel awesome every day.)

Most importantly, I’ve regained 45 – 60 minutes in the morning. This example may sound a little silly, but it’s these kinds of scary, simple solutions that give back time.

2. Reserve Your Willpower for Your Art

According to Merriam-Webster, “willpower” is the ability to control yourself. Basically, a lack of willpower is that thing inside you that says, at the very end of a long day, “I just can’t [write, paint, create].” You can probably relate to that feeling. After a long day, you’ve spent most of your mental energy and you can only plop down on the couch and do something brainless like watch TV for the rest of the night. At the end of the day, you lack willpower.

Research indicates that our willpower is a limited resource*:

• Is Willpower a Limited Resource? (American Psychological Association)
• What You Need to Know About Willpower (American Psychological Association)
• Conserve Your Willpower; It Runs Out (Wired)

It’s incredible how many little decisions we make during the day. Many of them can’t be avoided, like decisions at work or responsibilities to family, but there are many that can. What will I eat? What will I wear? What color of car should I buy? Having to make too many decisions can be a detriment to our creativity.

To reserve willpower for the things that are important to you, the principles of minimalism can help. Less stuff means fewer decisions to make. For example, I cut my wardrobe down to just a fraction of its original size. Although the items in the new wardrobe can combine into 60 different outfits, it’s much easier to figure out what I want to wear in the morning. I simply grab an item that I want to wear, and then grab everything that goes with that item.

Or, if you want to get especially nuts, you can schedule your outfits every week like I do. It sounds crazy, but this way I eliminate the mental churn about my appearance. Once a week, I sit down on the couch and look at my calendar. I can schedule my clothing based on the weather, how much I’ll be running around at work, and whether I have meetings or special events planned. When I get up in the morning, the calendar pops up on my phone and tells me what I need to wear. I don’t think about it. I just get dressed and go. And I feel great.

This idea may sound nuts, but if you’re struggling for willpower at the end of the day, look at the various questions you ask yourself every day and pare them down. In their place, install a simple and stress-free system. You’ll be able to reserve a small cache of willpower, and when it comes time to create, you’ll be able to say, “I can and will.”

3. Less Distraction, More Creation

Studies show that physical clutter can pull on your attention, and that it negatively impacts your ability to concentrate. Simply put: clutter equals distraction. Period.  And when your creativity demands that you spend stretches of time with uninterrupted focus, this can be extremely frustrating.

“The clutter competes for your attention in the same way a toddler might stand next to you annoyingly repeating, ‘candy, candy, candy, candy, I want candy, candy, candy, candy, candy, candy, candy, candy, candy, candy…’ Even though you might be able to focus a little, you’re still aware that a screaming toddler is also vying for your attention.” –Unclutterer.com

My desk is a flat white rectangle and it only displays what I’m working on at the time. Book notes go away, out of sight, when I’m not working on the book. It allows my brain to take a break from the constant reminder that I need to finish it. Blog notes and personal to-dos have their own place, behind me, where I don’t see them when I’m doing other things. The wall above my desk used to display an array of personal tasks, goals, and deadlines, usually ones that I’ve missed, so they caused a great deal of turmoil. Those are now tucked away where I can get them, but they aren’t constantly nagging at me. Now I just have a simple corkboard that’s relatively free of clutter, save for a few fun things and a sticky note that shows my top three goals for 2017. That’s it.

A dirty house presents the same kind of issue for me. I must have a clean house or I’m horribly distracted and anxious. But if I have to carve out a lot of time and energy during my week to maintain my house, I won’t have enough time for writing.

Minimalism suggests that less stuff means less time to maintain it, right? Less time to clean. So, I started applying minimalism to areas of the house where we’re prone to excess, like overflowing bookshelves, kitchen items that I haven’t used in years, and even towels and sheets. Seriously, how many old sheets and towels do you need? I might be our local Goodwill’s favorite person right now.

Using the same example above, less clothing means less laundry to do. Once a week, I do two full loads of laundry and two very small delicate loads. I can also scrub my house down in an hour, just once a week.

Yes, once a week. When my sixty minutes is up, I find that the house is spic and span and I can stop and do other things. Jealous?

Minimalism truly allows you to get time back and spend it where you want. My life and commitments have become much more manageable and my schedule makes a lot more sense.  Sure, there are days when my schedule gets torpedoed, but I’ve still been able to carve out 10 – 12 hours every week to focus on my book.

And you can too.

If you’re interested in finding out more, I recommend starting with this book. It’s where I started my journey.  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

What do you think? Do you guys use different tricks and systems to get back time and energy? What’s your creative outlet? I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below!

*There’s also research that suggests willpower isn’t limited and people can generate more: Your Willpower is only a Finite Resource if You Believe It Is (Lifehacker)