The first month of the year has flown by and February is just around the corner. I hope the year has started well for you, wherever you are reading this from.
For this, the first post of 2023, I’ll be sharing a bit about what I’ve been up to over the holiday period as well as some of my plans for the year ahead.
Recent Reads…
Over Christmas, we spent some time with my family in country Victoria and of course while we were there I had to visit the local second-hand bookstore. I make it a habit to visit whenever I’m in town and it never fails to disappoint.
Most of my holiday reading was made up of this second-hand book haul and included:
- The Tour by Andrew Mackie—perfect for fans of “the crown” and fictionalised royal drama. Not necessarily the most uplifting portrayal of sisterhood, but entertaining nonetheless.
- Fateful by Claudia Gray—As a teen, I was a big fan of Gray’s Evernight series, so stumbling upon this one I owed it to my past self to check it out. It was published in the glory days of the 2010s fantasy romance hype, and reading it now is fun, so long as you don’t take it too seriously. If you’re wondering how werewolves would have fared on the Titanic, yes, it’s as absurd as it sounds.
- Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James—If you’ve read my other post about fanfiction you’ll know that I’m fascinated by the blurred line of originality. While I adore the original text, this sequel by famed crime writer, PD James just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The ending came together too quickly, while the bulk of the book dragged. The characters weren’t involved in the solving perhaps the way I’d hoped they would be. However, I’m glad I tried it and James offered an interesting take on how things might’ve turned out for Darcy and Elizabeth.
- When Life Gives You Vampires by Gloria Duke—Borrowed from the Libby app. While this was a fun premise, the times awkward dialogue and constant negative self-talk were difficult to read and undercut what could have been a really engaging read. I’m all for the body positivity journey and I appreciated that the main character, Lily, freely admitted to being a work in progress in regard to her relationship with her body. I loved what the author was aiming for, but for me, it missed the mark. This book was compared to Tessa Bailey’s work, but the tone is remarkably different when it comes to plus-sized characters. The content warning the author provides is appropriate and appreciated. Take care if you decide to read this one.
Adventures…
We’ve had a lovely holiday season spent with family, eating great food (spy my mother’s delicious pavlova), visiting waterfalls, beaches, and admiring the holiday decor. This time of year is one of my favourites. Unhurried and spent with people I care about.
I had a few weeks away from work and it was a good time to refill my creative well. I’ve even managed to start drafting a new story, which I’m very excited about.
Work wise…
Over December and January, things tend to slow down in publishing. In November I celebrated the release of several clients’ books.
At the moment, I’m working on several projects due to publish soon, as well helping a few clients with developmental edits and book coaching. It’s rewarding to work with authors at all stages of their writing journey!
2023 is shaping up to be a busy year for me. This year I’m excited to share that I’m returning to study to get my Masters of creative writing, publishing and editing. This is the next step for me to level up what I can offer authors and publishers.
I’ve also accepted a part-time position as an editor at Shawline publishing (who I’ve been working with for a number of years as a freelancer). I’m super excited to be joining their team in a more formal capacity.
What does this mean for my business?
I’ll still be operating my own editing business, but slots for new clients will be reduced. Beta reading services will remain unchanged.
What does this mean for you?
If you’d like to work together in 2023 or 2024, I recommend getting in touch sooner rather than later. I’m still going to be taking on new clients, but my availability during this season will be limited. I want to make sure I offer everyone I work with my best, so ensuring I’m not overcommitting my schedule will be key to helping everyone get the best outcome possible.
On this blog I’m hoping to be a bit more active with some editorial advice, writing tips and tricks, as well as reviews. You can also expect some more of these more casual ‘wrap up’ style posts.
If there’s a topic you’d like me to cover on the blog, let me know in the comments. Thanks for sticking around and here’s to another year of great reads!
Steph Huddleston 