Hello there, bestest reader people! As usual, I've been away too long, but I'm thrilled to be popping back with something new.

I mentioned at the end of Consort that I was thinking of creating a place to keep anyone who's interested up to date on what I'm working on, and possibly stuff about my writing process in general. That's what this "Writing Stuff" collection is meant to hold. Seems like it might work better than random chapters posted at the end of whatever my latest story is. Thanks to the help and encouragement of the wonderful @MonicaGuerraLeiria I might actually migrate this over to a blog at some point, but wanted to kick it off on Wattpad. 

I'm excited to say that I'm super close to completing a first draft of a brand new story (not a Consort sequel yet. That's going to have to wait a minute). This post is both motivation and accountability to finish, so I can start putting it up!

This summer has been a really, really strange one, but I've been very lucky to have stumbled upon some creative juice, and have actually been productive in July. Unusually productive. Before I get into that though, I feel like I do need to note that I wrote pretty much nothing in June, couldn't get a word down, and didn't even try on most days. If you're a writer struggling right now and feeling like you should magically be able to get more done, don't beat yourself up. Turns out global pandemic and anxiety are not the perfect mix for creativity and productivity. You do whatever helps your brain, and if writing isn't that thing at the moment, try to give yourself some grace.

For me, writing is a coping mechanism and an escape. The project I'm excited to share with you next is the escapiest escape I've written so far. I'm calling it Opalina Outpost for now. I'm the worst at titles, and usually just name a project after a character or a setting at first. Those of you who've been following for a while probably remember when The Sword Unbroken was just called Imalroc, and Consort is saved on my computer as Sempara. So you might be able to guess that Opalina Outpost is the name of the new setting! I am shockingly original. 

This is probably the shortest, most lighthearted, and most Romance (but still with a bit of Fantasy-ish-ness that feels like SciFi but can't be because I don't know enough about science) I've ever written. It is 100% the product of needing something fun to hide away in, and quite different from The Sword Unbroken and Consort. But to be clear, short for me is like 80,000 words, and lighthearted still comes with pleeenty of angst. Just less...people falling through suddenly collapsing scaffolding and dying. Ahem. 

And now I get to introduce you to Ravi and Lio! Behold...a blurb.

Ravi is the kind of guy who has tried to do everything right his whole life. It hasn't exactly paid off the way he thought it would, and he's stuck working for his ex-boyfriend while said ex-boyfriend moves on way too easily. In a bid to escape that shit, Ravi accepts a command position running a misfit crew out in the middle of nowhere, at a place called (can anyone guess???) Opalina Outpost. His very first night in his new life is far beyond what he expected, mostly because he meets enigmatic Lio in a bar and ends up sleeping with him. Ravi and Lio apparently did not get the memo that I write slow-burns and they were supposed to wait 57 chapters. Anyway. Lio is a spectacularly promising one-night-stand that Ravi hopes could turn into more, until he reports to his new command position and finds out Lio is on his crew. It's hands-off the recruit, or risk losing command in more ways than one.

If you're in the mood for pining heroes, found family tropes, possible spaceships and some inappropriate jokes, this one is for you. 

I'm currently writing chapter 18 out of a planned 28 total, which was my marker for when I get to start talking it up to you all! Right now, I'm aiming to post daily (this relies on being able to keep up my current productivity, just a heads up), starting August 1st. I have not fully decided what I want to do with this story once revised, but regardless of where it ends up, I know it'll benefit from your feedback and responses, so for right now, that's my main goal with posting. 

I can't wait to share Opalina with you all! See you on August 1st!