What I am Working On

What I am Working On: Moving, Getting Better, and a Bit of Everything Else

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Multnomah Falls, Washington. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter
Multnomah Falls, Washington. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter

Sick. Sick. Sick.

This entire week I’ve been sick. Fever. Body Aching. Sore throat. I sound like I ate Minnie Mouse and a frog, and they’re currently doing battle in my throat. Normally, I would’ve just stopped to rest. I did here and there, but we’re also moving in about two weeks, and the boxes don’t pack themselves.

So, since I got both my son and husband sick as well, I packed boxes when I could (up to 30 packed now!), and when my son was napping or sleeping at night, I still managed to get a few things of my own done.

Vancouver, Washington awaits.

It’s just a hop over the Columbia river from Portland, Oregon. Vancouver is filled with lush green hills, beautiful houses, and a new adventure for us. Here are a few pictures I took the last couple of times I visited.

My brother and I at Multnomah Falls. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter
My brother and I at Multnomah Falls. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter
Bridge from Vancouver into Portland, Oregon. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter
Bridge from Vancouver into Portland, Oregon. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter
Railroad tracks near Ridgefield Wildlife Animal Refuge. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter
Railroad tracks near Ridgefield Wildlife Animal Refuge. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter

I’m looking forward to the ‘being there’ part, it’s the ‘getting there’ part that has proved just a wee bit stressful. Two more weeks or so and we’ll be saying goodbye to California. It is our friends we’ll miss the most. The drought? Not so much. High house prices? Never.

What else did I manage to do this week?:

  1. "The Navigators" by Dan Alatorre
    “The Navigators” by Dan Alatorre

    Finished beta reading, The Navigators, by Dan Alatorre. More to come on my experience beta reading next week!

  2. Finished my dad’s underwater illustration! Woot! I’m going to post a video reveal for this one next week as well!
  3. Continued editing my book, Adeline and the Mystic Berries, as I get it ready to hand back over to my editor, Alison Williams. I’ve got until mid-July to get things completed, so there’s still a bit of time. I’m finding that even though I cut the first three or so chapters to jump readers into the action, what I’ve added in with new scenes and details that were missing (more with certain characters, description in several areas, adjustments to the ending and beginning, etc), has already passed the length of the book as it was before. I’m still on the high end of what is acceptable for Middle Grade Fantasy, so I’ve got to be careful not to add much more.
  4. Started working on a couple more sunflowers for a friend of mine. I’m still not sure how many of these little guys I’ve actually made throughout the years. At least 50 by now.
  5. Caught up listening to a great YouTube show called Writers Off Task with Friends while I crocheted, with writers, Dan Alatorre, J.A. Allen, and Allison Maruska. They have guest writers on often, and in each show they talk about their experiences writing, getting published, self publishing, blogging, and a whole lot more. It’s a lot of fun seeing writers share their own journeys to author-hood. Here is a really fun one with author, Allie Potts:
  6. Started reading, Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell. I’m already loving this book! She is the master of writing dialogue. Every time her characters speak, what they say is 100% believable. Can’t recommend her work enough! Especially Carry On!

That’s it for now! I hope you all fared well this week. Have you been reading any good books lately? Finished any projects you were working on? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Mount Hood, Washington. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter
Mount Hood as we drove by. Photo Credit: J.H. Winter

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6 Comments

  • Tamara Narayan

    Those pictures are beautiful. I would love to visit Vancouver. Good luck with the move. I did three moves in three years long, long ago and I still remember the pain. Hope you all get better soon from that illness.

    My big accomplishment? Getting a collection of short stories back on Amazon after my publisher moved on to other things. If you like suspense, you can check it out by searching for the title: Heart Stopper And Other Stories.

    • JHWinter

      Sorry to hear it didn’t work out with your publisher. I hope you find better success with a different one in the future! Vancouver is a beautiful city! You should definitely go and check it out if you get the chance. It’s just a hop-skip over to Portland too, if you want to check out Powell’s books, or Voodoo Donuts perhaps. Lots to see over there too!

  • Jennifer Shelby

    Hope you are all feeling better soon! Are those the falls at the end of the Pacific Trail? So beautiful.
    I have read a good book lately – “Uprooted” by Naomi Novik. I wish it had never ended…

    • JHWinter

      I got your suggestion for that book on Goodreads and added it to my ‘Want to Read’ list. Looking forward to it! I hope we all feel better soon too. We’ve got a move that won’t stop for anyone! I don’t think they are the falls at the end of the Pacific Trail, but don’t quote me on that. It’s only one large waterfall. It is breathtaking though. You get misted when you stand on the bridge by it. 🙂

    • JHWinter

      Thank you! It’s all the iPhone. I take very little credit. Although, I suppose I do stage the shot, so I’ll take a little credit for that! 😉

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