September & October 2021: Monthly Wrap-Up

Hello everyone! How have the past two months been treating you? Did you give out lots of candy during Halloween? Are you excited for the winter-themed drinks at Starbucks, or are you still firmly inhaling your Pumpkin-Spiced-everything? ☕️🍂

Personally, I love fall! I love the colors of the trees, the slight breeze in the air that means it’s time to pack on the fuzzy sweaters and socks, and swapping out iced coffees for warm brews. Fall is just the perfect time to cozy up under a bunch of blankets, a cup of tea in hand, and read a good book – my all-time favorite pastime (unsurprisingly).

And I had a great fall this year – I really can’t complain! I spent the past two months getting used to working full-time after being a student for many, many years. And I gotta say, I really love the freedom that comes with working a typical 9-5 (or, 8-4 if you’re me). I feel like I did a lot during my time off! I hiked, I ate lots of good food, I read a bunch of books… What more could a girl ask for? (Maybe more trick-or-treaters? We only had 5 kids come by this year, and now I have WAY TOO MANY chip bags leftover. 😂)

I’m also doing NaNoWriMo this year (for the first time ever)! I’m super excited but also very nervous. 😅 I’m hoping the experience is as fun as it is challenging. I’m honestly not even aiming to write the whole 50k – I just want to write something. I’ve always wanted to write a novel, but never felt like I was a good enough writer to do it? But I realized this year that it doesn’t even matter if I am *good enough* to write it because literally no one else ever will (since it’s MY story), and even if it sucks, who cares? I don’t have to show it to anyone if I don’t want to. The goal isn’t to do anything with it even, it’s just to write it.

So this November I’m using NaNoWriMo as the kick-the-pants I need to finally throw caution to the wind and write the YA sapphic fantasy novel of my heart that I’ve had plotted for literal years but never had the guts to put to paper. Wish me all of the luck! I’m certain to need it.

(Also, if you’re attempting NaNo this month and looking for a writing buddy, feel free to add me. I’m literaryliza over there too!)

Books Read:

I actually finished another 11 books these past two months, which I’m actually pretty impressed with myself about! This is also exciting news because this past month I hit my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal for 2021! I’ve officially read a total of 79 books this year (meeting my goal of 75 books)! 🎉

Next Month’s TBR:

I won’t be posting a TBR for November, even though I do plan to do at least a little reading, as I’m expecting to be quite busy writing a novel of my own! 🙈

Did you have a good fall?

Are you planning to participate in NaNoWriMo this November?

Let me know!