As I sit here reflecting on 2025 (technically, I write all blogs and newsletters a month in advance; it’s the second week of December.), I truly hope that the worst of my health issues is behind me. Many people have described 2025 as a rough year, and I’m inclined to jump on that bandwagon. However, I hope that 2026 will be what everyone needs.

Here is my favorite meme about 2025.

Onward and upward, my literary and fibery friends.

PS. I have taken a break from book reviews for a while. I need some time to recharge and reset.

As the chill of winter envelops us in January, there’s no better antidote to the frosty days than curling up with a good book by the fire. An enchanting practice when romance drenches the story. As we transition into the New Year, the literary world offers a plethora of romantic novels that not only warm the heart but also ignite the imagination. Lovers and dreamers will adore this month’s selection, with stories ranging from historical romance to contemporary love.

Warm up your winter nights with an enchanting journey of love in Fireside Secrets: A Winter Love Tale! This January, dive into free romance adventures that will ignite your heart and whisk you away to a cozy cabin where secrets unravel and passion ignites. As snow blankets the world outside, experience the magic of unexpected connections and heartfelt revelations that will leave you yearning for more. Don’t miss your chance to grab irresistible tales and kindle the flames of romance this season!

https://storyoriginapp.com/to/cF860OS

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of “Secret Enchantress,” the fourth installment in Melanie Knight’s enthralling The Secret Enchanters series, now available for free on Kindle! Join the brilliant biological researcher James Blackburn as he grapples with unfathomable mysteries after a freak storm disrupts his laboratory. On a collision course with the enigmatic Kyla Conley, a powerful enchantress concealing her extraordinary abilities behind the façade of an assistant professor, James is drawn into a world where science and magic entwine. As Kyla battles to protect her people’s secrets, tensions rise, and an irresistible attraction threatens to unravel everything. Will love triumph over the truths that could change their worlds forever? Embark on this spellbinding journey and discover the enchanting blend of romance and suspense in “Secret Enchantress” today! https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/27f3f0bc-d470-11f0-b4b8-af6be90052aa

Dive into the enchanting world of “Hell Hath No Fury” by Naomi Valkyrie with a FREE preview of Chapter One! Join Sheridan Dion, a hedonism demon with a knack for baking, as she unexpectedly falls for the captivating Millicent in the small town of Juniper Lake. But love isn’t without its hurdles—especially when a mysterious stalker threatens Millicent’s safety. Packed with suspense, delicious treats, and a fierce determination to protect her new love, this slow-burn F/F paranormal urban fantasy romance will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don’t miss out—grab your free chapter now: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/m3le98znoi?tid=2ypii6w7tk

Whether you’re searching for stories that celebrate the magic of new love, the comfort of enduring relationships, or the exhilarating chaos of unexpected encounters, we have something for everyone. Prepare to discover captivating characters, enchanting settings, and poignant plots that will make your heart flutter and remind you why love stories are timeless. So, grab your cozy blanket and a hot cup of cocoa as we embark on this literary journey through the most romantic reads to indulge in this January.

This month has been great. I’ve been feeling better and sleeping a bit more regularly. I’ve worked on a few knitting-related things. Working on getting a routine in place, and hope to resume editing next month.

For the crafty side of things:

I learned brioche knitting and completed a small ear warmer using the technique.

Then, I started a new holiday runner for my table after the one I made previously got ruined by a wax incident during one of our power outages last year.

I’m still working on my Pressed Flowers Cardi (link) and my Palindrome Socks (link). It’s getting cooler, and I’m looking forward to picking my Alegria Afghan/Rug out of hibernation and finishing it. I have twenty rows to complete and look forward to finishing this one. Other projects I hope to address currently in hibernation are my Felix cardigan, 2nd Poppy Tee, and my Camisole no.9.

Health wise I’m feeling better since I started vitamin D therapy. I won’t know how well it worked until October, when I get blood drawn again. I’m starting work on my morning routine once again. Has anyone ever been like me? You want to do everything in the morning, but there isn’t enough morning to do it all? Do you have any suggestions?

As the air turns crisp and the leaves transform into vibrant hues of amber and red, October ushers in a season of change that evokes nostalgia, warmth, and, most importantly, romance. It is during this enchanting time of year that the world slows down, offering a perfect backdrop for love stories to unfold.

Here are the promotions for October:

This month’s free ebook promotion, titled Whispers of Autumn Love,invites readers to immerse themselves in a tapestry of romance. Featuring a curated selection of captivating stories across multiple romance genres. Each tale offers a unique perspective on romance, be it sweet, steamy, or heartwarming. Lose themselves in the enchanting narratives with a variety of voices and styles. Whispers of Autumn Love promises to touch the hearts of those seeking to celebrate the season of love and renewal. Check out the promo here: https://books.bookfunnel.com/whispersofautumn/ae9qsrepxo

Dive into the enchanting world of No Rest for the Wicked by Naomi Valkyrie. Meet Delilah Hawthorne, a vengeance demon seeking solace in the quaint, unassuming town of Juniper Lake. A supposedly peaceful mountain hideaway far removed from the chaos of her supernatural existence. What begins as a much-needed vacation spirals into chaos when a trio of morally ambiguous witches ensnare her in a devious summoning trap. Struggling to escape while navigating the allure of the town’s handsome sheriff, Delilah must unravel the mysteries of an old journal that could hold the key to her freedom. A slow-burn, polyamorous romance, mixing paranormal thrills with urban fantasy, keeps readers hooked as sparks fly and secrets surface. Link here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/daw8pil0p9?tid=didqr7hkcu

Get ready for a thrilling romantic journey with Addicted to the Unthinkable by Kiva Hart! Amid a blizzard, Claire is stuck with Ethan, whose family has been her family’s enemy for generations. Will she uncover his secrets before she loses herself in the man’s allure she vowed to destroy? Discover the irresistible pull of forbidden love and the complexity of trust in this tale of passion and betrayal. Download your free copy today! https://dl.bookfunnel.com/h65sodfa8s?tid=4jicd07r21

October is shaping up to be an exciting month for romance enthusiasts. With captivating romances and month-long promotions, there’s something here for everyone. We look forward to sharing more literary adventures with you in the months to come. Happy Reading!

This is Avae Keenmane (24). She has a twin brother named Kaze. Her parents are Graeham and Giana Keenmane. They all live as farmers on Oxney Island, which is secluded from much of the world. Avae has a very special locket gifted from her mother when she was very young. It hides the fact that Avae, unlike her twin brother, was born without magic.

Avae often feels like she is burdened on the family but tries to help in any way. She’s well versed in alchemy and swordplay to make up for what she lacks. Avae often hides behind a confident exterior and prefers to be honest but usually lies to hide her secret. She’s given herself a separate persona to hide her secrets, which became more prominent after her parent’s untimely death at sea.

I’m going to share something very personal this week. It’s about suffering setbacks. Recently this happened to me in a very profound way. It affected everything in my life.

The last week of April was exciting, I took my computer to my son, and we replaced the motherboard, processor, RAM, and graphics card. We replaced everything except for my hard drives. Son suggested I get an SSD drive to run everything as my current hard drives were in good shape but had many hours on them.

So on the way home, Mr. V and I stopped by Best Buy to pick up new SSD drives, one for his machine and one for mine. The migrations software with the new SSD on his machine went swimmingly. I followed the directions and Ta-Da! Mr. V’s machine was starting up lightning fast.

The problem seemed to be my machine. The migration software wasn’t working. In fact, my motherboard seemed to forget that there was a boot drive on it. No worries. It was just the new drive that wasn’t working (I thought at the time).

After putting the new drive on Mr. V’s computer and wiping it, I decided to try installing windows without the migration software off of a thumb drive. Yay! I got windows on it and could migrate my data over manually. Knowing it would take a long time, I started downloading my most used programs onto the new drive.

Partway through this procedure, windows errored out and restarted. Upon the restart, the motherboard once again could not find a boot drive. Figuring at this point, the SSD must be faulty, I removed it and attempted to start the computer with my previous C drive. My machine didn’t recognize it.

It was at this point I was starting to get worried about my Works in Progress file. That is one file I keep everything I’m currently working on.
Shutting down my machine, I took both the C drive and backup F drive out and put them on Mr. V’s computer.

No dice, the computer couldn’t even find the drives. For shits and giggles, I attempted to see if the SSD would show up. Wouldn’t you know that it did show? Now my two mechanical hard drives with all my information from my personal planner, three books I’ve finished but not edited, fanfiction, short stories, graphics works, otome projects, editorial calendars, social media postings, blogging calendar was on two bricked hard drives.

Both my working drive and my backup had compromised. (I also had a third external drive, but I admit I hadn’t backed up to it since 3/2020). We have since tried other methods of recovery, and nothing has been successful as of yet.

I’ve started the process of recreating everything that was gone, but it’s going to take time.

Some of my writer friends said if it happened to them, they would quit. I admit this has been mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting. But I refuse to let this stop me. I’ll recreate everything from scratch again if need be. Still, it’s a daunting thought to redo everything.

I admit it’s challenging, but I’m trying to look at it as an opportunity to make my writing and my productivity better.

I’ve started by going online and saving the things I can. Thankfully some stuff like my planner templates in image form is online. My previous fanfictions are also there, and I’ve been able to get downloads of my last book Deliberate Deception and my upcoming book, Abducted, from files online.

It’s a start. I’m also looking into a data recovery company, but it might not be a feasible endeavor with the file amount. Not to mention I don’t have my computer. Thankfully Mr. V was willing to let me use his until I have a running machine again.

I know my issues are first-world problems, but it isn’t any less disheartening when everything you’ve worked for is just gone. Setbacks fucking suck! Whether it’s data loss, injury, illness, theft, it all hurts. Anything that stifles your carefully considered plans can be emotionally, physically, and mentally draining. Do setbacks stop you in your tracks? Do you find a workaround? Or do you plow straight through it and carry on?