Sooooo, I’m up far too late tonight, turning in homework assignments while updating my website, and I realize—I never told you I was going back to school!

(Or maybe I did? I don’t remember.)

But I did notice my last post was a million years ago (or October 2021, take your pick).

So I’m getting my master’s degree in creative writing, publishing concentration, and it is one of the best experiences of my life!

We are learning so many wonderful things, and the best part is, we’re focusing on so much real-world info, I will immediately be able to put into practice everything I’ve learned.

What I haven’t already, that is.

I’ve wanted my master’s degree since before high school (granted, I thought it would be in archaeology then), but up till this point of my life, I hadn’t found a program that just fit, you know?

Enter Kevin J. Anderson’s publishing program at Western Colorado University.

This is the first one that has felt so right, including exactly what I wanted to learn. And from two incredible professors who are currently working in the industry.

They share such good info, you guys.

I hear their next cohort is already full, but if you’re considering a practical creative writing degree that teaches you the business side of things and how to support yourself as an author, authorpreneur, publishing staff—anything along those lines—I can’t recommend this program highly enough.

Okay! So this quick update at two in the morning has definitely spiraled into raving about my classes.

(I love them so much!)

But this was supposed to be a quick update! Here’s the rest:

Not only did I go back to school, I also took a part-time job as a school librarian.

Yeah, because I had time for that. (Lol!)

Pretty much what happened was this: There was a need, and I jumped in to fill it. As I do. Because it was books.

I had no experience, no training, and I had just a few months to revamp the entire thing all by my lonesome and get it ready for the students to use this semester.

Talk about a learning curve!

The library hadn’t been weeded (did you know this is vital to a library’s health, just like a garden’s? I had no idea!), it hadn’t been updated in fifty million years (I jest, I jest. Maybe just fifty? Still exaggerating, but yikes. It was bad.), and I had to teach myself how to label, shelve, and navigate the Dewy Decimal System.

Let me tell you, not only am I not worthy to walk in a librarian’s shadow, they get their master’s degree in library science for a reason.

Thankfully a very kind retired librarian was able to help me navigate this whole new side of the book world. I most likely would have died without his help.

This post is getting so long, you guys.

Last thing, hopefully!

My writing time since school started in August has been nada. Zilch.

For months and months, I’ve just been staring at my WIP files longingly, dreaming of the day I might once again open them.

I didn’t even attempt NaNo this past year with how much homework I had. (But I did get to hear Grant Faulkner speak, and that was divine!)

Not writing was making me super cranky. As in, I just felt unsettled, like something was wrong, like no matter how hard I was working, I was putting all my energy toward all the wrong stuff.

You know what I mean?

So I started rewarding myself with 30 minutes of writing every time I turned in a school project early.

And I stopped bringing home so much library work. (Okay, I still bring some home, but I’m doing better!)

Those 30 minutes, though I only earned one or two a week, started adding up.

And adding up. And adding up.

So here’s the main news . . .

And it’s not even that dramatic . . .

But I want to make it feel that way . . .

I have three books nearing completion!

What the what?

I started writing a super secret story for my newsletter subscribers only and am just a few pages away from the end.

Diamond Unicorn Kingdom is 10k away from being complete. (My kids are begging for this one.)

And Quell the Nightingale is going through its final edit before I send it for feedback.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

How even? Like, I’m up late right now getting stuff done, and I need to get up soon for my school and then the library and . . . I shouldn’t be right at the finish line for one book, let alone three!

I’m just . . . amazed.

And hoping I’ll have something delicious for you to read very, very soon.

When shall they be out, you may ask?

I make no promises, because I’m going to finish my school strong and then finish out the school year at the library, but the moment I know, you will know, promise.

It feels so good to be writing again. And I can’t wait to send all my lovely readers my free “thank you” book.

That’s it. That’s all the news.

Hopefully it won’t be another six months until I talk with you again!

What delightful things have you been up to? I want to know!

In Him,

Michele