July and August Recap 2023

As you guys know, I took a blogging break in July due to my busy schedule. So today we're doing a two month recap! I'll try to keep everything short, but I did a lot of stuff in the last two months and wanted to share it with you guys. Get yourself a tasty beverage and let's get started.

July

• I went to Realm Makers! I have a whole recap post for the full details, but it was an amazing time. Plus, it really helped me realize I am capable. I can fly halfway across the United States by myself and overcome my fears.

• I helped out with making food at a friend's wedding. It was a great opportunity to bless a young couple from a nearby church. (And I even got to dance the Cotton Eyed Joe!)

• Our church had a Psalm sing I played violin for. It reminded me how much I love blessing others through my playing and made me want to play more. (Which means I actually need to practice.)

• I sewed a 1950s circle skirt! I had some snafus with it, but it came out pretty cute in the end. I'm quite proud of myself for accomplishing this.

August

• I went to Poiema again. We brought quite a few friends with us and it was a great time. We climbed the dunes, danced by the Sound, and even had an author talk which I participated in. (Still can't believe I did that.)

• My schedule finally calmed down and I was able to take more time for reading, art, and roller skating again. I also started sewing another skirt, but this one I'm making entirely with hand sewing. Am I crazy? Maybe a little.

• Bethany set up a booth at a farmer's market to sell her books! I brought her coffee and hung out with her for a bit. I was very proud of her and she even made some sales, which is great.

• I went to see Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 in theaters with my brother. We were late, so we were stuck with front row seats, but thankfully neither of us got sick. It was an amazing film and I'm so glad I got to see it.

July

• A Curse So Dark and Lonely- Brigid Kemmerer (4 stars)

• Only a Monster- Vanessa Len (4 stars)

• Dust- Kara Swanson (5 stars)

• Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane- Sean McKeever (2 1/2 stars)

• A Dress for the Wicked- Autumn Krause (4 stars)

• Rent a Boyfriend- Gloria Chao (2 stars)

• The Memory of Babble- Christelle Dabos (4 stars)

August

• The Storm of Echoes- Christelle Dabos (4 stars)

• The Otherworld- Abbie Emmons (2 stars)

• The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway- Ashley Schumacher (3 1/2 stars)

• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die- Chip and Dan Heath (4 stars)

• Sisters of Sword and Song- Rebecca Ross (5 stars)

• Redwall- Brian Jacques (5 stars)

July

• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (not great, but at least hilarious)

• Newsies (a classic)

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (I still like this movie)

• Nimona (a hate watch with my sister)

• Clue (I butle, sir)

• Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (worse than the first)

• King Kong (too long and self-indulgent)

• A Cinderella Story (still my least favorite of the series, but it does have Jennifer Coolige)

August

• Miraculous: Ladybug and Cat Noir: The Movie (why is it a musical?)

• The Bourne Ultimatum (solid ending to the trilogy)

• The Lego Movie (cover your butts)

• Yours, Mine, and Ours (buddy watch with my little brother)

• Uncharted (still underwhelming on a second viewing)

• The Fugitive (a great action thriller)

• Pitch Perfect 3 (I still don't understand the inclusion of the Fat Amy subplot)

• Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One (absolutely great)

• The Bourne Legacy (there is no Jason Bourne in this)

• Snow White and the Huntsman (somehow worse than I expected)

• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (underwhelming)

• Total Recall (not top notch, but fine)

• Jason Bourne (okay, but not as good as the original trilogy)

• Wish Dragon (cute and fun)

July

July's writing continued to be focused on Realm Makers prep and sending a proposal afterwards. I didn't do much, most tried to focus on the important things.

August

I got feedback on my proposal that made me re-think the beginning of New Magic. After discussing it with my critique partner, I came to realize it needed some changes. So August has been dedicated to making those edits, hopefully resulting in a stronger book.

July

Realm Makers 2023 Recap

August

My Favorite Reads of 2023... So Far

5 Mediocre Movies I Love

Why I Like Making Things by Hand (The Old-Fashioned Way)

July

Due to a very busy schedule, I didn't finish any art pieces in July.

August

• Olivia Rodrigo released vampire and I loved the cover so much, I painted it. It's not perfect, but it was fun to play around with black and white.

• I did a Draw This In Your Style for someone I follow on Instagram. It was a great opportunity to draw things I wouldn't normally, like gray hair.

• I also drew this fanart of one of my favorite characters from my sister's book- Twill. It was tricky, but came out okay in the end.

• I hope to continue returning to a normal schedule and doing more things like art and music.

• I want to finish edits on New Magic and then send a new batch of queries.

• I hope to finish sewing another skirt.

How was your July/August? Have you done any traveling this summer? Tell me in the comments.