maybe this month will be different
struggling to stay disciplined and questioning every single thing along the way
This one is depressing.
May has come and gone, now we’re in June, and I feel like I’ve barely gotten my bearings. Remember last month when I said I would come back with something better and more WOW? Yeah, not happening yet. I had so many plans this last month, but life happened, and this part of my daily goals got put to the wayside.
Staying disciplined has been a challenge, especially with the never-ending cycle of social media pulling me in. So, I decided to take a break. I deleted the apps, told myself I’d focus on the present… blah blah blah. That didn’t stop me from sneaking onto my browser, scrolling at a glacial pace as things painfully buffered. Clearly, we have a problem. In addition to this, life has thrown a couple of curveballs my way, and no matter how many times I say “I’m fine”, the endless trips to the fridge for a late-night snack while stuck in an insomnia vortex are telling a different story.
I started writing because it scratched the creative itch I didn’t get in being a nurse. I mean, sure, I could arrange a tower of syringes and call it art, but we all know management wouldn’t appreciate me wasting supplies. So making fictional characters smooch was my drug of choice. But lately, I have found my mind wandering into different genres, weaving stories that are heavy and emotional, stories that could gut you or mend you depending on you interpret them.
My life was recently turned upside down, leaving me questioning my worth, which is so silly because there are so many things in my life that prove I am of value to people. But that’s what our brains do, spiral the moment we hit a bump, leading us down a path of destruction. It’s made it hard to channel the quirky, light-hearted voice I usually write with. So this next book? It’s going to be hard.
And I’m equal parts nervous and excited about it.
It’s deeply personal. So much so that I’m afraid it might not be for everyone. It’s niche. It’s raw. But I hope it’ll resonate with someone. Right now, I’m still in the early stages, barely crossing the 1k-a-day word threshold, but I can already tell this one’s going to take us down an emotional bumpy road together.
Here’s a snippet to give you an idea of what’s to come:
“None of what we’re feeling or experiencing can truly be understood by others. You have to be in it to get it. That’s what makes it so sacred. People will try to tell you what it’s like, what to expect, how you’ll feel. As if it’s all black and white. But it’s not. It’s layered. It’s complex.” She sighs as she gazes out to the park, a look of longing settling into her tired features. “[REDACTED] is like the blood in your veins. It moves through you, touches every part of you. And if you lose it...” She pauses, as the heavy memory comes to her. “It could kill you.”
Like I said, heavy. But I’m proud of what we have so far, and I hope you all are too!
In other news, this month’s book shares are sure to be some fun summer reads! See below!
Imogen Phillips learned long ago that letting people in only leads to heartbreak. Kameron Miller has poured his heart into helping others heal, but never stopped long enough to mend his own. An unplanned kiss lays bare the feelings they’ve both been trying to ignore, but letting go of the past is easier said than done.
Tropes:
💛 small town
💛 workplace romance
💛 secret dating
💛 friends to lovers
💛 he falls first, she falls harder
💛 trauma recovery
💛 closed door
⚽️❤️⚽️❤️
Contemporary sports romance author Britney Bell brings you a binge-worthy short tale featuring a Texas soccer player and a sexy book-loving Italian.
My brother’s best friend… He should be off limits. Right?
Blaze is my brother’s best friend and teammate, playing professional soccer in Italy. One heated, passionate kiss makes me question whether it matters. When we have to spend Christmas weekend together in the romantic city of Venice, Italy, and at the most romantic time of year, can we forget that the kiss ever happened?
One click to find out!
Just a quick note! Not every book I share falls into the “closed door” category. Some of my author friends write differently than I do—and that’s okay! I still support and cheer them on. If you prefer closed-door reads, I recommend checking the details beforehand to make sure it’s the right fit. 💛
That’s all for now. Sorry, it’s not much, but thank you for being here!
Talk soon!
Hugs,
Gray