*Don't forget about the short story contest I announced last week! You can find the link to that here if you're interested in entering. 

This blog post is a long time coming. I know y'all are here for the aesthetics, so I'll keep my intro as brief as possible. But before we jump into some aesthetics and snippets from my upcoming debut novel, How We Rise, I thought I would tell you that at the end of this post are some updates about the book and what you can expect in these coming months.

But first, let's get to the aesthetics! (You can find the Pinterest board here.)


~ She looks out the large window near the table. Beyond the backyard, she sees something I don’t. “Ten minutes from here, out towards the farmland, they built a military base about one year after you left. It houses many soldiers, but it’s more than that. It’s where they take prisoners.”

~  I grab the keys for the moving truck off the counter, and we go outside. I lift the back door to the truck, revealing a huge amount of furniture and boxes . Raegan’s jaw drops slightly.
 “Careful,” I say. “You’ll catch flies.”
 She smirks. “Funny. I guess you really had to pack your whole life into here.”
 “I think this is more stuff than when we all left for California in the first place. My mom is a hoarder.”
 “I heard that,” my mom says, approaching the truck. “Less talking, more moving.”

~  Maybe they want you to fight, to rise above all of this,” Peter says. There is a knowing look in his eyes.
   I shake my head, a shiver running down my spine at the thought. “At the expense of everyone’s lives? Is it worth it?”

~ Peter takes a step closer. “Say something. Please. Your silence is unnerving.”
  I glance at him. “I’m usually pretty quiet.”
 “Never with me.”

~ I lean against the counter and cross my arms. “You are irritatingly accurate.”
  Peter smirks. “Well, you’re frustratingly stubborn.”

~ I close my eyes. “What if we fail?”
   I feel his hand slide down my arm to my hand. He grips it between both of his, his warmth pouring into me, scaring away the chill that shouldn’t even be in my body when it’s so hot outside. “What if we don’t?”




I finished the final round of edits for How We Rise, as given to me by my wonderful editor. So, upon celebrating that victory, I gave the final draft to my critique partners for a final proofread/look through before I go into formatting, which I begin this week!

I'm hoping to have my book ready for preorder by the end of this month!!

The final publication date is still under wraps, but you will be getting all that information very, very soon.

You may also be wondering... what about a book cover?

Don't worry, there is a cover, but that reveal will be later this month as well, probably when the book is available for preorder. Trust me, the cover is AMAZING and I can't wait to share it with you!

That's about it for the updates, but this month holds a lot of fun, exciting new things for my book and my career as an author.

If you want to stay more in the know about everything going on, make sure you follow me on Instagram, which you can find the link to my page at the end of this post or on the sidebar of my blog.

Let me know in the comments below what you're working on right now. I want to hear all about your current W.I.P.

Until next time...

Hello.

It's been a hot minute. (or fat minute as the kids say nowadays.)

I feel like I have some explaining to do about my absence.

But this might be a crazy, messy post so bear with me here.

Some of you may know that I do, indeed suffer from depression and anxiety. In my teen years, it used to be a lot worse.

But my best friend says since about Halloween of last year my mental health has been declining. And I agree.

Last week consisted of countless mental breakdowns, a panic attack at work, a fight with people I really, really care about, making up with those people, finding we are stronger now, and me feeling like I was going to suffocate in depression and anxiety. Honestly... I began to suffocate under the weight of it all and was on the point of giving up.

Giving up hope.

Giving up on myself.

Giving up on happiness.

Giving up on ever trusting God.

Just

falling

falling

falling

deeper into the abyss of darkness, the point of no return.

I had reached a point of wanting to stay in bed. I hated writing. I hated myself. I hated everything I use to love doing.

All of it

pointless

I was worthless

I was unlovable

I was too far gone

or so the enemy said.

And if people say that's not depression or anxiety because a doctor hasn't told me that... I'm sorry but I don't know what you would call that.

I didn't want to write.

I didn't want to blog.

I didn't want to work.

And it doesn't help that my work environment is so toxic, full of toxic people, toxic situations, toxic everything.

I was lost among the darkness in the abyss, no light to be found.

And then...

My best friends. My tribe.

They helped me.

My mom and dad, of course, they were there for me, too. But I was in deep. And I put them through a lot with my emotions that I was beginning to withdraw into myself.

My friends and I... we had planned a video call to see each other since we all live far from each other. And I almost didn't do it. After a week of planning and arranging schedules... I almost said forget it.

Because I was breaking.

I was lost.

I was hopeless.

I was too much for them.

All lies.

They wanted me and one reached out saying she understood, but she had wanted to see me since it would probably be a while before we could do this again.

So I decided thirty minutes wouldn't kill me.

I'd show up.

I'd make my appearances.

I'd leave.

I'd return to my dark abyss.

But...

they pulled me out of the dark abyss. They have me a light to see the rest of the way.

They helped me to see that this moment, this dark and painful moment... it's just that. A moment.

then it's gone

soaring

far, far away

and then

I emerged into the light.

I talked more than I usually talk during video calls with my friends because I'm an INFP I don't start a conversation.

It was therapeutic to do this. I needed it.

And I can stand saying I'm better.

I'm worth more than I know.

I'm lovable.

I'm never too far gone.

No, I won't always be positive.

No, life isn't fair.

Yes, I'm stuck at a toxic job with toxic people for a while longer.

But I'm going to be okay.

And I know you will, too.

You have worth.

You are loved.

You have purpose.

You are strong.

Don't

ever

give

up.

Writing a book is a huge undertaking. Be it fiction or nonfiction, you are pouring your heart and soul into something magical.

The beauty of words on a page, words coming from the very depths of your soul is something unmatchable and priceless.

And as you type "The End" or "To Be Continued," you have just finished writing one novel.

Maybe you just finished NaNoWriMo about two weeks ago. You're still riding on that high, but as we move on into December, you may be thinking, "Okay, now what?"

That's where this post is here to help you out. Here are five things you can do when you finish writing a novel.

1. Celebrate...

Duh. You've done something AMAZING. Whether you wrote this novel in one month or one year, you've accomplished something so freaking wonderful. You started and finished a novel. Do you know how many people give up in the middle of writing a novel?

Celebrate! Go get some cake, ice cream, pie, WHATEVER THE HECK YOU WANT. Go buy that jacket you've been eyeing in the store or those pair of yoga pants you really want. (just me?) Reward yourself for finishing this big thing!

2. Set your novel aside...

You're excited and ready to get your novel in shape. Maybe you want to self-publish (a totally great option) or maybe you want to go traditional. You want your book out there. You worked hard on it and you want other people to see it.

Which is why I'm telling you to set it aside. You may be thinking, "Brooke, what the heck? I have to edit my novel now so I can get it ready for the next step."

Yes, every first draft novel needs to be self-edited first. Saves you money in the long run if you edit your own manuscript before passing it off to an editor later down the line. But here's the problem with editing your book right away... it can mess up your progress. Setting it aside will save you time. A lot of authors set their books aside for about four to six months. When I first heard this, I wanted to scream. How would this save me time? It only delays my progress.

Six years of writing my first book and here we are. You know why? I tried to edit the book right as I finished. And deleted basically entire manuscripts every time. You have to have fresh eyes that have not looked at the book for a long time in order to edit rationally. Otherwise, everything will look like trash and you'll have wasted time writing.

Don't be like me. Set it aside and you'll actually finish faster.

3. Focus on a new project...

You probably have some other book ideas swirling around in your head right now. They've probably come up when you were writing, so you wrote them down and set them aside to focus on your novel. Well, you're novel is done for now, and you have time to write something new. So go for it! Write a new novel while you let the other one rest.

Begin your outlining process or whatever your process is, be it outline or just sitting down and typing away at your computer, getting words down.

It's okay to begin a completely separate novel, actually, it's beneficial in getting your mind off the one you just finished. Write a new novel because, when all is said and done, you'll have a few manuscripts lined up so you're always generating new content for readers.

4. Pursue your other hobbies...

Do you like to paint? Read? Blog? Whatever you're other hobbies may be, chances are you've neglected it while writing your novel. Pursue one or more of your other hobbies while you let your book rest. Maybe you can't focus on a new writing project right now. This is the perfect distraction.

It's okay to not write all the time. I struggle with this, especially after writing for so many days in a row and creating a habit. (Totally fine to write non-novel things such as blog posts or even journal entries.) Nourish your other artistic and creative abilities.

5. Go on an adventure...

Go outside and do something new. Or just go for a walk. Ride your bike. Enjoy nature. You probably didn't go out much when writing because you were focused. So now's the chance to go do things you didn't do while writing. (Don't be a hermit like me, peeps.)

There's so much to be done when you finish a novel, but you have to let it rest. That is the biggest thing I can say about writing. And trust me, it's hard. I finished my second book EVER and all I want to do right now is edit like mad. But if I do that, I know I will trash the entire manuscript, wasting all the writing time I spent. And that's not okay.

So, I'm going to work on a novel that I've been really passionate about, one that I really haven't paid attention to. But I'm in no rush to work on it or write it. I have to outline first. Otherwise, things get messy.

*Author note: Lots of squealing and flailing will be happening beyond this point. You have been warned.



Hello, everyone! I'm back!

In case you missed the last post, (which you can find here) I went on hiatus for my first time doing NaNoWriMo. I knew there would be absolutely no way I could write 50,000 words and blog posts and work a full-time job and work on some other things.

But now that NaNoWriMo has come to an end, I am back to writing blog posts.

Today, I'm going to show you some aesthetics and snippets from my NaNo project. Of course, the big issue with sharing too much is that my NaNo project is a sequel to my upcoming novel, Rise. But, I am going to give as much non-spoiler information that I can. Plus, all snippets will be out of context so that's fun for you and even more fun for me because I know the context. 😏😏

(This post was inspired by my bestie who is a NaNo QUEEN. You can find her blog here. You should follow her blog. Totally non-biased. 😂)

First things first, let me give you the stats.

I started the first full week of NaNoWriMo with a vacation from work, which gave me a huge boost on word count goals.

First half of NaNo- 34,107 words written
Second half of NaNo- 16,334

Snippets:

~ Once alone, I feel the urge to scream. I grab a pillow and throw it over my face before screaming. I can see why girls do it. Therapeutic.

~ My mom grabs me, turning me to face her. “Are you all right?”
I brush her hands off me, stepping back. “Of course, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

~ I lean against the pillar at the entrance of the school. My mom is running late. Again. This has happened all week, and I’m not going to bother Spencer again. But as usual, his truck pulls up in front of me. “She’s working late again?”

~ “This is some deep crap you’ve been going through. You’re fifteen, right? Why would you worry about this kind of thing?”

~  “Linley, I told you all never to enter this room.”
Her eyes dance with a spark behind them, more than that, a flame. She’s proud of her feat, sneaking in here and startling me. 

~ I sit, hugging my knees to my chest on the small cot. It’s cold in here, or maybe it’s me. I don’t know. I let the tears fall, the ones I’ve held back for days. They come easy now.

Final Word Count: 50,441

Any Days missed?

Oh yes, plenty of days. Besides the fact on some days I just didn't feel it, I also got into a car accident, which prevented me from focusing on my writing. (I wasn't hurt, I just mentally could not do it.)

But on November 25th, I hit 50,441 words and also finished my novel.

Will this be the final word count?

No.

Often times when I go in to edit the book in about four to six months, I end up with a higher word count. I'm hoping to bring it up between 65k and 70k.

This is the second novel I've ever finished in my life, Rise being the first one. Speaking of Rise, I have some fantastic updates to share with you.

All right, time for what you came for. Here are three big updates about Rise.

1. The official Title for Rise is...



AAAAAAHHHHH YOU ALL KNOW THE OFFICIAL TITLE!!!

How We Rise is going to be my debut novel in 2020. Which leads me to my next update.

2. The official release date has been selected...

AAAHHHSDFGHJJKL WHAT??

How We Rise has an official release date, but I am not sharing what that date is just yet. Don't worry, early next year, you will know more.

and finally...

3. How We Rise is with an editor...

And we aren't just talking about any editor, either. We're talking about one of the best editors in the world.

Y'all know how I am obsessed with The Blood Race and 100 Days of Sunlight. Well, the lovely editor of those two books is working on my book. As. We. Speak. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! *flails*

(FYI, I am not bragging, I'm just so freaking pumped right now.)

All these things have me so pumped and ready to take on the world!

I can't wait to tell you more about How We Rise and give you all the details.

I will be starting a street team early next year, and the street team will be the first to know all the details as well as spread the word about my book around their social media when they have the chance. There will be a post on that in January where you will be able to sign up. There will be limited places to be a part of the street team, so make sure you sign up when you can. I can't select everyone and it's a first-come, first-serve basis. (Unless you are one of those lovely spam accounts bothering me and my friends on our blogs. If you sign up, you won't be selected.)

Now, on to the aesthetics...

October is here, which means Preptober is in full swing! I'm so excited, as this is the first year I have EVER participated in NaNoWriMo.

Today, I thought I would talk about what I'm doing for NaNo (My W.I.P, my plan to reach 50,000 words, and more!)

I'm not going into too much detail about my novel, but for November, I will be on hiatus so I can focus on writing my novel. I wish I was the super blogger who could churn out posts every week and still get that 50,000 words, but sadly I am not.

I can't go into too much about my W.I.P because it is book two of my trilogy. Rise has been completed and I want to work on book two, Fall. (Rise and Fall are working titles and not the official titles. Official titles will be revealed closer to publication.)

So, to avoid spoilers, I can't say much about Fall. HOWEVER, I can say I'm breaking my own heart with this book, so there is that.

I know I haven't revealed much about Rise, either, but I will be introducing my characters in a post very, very soon.

What I can tell you is this trilogy is dystopian, but breaking the boundaries of traditional dystopian and bringing in contemporary, sci-fi vibes. Yes, there's romance, but it doesn't control the entire, freaking plot. There's hurt, and heartbreak, and death, and friendships, and family, and an evil president bent on ruling the world, one nation at a time. There's a conflicted heir to the country and a sassy henchman. (Don't tell him I called him a henchman, he'll be offended.)

I'm taking traditional dystopian and kicking it in the rear end because I've seen too many fail to be about the actual government problems built up in the world and become all about romance.

I'm trying to make it as realistic as possible. So I've based it in current times instead of a future date, like most dystopian. (ALSO SIDENOTE, Just because it's based in current times does not mean I'm basing it on current people in power, or anybody who's currently president or ruler of any one nation. This idea came to me when I was fifteen, and I'm 20 now, so it's a story I've created for five years. I've seen so many people leave reviews of dystopian novels, comparing it to current times and I just want people to enjoy the story for what it is: A STORY.) #rantover

Now that we have that out of the way, you may curious about what I've done for Preptober.

Well, I've also been working on finishing Rise, so Preptober has consisted of me really just outlining book two. I used to be hardcore write from the seat of my pants type, but I've converted over to outlining and planning because it's fun and it's organized. I'm an organized person in everything else in my life, so it makes sense. (Abbie's videos are amazing if you want to look into outlining.)

Outlining actually doesn't take me a whole month, so I've just been adding to the outline here and there while I write Rise and now my focus can solely be on the outline. Because it's a sequel, I already know my characters. I know where I need to continue from, and that's AMAZING.

If not, I do suggest creating an outline for your characters first, but I'll link some videos here to help you figure out a method for that.

So, how will I reach 50,000 words by the end of November when I'm working a full-time job and am away from the computer for most of the day? (Well for one, full-time at my job is 30 hours instead of 40, so that helps.)

I will be using the Pomodoro Technique. I will write for twenty-five minutes, take a five-minute break, and repeat. My daily goal is to get down 1,667 words, which shouldn't be too difficult. I'm going to attempt to write twice a day, so before I leave for work and after I come home. If I can do this every day, I'll hit 50,000, which should bring me to having most of my novel complete. (My novels are about 70,000+ words.)

I guess that's it for now. I was going to do a post for Halloween, but seeing as I need to focus on my outline, this is going to be my last post for this month. Starting today, I will be on hiatus from blogging. I'll be back in December to give y'all a recap of how it went, and if I won NaNo. Because this is the first time I've done this, I'm not too concerned about winning NaNo. I'm happy to participate.

It's Monday, folks.

Which means I shouldn't even be here right now. But, y'all get me twice this week. Yes, Thursday's post will be going up as planned, don't worry.

This little extra post exists because I have a special announcement.

I am now on Twitter and Instagram!

Yes, you read that right! The girl who has avoided this for as long as possible FINALLY has social media. And I'm not mad about it. I'm actually very stoked. Why? Well, for now, let's just say things are moving in a positive direction with Rise. I have special news coming about that very, very soon.

So, if you would like to follow me on Twitter and Instagram, you can click here and here.

OR...

The links to my social media can be found at the top of my blog to the left of the header, or on the side of my blog, just underneath my fake picture. (Yes that is not me, haha. A real picture will be coming soon for all my social media, but for now, we go with one that looks similar to me.)

Spread the word! Tell your friends. On Twitter, I try to spread positive writing and life advice. On Instagram, I do bookish posts. Well, one at the moment. I'm working on my aesthetic, haha. Trying to get that Fall aesthetic. (I need to buy some props, okay? I'm getting there, haha.)

If any of y'all have any advice for me, leave it in the comments because I need all the help I can get. I'm really new to all of this.

And shoutout to Faith for forcing me into making an Instagram early in the morning so she could be the first follow. 😂😂😂❤❤❤

That is all for now. See y'all on Thursday!

~ Brooke

Welcome, one and all to today's post!

Today, I have a book review for you. We love books around here, don't we?

I have a book that's not only amazingly deep but honestly took me on the ride of my life. I love this book so much and you will, too. Also, you may be thinking, "Wow, that cover is a little girly."

I don't think I have that many male followers, but for those of you here, welcome! This book was not at all girly. In fact, I think both genders will enjoy this book. It was so deep.

Enough ramblings, let's get to the review.

But first... book details!