On a Personal Note: Momentum

This month has flown by.

And I’ve only finished one book. Just one. It was a good one! Still, after such a great reading month in May, I’d hoped to get through a few more.

The main reason for my lack of reading is my son, who is currently going through what I’m hoping is a sleep regression. Most evenings have turned into very late nights, and by the time he’s finally asleep, I’m usually too exhausted to pick up a book. That’s okay, though. I’m sure it will pass. knocks on wood

To be fair, I do spend a lot of time reading non-fiction for my editing work, but I never count those books towards my reading goal. Maybe I should. If I included the books I read to my son as well, I’d hit my target in no time!

The one ebook I did read was Her Runaway Lady by BJ Sikes, a sweet sapphic historical romance. The milliner setting felt refreshingly different, and I enjoyed watching Louise-Marie and Solange gradually open up to one another. I used to read quite a lot of Regency novellas, and this book reminded me how much I enjoy them. Now I just need to find the time to read more.

Momentum

On the editing side of things, I’ve been fully booked from May through to mid-July! As a new romance editor, that feels like a huge achievement, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. I hope the momentum continues.

It almost feels as though everything has started falling into place since my reset last month. Finding the right balance has been important. I’m still working on being visible and putting myself out there, but I’m also getting better at recognising when it’s time to step away and rest. There have been the occasional slips, but overall I’ve made a lot of progress!

At the moment, I’m working on a manuscript critique and have just started my second read-through. I love this stage of the process and the chance to really dig into a story. Fun fact: almost all of my editing work so far has focused on big-picture feedback, which is brilliant. I love that so many authors are investing in the bones of their stories first. Prose can always be polished later, but structure, character development, and emotional impact are what make readers keep turning the pages. It’s very rewarding to help authors identify both their manuscript’s strengths and the areas with the most potential for growth.

If you’d like help bringing out the very best in your story, feel free to get in touch.