Hi guys! Just checking in very briefly (after watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens tonight. *fangirl flail*) to say I’ll be disconnecting from my online and social media life a bit to focus on my family during the next couple of weeks, but before I do, I wanted to check in for a little update.

Okay, first, I’m excited that the past few weeks have been good for my writing. I tend to over-write and trim later in edits, but I’ve written some new scenes that are tying the story together at last. I have to admit, writing out of sequence was fun early on when I could skip around and write the juicy stuff, but now I have to really up my plot game and fill in all the blanks I left behind and that’s … tricky. I’ve still enjoyed writing this way. I just made it hard on myself.

So, anyway! Bottom line: I’m happy. And hopeful I’ll finally get this first draft completed in the near future. Insert some celebratory emojis here. Maybe a happy dance. And chocolate. Chocolate is always appropriate.

In the meantime, check out my Pinterest inspiration board for this project:

Follow Andrea Brame | Writer’s board Write | Sci-Fi Inspiration on Pinterest.

Next up, I wanted to say I had SUCH a good time experimenting with taking pictures of my son’s picture books to post on Instagram that I dove right in and have discovered the amazing bookstagram community. I’m making new bookish friends all over the world, and I am thrilled. If you are one of those friends and have clicked through my profile link to see this post, welcome! I’m so glad we’ve met over our shared love of reading and maybe a cup of virtual coffee. If you know me from elsewhere and haven’t followed me on Instagram yet, hop on over and do that here.

  This is how I roll on #socksunday afternoons while my toddler naps. Browsing pictures of bookshelves on Pinterest, reading a Rolling Stones article about Star Wars (not my magazine. This was sent to my former roommate. She hasn’t lived here in years! Crazy. ) And of course continuing my current read. With pretzels to snack on, and Diet Coke. Yeah, I know. Those are bad for me. We all have our vices. . . . . . #starwarsgeek #booknerd #bookstagram #pinterestaddict #bookandsnack #instabook #currentlyreading #currentread   A photo posted by Andrea Brame (@andreabrame) on Dec 13, 2015 at 12:09pm PST

Finally … my announcement … drum roll please … My website is getting a facelift! If you follow me on Twitter, you know I recently tweeted that I had chosen and purchased a new responsive blog theme.

Excited to be updating my website with a new .@bluchic WP theme. Stay tuned for a reveal in 2016. (p.s. their sale ends at midnight today!) — Andrea Brame (@Andrea_Brame) December 1, 2015

My blog theme has needed an overhaul for a long time now, but I waited until I could take advantage of the incredible Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales of the theme community. I chose a theme designed by BluChic and I’m excited to begin the updating process sometime early next year. Stay tuned!

Until then, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.