Monthly Mash Up: Sunshine, Staycations, Editing, Movies, and Book Sales Surprise!

Hi,

What's going on with you? Are you still getting lots of sunshine or rain? I've had a mixture of both. But over the last week of June, it's been hot with the sun playing peek-a-boo behind the clouds, and that's okay by me. I love the heat and smile gleefully when the sun makes its appearance. And I jump for joy when the rain stays at bay!

I hope the month of June was fun and full of surprises for you! Now let's dive into The Mash Up!

What's Ahead / Writing

What's ahead for you? Any summer plans — vacation or staycation? I have a staycation coming up and I can't wait! I'm so looking forward to kicking back with my feet up for ten whole days.

And I did something amazing. I finally finished editing my novella! Now it's time to get it over to my editor. Writing is time consuming, but editing is honestly the most expensive part of the process. An editor can run anywhere from three hundred dollars and up, depending on the size of the manuscript and the type of editing being done. Maybe subconsciously that's part of why I'm so slow 😉 lol!

I wonder if my editor will let me pay in four monthly installments through Klarna…lol. No, she'll want half up front and the other half when she's finished. And I don't blame her one bit!

My Book Sales Surprise — I Almost Missed It!

Now, let me tell you about some happy news I stumbled on about three weeks ago that had me absolutely geeking out!

For a while, I honestly believed my books weren't selling. I had convinced myself that no one was buying, and I didn't want to keep checking my business bank account and feeling discouraged. The last time I had looked was May of 2024, and at that point there were no deposits to speak of. So, I made a decision — I stopped checking altogether. I even started deleting the monthly emails from Amazon about potential earnings without really reading them, because I had already made up my mind that the money wasn't there and the books weren't moving.

Well, imagine my surprise when my tax preparer — who I've been using for over a decade — encouraged me to take a closer look at that account. She was confident there was money in there that could be applied toward my business overhead. And she was right!

It turns out I've been making book sales. One to three books a month, or every other month consistently for the past seventeen months! I had no idea. None. I had completely written it off.

Now, I won't mislead you, it's not enough to buy a house or a car. But it is enough to finally get those Hoka sneakers my aching feet have been begging for and maybe a new Coach purse and wallet…lol! Whatever the total amount is, I am genuinely happy about those book sales. It matters. People are actually reading my work, and that means everything to me.

Now if I could just get some reviews to go along with those sales, I'd be over the moon! And trust me, I understand. I'm bad about leaving reviews myself, not on books, but on other products. That's something I've been actively trying to change lately, because reviews really do matter to small creators and authors.

Speaking of which — if you've purchased and read any of my books and haven't left a review yet, would you consider leaving one whenever you get a chance? It doesn't have to be long, just a line or two goes a long way! And if you haven't grabbed one of my books yet, now is a great time!

Oh, and one more thing. Do you think those book sales will affect my taxes positively or negatively next year? Hit reply and let me know what you think. I'm genuinely curious! 😄

What I'm Reading / Read

The last book I finished was The Summer Hideaway by Jenny Hale. I posted the full review on my website. Head over and check it out, and while you're there, let me know in the comments if you've read anything by her and which book you'd recommend I read next!

Go to the Review

Right as I got to the last chapter of The Summer Hideaway, I started Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan. I'd always wanted to read her books but held off because I'd heard her novels would make you cry — and I wasn't ready for that. Well, now I am! I also want to read the book before the movie, which is already in the works. 😊

What I'm Watching / Watched

🎬 Movie Quote: "You are not my husband."

Anyone know what movie that's from? Hit reply if you know — and no Googling! 😄

Starting with some old favorites: Panic Room (Jodie Foster & a young Kristen Stewart), Sommersby (Jodie Foster & Richard Gere. A good romantic period piece), The Secret of My Success (Michael J. Fox & Helen Slater — entertaining, funny, and one of the best from the '80s), Kickboxer, Bloodsport, and Hard Target (all Jean-Claude Van Damme. I couldn't find anything else to watch at the time! 😄), and The Blob (starring Shawnee Smith and Kevin Dillon. It’s actually a good movie!).

I finished the last episodes of The Other Bennet Sister (on BritBox) My overall score: good but not great, but very much watchable.

The Punisher: One Last Kill (Jon Bernthal, what a great actor, and Judith Light), Goat (the cartoon was okay), The Sheep Detectives, and Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 3 — it was good, but I'm frustrated having to wait on Season 4!

And last but not least, two fantastic series: I Will Find You (starring Sam Worthington and Milo Ventimiglia) and The Eternaut (based on an Argentine sci-fi comic series) — both are excellent series that I highly recommend!

I may have missed a few.  I'll add them next time!

Thanks for reading The Mash Up!

See ya!

Nola