For those of you who follow my blog, you are amazing and wonderful. I’ve got some fun new insights for us all this year, so sit down, get buckled, and put down your coffee. You’re going to spill it.

Angela’s Favorite New Tech 💚💻:

Squibler’s Random Writing Prompt Generator:

Have you heard of this? You write for five minutes, but if you stop to think (or stop for more than a few seconds), it will erase everything. I just wrote a crazy sci-fi story about two girls in a submarine who discover they have telepathy and they glow. There’s a nuclear bomb in there somewhere too. FUN.

Scrivener: 

Alright, this isn’t new, but I finally got the hang of it, and it is a game-changer for novelists. 

You can give this one a pass if you’re writing poetry or flash fiction. 

Above is a snapshot of my current work in progress – the working title The Ryth and the Rain. I’m in the main view – all the do-dads go away in compose view. Along the left are my characters organized with backstories, the meaning of their names, even images, the whole works. I’ve even got deleted scenes and gobs of backstory I took out that I may or may not put back in, all in one place. It is a little tricky to get the hang of, but once you do, it is amazing. 

On another note – has anyone else been sick since September? If so, here is a quick recipe for a hot toddy to get you through your deadlines (writing or otherwise):

Angela’s Hot Toddy:

White or Chamomile Tea

Honey

Lemon

Fresh Ginger (chopped into large chunks)

Boiling water 

​​Straight Bourbon Whisky (a dark rum would also work well)

Throw the ginger in first to soak in the whisky while you boil the tea. This will open those immune-building aspects as well as flavor. Add the honey, the tea bag, boiling water, and a couple of slices of lemon. If you want to get fancy, add some cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. YUM.

Photo: MOMARIA

Happy holidays my friends – much love to you all. (And to all, a good night.)