Hey everyone, HAPPY OCTOBER!

Good things happened last month (pictures above). 

I love the month of October! 

October gives me a chance to look back at the year and start thinking about what I want the next year to look like.

I’ve worked hard all year—writing, revising, attending events, and trying new things. Now is the time for me to figure out what worked, what didn’t, and what I want to do differently. As my year wraps up and the next three months prove to be very busy. . .I start making my lists.

I look at my calendar for next year as it begins to fill up. I look back at the 22 events I participated in this year and compare them with previous years. Which ones do I want to do again? Are there new events I’d like to try? Should I take a chance on something new and different?

And, of course, there’s the writing.

I try to write a story every month, even if I’m not sure where it will go. Every story helps me keep writing, experimenting, and building my skills.

I also look at the stories I already have. Which ones need another revision? Which ones should be filed away in a drawer? Which ones might be ready to submit? And are there new ideas that might be worth writing?

What about you? 

How do you finish the last quarter of the year? And how do you move into the new year?

Share your strategy! 

September’s Book Giveway Winner was Marie Prinns.

October’s Events: Hope to See You! 

October 10, 2026, Book Signing at Turn the Page Bookshop, 5707 Richmond Rd Suite 40, Williamsburg, VA, 12:00 to 4:00pm. 

October 24, 2026, Participating as a vendor at the Craft & Conservation Festival, Menokin, 4037 Menokin Road, Warsaw, Virginia, 2-6pm.

October 25, 2026, Book Signing at the Gauthier Winery’s Book Fair, 5000 Farmers Dive, Barhamsville, Virginia, 12-5. 

Best,

Leslie