June Recap
Is it just me, or did June feel both five minutes and five months long? I feel like I somehow both went to sleep on June 1st and woke up on June 30th and went to sleep on June 1st, and then woke up later on June 1st over and over and over again.
June was an interesting month around here. It felt like a month of transition. There were certainly some positive mindset shifts that occurred, but there was also a sense of renewal. Clarity? I can’t quite describe it. It felt like there was a lifting of clouds and a letting go of banging my head against the metaphorical wall at the same time. I released some areas where I’ve been pushing and pushing and pushing, while in other areas, the creative ones, I’m suddenly hyper-focused and oh so clear on what I want and where I’m going.
With all of that in mind, I thought I’d share a bit of a June recap.
Life.
In addition to the above reflection, I taught 30 Pure Barre classes and took 12 classes, did 13 Peloton classes, and took some positive strides in my health journey after a rough start to the year, especially mentally. I’m sleeping better, in a better mental and spiritual health state, and I’m actively working to shift my mindset to one of gratitude and growth. It’s easier said than done, but I can see the difference on the days when I’m actively checking in with my thoughts and taking a few minutes to practice gratitude.
I also scored a ticket to Brandon Sanderson’s Dragonsteel Nexus convention in December! I’m not totally sure what I’m getting into, but I’ll be doing it with my whole chest, as that’s the only way I know how to do anything. While I doubt I’ll be participating in the cosplay element, there is a ball and you can bet your last Rocky Top dollar (obsessed with this song right now…) that I’ll be wearing a ball gown and probably a crown, too.
Reading.
I had a TBR list of six books for June, but I only got to three:
- Cassandra in Reverse (book club book)
- Red Rising
- Let’s Make A Scene (an ARC – released July 1st!)
I will confess that I picked up Red Rising thanks to discovering how attractive the author is. As my friend Tracey pointed out, I have type. However, now that I’ve listened to a few of his interviews and read some of his writing? He is, in fact, my type. Smart. Talented. Bookish. Did I mention talented? I loved Red Rising. The world-building is incredible, the characters are layered, and there are numerous references to mythology and history that are well-placed and smartly crafted. He also had a few sentences that left me thinking, “I wish I’d written that.” I’m reading Golden Son, book two in the series, now and I had to actually put it down and stare at a wall for a moment after reading the prologue.
If you want a romance that will leave you kicking your feet and giggling like a schoolgirl, you must read Let’s Make A Scene by Laura Wood. I had an ARC of it, and when I say I swooned, I swooned. It’s Hollywood, fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance, and found family all rolled into one. The last 15% or so had me absolutely giddy. It’s the second book in an interconnected standalone series. I can confirm that you do not need to read the first one to enjoy this one. I will, however, be picking up the first book in the series, Under Your Spell, soon.
Writing
I am very proud of my writing progress for June.
I had two goals this month:
- Write 1,000 words per day (average)
- Finish the second-to-last round of edits on my next book
I finished that round of edits with a few days to spare and will now spend the first couple of weeks of July making those last edits before formatting for print and finalizing the cover. I’m thisclose to releasing Strictly Business. I can’t wait for Beckett and Olivia to finally be out in the world!
As for the 1,000 words per day, that was a lofty goal. I typically aim for 500 words a day, but I wanted to step up in June as part of the annual #1000WordsofSummer challenge, which is 1,000 words every day for two weeks. I decided to make it the entire month. Whole chest, remember? My stats:
- 51,889 words written in total
- Average words per day: 1,729
- 28,803 were on a brand new WIP
- 23,086 were related to Political Gain shorts and alternative POVs that will eventually live on my website as bonus content when the series is published.
I really loved this challenge, and the creativity absolutely flowed. My best writing day was June 10th, when I wrote 7,319 words between the two projects. It suffices to say I did very little else that day. It was a great day. More of those days, please.
Now it’s July, which ushers in the second half of 2025. The first half of 2025 was rough on my end. I’m hopeful for a better back half. It feels like there is something in the air. Change or transition or opportunity. I’m cautiously optimistic and leaning into what it looks like to stop pushing on some of those above-mentioned doors while exploring the things that feel good, feel right. After all, if a door you’ve been pushing on hasn’t been opening, perhaps it’s not the right door, right?
I have six books on my July TBR list. I also want to finalize Strictly Business and prepare it for release, which then means focusing fully on… Political Gain! I have some big work projects to finish as well, and as of writing this, I’m 18 classes away from hitting 250 classes at Pure Barre Knoxville. I don’t think I’ll squeak that out in July, but crazier things have happened.
How was your June?
