Happy New Year! (My inner perfectionist is starting to hyperventilate)

Yes, it's already half-way through the month. Yes, normally you might stop by to read a reasonably upbeat post detailing my wins from the year prior and my hopes for the year ahead. Sorry. This year, well, this year things aren't much improved from last year's additional loss of vision and family upheaval. Goals? Ha! To twist a favorite pop culture reference: Goals? We don't need no stinkin' goals.

But, I do. That's just the kind of gal I am. The question becomes how to fit them into the ever-changing landscape of the too quickly passing weeks? Truly, that's the question for all of us, isn't it? And like with everything else, the only answer that seems realistic is we just do the best we can. 

Did that hurt your planning-loving soul? Is your inner perfectionist starting to hyperventilate? Sigh. I hear you. But reality is what it is, and sometimes, it isn't very kind. So, for 2025, I've decided there isn't enough available energy to keep paddling against the current. It's all deep breaths and going with the flow here at Chez Munder. And, hopefully, the flow will steer me through the completion of a few works in process.

How has your New Year started?

Thank you!

 Howdy, all. How has 2024 treated you? We are heading into the US Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, and it seemed like a good time to come online with a bit of an update. It's been a while, hasn't it?

As some may know, my father passed away towards the end of 2023, leaving my siblings and I adjusting to caring for a mother with dementia, and another sibling with both physical and mental disabilities. Mr. Munder and I live a distance away, so I have been very lucky that my siblings who live closer are more available. Then in January of 2024, I had an unexpected additional loss of vision event which had a major impact in my day to day living, my ability to interact online, and unfortunately, my writing. There's been a lot of chaos and upheaval, and I don't think we are through the worst of it yet. But we are getting there.

This holiday, centered around family, friendships, and gratitude, gives me the opportunity to say thank you. Thank you to everyone, especially those who reached out to me in the past year letting me know I was in your thoughts. You are all in mine.

Wishing you and yours all the best as we start the rush to the holidays and end of year.

That was unexpected!

 Hello, my friends! How have you all been? Yes, my funky February eye month turned into more than simply a month, and more than a little funky!  Things are slowly getting back on track, but, my long break offline was not what I expected, planned for, or even, particularly enjoyed.

While there's nothing a writer enjoys less than watching their well thought-out writing and release schedule dissolve into a soggy mess, the past few months were a good reminder of how grateful I am for the sight I still have and how easily things can change.

I hope you all are well and are ready for the summer months ahead!

Sometimes, it's like herding cats.

Happy Tuesday, my friends. I hope January is treating you well, and, if you are on the West Coast of the U.S., that you and your loved ones are safe. Because I am living in the strange oasis that is Mid-Michigan (there's no snow, folks. In Mid-Michigan. In January.), I can turn my attention to the first world problem of organizing my thoughts and my space. Not necessarily in that order.

And sometimes, organizing thoughts and spaces is like herding cats. But, when we hit that magical moment of getting all of our cats in our basket, that shining moment of satisfaction is tremendous.

I wish you an organized basket of cats today. And many more days to come.

What's your favorite social media platform?

 

There are so many out there from which to choose. Some more spry than others (anyone else remember visiting their favorite author on MySpace?). What's your favorite, go-to platform that you will visit first? Am I there or have you come across me while skimming through another, less visited site? With it being the new year and all, I'd thought it'd be fun to refresh my connections and check if there's another place you'd like to hang out. Let's connect, if we haven't already.

The Reason for the Season. Now Available.

Not ready to let go fo the holiday magic? There's still plenty of love to go around.

Austin is trying to make it to his sister’s, and Maddox has his own reason for driving in a snowstorm when they are stranded together at a motel. Is there a reason they were brought together this holiday season?

Contemporary #gayromance by Chrissy Munder now available from JMS Books!

What's your word of the year for 2023?

Or, maybe I should ask, do you pick a word for the year? Do you like the idea of one short, meaningful word to help guide your through the weeks and months to come? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. And that's some of the story behind my 2023 word of the year.

Happy 2023, friends! How is it treating you three days in? Are you full of blissful excitement, eager for the fun ahead? Or are you more like me, one foot in 2023 and one foot still dragging through the end of 2022? I'm asking a lot of questions, I know. Ha! That's another part of the story behind my 2023 word of the year.

My word for 2023, my compass direction for this new year, my guiding hope, is Simplify. Because, heaven help me, if there's a way to not only complicate something, but over-complicate it, I'll find that way. Anything you can come with: a system, a routine, a process, a planner page. A list. Give me the chance, and I will find a way to make sure I work on it while I'm standing on my head while juggling with my feet. And frankly, my dears. I'm tired of adding additional hoops to jump through. 

Wish me luck with my search to simplify this year, and let me know what your word for 2023 is. We can cheer each other on.

Best wishes for the New Year!

This is a little early, but I wanted to make sure there was time to slide by and thank you, my readers for all your encouragement and support in 2022, as well as my friends, both new and old. There wouldn't be a Chrissy Munder without you. Warm wishes from our family to yours, and best wishes for the new year ahead.

A writer's reward

HoHo!Ho! My favorite holiday flavor is back in stock at Bones Coffee. Otherwise known as: How I treat myself after a hard writing sprint.

A moment to be thankful...

The U.S. Thanksgiving Holiday is tomorrow, and for those who celebrate, it's traditionally a day to share and be grateful for the people and happenings around us. In light of yet another tragic mass shooting targeting our LGBTQ+ community and the empty seats at many tables this year, it feels especially meaningful. And, while I often spend time expressing my gratitude in my personal life, I don't often spare thoughts to what I am thankful for when it comes to my writing.

So I did some journaling:

I am thankful for my initial opportunity to make my dream of being an author come true.

I am thankful for the many friends, acquaintances, and inspiring people met along this author journey.

I am thankful for the good friends and fellow authors who supported me when my feelings of loyalty were used against me in a manner detrimental to my emotional and financial well-being.

I am thankful for the technology that allows me continue to create despite my vision loss.

I am thankful for the opportunity to revisit and retell several of my older stories and characters. (And the chance to change the names of said characters when past!me insisted on using the same two names in every other story.)

I am thankful for JMS Books, LLC for accepting me as an author and their willingness to give stories I love new life and audience.

I am thankful for the courage and opportunities to tell new stories that would otherwise never be written.

And, most of all, I am thankful for my readers, old and new, who enjoy my work and encourage (sometimes even blackmail) me to continue to write.

What are you thankful for this season?

What's your favorite type of Halloween Costume?

Halloween is fast approaching! If you participate in the holiday, have you already chosen your costume? How big of a deal is it for you and your friends? Do you plan all year for your big costume reveal? Or, do you throw on the tried and true black cape and skeleton mask?

In my latest short story, A Halloween Tail, Lionel Baker is all about the pec-baring, booty-shorted pirate costume he is confident will turn heads. Unfortunately, his older sister has something a little more family-friendly in mind for when he takes his niece out Trick-or-Treating. Those of us who remember a certain, kids television show that came out around 1992, might have an idea of just what kind of purple monstrosity of a costume he ends up wearing. How is he supposed to find a guy waring that?

Choosing the right Halloween costume can be a big deal when celebrating the holiday. The choices are practically endless. Do we go for something a little sexy? Something sweet? Do we want to make a statement, or simply be funny? Should we wear something character-based or express our individuality? Do we make our own or rent/buy something already put together? And what if we want a couple's costume? These are the difficult decisions than can drive us nuts.

As yesterday's heavy snow reminded me, Trick-or-Treating in Michigan adds an entirely different dimensions to costume choices. We either come up with a couple of options and keep a keen eye on the weather report, or we chose a costume that allows for plenty of warm layers underneath, and preferably something waterproof. I've seen more than one sexy prince, pirate, or (my personal favorite) Vampirella outfit ruined by an unexpected snowstorm or heavy rain.

As the years go by, I tend to pick my costumes on the basis of comfort and more than once I've attended a party in a pair of old-fashioned men's flannel pajamas with a skeleton make-up on any and all exposed skin. How about you? Do you change things up every year or do you stick to a favorite? And, if forced to make the same decision as Lionel, would you wear the big purple dinosaur outfit in public?

October's #monthlymotivation

 Hello and happy, happy Fall, my friends. Let's have all of us October, November, and December lovers stand and cheer while we wave goodbye to the hot temps of summer and welcome the changing of the leaves, crisp and cool nights, and early morning frost. You can tell I'm prejudiced, can't you?

In my defense, the last two months have been a lot. We've had plumbing repairs, car repairs, elderly parent stuff on both sides, including an assortment of nerve-wracking falls and hospital visits. (Side note and brief PSA: let's all, no matter our ages, start working on our muscle strength and balance now. I mean it. Can you stand on one leg? Can you stand on one leg and kick it out in front of you while keeping your balance? Try it. Let me know how you do. I'll cheer you on.)

Add in 3 entire households in our extended families all down with COVID, including elderly parents which required more hospital visits, and that's all pre-hurricane and family in the path of Hurricane Ian. It may have been a relaxing summer for some, but I'm tired, y'all. We are grateful everything and everyone is fine, and if you or your family have been impacted by Ian, know we are thinking of you. The true toll of the devastation hasn't begun to be documented.

There's been some good parts, too. We found a new to us, 100-acre area to hike and explore. We've put off buying another car for at least another 5 months, Auto Gods, willing. And I attended the Book Finishers Bootcamp by Rhonda Douglas (@resilientwriters) which, truly, was amazing!

No surprise to those who know and love me, I have an ability to complicate the shit out of the simplest things. The Bootcamp cut through so much of my mental and emotional clutter around my writing. So much so, I finished the rewrites of both my upcoming release, A Halloween Tail, currently available for pre-order, and a holiday submission. Even more shocking, I've made a point of actively celebrating those successes rather than beating myself up for not being as productive as I was pre-vision loss as I tend to do. I may also have some logic gaps, be kind.

My October enthusiasm is tempered by the awareness this month is shaping up to be just as busy as the last two, leaving only 11 days out of 31 to work on my next writing project. But, while my social media posting may suffer, my ability to prioritize my writing over just about anything else, has grown. That's a win in my book. I'll celebrate by jumping into a pile of freshly raked leaves this weekend. And yes, November and December come with all their own holiday baggage, but in the end, I'm focusing on the wise words of Clarissa G. I hope you will, as well.

You know it's time...

 You know you need to clean out the medicine cabinet when you hobble over to grab your favorite analgesic cream, see it expired in 2006, and then, when you search for a new tube online, because, hey, maybe after 16 years it's time, you find out one tube is now $112.00.

Currently working with:

 A Lake Michigan sunset - guaranteed to have a starring role in my current wip.

Looking for another old favorite.

Summer is usually when I delve back into my old favorite novels and read and reread to my heart's content. At least, it used to be. Now it seems summer is my season to find that crap! I can't reread that old favorite because I can't find an accessible format.

Today's example:

I can't even remember how old I was when I first read this. But, based on the condition of this cherished copy, it was a loooooong time ago. I have nothing but thanks for a mother than would buy boxes of paperbacks and let us read at will without worrying if anything was age-appropriate. And yes, this was in the age where cars didn't have seatbelts, so we were used to living dangerously.

The funny thing is, when I was hunting the NLS, Bookshare, and Amazon for an accessible copy, I found this same mass market paperback offered for sale at $555.55. Wowser.

Are you a rereader? If yes, what's your go-to Summer read year after year?

May's #monthlymotivation

 Hey there, friends. Welcome to the last full week in May. And yes, I'm just now posting my #monthlymotivation. Does that tell you all you need to know?

We took the first week of this month off-line to do some major yard work chez Munder, and somehow, rather like my nagging dose of sciatica, things haven't settled down since then. And as several of you have shared with me, we aren't alone. What was the deal with this month?

There's a plethora of places we can point a finger at: global events, national events, too much negative input including--yep, I confess--some of the audio from the Depp/Heard trial. Toss in some family situations, the new symbol that appeared on my computer task bar after the last update, and the absolutely brutal struggle I'm mentally having with my current WIP and my mental and emotional rollercoaster is having one heck of a good time while dragging me behind the ride.

 But none of that needs to matter. It's what we do next. The choices we make on where to put our attention in the next 5 minutes. It's easy to get lost in the weeds of looking for all the reasons why. But, do they ever change anything? Isn't it more helpful to decide what's the next, best thing we can do in the next 5 minutes to help us feel like we are making progress, no matter how slow?

How was your emotional rollercoaster in this merry month of May, and where are you choosing to put your attention? If you're uncomfortable sharing publicly, just shoot me an email and I'll be happy to cheer you on.

Deadlines and dreaming cats.

 Who doesn't love an @bklibancats? I'm taking a quick posting break from my *almost* finished, due to submit by Friday, story in progress to share a little dreaming cat nap. That'll be me, once I hit send on this story. Who wants to cheer me on?

The power of data. We aren't robots. We are human. It's okay.

 

April's motivation is both an oldie and a goodie. You've seen this posted here before, and, as things turn out, you'll probably see it posted again. It's a reminder I struggle to keep front and center and a lesson I strive to learn. We are not robots. We are human. We ebb. We flow. Either state of being is okay and both are necessary to our well-being.

This reminder is needed on my end because Q2 is here, and if I thought Q1 zipped on by, well. heh. I can only hold on as the merry-go-round kicks off and drags me along behind. My grip is tentative and sweaty. One leg on and one leg dangling precariously off the side. I need a little boost. How about you?

Hopefully, you're able to join me in a bit of data crunching. It's easy to think, oh, I got nothing done. But is that really true? Yes, my big writing project is still laughing hysterically at my Q1 plan, but there was a whole lot of accomplished in the first three months of 2022 and I'm going to celebrate. 

The thing is, when I review data from 2021, 2020, and even toss 2019 into the mix, I'm left wondering why I'm so surprised Q1 felt off. Data, my friends, data. When I look back at my plans and reviews for the last three years my Q1 targets are always overly optimistic. Soon or later you'd think I'd get a clue. We are human. We ebb. We flow. Either state of being is okay. 

It's easy to think I'm always going to be my best self. I'm always going to work to my maximum capacity. What's hard is accepting I'm not. And I won't.  It's okay. But, knowing my ability to forget this simple truth, I'm adding it as a reminder to my December calendar so that next year, I'll give my schedule a bit more margin and see how that feels.

Have you recognized your own cycle of ebb and flow? Do you work with that cycle or do you still struggle? How was your Q1 of 2022?

 

What are you reading this week?

 I'm working on my Q1 review and reflection and feeling somewhat grumpy and out of sorts at my (perceived) lack of progress. As a way to avoid feeling uncomfortable emotions (hey, noticing unhelpful coping behavior is the first step), also poking at my TBR list and feeling somewhat grumpy and out of sorts at that, as well. Soooooo, I'm reaching out to see what y'all are reading? What's tickled your fancy this new year of 2022? What old favorites are you returning to? Share the reading love and help a grumpy gal out.

Behind the Scenes of The Scenic Route.

 Spring is in the air, and with it, at least in Michigan, comes the long-awaited start of road trip season. Maybe it's the welcome end to the snow and cold that sends thousands of Michiganders into their cars and out on the to the freeways. It's certainly not the state of our roads.  Our inconsistent freeze and thaw cycles means spring is also the start of pothole season.

There's something about stuck in a car with our loved ones that can bring out the best, and the worst, in all of us. The combination of indigestible food and unfamiliar sleeping conditions can combine to have us waking up feeling mad at the world. Instead of time and space to work through our irritation, we're jammed together and every single thing can set our teeth on edge. The situation only spirals downward if we aren't exactly thrilled about our destination. We know we are being irrational, but we just can't seem to stop ourselves.

Have you ever been there? I sure have. And it was much too easy to reach into the past and pull up some emotions to share with Ed Baldwin in my novella, The Scenic Route, recently published by JMS Books, LLC. Ed would rather be anywhere other than trapped in a car with the boyfriend he's taking home to meet his parents for the first time.

Here's an excerpt:

“Do we have to fight about this?” Ed rubbed his forehead against his smeary doppelganger in the cool glass and closed his eyes. He desperately needed to pee.

“Who’s fighting?” Joe asked, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. His voice dropped to the overly calm tone Ed recognized as him holding back. “I’m just making conversation. You’re the one all prickly and weird ever since we started this trip.”

“You’re not helping.” Ed bit out the words. Each one edged with a metallic aftertaste. He tried to avoid this kind of veiled, relationship warfare, but after a day and a half of travel, his patience decreased with each mile to their destination.

Besides, he hated when Joe refused to argue back and only became more rational. Why couldn’t they fight and get it over with? Despite Joe’s passionate nature, he stayed even-tempered no matter how Ed tried to provoke him, and the loop spiraled downward from there. “And don’t use that tone of voice with me.”

Ouch. Makes me glad not to be sitting in the backseat for that trip. But you can find out how they resolve their argument and read more of their story by getting your copy of The Scenic Route. It's currently on sale as part of the Smashwords Read an Ebook Week Celebration along with tens of thousands of other ebooks. Including your favorite JMS Books Authors. 

Ed Baldwin left his home in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula right after graduation and vowed never to return. He’s patched things up enough that he’s bringing long-time boyfriend, Joe Sutton home to meet the family. Ed knows no family dynamic is ever perfect, but with the differences between their upbringings, he worries this will be the deal-breaker in their relationship.

Nervous and on-edge, Ed picks a fight with Joe the entire trip. When Joe has enough and stops at a run-down motel to take a break, their relationship is tested in a way Ed never imagined. There’s not a lot of rest to be had at the Easy Rest Motel and Ed must learn to trust both himself and Joe before they become permanent guests.

But that’s not the end of their adventure and Ed knows one thing; this is the last time he lets Joe take the scenic route. 

Novella ebook available from JMS Books, Amazon, and your favorite online bookstore