Bernadette Benda

What began as a literary novel about a young writer finding her way in the world, trying to balance her two passions of writing and dance, ended up as an apocalyptic novel where every chapter the situation slowly deteriorates until finally it’s mass panic when the zombies are accidentally released.

This is one of those months when I look back at the beginning and think, “that was ages ago, a century has past since that blissful period where we could run free in the sun.”

Honestly after we entered the timeless vortex I have absolutely no idea what even happened this month. I know what hasn’t happened (performances, rehearsals, etc etc). So instead of trying to find out what the heck March even was, let’s look onward to April.

So what does April bring? 

SURVIVE: I will be in survival mode until April 30, the new proposed deadline for social distancing which I’m guessing will be extended, so I guess I’ll actually be in survival mode longer than that.

Finish Editing Lily: After I get through my line edit of Lily on paper, I’ll plug it into my laptop, and either reread it straight away or let it stew for a little while (because novels are basically gumbo).

Fix that GIANT plot hole in the middle of Lily: The plot hole is so bad and so ridiculous  how did I ever miss it before halp.

Refine Querying Plans for Silver: I’ve not heard anything on this, but I feel like the middle of a pandemic is probably not the best time to query. Maybe I’m wrong.

At the very least I’m going to do some refining of my query letter, list of agents, etc etc.

Work on my Etsy shop: thank goodness people are still shopping online.

READ: I started out the year with a list books to read but I’m getting sidetracked by reading the Silmarillion again and I also want to read the Chronicles of Narnia again because honestly I probably haven’t read them since I was like ten.

WALK: JUST WALK. JUST WALK OUT THE DOOR. Honestly this is a great time to live in a suburban development because I can just walk like 2 miles wandering through the wilds of suburbia. (Agh, side note one of these days I have to write a suburban fantasy where there’s goblins and such or portals in those weird mysterious woods between developments.)

And that’s pretty much it. Wow. So much excitement.

Do you have anything fun going on for April in the midst of the pandemic? How are you keeping yourself occupied?

Till then, ciao!