Hello 26, Let’s Do This.

After my little blogging hiatus, my birthday is next week, and I’ve officially hit that age (basically any age after 21, am I right) where every birthday is less fun and usually comes with a dose of existential dread.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my life and all the amazing experiences I’ve had that brought me here.

But there are moments where I’m like “woah, I’m closer to 30 than I am to 18” and that’s seriously terrifying. In many ways, I’m happy with where I’m at. And in other ways, I feel like I’m way behind. That might just be the way things are, perhaps a bigger commentary on the human condition as a whole. Whatever it is, I feel it big-time whenever another birthday rolls around.

But this year, instead of feeling sad, I plan to fully emerge myself in all the blessings I’ve experienced recently. Having an attitude of gratitude is the way to go, right?

Right. Okay cool.

That’s why I decided to spend my birthday blog post this year with thankfulness. Thankful for the blessings I’ve been given and all the blessings yet to come.

There are too many to post, but alas, here are my top 5:

#1: New publishing opportunity

A recent book I read to help me develop my story!

This one I can’t talk about a whole lot yet, but it’s going to be the secret sauce that makes Breakup Queen the epic saga that I know it will be. If you’re newer to my blog, you might not know that I’ve been publishing books since I was in college (and my debut novel was published when I was 19). So this is going to be an amazing milestone for me and my creative work, and it’s going to happen this year when I’m 26.

#2: More freelancing work

I also am self-employed, and recently I’ve gotten more gigs that are getting me closer and closer to hitting my personal financial goals — and that’s a really exciting thing. If you also graduated from college semi-recently like me (class of 2019, what’s up), then you probably know the job struggle all too well. But things are looking up, and networking like crazy actually paid off. I’m so happy with where things are at and all signs point to more work and opportunities on the way. My professional life is blooming, and I’m so grateful for it because I know it was a steep climb to get here, and there’s still so much more I want to do.

#3: Boyfriend ❤️

Aren’t we so cute? I adore him so much.

This one appeared out of nowhere (jk, we met online but it still felt super sudden). But Andrew, is very possibly, the best thing that ever happened to me. He’s the most kind-hearted, mature, and sweet family-oriented guy I’ve ever met, and can’t wait to see what’s in the future for us. Oh, and did I mention he’s in the national guard? It’s impressive, for sure. I wouldn’t be brave enough for something like that, but I’m so grateful God makes people who are ❤️

#4: Friends both near and far

While I sadly don’t have many local friends, I am so grateful for the friends I do have that are only a text or call away. I know it takes a village, and I count myself so blessed to have people all over the country that care about me. Even one or two in other countries, isn’t that wild? Distance is no problem with technology, and I’m so glad to have met these kind souls any way I could.

#5: Never Growing Up

Back when I had pink hair, pictured with one of my crocheted unicorns and very apropos Yarn Punk leggings.

I’ve been so surprised at the value and joy I get out of re-connecting with my inner child. Sticker books have been one way I love relaxing when I’m stressed, or watching shows that take me back to a simpler time (Gilmore Girls, I’m lookin at you). And I think anytime a birthday rolls around, it’s so important to connect with the younger version(s) of you too. Before you were twenty-something, you were 18. And 16. And 12. And so on, and so forth. A birthday is a wonderful time to give yourself a hug from every era, in preparation for your next eras and adventures to come.

Anyone else with a birthday in March? Let me know, we can share ideas and celebrate!

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The Benefits of NOT Writing

Yes, seriously. No, I’m not losing my mind.

I’m just saying that although if you’re reading this blog, writing is your bread and butter (like it is for me), but there’s more to you than just that. I’m also saying that unfortunately, try as we might, writing just doesn’t happen outside of work. That’s been the case for me for the past six months, I think. Or maybe it’s even been more.

No matter how long it’s been since the words were really flowing without having to try, I went through a bit of writer’s guilt. Then not far behind that comes the imposter syndrome, and that can be really hard to claw your way out of.

Instead of penalizing myself for not feeling motivated with my latest concept, I’m trying to refocus on this season, knowing that the inspiration will come back. What I blame for this seemingly endless dry spell are the following (which, aren’t bad things by any means, they just may be to blame for my lack of creative motivation):

My table at the Scituate Farmer’s Market in RI recently!

• Having a boyfriend (don’t get me wrong, I love him SO MUCH – but it’s like now that I’m finally happy in that area of my life, suddenly I’m lacking the need to escape from monotony by writing a story). I call this the “Taylor Swift syndrome” (you know, when she openly started dating Joe Alwyn and suddenly fans worried all the angst would be gone from her songs, leaving us with nothing but sugary-sweet garbage). I don’t want to lose my angst either!
• My freelance gigs (as much as I am so grateful to be able to pay off my car as fast as I have been, there’s something really tricky about saving any creative juices for my own work after writing about pest control and personal care products all day).
• My other interests (in this case, my crocheted art that I make by hand for my vendor shows, as well as my independent guitar studies that have also sadly, fallen quite a bit to the wayside). After I get through all of those things, I feel too tired to sit and craft the story that’s been bumping around in my head for like a year now.

These aren’t meant to be viewed as excuses, but rather a self-awareness tactic to diagnose the issue, and then bring some much-needed balance back to my life. What I would suggest if you find yourself in a similar boat, would be to sit down and make a list of all the things you’re juggling in your life (professional, and otherwise). From there, try and compartmentalize / prioritize the things that you most want to tackle first, and what you feel okay with waiting on for a little while.

And in return, you’ll gain…

• A renewed sense of self

• A fresh start

• Better quality writing

• More motivation (ironically, but it’s true!)

And if you have the opportunity to enjoy a different facet of your interests for a while besides writing, don’t feel badly about it. Instead, soak up the rest of this summer with all the amazing things that make you unique!

Keep in touch with my latest book signings and art shows via my events page!

Stop Trying to Pour from an Empty Cup: Feed Your Soul

Trust me, I keep learning this lesson the hard way.

It’s so tempting to keep jumping around from task to task.

You can very likely get a lot of different things done this way, but it doesn’t mean it’ll be all that fulfilling. You’ll just burn yourself out and then you’ll be miserable. I go through this cycle all the time, but I’m finally ready to try and break it.

So I said last time too. And in previous blog posts, you might’ve noticed me talk about self-care, taking breaks, etcetera. But you know what I realized recently?

There’s actually a third option besides just being a workaholic and being a couch potato.

Yes, seriously – and it’s called feeding your soul.

It’s not a question of working or taking a break – it’s actually more about doing things that make your heart happy. For me, as a content writer, my work is extremely draining on the creative front, so I recognize that I need to take time for my art as well.

Sure, it might not pay as lucratively as my articles about pest control or personal care items, but there’s something incredibly important about writing things that let your light shine. I have a story that’s been begging to get out for a while. And most importantly, big plans for it once I do.

All that being said, if you’re curious about my other stories that have already been published, you can grab copies of those HERE. They’re a mix of coming-of-age, science fiction, and YA/NA romance.

So now the question is, how do I actually get this done?

Right, of course – because it’s rarely that simple. Without any clear plan, it just won’t. That’s why I’m trying to institute Feed My Soul Fridays. Basically, I won’t do any creative work for clients on Fridays (unless there’s a legitimate urgent need). Otherwise, Fridays are my day to plan, daydream, and work on my story. That’s something that will help balance out my work-life. I also want to keep working on music and studying guitar so I can teach students soon – because that will also feed my soul.

One of my soul-feeding hobbies: amigurumi crochet! Check out my art page for more about these funky characters.

Some easy tips I would suggest to help you start a similar habit would be the following:

• Spend a day observing your habits – what do you naturally gravitate towards? Even if you can’t drop everything to do that thing in the moment, make a mental note of what you want to do later.
• Think about your schedule – are there some parts of your typical day or week that are busier, or more open? Try to fit in a bit of these soul-nourishing habits when you find breaks in your schedule.
• Commit yourself to honoring your body and mind consistently. Maybe it means taking time to read for a while before going to bed no matter how late it is. Following through on the promise you made to yourself is a crucial part of self-care. So don’t disappoint yourself!

If you do all these things, I am convinced your work-life balance will get better.

I wish I could say that I’ve mastered this skill, but full disclosure: I definitely haven’t yet. My hope is that by blogging about it and sharing it with you, maybe these habits will get easier to instill in my own life. So feel free to be an accountability partner for yourself, or anyone else around you that’s clearly pushing themselves too hard. I’m the worst about this, but I’m feeling the effects of not doing that, and it’s definitely not going to pay off in the longterm.

So here’s to a productive, yet fun, soul-nourishing summer. Sink your toes into the sand and live it up, because you’ll never be this young again 😉

Hello Summer, Goodbye Free Time.

As we approach the official-unofficial start to summer, I was just thinking the other day how I used to look forward to this time of year more than any other. I’d be out of school (no more homework – yay), away from the bullies (duh), and could wear whatever I wanted (no dumb private school dress codes at home). Given how amazing this time of year typically is for me, I’m actually going into it this year feeling a bit stressed.

Wait no – that sounds depressing.

I don’t mean this to sound like a total downer, but there are so many different things happening this summer that I didn’t have to juggle back in my school days.

Things like…

• Freelance blogging
• Editing
• Crocheting art for my vendor shows
• Training to teach guitar
• And somehow still carving out time with my boyfriend (yep, that’s new – read this post for more on that)

They’re all good things of course – but I’ve learned that not all stress is something negative. In fact, sometimes the best things in life freak us out for totally normal, human reasons. And that’s totally okay! But these particular things are requiring a fair amount of adjusting, so I better step it up and reorganize if I ever want to make any headway on my next book.

It’s not what you do with your time so much as the habits you form.

If you’re like me and plan on nixing your habit of laying in bed until noon, that’s naturally going to free up a lot of your time. So sometimes the little changes you apply to your life make all the difference. Don’t be afraid to celebrate those! I’m learning to listen to my body. When I’m tired, I sleep. When I feel motivated to work, I work. Simple as that! Of course, sometimes there are hard deadlines that I have to hit, either for clients, or for a scheduled art show. But aside from those caveats, I let me body and mind lead the process.

Productive rest is also something I want to get a lot better about.

You know, doing something restful besides mindlessly scrolling through Instagram for the umpteenth time that day. Watch your favorite movie, cook something yummy, go out with friends. There’s so much more to life than what you can do. Instead, think about what you can be.

“Be a human being, not a human doing.”

My Quantum Energy Healer, Dr. Mark Mincolla

This particular mantra has always been the toughest for me to master. But I’d wager that’s largely due to societal pressures that make us feel worthless unless we’re actively producing something. But you’ve gotta remember that there are so many wonderful things you bring to the world just by being yourself. Don’t forget that.

Hopefully you’ll be able to have a restful and productive summer. If you have any tips for striking that perfect balance, feel free to reach out to me in the comments. I’d love to hear what you’ve managed to accomplish despite feeling burnt out like I often do!

Happy summer, everybody. Let’s roll.

P.S. – Add my books on Goodreads if you’d like. That would be pretty cool 😉

One Mile at a Time, I’m Making Life Happen.

It’s February (or more specifically, the long-awaited TWOS day of 02/22/22) and oddly enough, my life has felt pretty blah the past couple weeks. There were moments of intriguing progress that seemed to be made, and moments of sparks that fizzled out. But you know what? I’ve learned that it is these moments of bland boredom that bring the best opportunities to reflect on progress.

I started out 2022 by buying a brand-new car. Yes, seriously. Like, fresh from the lot, covered in smell-good chemicals, and connected to Apple play (just the way I like ’em). How did I afford this? Well, it was a combination of my freelance work, a smattering of book sales, and longtime saved revenue from my crocheted art business. Point is, I worked my butt off for this car. And it was a lovely consolation prize after getting rejected by yet another crush (now that I know buying a new car makes rejection hurt a lot less, I might file away that technique for the future).

From there, I started hitting the ground running by leveraging my resources (as all good leaders do). I looked at all the publications I’ve been writing for, and figured out ways to make those writing samples work for me. I can’t even tell you all the potential I’ve been able to squeeze out of a recent article I wrote about aromatherapy. There’s also a secret journalism project that I’m not permitted to talk about yet. But it’s really cool and something I’m very passionate about. See? The possibilities are endless – if you know where to look for them.

Then, I started sharing my expertise in my field with others. If you’ve been following me for a while, then you’ll know that I’ve been appearing on as many podcast shows that will have me (and you can listen to them all via my website here). The way I see it, I have learned so much by chasing this particular profession of being a writer. While I have ties in both the publishing and freelance branches of the industry, the lessons I’ve learned are the same, and basically boil down to asking for what you know you’re worth. And then, perhaps the most important part of it, is showing up for your clients and giving them the best of what you have to offer. Sounds simple, right? But it’s so critical to building that client base that you can rely on – then, they’ll rely on you right back!

So where does this all situate me in the coming weeks and months? Hopefully somewhere amazing. And I’m already shifting my focus into that positive attitude – because that’s the key. Haven’t you heard? Whatever you focus on the most expands. For me, that means I’m focusing on my physical and mental health, while making my dreams a reality (and that starts with my next book concept, lovingly dubbed Breakup Queen). So on this TWOSday (and every mundane Tuesday after this one) I’m choosing to focus on only the best and brightest versions of my dreams – and hopefully, you’ll feel empowered to do the same.

If you’re looking for a unique and sassy read to take your mind off things, why not check out my latest time-travel concept? The Rewind Duology is available in paperback, ebook, and audio – and I’m confident that if you love Back-to-the-Future and Sword Art Online, you’ll love this goofy romp of love, liplocks, and lunkheads.

Battling Project Overload: Coffee & Concepts

And no – it’s not a cool science fiction title. This is literally just the story of my life as an overactive busy-brained freelance writer.

My brain is so tired – like all the time. And I’ve found I also don’t retain things as well because of it. So, it’s high time I handle my crazy workload before it gets too big for me to manage. That’s why I really enjoyed my recent conversation with Walt Robillard – Editor in Chief of WarGate Books.

I was fortunate enough to land a spot on his podcast show, Coffee & Concepts, to talk about my books and my writing process. What so many people don’t think of when it comes to interacting with their favorite stories, is the way authors have to weave these narratives from literally nothing. And finding time / motivation to write can be challenging at best and near impossible at its worst.

We talked about what kinds of coffee we like (which is largely frappuccinos and lattes for me), as well as what kind of inspiration I gathered for my latest release of The Rewind Duology. This series is so important to me, because it really took the struggles I experienced as a kid, and flipped them all around. Where I used to feel weak, these books transformed into a triumph – and I’m also donating a portion of the proceeds to KIND Campaign as well!

Giving back to the community is a crucial component of my work – that’s why I love being able to support an amazing charity that I believe in. Alongside my work with high school students who have an interest in getting into the writing field, as well as my work on the Board of Directors for ARIA, it’s been a blessing to donate my time and efforts.

Excerpt from Forgetting What I Couldn’t Remember (The Rewind Duology #1):

“Maybe getting older lets you finally see all sides of the dice – not just the ones that are facing up.” 

Vera Bartlet is a soon-to-be college graduate with absolutely no idea how messy her life is about to become. It’s not just the job search looming on the horizon or her lack of a boyfriend that’s got her stomach in knots – rather, her dad has been missing for almost a decade, and no one knows what happened to him. 

When Uncle Edgar mysteriously arrives back onto the scene, he comes armed with some interesting new ideas about what may have happened to Vera’s dad – and an even more revolutionary idea of how to find him. With nothing short of bending time and space, Edgar sends Vera back in time in the hopes that she might find the clues they need to get her dad home. 

As she sifts through the mangled pieces of reality and her altered memories of middle school drama become jumbled in between truth and fantasy, Vera has to choose which elements of her past should stay in the past, and which she might like to incorporate into her future. Time travel is never simple, and there are always side effects – but in this case, it might just hold the key to finding her dad. Will Vera stay sane long enough to find her dad and make peace with the bullies who made her miserable?

I have plans to start drafting my next concept, but my life has been so chaotic. Here’s hoping things settle down soon. But until then, keep hustling!

“Diamond Heart” x The Rewind Duology

“The most beautiful things can come from the hardest times.”

Madilyn Bailey

Just like you may have seen in The Rewind Duology, the idea of a character interacting with her younger self is present in Madilyn Bailey’s new music video. Of course, this is a bit more voyeuristic of a style, in that she’s more watching over her younger self – but the nostalgic feeling is the same! Just like my character, Vera, Madilyn was an outcast as a kid, but that didn’t stop her from accomplishing amazing things later – namely, being a semi-finalist on America’s Got Talent (in addition to garnering millions of views on YouTube).

I love seeing art like this that directly relates to my work, because it becomes a great tool to layer my own writing up against. It also proves to me that the things I’m working on matter to people, because other people are writing about issues like bullying too. What it comes down to, is that you cannot ever let people put you in a box – break out of that shit and get moving. You’re better now than you’ve ever been!

This song is so powerful, seriously – check out these lyrics:

“I took all the sticks and stones
All the blows and bricks they throw
Everything that ever gave me scars

All the hurt and bridges burned
Every word and lesson learned
And turned it into art
And in time built a diamond heart.”

As cliché as it may seem to say, it is those experiences that are tough at the time, but they make us who we were always meant to be.

In my books, Vera has to grapple with her past alongside her present moment to be her best self – and that includes going head to head with her old bullies, but now as an adult. The Rewind Duology is something that I am incredibly proud of, and I’m so humbled to be able to give a portion of the proceeds to KIND Campaign to prevent bullying in school. Might as well do some real-world good with my pain, right?

My new business cards, signifying the new era of my freelancing career! And I am SO EXCITED.

But honestly, I’ve already healed so much. I am so grateful for the lessons I learned. If I wasn’t forced to make due with being by myself for as long as I did, I probably wouldn’t have been half as motivated to make something great of myself. That’s why I’ve really thrown myself into freelancing more recently – and that has been so incredibly fulfilling for me!

So case in point – even if life ends up looking different than you originally expected it to be, you can still make something beautiful out of the cards you’ve been dealt. Don’t believe me? Watch “Diamond Heart” by Madilyn Bailey HERE.

If you’d like to read or listen to The Rewind Duology, you can access it on Amazon / Audible HERE. And if you’d like to meet me at one of my upcoming events, you can view those on my website!

Liz on Biz Podcast Appearance and 1.2k Followers?!

Just when I think things are about to settle down, they always seem to ramp up again, LOL. I spent this past weekend selling a ton of my books at Burrillville Arts Festival in RI – which was super fun! It never gets old meeting other creative people and bringing new readers into my work. I know summer is pretty much over, but I’m always the last to put the shorts and crop tops away for the season. Maybe if I add the flannel (like in this picture) I can wear them longer?

I also wanted to pop on here to firstly, say thank you for 1.2 followers on Instagram (like seriously, what even is that?!?). You guys are amazing. If you haven’t seen my page because you’re new here, you can access it HERE. And you just might hear about a giveaway I’m doing soon… so it’s worth your while!

The second big thing I wanted to talk about here is that my good friend Liz Theresa invited me onto her entrepreneur podcast recently, and my episode just aired today! Ugh, it was SO MUCH FUN and I am so grateful to be given another platform on which to share my life and my creativity. You can listen to that episode HERE.

Listening to my segment now reminded me of how far I’ve come as an author and freelancer. Not only am I happier (and busier) than I’ve ever been, but I’m finally stepping into my full potential. It took years of healing and mindful adjustments, but I got there – and you can too! So if you have a spare few minutes, take a listen. We discussed…

🌸 balancing sense of self with personal branding
🌸naming your fears so they don’t eat you alive
🌸 where I got my story inspiration

So no matter where you are in life or what you want to accomplish, I think there’s something in here for you that could make all the difference! B sure to let me know if it helped you! At the very least, I hope that the lessons I’ve learned in my life can help others avoid frustrating things. Because then you’ll have your own struggles, but at least they won’t be the same as mine. Life sure is fun, isn’t it? LOL.

Regardless of all this, I am so humbled by your support. Please do pop by one of my upcoming events, which you can find on my events tab @ angelinasinger.com!

What are your upcoming plans for this fall? Anything in particular you’d like to tackle? Tell me in the comments! Stay well, live your best life, and if you see me at one of the aforementioned book signings, don’t be shy – come say hello!

Late-Summer Job Updates – Stepping into the Sunshine

I know I’ve dropped the ball a little in the blogging department – sorry about that! It’s been a really unique season of change for me – which is obviously a really great thing! Regardless, I still hope to be more present on here to chat with you. It means a lot to me that you’re here, and I never want to take that for granted.

From my recent book signing at The Looff Arts Festival in Riverside, RI

So here’s the lowdown: You may know that in addition to being a published author, now with SIX BOOKS on Amazon, I’ve also been a freelance editor and music critic. These gigs are usually far and few between… until now. More recently, I’ve really hit my stride by partnering with brands and companies I care about (like KIND Campaign for my anti-bullying time travel fiction, and Dash of Social for copyediting). I’ve also started doing some copywriting work for my favorite YouTube cover band ever First to Eleven (they play amped-up versions of favorite rock and pop songs). Plus, I finally launched my own website, which is angelinasinger.com.

Long story short – I know it’s cliché, but I’m here to tell you: don’t give up. Ever. I know you’ve probably heard that from everyone and their grandma, but it’s true! I graduated from college in 2019 with an English degree I had no idea what to do with. I had some small gigs here and there, but nothing that I could live off of. It was so disheartening to leave school with absolutely no idea of what to do with my life. That is, until I found L’Abri Collective – a very exclusive ghostwriting coalition that hired me onto their team of writers. It’s an incredibly holistic approach to collaboration which frankly, I never knew existed in the professional world of cut-throat desperation and frustration. So now not only do I have all that going on, but I also still have my smaller reviewing gigs and fun stuff on the side. It’s a really amazing opportunity that will grow as much as I want it to.

Quote from Forgiving What I Couldn’t Change

Sure, it might take a little longer for my books to take off, but that’s okay. I have big plans for those too. Ideally, I hope to pitch my newest fake-dating rockstar romance concept to an agent who can get me into a big 3 publisher. If that happens, then I would think my other books will get some extra readers as well. All in God’s timing of course – as I’ve already seen with my professional life as well.

So I’m heading into the fall happier and more well-adjusted than I’ve ever been. I’ve got some good work to keep me busy and productive, amazing friends and family who love and support me, and, big dreams to keep me motivated. I’m also training to teach guitar lessons on the side, so I guess in many ways, I’ll always have a full plate. But honestly, that’s how I like it! My latest audiobook is in the works now, and should be available for your listening pleasure in a matter of a couple months. My narrator is truly the best – to hear her work on book one of my time-travel duology, access Forgetting What I Couldn’t Remember HERE.

Recent shopping trip where I found a trinket VERY similar to The Lacune Diamond (item in The Rewind Duology).

That isn’t to say that my life is perfect – far from it, actually. I’m still trying to balance all my skills and interests in a way that allows me to maintain a healthy work-life balance. And I think that will take a bit to develop – but that’s all part of the process. I’m also still very, very single. And I don’t talk about that often enough. But guys in this age group are usually really immature (most of the time – there are some exceptions, of course). It’s finding those exceptions that’s the hard part. But I’m leaving all aspects of my life in God’s hands – He’s never scared me wrong yet.

Thank you for all your continued support, and I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been up to this summer or what your hopes and dreams are. Drop me a line anytime!

Hit Summer With Your Best Shot 6/21 – SEQUEL PREMIERE

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! In the spirit of this occasion of remembering those who gave their lives for America (may they always be honored and remembered), I thought I’d make a pretty big announcement of my own.

The sequel to my time-travel coming-of-age romance Forgetting What I Couldn’t Remember is called Forgiving What I Couldn’t Change. And you can read it on June 21st (yes – the first day of Summer). Summer isn’t just a season; if you’ve read book one, you know that Summer is the name of the biggest grade-school-baddie-turned-psychopathic-criminal. So of course, I figured the best way to forgive her once and for all was to drop this second and final installment on the first day of her season.

Forgiving What I Couldn’t Change actually takes place in the SoCal fall, but that’s basically still warm weather (with the addition of pumpkin spiced everything). It was really fun to situate the characters in that season of blending the savory with the summertime. That also mimics the interesting blend of spastic daytime patterns as experienced by Vera and Fader in the virtual reality world they get trapped in.

The book will be available in ebook, paperback, and eventually, audiobook – narrated by the amazing Chelsea Kwoka. She voiced book 1 and hit it out of the park, so I knew we absolutely had to work together again.

To catch up on book 1, you can find it on Amazon HERE. I always like to tell people how personal both books are to me (but the first book especially – because it’s basically me traveling back in time to enact some justice on my old bullies).

I also have (what I hope) is a fun book trailer on YouTube all about book 1 – care to take a look? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUUTZ820GTI

Thank you so much for all your continued support. Comment below with more content you’d like to see from me. I could talk about my writing for ages, but I know that lifestyle stuff is important too, of course!

I’ll leave you with a quick spoiler-free passage from the sequel that I particularly enjoy. This is a moment between Fader and Vera while navigating the digital reality world:

Between the sound of the falling acid just outside, and the repetitive drip-drip-drip of hidden water somewhere in the cave, the silence was bearable. But only for so long. 

            “I don’t bite, you know.” 

            Fader huffed. “That hasn’t been proven. You looked like you were in enough pain to bite me if I hadn’t have given you that cloth to chomp on instead.”

            I rolled my eyes, even though the gesture may have been left unseen in the faint neon halo light. “That’s not entirely true.”

            “You sure? Because I can’t stitch up my own wounds. Don’t think I’d have the stomach for it.” 

            “What I’m sure of right now is that… I want you.”

            He froze, like being stung by an unseen predator. “What?”

            “Want you next to me, I meant. Yeah, like, scoot in. I’m cold.” Turning away momentarily, I prayed that Freudian slip didn’t just damage everything good we had going on. In a virtual reality world built on real-world death, you’d be surprised at how hard good stuff was to find.

            Before he could find a proper rebuttal, he moved closer to my side, wrapping his arm around my bare shoulders as shivers ran up my spine. “Okay, you have me. Is that all you wanted?”

            The ambiguity in his words wasn’t lost on me, so I treaded lightly. “It’s definitely a step in the right direction.”