August marks the beginning of my favorite time of year 🥰

I’m reviewing my July goals (spoiler alert: it didn’t go as planned), giving some project updates, and setting my intentions for August-September. So grab your favorite beverage and join me at The Grimoire Cafe.

It’s muggy-warm as you walk into The Grimoire Cafe today, and once again, it’s a relief to step into the crisp coolness and the scent of coffee mingled with baking bread. It’s busy, but mellow in the cafe, with empty seats here and there among the crowd. Most people are working or reading—laptops, books, and planners dot the tables.
As you near the counter, Tini pokes her head out from around the coffee machine. Her silver hoops glint in the watery sunlight that’s filtering through the tall front windows.
“Hey! Good to see you!”
There’s no way not to return her smile, and you feel yourself grin. “You too. What’s today’s special?”
“We’re taking back to the aughts with a dirty chai,” she replies cheekily. “Keeping it simple, but with max caffeine.”
You laugh. “Max caffeine feels right. I’ll take a dirty chai–iced, and in a glass.” You’ve got goals to review, and there’s a table in the corner calling you name.
Tini grabs a glass from the stack. “Milk?”
“Barista’s choice,” you say, after taking a moment to consider.
She smiles with a nod and gets to work.
While Tini makes your drink, you settle in at the small table in the corner. Wicker chairs at a classic, round top on a pedestal base, tucked back. The chair you choose as a great view of the street, with the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves behind you. This will be the perfect spot for some review and planning…

Alright, ya’ll. Last time I posted about my goals and progress was mid-July and I had big ambitions. Here we are in the middle days of August, so it’s time to call my bet and see how reality tallies up against my lofty intentions…

Last month’s goals:

Goal 1: Finish this round of revisions on Moonseeker

Failed! Okay, that’s harsh. But I did not manage to complete these revisions. Between travel, and big (non-author) work projects, July was overbooked. BUT, I learned some things!

Primarily, I learned that in this era of my life/career, June through August are NOT months to set big author goals. They are minimum-viable-product (MVP) months for my author life, and THAT’S OKAY! In fact, it’s good to figure that out. That means next year, I can set myself up for success by planning for. it.

Also, because I know work is similarly busy in November-December, I am planning ahead and setting the expectation with myself that those will be MVP months as well. Boom! Pressure released.

P.S. If you’d like me to talk more about minimum-viable-product months and what that means, let me know! It’s a SUPER helpful mindset and thing to know about your business/goals/life that doesn’t get talked about a lot in the online productivity space, so if that’s a new idea for you I’d be happy to expound!

Goal 2: Design and order Little Library Stickers

I did this! I did it at the last minute, but they’re ordered and on their way! ✅ 🙌

Here’s the design as proof:

These stickers will go in the front of paperbacks I plan to deliver to little free libraries around my neighborhood so that people can find me (and the rest of the books in the series) and know that they are supporting a local author.

Goal 3: Sell FIVE books in the month of July

DRUM ROLL PLEASE! 🥁

I sold 43 books in July!

WHAAAA??? It was all thanks to the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale, and only 14 of the 43 were paid (not free to download) but STILL! I’m calling it a win!

I took a step by enrolling my books (which I’ve done before) and it really paid off. More so this year than in the past. I think there are readers looking for books outside of Amazon these days, and I am happy to help provide them! 🥳

Okay, so what’s next? September and October are easier months for me, in terms of work-life balance, so I want to take these months to rest up for the end of the year hustle, and to make progress on the projects that are most important to me. I’ve signed up for WorkIt!, a 6-week coaching class held by my dear friend (and editor for most of my books), Jen Graybeal.

1. Give Work It! the time and attention it deserves

I’ve taken WorkIt! before, and it was really good–and, get this, it’s never the same twice! Jen tailors the content to the cohort’s needs and interests, so I’m certain I’ll learn something new. I think it will be just the thing to help reset my energy. So that’s my first goal!

Just last night, I was working on Moonseeker, and I had a mini breakthrough! 🥳 I’ve been lost on these revisions for weeks (months!) so it was a huge relief to feel some pieces click into place.

2. Finish Moonseeker revisions

So I’m setting this goal again. The goal I set for myself in the spring was to be ready to start querying by September 21st (the first day of Fall) and I think I MIGHT be able to do it. At the very least, I will be able to get Moonseeker to my final set of critique partners by then for one last read-thru. While they review, I will continue compiling my list of agents to send queries to. Which leads me to…

3. Projects

Goal 3 is actually two smaller projects:

  1. Sticker and distribute paperbacks to little libraries around my neighborhood (I’m pretty stoked to do this!)
  2. Start compiling my list of top agents to query. 10 agents for round one!

Alright, that’s it (and enough! 😅) What are you working on from now until Fall (Spring if you’re in the southern hemisphere)?

Tini’s Dirty Chai

For chai tea recommendations, I took to BlueSky and here’s what you all recommended:

This is the Tea Source blend fairygrrl recommends: https://www.teasource.com/products/teasource-chai-spice-blend-chai-tea

It looks awesome, so I’m going to have to give it a try! Tazo and Oregon Tea’s concentrates are quite good, but the dry chai mix by Oregon Chai is the favorite of those I’ve tried. When you mix it with a heavier milk, like oat milk or even soy, it creates a luxuriously smooth beverage with lovely mouth feel. Use a milk frother to get an even creamier, aerated smoothness. That’s what Tini will be using for this recipe, but you can substitute with your chai of choice. 😉

What you’ll need:

On the stove, or with the steamer from your espresso machine, heat your milk to just hotter than your desired drinking temperature.

Add the powdered chai mix, and blend using a handheld milk frother, or your prefered method.

Pour in the shot of espresso

Enjoy!

It’s so simple, but so good!

*Warning: this drink is SUPER caffeinated. Don’t drink this if you’re sensitive to caffeine (or after 1PM ha!)

See you in the Fall!

P.S. Comment and tell me what you’re working on! We can all be accountability buddies. 💜

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