Queer Chapters

What am I working on?

Updated

Working hard to get the blog ready to launch in a few months! 😅

Vibes

I’ve been writing short reviews on Goodreads for nearly fifteen years now, and I thought it might be fun to write for my own blog instead.

So far: yes, it’s fun! It’s also a squillion times harder and more time-consuming than I’d ever expected.

The biggest time killer is the self-doubt. I’ve started, trashed, and restarted so many reviews now: trying to find my long-form voice, trying to be insightful, trying to be entertaining. I really hope this is the kind of thing that comes naturally with time.

What’s done?

My spoiler-free review of Swim With Me, Darling by Sylvie Helstaff is as done as it’s going to be—though I’ll give it one final pass before I publish.

I fucking loved it, and it prompted me to think a lot about limerence, allyship, and the differences between bad decisions and decisions that I just don’t like.

Don’t wait for my review—just get it.

In progress

If Kindle kept track of the number of times I’ve read a book, Labours of Stone by EM Harding would be way up there, and I’m back again for a spoiler-free review.

Fuck me, I love that book. I try not to slip and call it cosy because I’m not convinced that’s the right word. Reassuring—now, that’s the word I’m looking for.

I’m really enjoying being back in there again, and spotting things that I’d missed before. I’d like to get it written-up and done by early-mid September.

Reading but not reviewing

I started reading Red Dwarf: Titan by Rob Grant and Andrew Marshall as soon as my pre-order landed in July, but I sort of abandoned it after a few chapters and now I haven’t picked it up again for a couple of weeks.

I love early Red Dwarf. I hate recent Red Dwarf. Red Dwarf: Titan swings closer to the former than the latter, but I just don’t think this kind of comedy works for me in text. Now, put this story into a big-budget mini-series reboot, and you’ll have my undivided attention.

What’s next?

Depending on my mood, I’m planning to pick from:

Distant future

In the medium-term, I’ve got to sort out a mailing list for the blog. I’ll write it down here so I don’t forget.

I’ve got some notes scribbled down to talk about The Amazing Digital Circus and Starfleet Academy, too.

The next big thing, though, will be the YouTube channel. Oh, such big plans! Writing is my first love, which is why I’m getting the blog rolling first, but becoming a world-famous millionaire BookTube influencer would solve a lot of financial problems for me.

In the mean time, love you all!

— Fenn ❤️