Writing Update: July 2025

Today is July 14th. It is also my mom's birthday (Happy Birthday, Mama!) and it is also Bastille Day; the day when the French people stormed the Bastille (the famous prison in Paris) to try to take control and turn the tides of the revolution.

Bastille Day commemorates a violent history with celebrations: fireworks, patriotic colors, parades, and such, similar to the way we celebrate the 4th of July in America. Obviously it's not uncommon to celebrate successful revolutions and significant events during violent times with happy celebrations. Mexican Independence Day celebrates the start of the war for Mexico's independence from Spain. Juneteenth celebrates the announcement of the abolition of slavery that happened two years after Emancipation Proclamation was put forth.

Thinking about these celebrations has me thinking about the way culture is developed in fantasy worlds. I can't think of a fantasy book where the culture celebrated an independence day, or had a celebratory, feast-like day that was for anything besides the changing of the seasons (like a solstice feast). I wonder, is that because fantasy authors are always writing about people trying to gain independence, or freedom, from their oppressors? But some of the worlds authors have created seem to have existed for millennia. Surely there is a group of people who have gained independence from someone?

Or, do we as authors not want our fantasy worlds to too-closely mimic our real world? Do we subconsciously feel like celebrating the violence of revolution is inappropriate? But in today's world, we do celebrate the downfall of oppressive regimes, don't we?

These are things I think about while writing my WIPs. Project Glitter City is a story that takes place in a world similar to Earth, and just as old with just as complicated politics of colonialism and struggles of power. To be honest, I didn't think about how people in that world celebrated historical events until this month, when I found myself celebrating an America I'm not exactly proud of at the moment. It's hard to celebrate your homeland when you feel like things are going wrong in every direction; when the decisions your leaders make are misaligned (not just by degrees, but literally completely opposite) from the decisions you would / want to / do make in your daily life.

In Project Glitter City, King Maartan, the King of Dostland, has one goal: to increase his power, no matter the cost. He has many supporters, but no friends. There are people who celebrated when he came into power decades ago, but after years and years of his lies, people are starting to wake up (literally) to the enchantments he's placed over the kingdom. But when they try to tell other people that his "Glitter Cities" are all a facade, they are silenced.

This is not the plot of the story---it's more backstory and important for understanding why the protagonist acts the way she does. But I think about this history and the way Dostland is (literally) falling apart under Maartan's rule, and how there is literally no other possible outcome other than some revolution to start.

People cannot, and will not, subject themselves to an authoritarian leader if they feel like that leader is destroying the world around them. At least, not in fantasy books.

But, hey! I promised you an update on my writing with the title of this blog, so that's what you'll now receive.

Update #1: Quill & Cup 180 Program

In March I signed up (somewhat last minute) for the Quill & Cup 180 Program, which promised that participants would essentially spend 180 days (6 months) writing, and come out on the other end with a finished novel. We're halfway through the program and I LOVE IT.

Last month I crossed a major 'milemarker': I wrote 100 pages of Project Glitter City.

Since then, (and as of today), I have made it to the following milemarkers:

58,000 words

188 pages

Chapter 22

And today, when I was trying to figure out when the program actually ends (because I feel like I still have so much to write and I want to write THE END by the end of the program), I realized that I have been working on Glitter City for OVER 90 DAYS.

The key is the consistency. Ania, Quill & Cup's CEO and founder and the amazing teacher leading the 180 program, is in the group daily with bite-sized tips, topics, requests, questions. It's kept me engaged from day one, and I am so grateful for that because without the consistency of her showing up, I can honestly say I wouldn't have been as consistent with my showing up, either.

Current status: Module 5 and heading towards "the end"; 58,529 words, 188 pages; the protagonist has had her false win and we are making our way towards the dark night of the soul, which will be very, very dark indeed.

Update #2: The Wild Draft

Our Wild Draft cohort has met three times now, and our next meeting is this Wednesday! (In two days). What I'm enjoying about going through these two very different programs is that they're just right for each of the novels I'm writing. Glitter City is big and complicated and detailed and messy, and I need Ania's accountability to keep me coming back to the page to get through the first messy draft.

With the Wild Draft, I'm writing Project: Cave House, which is a story that stemmed from a real-life experience (actually, a whole bunch of real life experiences). Having that visceral material has made writing this novel quite easy so far. I don't feel stunted or nervous to come to the page. That could change, of course, but right now I'm really enjoying making my way through the story.

Current status: 15,443 words, 51 pages; I've written the scene that "happened" in my real life that inspired the plot of this novel and has waited patiently in the back of my mind to come to life on the page (thank you!)

Update #3: Submissions

Ugh. (What a way to start an update, huh?) I'm sort of disappointed in myself because I missed the deadlines for three different submissions, but then I take a step back from my disappointment and allow myself grace. The deadlines were right in the middle of L's two week break between traveling and camp, and I really wanted to spend time with her and not be glued to my screen. And that's okay. What I do have is two short stories I'm very proud of, and a couple of outlines for others that I will submit this summer.

I'm setting a new goal for myself, because I have learned that I can achieve just-manageable goals: I will submit 3 short stories to online magazines or contests by the end of August. Okay, you got this, Kailey!

In other news, I submitted two first chapters to the Writes of November first chapter contest, and am patiently awaiting those results. I am feeling very proud of the chapters I submitted, and super grateful to the writers who read through them and provided feedback (AJ, Katy, Lili, Nicha, Alex, AND Shara---not a writer, but one of my dear friends and she gave me GREAT feedback.) Also, one of the first chapters is for a project I decided to put on hold for a while, but I can't wait to get started on that once Draft 1 of Glitter City is done.

Update #4: Life Lately

This summer has been full. Fulfilling, full of words, full-blast air conditioning... I'm not the biggest fan of that last one, but after spending hours in the heat we've had lately, sometimes it's a necessity. And I've been spending a lot of time outside! There are free yoga classes outside of Wrigley Field twice a week that I've been going to, and when I'm not doing yoga, I'm trying to walk outside a few days a week. Walking on the lake is one of my favorite things to do to get my day started on the right foot.

Over this past month, when I wasn't writing (or momming), I spent time sewing and making some fun clothes. A few simply didn't turn out, but I am proud of one side-tie tank I made. I have so much fabric and so many patterns and I'm honestly having a hard time deciding what to make next.

I also got to see one of my writing friends in real life! We took a short trip to Michigan over the 4th of July and since my husband had to work all day on the 3rd, I took the girls up to Kalamazoo to meet A.J. (co-host of the Short Story Summer Challenge). We had coffee and then lunch, and took a walk down the cute downtown street! It was so nice to see her face in 3D!

What's coming up ?

Besides the #ShortStorySummer challenge, over this month I'm still prioritizing two things: Project: Glitter City and Project: Cave House. I've developed a nice routine of writing at my desk (or at a coffee shop) almost every week day and tapping notes into my phone on the weekends when ideas come to me. I'll continue to host two prickles for Quill & Cup per week.

Outside of writing, we've forgone our travel plans. Baby is at a stage where sitting still is incomprehensible to her :D We are going to Las Vegas to help our friends celebrate their five year wedding anniversary with a vow renewal ceremony at Taco Bell...

My goals for July:

Add 20,000 words to Project: Glitter City

Add 10,000 words to Project: Cave House

Write 2 more short stories

SUBMIT !