How's my next book coming along?

The new daily routine - writing, walking, and K-drama watching

Dear reader,

I’ve finished my outline! Whew. It was starting to feel like pulling teeth there for a minute.

Now I’m writing draft 2 and making quick progress. How long will the whole thing take me? I’m not sure. I’ll have a better idea one month in. I really hope I can publish the book this year.

More about the book - It’s a romance between a writer and an accountant. The writer being a romance author, and the accountant being a retired theatre actor. It’s also a revenge story, in a subtle “become more successfull than them” type of way.

I might be able to dedicate a little more time to writing going forward. A couple weeks ago I got a surprise email. When I saw the subject line “WFH” I thought maybe my remote work days were being revoked. That seems to be the way most companies are heading at the moment. But it turned out to be the opposite. Now I’m back fully WFH. With no commuting time, I get more writing time, so that’s a win. It’s definitely a huge luxury I’m lucky to have, especially in this economy.

I’ve started a couple of new habits lately. Intermittant fasting and daily evening walks to help me get healthier.

After my first few walks, I asked T if he wanted to join me. He agreed, and since then, we’ve been walking together most nights. It’s been nice because in the past we would hardly ever go on walks together - I think because the distance and pace weren’t enough for him. But these 45-minute brisk walks seem to suit both of us.

The best part is the glorious sunsets we get to witness:

T has actually just got back from a work trip overseas. It was the longest I’ve been by myself at home since 2012! It wasn’t bad, tbh… But I’m looking forward to sharing the walks again.

In drama news, since my last update, I’ve finished seasons 2 & 3 of Doctor Romantic, all of Little Women, and I’ve just about finished Asura. I’m on a roll!

I adored Doctor Romantic. What more can I say? 9/10.

Little Women had some fantastic episodes, and I loved the dark, lush, quirky vibe. I also love the opening sequence, which contains many relevant symbols & gives a good sense of the show:

Overall, the show was a little inconsistent though. It could have been a couple episodes shorter with a tighter plot. The most similar K-drama I can think of in terms of tone is SKY Castle, but SKY Castle is slightly better. 7/10.

Asura is a Japanese series, written & directed by Hirokazu Koreeda. I knew I just had to watch it because Koreeda is one of my favourite film directors (Monster, After the Storm, Like Father Like Son, etc).

Not gonna lie - it took me about 3 whole episodes to get into it, but once I did, I’ve enjoyed it. This drama is more about family and relationship dynamics than plot, so it won’t be for everyone. The acting is supurb all around. I’m particularly drawn to Takiko’s storyline - the “unattractive” librarian who gets involved with a sweet and awkward private detective.

What’s next on the watch list? I’m going to give Tree With Deep Roots a whirl. I just love Han Suk-kyu so much, and I’m in the mood for a historical.

That’s it from me this week.

-Sara