Money musing and K-drama watching

Plus a free excerpt from my upcoming book 🤩

I’ve been thinking about money lately. Last Tuesday was census day here in New Zealand, and one of the questions was about income earned in the last year. I worked mine out, and the result surprised me. I earned a whole lot less than I thought I did!

This, combined with a few other money-related incidents, and worry set in. I started to think maybe it’s a sign I should look into getting a full-time income again…

But I quickly came to my senses.

The lifestyle I have at the moment is what allows me to maximise my writing time and pursue my dream of becoming a full-time author.

Maybe I won’t be able to sustain this forever, but I’m still getting by, and I’m not ready to give it up just yet!

So instead of looking for more work, I’m doubling down on my writing and marketing efforts. I’m also trying to be more intentional with my leisure time, rather than wasting it on social media and mindless internet scrolling.

Since K-dramas are a big source of inspiration for my fiction, I have recently started watching them again after a bit of a hiatus.

I watched Reborn Rich and enjoyed the revenge plot, succession drama antics, and the brilliant performance by Lee Sung-Min. Unfortunately the romance subplot and the ending fell flat, so overall I didn’t love it.

Now I’m watching Divorce Attorney Shin—mainly because I have a massive crush on Cho Seung-Woo 😍. The first episode had some jarring tonal shifts, but that seems to have settled by episode 2, and now I’m enjoying it quite a lot, not just for CSW.

If you have any K-drama recs, let me know by replying to this email or leaving a comment ❤️

Source: Netflix K-Content

-Sara

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I have shared this excerpt before, but I have had a lot of new subscribers since then, so I’m re-sharing. In the coming weeks I’m going to share new content from the book (and a cover reveal!)

Clashing with the CEO excerpt #1

I stormed through the double doors of Luxmore’s head office, blood boiling. My block heels thudded on the glossy marble floor as I marched past reception to the elevators. I punched the up button with more force than necessary. Anger turned to determination as I waited, my arms folded across my chest.

I can do much better than him. I’m an intelligent, attractive young woman. I have a decent job. Any straight, single man would find me desirable. I bet the next available man I see wouldn’t turn me down if I gave him a chance.

Right on cue, the elevator door opened. Its occupant: one man. 

Startled, I looked away, blushing. The man didn’t exit, and I was the only person waiting to get on. Reaffirming my little bet with myself, I gave him a once-over as I stepped inside. What I saw made me pause.

Is life playing a trick on me?

This man wasn’t my type at all. He looked much older than me, and he wasn’t handsome. A far cry from pretty-boy Leon and the usual young guys I dated. The man’s black hair was immaculately groomed, and he had shrewd, dark eyes. A defined jawline led to stern lips and down his throat to a prominent Adam’s apple peeking from his crisp shirt collar. He wore a suit which screamed tailor-made and expensive, not to mention the Rolex on his wrist. He exuded an aura of power.

Must be in upper-management.

I looked at the keypad. Sure enough, he had selected the twentieth floor. All the top executives had their offices on the twentieth floor—the highest level of the building. He either worked there, or he was a visiting businessman from another company.

As I pressed the button for the fifth floor, I could feel the man’s intense eyes boring holes into me. I wondered if he was checking me out.

Maybe he really is interested in me?

I didn’t know what to make of it. He was too old for me, and he wasn’t my type at all. Then again, he was far from decrepit—early forties at most. He looked fit and well-groomed, and he was probably intelligent and ambitious if he held a high position. Maybe it was time to broaden my horizons. Besides, I could use the confidence boost.

Mind made up, I turned on my charm offensive and flashed him the sweetest smile I could muster. “Good morning.”

His jaw tightened, and the veins in his neck flexed. He left me hanging for a long beat, an inscrutable expression on his face.

The corners of my mouth twitched, unable to hold up the smile much longer as awkwardness set in. Our eye contact was on the verge of unbearable when he finally spoke.

“You’re…” His voice was low, and he had a hint of a posh English accent.

What’s this? All I had expected was a simple “Good morning” in return. Is he actually going to hit on me? I can’t believe it.

He cleared his throat and continued. “Your top’s inside out.”

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Link roundup

📚Book world news and views from around the web

Why Johnny Can’t Read Now; An Elegy [3 Quarks Daily]

About a third of the way through a first-year humanities honors course, one of my more engaged and talkative students pulled me aside after class for a private chat. She waited, clearly anxious, while the rest of her classmates filed out and then turned to me with her eyes already filling up with tears.

“I can’t read,” she said, her voice shaking.

Why More Men Should Read Romance [Book Riot]

According to a survey conducted by Romance Writers of America, only 18% of romance readers are men, but this number should be higher for many reasons.

Publishers are cynically using ‘sensitivity readers’ to protect their bottom lines [The Guardian]

As books become intellectual property assets, publishers become asset managers trying to future-proof their toxic investments