An Update: Long COVID, Side Projects, and Breaks

Hello, my lovelies! So, I haven't done one of these in a while, but I thought I'd give you all sort of a check-in on how things are going in life, in work, and in my creative non-work pursuits.

In work-related news, I'm taking this coming week off. I'll be back on the 15th, but I need a break. I need a breather.

Things are going well, don't get me wrong! Minding Her Manor's second chapter is finished and just needs an edit, and Guests of the Mapleseed's second chapter isn't far behind. I'm writing a few new flashfics every week, and I should be able to actually boot the Tumblr back up again soon, too! I just need a week or two with slightly fewer things to worry about. Especially with Tax Day coming up. I need a vacation.

So, yeah. There won't be any update next week. I should still be able to get at least 2-4 stories posted this month, not including the flashfics!

In my life, things are going pretty good! I'd say I'm at a solid B+ life situation lately. The chickens are finally laying their eggs where I can find them, I'm living with the people I love, HRT is being very kind to me, and I've been baking something every week (last week I made lemon rolls). I've been playing a ton of Pathfinder Second Edition, which I can't recommend enough if you like D&D but feel frustrated with the wonky balance, encounter-building rules and action economy (three-action turns, my beloved). My income isn't totally stable, but it's reliable enough that I don't have to worry as long as I keep a few housemates. It's raining outside right now, and I love how the raindrops drum against the porch roof sheeting.

Of course, it's not all rainfall and roses. For the last 5-6 months, I've been down with a bad case of long COVID. Constant shortness of breath, a forever cough that I can never breathe in deeply enough to clear, and I can't even go for a short walk without gasping for breath like I'm dying. I used to have lung capacity, darn it. I'm going to talk to my doctor about it in a couple days. I've heard that nicotine patches can help (which, as someone raised by a smoking addict, just unnerves me on a personal level), but that if I try to treat it, it might take me out of commission for a bit. It'd be worth it, though. Long COVID sucks.

In creative news, things are also going nicely! I'm working on a YA novel, slipping back into my Runescape fanfiction roots, and dabbling on a really cool PF2 project I might plug here when it's published. Let's just say it's an effort to bring Pathfinder back to its horny roots with some cute new ancestries, and that beefolk and alraunes will be among the playable options on offer. I'm writing a lot these days, even if it's mostly not smut!

I do still love writing smut, of course. ;)

I wish I had a good April Fool's Day prank, or a themed story ready for the holiday. Alas, all I have is sincerity. Stay safe out there.