The Anxious Author

  I've toned down the number of reviews I've been posting in my reader group and on my social media pages. Some months I read nonstop and others it's only once every couple of weeks. This led to inconsistency in my review posting and ultimately clogged up my social feeds with reviews that my readers weren't interacting with. In order to solve this problem, I'm starting a new series on this blog.       Shelf Life will be a monthly episode posted at the end of each month. It will contain all the books I reviewed during the month and links to them for interested readers. I'll also include my "Now-Next-Later", where I'll list the three books I have lined up to read.     My reading goal for 2023 is 150 books. In January I read a total of 8 books, most of which were YA, as I am attempting to consume more YA, New Adult, and Juvenile books this year. I'll be reading way fewer adult books in order to reconnect with my target audience. Being a YA and mid

Megan Kuykendall is a Georgia author with a passion for paranormal romance and fantasy. She currently resides in North Georgia, in the Canton area, which allows her to indulge in her love for mountains. Kuykendall's primary audience is ages 16 and up.   "My first book was published in 2019. It was The Amber Chronicles ," stated Kuykendall. "It was more or less so my friends and family could see it."   Kuykendall's passion for stories with magical elements influenced her writing. When she started writing, she wrote the books she wanted to read. Her stories ended up having many magical elements and fantastical creations in them. She explained, "I have always loved myths, lore, and history, so my mind pushed my stories in that direction. I love adding a touch of magic to everything I write. I tried a few times to write contemporary romance and let's just say it wasn't pretty."   Over the past three years, Kuykendall has set a goal to craft a c

       In 2022 I lowered my standards for books and after it was pointed out to me I couldn't get over it. I became frustrated with myself because I've always been an honest reviewer, until last year when I suddenly felt bad for giving 3-star and under reviews. This year, that's changing.      In 2023 I will be raising my standards to the point that some might think they are strict, but in the world of writing, we all have to learn to take criticism. A bad review doesn't mean your book is bad. It means one person out of millions didn't like something about it. And, honestly, the world could use fewer pitty reviews and more honest ones.      My bracket for this year will be as follows:     5-stars = I adored the book.     4-stars = I enjoyed the book.      3-stars = I liked the book, but it wasn't anything exceptional. It was average.     2-stars = I didn't care much for the book     1-star = This book has severe problems.  Like in the past, I may occasionall

   Imposter Syndrome is an illness that can plague anyone but runs rampant in artists. It can strike at any time, no matter how experienced you are. It's been a long time since I've experienced imposter syndrome, but while working on In The Beginning I was hit with a new case of it for half a second.     When a writer experiences imposter syndrome, they don't feel adequate in their field. It makes you feel like a failure. Like you are an imposter, parading around in the world of literature. It's a mental affliction that can affect your emotional and physical health if you allow it to pull you under the dark waves of depression.   Having anxiety means I experience mild bouts of imposter syndrome monthly, but it had been nearly a year since my last big one until I sat down to edit In the Begining.    I was at the kitchen table, looking through my editor's comments on the manuscript when I asked someone nearby if they were available to do a read-through with me some ti