May Goals

It's almost May, here was my April Goals: 
1.) I'm taking part in PMDD Awareness Month by (drum roll)...... writing a poem/day! There is a fun photo challenge that will be on Instagram. - While I did participate in this challenge, I realized that some poems I wrote for me....and not up for sharing. And that's okay! When I internalized certain pieces, I grew inward and stopped writing for just a bit. It got too much and I couldn't even involve myself in the Instagram challenge....that's also okay. Realizing that it's perfectly fine to step back and take a breather is key to grounding myself. One day, I'll share my thoughts on this but only when I'm ready to share. 
2.) I mentioned in my random rambling update that I am participating in a workshop called "Excavating Motherhood in/through Art," well I'd like to begin a series over on my very very neglected blog. As soon as I have enough material to cover, I'll start linking it to this site.  - I have zero material for this BUT I began a chapbook series over motherhood and identity! I finished one chapbook and sent it to two different contests, and just about to wrap up the second volume in the series - yay! 
3.) I've got one more blog tour and review with them in April and once that's done, I'll start reviewing only poetry books (and books by Penny Reid just because).  I reviewed two poetry books this month, and working on finishing up a third, hopefully before the month ends! 
4.) I started an outline for my "Letters to Heaven Trilogy" and I'm going to start working on storyboarding the first book, "Finding your way Home." This will be a follow up/flash forward on Dylan and Lenora Evers story from "Letters to Lenora." - Still storyboarding! I wrote a few scenes and researching Army life, and how faith fits into that! I realized that for this book, I want to cover the familial and faithful side of the army life. How does that affect how we form our own tribes, our own community of fellowship. I touched on Preeclampsia in Letters to Lenora, and I want to include that in Lenora's pregnancy (hey this isn't a spoiler, ok) and how pregnancy anxiety comes into play because of her mom's traumatic birth. THIS IS A HEAVY BOOK, so I started outlining more of Ethan's Epic quest and that'll cover the gorgeous Philippines. 

May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month
AND
​Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month

I'm sucking badly on blogging about "Life after Preeclampsia," that I'm thinking of just sticking with Instagramming for now. I'll be adding a photo and poetry series of life after pree for May's Preeclampsia Awareness Month......and what the what?! I was invited to speak at the Preeclampsia Dallas Promise Walk on May 19th! Super excited and grateful for the amazing opportunity and completely humbled by all the survivors I get to meet. 

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So May Goals:
1.) Get it together and practice my speaking skills for the May walk....will be doing a couple of live and recorded videos in the next few days.
2.) AND I'll be going to an open mic event at a local coffee shop to get more practice at speaking in front of people. May 11th from 7 - 8:30 pm at Third Gen coffee house in The Woodlands. 
3.) Finish chapbook #2, have it reviewed and edited before finding a home for it. I've got a few chapbook contests I have my eye on.
4.) Continue with research and hopefully WRITE out a first rough draft. I'm hoping to get this done before the kid gets out for summer...I don't think I'll be getting any writing done at all this summer! 

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What about you, friend? What are you working on next? Did you make your April goals? Are you looking forward to a fresh new month??
​Keep going! Keep at it at it!