This month I took part in NaNoWriMo (National November Writing Month), which is a challenge to write 50,000 words of fiction in 30 days. This year I didn't quite get to the full 50K, but I did meet family I hadn't seen in almost three years during a quick visit to Latvia (the above picture is from outside the Lido restaurant in Riga). Seeing family was more than worth a lower word count to me.

I even got over my usual scrooge reaction to late November and early December xmas decorations and songs (though this may have something to do with the songs in Latvia being sung in Latvian or having American influences, which reduced the repetitive I-want-to-burn-my-ears reaction).

The draft I worked on for NaNo this year was one I've mentioned briefly to my mailing list subscribers. It's an urban fantasy mystery with a strong romance subplot based in a witch academy... in Latvia! In my head the school is set in Cesvaines castle, which used to be a school many years ago (see above for pictures I took there a few years ago).

I thought the unusual, out of the way setting would provide the privacy a magical school would need to operate under the radar. The first draft is currently sitting at 36.5K, with a rough goal of 60K words. Hopefully I can reach that in December, alongside more edits on the fantasy idea a number of you have expressed interest in.

That's all for now. Until next time!