Ever times would change and tides alter, and o'er hills of morning hope come striding to awake the weary, while the world lasted.

New profile pic because I’m still obsessed with my new bookshelf set up. 📚 If you’re new here, hi! I’m L. J. I like to make myself crazy by doing too much, like working full time while also homeschooling my two boys and also pursuing my longtime dream of publishing stories. I’m a proud Texan, a lifelong follower of Jesus, and a huge fan of J. R. R. Tolkien, popcorn, and classical education. I have a few stories in the works, both short story and novel-length, and I write an irregularly published newsletter where I share my favorite literary quotes as I read for fun. Speaking of quotes, here’s my favorite: “Ever times would change and tides alter, and o'er hills of morning hope come striding to awake the weary, while the world lasted.” — J.R.R. Tolkien I love celebrating stories that grapple with the ever-changing tides of life while pointing to everlasting truth. If you agree (or even if you don’t), let’s be friends on IG. #writermom #authormom #homeschoolmomswhowrite

I hopped on to post a general life update, and realized today is my one-year anniversary on “writergram.” 🤯 A year ago I created this account on a whim. I wanted to document my writing process and most of all, learn from other authors. I told myself I might delete the account after a few days, but staying became one of the best decisions I’ve made during my writing journey. I’ve… 📚 Discovered amazing trad + indie authors and publishers that I never would have found otherwise 📚 Been inspired by anthology prompts to write two completely new short stories, both of which were invaluable learning experiences for me, and one of which has been accepted for publication (eee!) 🤗 📚 Gone through rewriting, beta readers, and more rewriting for my first completed MG novel, and begun the querying process 📚 Begun drafting another MG novel 📚 Read some amazing new books from indie authors that I’ve connected with here on IG 📚 Been motivated to develop a healthier, more purposeful relationship with social media. One of the most encouraging things about this corner of IG is seeing how many people are still passionate about good storytelling. I still have so much to learn and so far to grow as a storyteller myself, but boy, I’m enjoying the process. Thanks for being here with me. P.S. here are a few snapshots of summer so far. In between work things (I transitioned from part time to full time back in May), we’ve been off the grid and off the gram a lot, and it’s been a really sweet time of family memories. Hopefully I’ll be posting more writing updates soon. ✍🏻

If you’re on this corner of IG, it’s likely for a purpose: finding bookish friends, new reads, or building your author platform. That’s true for me. And “writergram” has been extremely valuable to my journey as a writer. But I also have a love-hate relationship with IG, because while it can be so effective at connecting me with other writers, readers, and new opportunities, it’s also addictive by nature. It’s so easy to go from reading a friend’s update to scrolling for two hours. I’ve wished I could delete social media, but that isn’t practical for me because of the legitimate ways I do use these platforms to learn and connect. Because I also manage some social media accounts for my day job, it’s too complicated to not have the apps on my phone. (And meta makes content creation almost impossible without the app, surprise, surprise.) So I bought a brick. I’ve seen articles raving about this thing. The brick physically locks the apps I want freedom from and then can be tucked away in a far corner of the house. Suddenly opening up IG, not for a purpose, but just to scroll for a “minute,” isn’t an option. When I need to use the app, I can unlock it. But I have to walk (for me) upstairs and into the locked room to retrieve the brick. And then I do what I need to do on IG, and lock the app right back before getting sucked in. Brick can lock anything on your phone that distracts you. I share this because my guess is that some other people here might identify with my struggle, and also care about using one’s time on digital platforms intentionally. (So ironic that today, the very thing that often distracts us from reading and writing is what’s necessary to market our work.) So if that’s you and nothing has worked yet, I really do recommend Brick. Have you tried Brick or something similar? Or do you have other tips for limiting screen time and social media addiction? If so I’d love to hear your thoughts. *this is not an ad. I’m no influencer lol 😆

🎩 Happy Publication Day to The Wonder Tales, Volumes One and Two! (Swipe for my review.) 📕📗Grab your copies via the l!nk in @twenty_hills b!o. 🐇 Volume Two, which I had the pleasure of ARC reading, is a poetry collection run by Anne J. Hill and Ali Noël. Blurb: Have you ever felt a bit mad? Or simply out of step with reality? If so, you’re in good company. The heartbreaks, setbacks, and experiences of life leave their mark in curious ways. In The Wonder Tales: Volume Two—a collection of Wonderland inspired poetry—time, trials, and self discovery showcase the inner workings of the human spirit. @mermaidhannahwrites, @anne.j.hill.author, @the.poetess.life #aliceinwonderland #poetry #shortstories #newrelease

I’m happy to partner with Twenty Hills Publishing today for these cover reveals! ❤️ Read on for more details. (I’m ARC reading volume 2 now. Can’t wait to hold the hard copy!) The Wonder Tales: Volume One & Volume Two publish this June 30th with @twenty_hills. ☕️ Pre-orders for the ebook are also live! Tap the l!nk in @twenty_hills b!o to grab your copy. 🎩 Volume One is a collection of fiction run by Hannah Carter and Anne J. Hill. Blurb: Welcome to the world of madness, riddles, and wonder. Within these pages, multiple authors weave short stories and novelettes that twist and turn everything you thought you knew about falling down the rabbit hole. The hat seller is madly determined to leave Wonderland. A shapeshifting Chesire seeks to retrieve his voice. A Spade digs his fellow guard’s graves. A prince sets out to slay the Jabberwock. Alice’s sister conspires to save her from the Madman’s Menagerie. Ginger wanders too deep into a looming forest. A hat tailor is in over his head with love. Madwomen ban together to free the newest member of their institute. A vampire faces off with the White King and Queen to save his partner in crime. So, turn the page if you dare. But you’ve been warned. We’re all mad here. 🐇 Volume Two is a poetry collection run by Anne J. Hill and Ali Noël. Blurb: Have you ever felt a bit mad? Or simply out of step with reality? If so, you’re in good company. The heartbreaks, setbacks, and experiences of life leave their mark in curious ways. In The Wonder Tales: Volume Two—a collection of Wonderland inspired poetry—time, trials, and self discovery showcase the inner workings of the human spirit. ⏱️ Volume One’s cover is by @getcovers_design, and the art from Volume Two is by @a.renae.author. ♟️ #aliceinwonderland #poetry #shortstories

Me: What do you want to do over summer break? Son: Write with you. 🥹🥰 If you need us over the next few months, we’ll be snuggled up writing stories (and probably talking a lot about Godzilla). 💐 Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing women who lead, guide, grow, nurture, and teach the next generation. 💐

♥️ TITLE REVEAL ♠️ @twenty_hills next anthology pair is… 🎩 The Wonder Tales: Volume One and Two 🎩 Release date: June 30th! Volume One will contain Wonderland-inspired short stories! Volume Two, which I have the pleasure of ARC reading right now, contains Wonderland-inspired poetry. I’m already tearing up as I read through this collection of poignant verses about life, growing up, not fitting in, appreciating beauty, and everything in between. Look for the cover reveal next week on May 13th! @twenty_hills @mermaidhannahwrites @the.poetess.life @anne.j.hill.author

Over the weekend I had time to read TWO new books. There’s no luxury quite like sitting down for hours at a time to read, and a free weekend to do so is rare. I’ve been looking for more middle grade reads as I work on both of my middle grade projects, and LOVED both of these! If my middle school girl MC, AJ, ever gets to meet people out in the world, I hope her story will resonate with readers in the way that both Annamarie and Ratchet connected with me this weekend. #middlegradebooks #middlegradefiction #epistolaryfiction #ProjectAJ #amquerying

Happy May! The last day of April brought heavy showers, and today the flowers are showing their gratitude. Some May updates… 🌼 I’m turning my focus back to Project AJ for the month to make a few more edits and begin the querying journey in earnest! I’m so thankful to all the beta readers who have taken the time to read my first book baby and give me feedback. So far it’s resonating with readers and that in itself is a gift. 💝 🌼 I’m striving to be intentional with social media and slow down during my days. That includes things like making sure I have outside time in the mornings and turning to my notepad/journal instead of my phone in little breaks during the day. It also means staying disciplined and on course with my writing projects and not getting distracted with new ideas every other week. 😅 🌼 We’ll be wrapping up our first full year of homeschooling this month! So that means making lots of time for fun reading and outdoor adventures this summer. Especially since in the fall, not only will the boys be going back to school, so will I as I start my masters. 🤪 🌼 What does May look like for you?

I did the thing where I had too many books going at once, so while I HAVE been reading and listening to a variety of books, it’s been a while since I marked one off as FINISHED. Here’s an off-the-cuff review: if you’re unsure if you should believe in something beyond the material, NYT columnist Ross Douthat makes a thorough, logical, and I think compelling case that you should. He particularly addresses concerns that believing in the spiritual/supernatural is anti-intellectual, arguing that’s not true. As a Christian who already believes in God, I was intrigued (though admittedly wrestled with) his argument that it’s better for a seeker to start *somewhere* even if they aren’t 100% convinced it’s the ultimate truth, than avoid religion altogether. He didn’t advocate for staying at that starting point, but believes that the Divine will meet people where they are. The journey must begin somewhere. This is a fiction-focused Instagram account, and obviously “Believe” is nonfiction. But I do think there is a connection. Many of the genres and stories that I’m drawn to (like many of the people I follow and who follow me here) are speculative. And the very existence of that category of story betrays humanity’s longing for and obsession with worlds beyond our own. What if the “beyond” didn’t just have to be relegated to fiction, but was a present aspect of our very own reality? According to Douthat and the evidence he’s compiled in “Believe,” it is.

// Little Spaces // Childhood is cutting ties Grown up teeth are cutting in Like future grown up cares will crowd Your little days with heavy din But now enjoy that little space For what little, little time you can. … My oldest lost his first tooth. 🥹 Excuse me while I reflect sentimentally.