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Generally I’m a fan of May, but this year the gateway to summer has kicked my butt. Asthma, colds, hours and hours in bed. To say that my writing has suffered is an understatement. I’ve managed to do just below the bare minimum, and that hasn’t exactly resulted in a lot of product. There have been a few highlights this month, though.

– SCORE Marketing: If you’ve never heard of SCORE, I highly recommend you check it out. This month I attended a free marketing seminar hosted by SCORE. There I learned that I’m already doing many of the things they recommend (including their top four suggested marketing strategies). Next month SCORE is hosting a free seminar on writing a business plan. I’m planning on attending that one, too.

– Moving on (sort of): I finally finished novel #5 and have started outlining #6. I still have to edit the last 5-6 chapters of #5 (give them to my crit partner and then go over them again), but still – it’s done!

– Karin Beery 2.0: My website got a facelift! If you haven’t seen it yet, please take a peek (www.karinbeery.com). There’s still some work to be done, but the bulk is in place. Now I’m having new business cards made to reflect my new look (as well as include my new email address). I liked my original website, but this upgrade makes me feel so grown up.

I also had a revelation this past month: I was starting to worry that being so structured with my blog was going to take away from my fiction writing, but I’ve discovered the opposite. By re-studying the craft to create my posts, it’s been a great refresher. Now as I’m outlining #6, I don’t have to think as much about whether or not a scene has conflict, or whether or not this chapter has a goal. It’s becoming habit, and I’m excited to see how this turns out!

Looking ahead, I really have to take advantage of every free minute next month. I have a couple of submissions I’d like to put together for various projects, and they’re due at the end of the month. I’m also planning on getting the last chapters of #5 edited and to my crit partner. The outline for #6 is coming along nicely. I don’t think I’ll finish it this month, but I’d like to be close. I’m also looking for ways to get a few more articles published. I’d like to hit 300 by the end of 2012 (I’m over 250 now).

And then … JULY! June needs to be an all work month, because July is dedicated to family. My Pudding Cup and Butter Bean are flying in from Vegas, and Aunt Karin has promised them every spare minute of her time. I fully intend to keep that promise.

That’s how it’s looking on this end. How about yours? Do you take any time off during the summer? (I hope so – enjoy the sun!)