Born in NaNoWri

 By Maureen Bonatch 

 

It’s almost November so you know what that means? 

Ok, maybe you don’t if you’re thinking about turkeys, and fall turning to winter and the upcoming holiday season and not immediately thinking about NaNoWri like me! 

 November is National Novel Writing Month 

Otherwise known as NaNoWri. I might write all year, but the enthusiasm of everyone participating in NaNoWri in November gives me an extra push to get those words on the page. 

I’ve talked about NaNoWri a lot over the years—whether anyone cared to listen or not 

 You might say I'm a little obsessed with it. Here are a few of my favorite posts: 

•  Making a DIY standing treadmill desk 
•  Secrets to Winning NaNoWri 
•  For Your Loved Ones Dealing with the NaNoWri Obsessed 
•  How NaNoWri is like Being An Alien 
• The Month After NaNoWri Poem 

 There are many more, I’m sure. 

How Do I Know NaNoWri Works?

                   My daughter and I winning NaNoWri Last Year

I haven’t “won” NaNoWri every year I participated, but I enjoyed it regardless. Although I have “won” (aka: finished a 50k first draft) more years than not. 

For me, NaNoWri inspires me to get those words on the page and prioritize my writing. Many of my books were born in NaNoWri. 

A few NaNoWri book babies have been polished and published—I’ve listed those below. 

•  Hexes, Highballs & Hockey (2017) 
•  Not a Chance (2014) 
•  Grandma Must Die (2013) 

 And now… Magic, Mimosa’s & Mistletoe (2020) 

I thought I wouldn’t win NaNoWri in 2020 I was feeling kind of down with 2020 and the holidays weren’t looking the same with lockdowns and restrictions on visiting with family and friends. 

I had started one story and was struggling with it until I decided to revive my holiday spirit by writing about it.

Magic, Mimosa’s & Mistletoe flowed out of me like water and was such fun to write! I had to do ‘research’ by playing Christmas music and was ‘forced’ to watch holiday movies. It really helped bring back my holiday spirit. Since I write paranormal I made the story a fun mash up of the Halloween and Christmas holidays.

I’ll be introducing Magic, Mimosa’s & Mistletoe to the world on October 31st. 

Here’s a taste! 

 I don’t see dead people, but my dog does. 

Hi, I’m Marissa Hale. When my friend, Grace invites me to visit the Inn she inherited, I’m high-tailing it back to my home state of Pennsylvania. Like most things in life, there are strings attached to her inheritance—and these ones have twinkly lights. The Inn, and the town, are Christmas themed. No witch worth her broom would choose Christmas over Halloween, unless that witch’s bloodline is the magic mainline for keeping the yuletide spirit alive. 

Her aunt’s death was already suspicious, but then we stumble upon a dead body amongst the poinsettias that resembles one of Santa’s fabled elves. It sure seems like someone is trying to force Grace to sell Kringle Inn. I’m going to need all the help I can get to solve these crimes, and save Christmas, but when the only witnesses are a pig, and a ghost, I’m not sure that’s going to be enough… 

Get Into the Holly Jolly Spirit Early by Grabbing Your Copy Right Here

I have several more ‘winners’ from past years (2015, 2016, 2018) that will be polished and released to the world in 2022. 

 What About You? Do You NaNo?       

Maureen’s first novella was a paranormal romance published when blogs were a new-fangled thing. She’s since changed her focus to writing paranormal cozy mysteries as M.L. Bonatch and urban fantasy as Maureen Bonatch. 

While she’s not busy writing or doing nurse-things, she’s a mom to her twin daughters, bicycling in the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby, doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, and dancing as much as possible. She believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and that caffeine and wine are essential for survival. 

 Visit Maureen's Website Here