The January R.E.P.O.R.T.
Doggy bronchitis, Frankenstein, and packing for Scotland
Welcome to the January Report!
Since the last time a report was posted (Dec 31), there are 15 new free subscribers and 4 new paid subscribers in our Wordforge community!
How was your first month of 2026? Tell me in the comments:
January flew by, as the months always seem to do now. Finn came down with bronchitis and, thankfully, quickly recovered (pictured at the end). I finished a hefty fantasy manuscript evaluation. And I’ve been preparing for my month-long visit to Scotland.
Today’s the last day to get in on the ground floor, if you sign up as a paid subscriber, you get your subscription fee 25% forever. Build with me here at the Wordforge, I’d love to have you!
If this is the first time you’re seeing a REPORT, it stands for:
Reading
Eating
Playing
Obsessing
Recommending
Treating (but I’m going to play around with this one and add my own twist whenever I’m feeling it)
Reading
For 2026, I’ve decided not to pressure myself to read. To not feel the need to speed through what I’m reading or read 3 books all at once. And it’s done wonders for my reading slump.
I’ve already read two books, and currently a third of the way through another. Typically, I enjoy a book when the plot is sound and the characters grow (or it makes me ugly cry), so now that you know that—let’s carry on.
The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino
I started off the year with a good book, which is good and bad because then I want all the books I read to be as good or better. I love the world, the characters, and the plot. There was yearning right from chapter one. Some of the reviews hate this book, most love it, but the plot is sound, the character growth is there, and I really enjoyed the love story.
Micro Activism by Omkari Williams
This is a great (and quick) read for any of you who feel helpless, hopeless or for those who simply don’t know when to start. This book tells us to find one to two things that we are passionate about and advocate for those. It reminds us that we can’t do it all, otherwise we’ll be overwhelmed and never do anything at all.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
This is the one I’m only 1/3 of the way through. And you know what? I’m enjoying it way more than I thought I would. I’ll report back when I finish it. Victor is such a pompous piece of shit.
Eating
I’m gonna be honest. I hate cooking. I get absolutely no joy out of it. Why does it take 30- or 60-minutes or longer to make something and less than 5 minutes to eat it?
And then the clean up? No, not for me.
I ordered from a local food delivery service that’s macro-conscious for the first two weeks of January (and then I forgot to order on Thursday for the new week—Thanks ADHD).
But the meals were delicious.
Now, I’ve moved onto this delicious Chinese-inspired breakfast:
1/4 cup of jasmine rice
Sauteed bok choy, napa cabbage, zucchini in sesame oil
2 scrambled eggs
BONUS: I’ve really been enjoying starting my day with ginger tea and ending it with peppermint tea.
Playing
I haven’t been playing any video games or music this month. I’m sure that’s odd for my more music-minded followers, but sometimes music overstimulates me.
I did, however, rewatch all three seasons of Bridgerton to prepare for the new season that drops on January 29th.
I enjoyed Pen and Colin’s season much more the second time around. And I’m really eager to see what they’re going to do with Benedict’s season because I hated his book—I hate that series, actually.
Obsessing
Tennis and Pickleball
There is truly nothing better than hitting a ball with good technique (and also beating up on your childhood best friend’s dad).
My First Chapter Critique Service
I restructured and repriced this service late last year and have done three of them already in 2026. I’ve been loving helping authors figure out what their first chapter needs to grab both readers’ and agents’ attention.
The Australian Open
It’s the first grand slam (tennis) of the year, taking place in Melbourne, Australia. The famous blue courts. The colorful outfits. The oppressive heat. It’s always fun to see how well the players prepped in their 1-month off season for the first major.
(White) people were big mad about Naomi Osaka’s outfit. But they’re always mad when Black people stand out for any reason. And that’s on racism, friends. 
I’m a big fan of Sabalenka’s look this year, especially the cut, colors, and peek-a-boo back. 
Coco Guaff’s is another of my favorite. The dress matches the racquet, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Recommending
I highly recommend putting down the phone—essentially, don’t get stuck in the endless cycle of doom-scrolling . We’ve seen some truly horrid things happen via social media without any sort of trigger warnings this month.
While I’m recommending putting the phone down, I don’t think we should turn away from this moment. Don’t let people minimize and normalize this. We can’t get use to seeing people killed on the streets.
So, put the phone down and get into your body whether it be through physical activity or creative endeavors. We need you more than ever, and we need your creativity more than ever.
But also, don’t check out. Don’t turn away forever. I’m staying in this fight. And I hope you do too.
Traveling
I leave for Scotland on February 1st. When some of you read this I’ll be in the sky.
I’m equal parts excited and scared. I’ve never solo-traveled to a different country before. Will I cry when I get there? I expect I will since it’s been a dream to travel to the UK since I’ve been little—ever since I watched Peter Pan.
I’m not packed yet. I don’t have a lot of things planned, just a giant list of things to do and check out.
But I do have a few friends I’m meeting while over there—a fellow editor, an author-friend-client, an old (but dead) flame, and another friend who graciously took a week off to spend with me in his hometown.
I’m going to pretend I’m a travel writer while I’m there, so stay tuned, forgers.
And as promised, my beautiful boy Finny:
