It’s that time of year again: it’s cool in the mornings, but still warm mid-day. In my house, counters are covered with lunch containers, water bottles, new pink erasers, and sharpened pencils.

School is back in session!

For me, this means getting back to a more “normal” schedule now that my kids are back in school. Hopefully this schedule means more time for writing. I have just begun writing a new middle grade novel, and I want to keep the momentum going. I haven’t decided if the pumpkin spice lattes at my local coffee shop will be a motivator or a distraction, but I’ll guess I’ll have to try and find out.

I’m not sure why, but I also find that back to school and the fall season are prime times to read. My son and I read quite a bit this summer, but there is something about fall that inspires me to dig into the long list (and pile) of books that I have been wanting to read.

My son did not meet his goal of reading 20 chapter books this summer, but it was a good kick-start to a new summer tradition. We enjoyed reading together, and discovering new characters and worlds. I think the biggest accomplishment for the summer was when my husband asked my son if he wanted to watch a particular family movie, and my son responded, “but I want to read the book first!” Yay for reading! Aidan and I will continue to work our way through the chapter books on our list, which will be a nice compliment to the non-fiction books his teacher has already begun sending home.

I hope you all had a lovely and relaxing summer, and will make time for reading (and writing?) as you ease into fall.