wip challenge

July 2025 WIP Challenge Update

| C.E. Flores

I wrote some chapters of La Yacata Insurrection, drafts, mind you, since things are moving so fast these days that I can barely get one event written when another has begun. I have notes for other sections of the book that I’ll need to wait to see the results before I can write those up. And of course, since things were so busy, I didn’t get much other writing done.

I did get some editing done at the beginning of July on the revised healthcare book. It would be nice if I could get that finished up to republish in September, but we shall see. Here it is already the 10th, and I’m just getting the WIP challenge update up. 

How have things been in your writing world?

April 2025 WIP Challenge Update

| C.E. Flores

Chapters in La Yacata saga have been coming slowly and steadily as we work through our advancement towards independence. Some chapters won’t be published on my blog due to the sensitive nature of the events, but the drafts are to be included in the book. 

I finally fixed the formatting for the Special Edition herb book and republished it along with the paperback and Kindle versions. That’s a load off my mind. 

I also did some editing on the Healthcare book. Overall, I feel like April wasn’t a total waste of writing time.

What did you accomplish this month?

March 2025 WIP Challenge Update

| C.E. Flores

How is it April already? So, in March, I edited and republished the paperback and ebook version of Surviving Voluntary Exile: How to Overcome Common Obstacles to Making a Successful Life Transition. I also added a hardcover and audio version. I hadn’t planned on making those last two versions of that book in March, but with the current situation in the US, I thought it could be a useful book to anyone thinking of making the switch to a new location, and I wanted to make it as easily accessible as possible. 

Spring has come and I’ve been itching to work on some herb studies, so that’s what I’m going to do in April. I’d also like to keep editing the Healthcare book and adding anecdotes to the Insurrection book. 

What are you writing?

February 2025 WIP Challenge Update

| C.E. Flores

February was busy, but I made some progress on La Yacata Insurrection. Finding time to write between my actual responsibilities in La Yacata was a challenge, but I got some words down, which is a win.

I also made headway on editing the healthcare book. There’s still more to do, and I need to carve out dedicated time to finish it.

Looking ahead to March, my goal is to update the Exile book. It shouldn’t be a massive undertaking, but, as always, setting aside focused time will be key.

How was your writing progress in February?

2025 WIP Challenge

| C.E. Flores

Well, here we are in 2025, and I still have a buttload of WIPs to crank out. Here’s my wish list of finished drafts by the end of the year:

La Yacata Insurrection (ongoing). This will have regular updates as our community projects develop. I don’t expect this to be finished this year, but I will be working on it.

Lupita’s tamalada in English and Spanish. The first drafts of these books are finished. They still need some polishing, and then I need to send the drafts to my illustrator, who could take up to a year to create the illustrations. SOOOOO, I don’t expect this book to be published this year either. 

I’d also like to work on the Apothecary series, but whether I focus on the wellness garden, wellness drinks, or women’s remedies remains to be seen. 

I’d like to do the employment book for the La Yacata series and/or the first book of the Woman’s Survival Guide series. I think I could finish one, but not both this year. 

I also have a book in the Women in the Bible series centered on Jacob’s family, but there’s quite a bit of work that needs to be done with that one. 

My goals seem rather vague this year, and I expect I’ll need to refine them as I go along, but here’s where I’m going to start.

What are your writing goals for the year?

WIP 2024 – July Results

| C.E. Flores

I haven’t much to write home about just yet. I’m in the middle of reformatting Volumes 1-5 of the Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in Mexico series. I hadn’t intended on doing this as part of the writing challenge I set for myself this year, but needs must. I’m hoping to have that monumental task complete by the end of the month because I’m itching for a new plant study. 

Book 5 of the series did pretty well during its book launch. It even made it to #1 during the free book offer. Yeah!

In July, I was also busy living the next chapter in book 2 of the La Yacata Revolution series. I met someone who read the first book here in my little town in Mexico. Considering the book is in English, I never expected anyone locally to read it, but well, this person did AND passed it around, so there are several people in town who are aware of my status as an author. Just wait until he gets a load of book 2, where he is featured in a chapter!

Electricity is slowly coming my way (our house is solar-powered now), and with it, the hope for a more stable internet service. That would be such a boon! But progress is never fast here and I must be patient a bit longer. I talk about living off-grid in several books, but the most complete is A to Z Reasons Why La Yacata is the Place to Be in Any Disaster.

We also had our first baby mule born on our homestead. Rosie is mighty cute! But will certainly provide more distractions with her Animal Antics South of the Border! 

So how is your writing going this month?

WIP 2024 – June Results

| C.E. Flores

I’m super excited to share that Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in Mexico Volume 5: Botanical Treasures from Acuya to Zarzaparrilla, is finally finished and available on Amazon. To make this moment even sweeter, it’s FREE for the next few days!

Ready to uncover more of Mexico’s amazing botanical wonders? This volume dives into 28 unique plants, each with its own fascinating story and awesome medicinal benefits.

From the lesser-known Acuya to the versatile Zarzaparrilla, you’ll discover how these plants have been used for centuries and how they can boost your health and well-being today.

Whether you’re an herbalist or just curious about natural remedies, this book is packed with valuable insights and practical knowledge. Each plant is described in detail, with info on traditional uses, active compounds, and health benefits.

Don’t miss out on this chance to explore these botanical treasures and deepen your journey into herbal medicine. Volume 5 is a must-have and now’s the perfect time to grab it.

Get Your FREE copy now!

Enjoy, and happy reading!

WIP 2024 – April Results

| C.E. Flores

I’m pretty psyched with my accomplishments for April. I did some plant studies and have whittled it down to 3 more herbs to finish book 5 in the Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in Mexico series. I’m aiming for a June publishing date. That means in May I’ll need to do those last three chapters, write the introduction and conclusion, format the appendix, design a cover, write the blurb, proofread, edit, proofread some more, edit some more, check the formatting, pull it all together, and do some more proofreading. Yikes. Well, if I plan for the end of June, maybe I’ll get it all done.

I also managed a small section in the Women’s Traditional Remedies book in April, but I’m not expecting to get that done before the end of the year. AND I got a bit sidetracked on a juice book and want to work on a gardening book too. All of these will be part of The Mexican Apothecary series, which only has one book in it right now. Maybe if I could just settle down and work on ONE of them, I’d be further along. Maybe. 

I also worked a bit on the sequel to La Yacata Revolution: How NOT to Buy a Piece of Heaven in Mexico. That one won’t be completed this year, or most likely even next, because there’s still so much to be done in La Yacata and I’m writing the draft as I go. You can see the latest accomplishments at Surviving Mexico.  

My fabulous illustrator, Claudia Guzes, said her schedule has freed up to begin book two in the Abuelita ¿Qué Vamos A Hacer Hoy? series. I need to check over my draft about la tamalada Lupita and her grandmother are planning and hand it over to the artist to start working on the illustrations in May as well. 

Oh, aaaaaaand I did the Amazon Ads 5-Day Challenge with Bryan Cohen to whip up some ads for El boticario mexicano: Remedios herbales tradicionales para el resfriado y la gripe because I gotta get those sales up in the Spanish-speaking community!

Whew! So, how’s your writing going?