Inked Author END of YEAR Wrap-Up—{{{December 2025}}}
- InkedAuthor31
- Dec 28, 2025
- 5 min read
Hello There!
Welcome to my tiny, but cozy, corner of the world.
It’s so good to see you!
This month’s newsletter is for all things book-ish, nerd-ish, life-ish and whatever else may have popped into my head.
Stay Weird! 🤟🏼
~Brandy
“Quoted”
🌱 I. Am. GROOT. 🌱
You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.
~Maya Angelou
STACKED: My T.B.R.
I went on a bit of an author binge this month…
and boy did Mrs. Adams NOT disappoint!
If you are curious…my absolute FAVORITE story
was Annie & Will’s, followed by James & Maddison. #SWOON
Want to know my thoughts?
Let’s be Friends on GOODREADS!
✨ Looking to stock your bookshelves on a budget? ✨
Many books I feature can my found at my online PANGO Bookstore:
Currently available in my shop…
Inky Updates
🗽 New York State of Mind 🗽
I was completely fortunate to find myself on a trip to New York City over Thanksgiving break. I did so many bookish things, including research for my romance novel, meeting the ever iconic Patience & Fortitude, and even found myself on Broadway.
This was a trip of a lifetime, and it has inspired my Word of the Year for 2026 (coming soon)!
I am still sharing pictures from my experience, so be sure to watch my socials!
✨ 🐉 Library Guardians 🐉 ✨
As I prepare for the launch of my Chapter Book series next year, I will be showcasing the incredible animal that will be featured in book one—
Library Guardians: The Arboreal Dragons of Indonesia
Allow me to introduce the amazingly unique Draco volans; a species of lizard endemic to Southeast Asia. These little guys are flying lizards…meaning YES…they are…DRAGONS!
These little guys (and gals!) are the epitome of COOL.
Once they find a tree they want to call Home Sweet Home, they become quite territorial.
You can tell they are feeling fiery when they pop out their dewlap—a specialized throat flap they use for communication, defense and even flight stability.
Males also use these in attempts to court a lady lizard, many times facing the sun to make his colors more vibrant.
Go get em ladies! 🦎 ♥️
7️⃣ Things That Made Me Smile This Year
1️⃣ My trip to New York City—Memories I will cherish!
2️⃣ Moving to First Grade with my Best Friend—the adventure I didn't know I needed!
3️⃣ Teasing my oldest, because I 💯 KNOW what the One Piece is going to be.
4️⃣ My new, super cozy reading chair…with room for all my cats. And my Chris Pratt body pillow. And my Zoro blanket.
5️⃣ Betty Bronco—She’s giving me the little pep my step was lacking lately.
6️⃣ Meeting Star-Lord at Epcot, after riding the INCREDIBLE Guardians of the Galaxy coaster, and laughing so hard I almost…well...you know.
7️⃣ And LUCKY #7, my children. Watching them grow this past year has put so many smiles on my face. I am so gratful to be along for the ride.
📝 Monthly Writing Tip 📝
Expand Your Reading Horizons
As humans, it’s incredibly hard to get out of our comfort zones, and our bookshelves are no different. Your normal genre is cozy, safe, faithful…
But sometimes there is a question we can ask ourselves, that can give us a good healthy dose of toe-tingles:
What…if?
In an attempt to make a connection to my brooding 17-year old son, I did something I thought I would NEVER do. I sat down and watched an entire season of anime with him.
Connecting with teenagers is no easy feat—so in my infinite wisdom, I decided to let him choose the activity we would try to restrengthen our bond that likes to be tested again and again with his delightful teenage attitude.
Don’t feel too sorry for me. I instigated a trade. A show for a show. If I dedicated this time to something he loved watching, then he would need to do the same for me.
Fair is fair.
I let him go first, and he chose Demon Slayer to be our first anime experience to watch. And would you believe it?
I didn’t like it.
I didn’t hate it.
I LOVED IT.
It was so different from anything I usually watched, but I was hooked pretty quickly.
Each episode has substance, building a story that I began to find myself fully invested in.
After that, we dived into the amazing world that is Naruto, which lead to my very first anime crush.
It’s cool.
I have zero shame here.
It’s all been downhill since. I have enjoyed many anime shows in the past few years, especially cherishing the growing bond that it has provided me and my oldest.
We started watching One Piece this past summer, and I am truly enjoying the ride. With how many episodes it has, and currently still going strong, my son teased that I wouldn’t be able to finish it until I am 80.
Um, challenge ACCEPTED.
I am currently 600 episodes in.
And I proudly (and unabashedly) announce that I have found my second soulmate…
I mean…Pirates, am I right?! 🤤 🏴☠️
(Don’t stress…Mr. Pratt still holds the throne. Always will. 👑)
All of this to say, that since I have enjoyed anime so much, I have decided to give reading Manga a try. Another thing I thought I would never say, or actually do.
And YES, it’s completely different. Reading from right to left is a challenge at times, but I am getting the hang of it.
For my first venture into this new genre, I chose an anime that made me laugh so hard, I literally peed my pants. Several times.
I bought the first 6 manga books for Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. It’s epic hilarity, gross and just plain FUN.
I’m finishing Volume 1, and plan to start Volume 2 in January.
Stepping out of my comfort zone has been a wild, but incredible adventure so far.
So how about it? Is there a genre out there you have been wanting to try, but too nervous to?
Here is your sign! 🪧
Take a risk. ⚠️
And thank me later. 😘
PS:
If you’re curious, my son recently asked me what my Top 5 Anime are (so far). It was harder than I thought to whittle it down, but here is my current list:
One Piece
Zom 100
Naruto
Demon Slayer
Kaiju #8
Attack on Titan
Okay okay, that was six, but I couldn’t leave off AOT or my son would feed me to a Titan. 😉
PPS:
Oh, and I know you are wondering…what shows did I make HIM watch? So far, he is enjoying The Office and all of its cringy-hilarity, and is now completely hooked (though he would NEVER admit it out loud) on Stranger Things. 🤘🏼🎸 😈
📚 PB Line-Up 📚
Check out the Picture Books I am using as Mentor Texts next month!
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