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Big, Cheesy News Update!

March 15, 2024 by in category Writing tagged as , , ,

I’m so excited to announce that my second children’s book, Mac and Cheese in Outer Space is coming soon! 

I will be working again with Winda Mulyasari, who helped my mac and cheese world come to life back in 2020 when I published Mac and Cheese, Please, Please, Please

Winda is super talented and I’m excited to watch her take my wild ideas and turn them into beautiful illustrations. My mac and cheese heart is bursting with excitement. 

I’m also feeling very fortunate that I get to have my very first official author reading on Monday! Pictures to come!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful St. Paddy’s Day!
Peace, love, and Mac and Cheese,
Renae

Mac and Cheese in Space – Coming Soon!

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Your Mantra for 2024

January 15, 2024 by in category Writing tagged as , , , ,

So I was recently doomscrolling and came across one of those ridiculous copy/paste things that people post on their social media feeds. I normally keep mindlessly scrolling when I see those, “find the penguin…only 1/10 people can find it” posts on social media, because literally everyone in the comments has found the not-so-elusive penguin. But for whatever reason this post captured my attention.

It was a word search with the title, “The first 4 words you see will be your mantra for 2024” and I thought, “Oh, what the heck… why not?”

My first four words were: “Break Through“, Purpose“, “Family“, “Strength“.

I was extremely caught off guard by the way these four words resonated with me. 2023 was a rough year in many ways. I faced numerous challenges in my day job including, but not limited to, changes to my hybrid work schedule, complex and difficult projects, layoff, reorganization, and losing the best boss I know I’ll ever have. It really zapped a lot of my energy and forced me to think more longterm about my goals – My purpose. At the same time, it was a break through and stark reminder that not all of my fulfillment comes from the job that provides my paycheck. My fulfillment comes from so many other areas – My family, my friends, my faith, writing, reading, walking my dog, sunshine, coffee, chocolate, Target, and so on. Granted, some of those things are suuuper dependent on my paycheck, like Target. It’s all about balance, right? 🙂

Hoping I have the strength and discipline in 2024 to truly pursue and prioritize the things that give me fulfillment.

Happy New Year!
Renae

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Fishing Trip Projects

October 15, 2023 by in category Writing

Every fall my husband goes on his annual fall fishing trip with his dad. They head up north to brave the first chill of fall in hopes of catching walleye, perch and whatever else tugs on their line.

This fall fishing trip has become not only a tradition for my husband, but also for me. You see, I have a tendency of using the fall fishing trip to start projects. Not just any projects, these are the projects that I wouldn’t otherwise tackle. Painting, reorganizing, and ripping shelves off of walls. Don’t ask me why! it’s not that I can’t do these projects with my husband present. It’s just that I feel some weird desire to be like, “Look at this awesome thing I did while you were gone all weekend!”

Photo by Karl Solano on Unsplash

It’s also worth noting that I do not properly plan out these things. It typically starts with me ripping a shelf off a bathroom wall or impulsively deciding to paint a bedroom.

I guess it’s fair to say that what I tackled this year wasn’t something that I could have planned to do, but I’m SO GLAD I did it.

I FINISHED my first draft of the next Mac and Cheese, Please, Please, Please book. It’s sooo fun!! I’ll be working again with Winda Mulyasari, the illustrator that I partnered with on my first children’s book.

After two years of working on this book, this feels like a MUCH larger accomplishment than a freshly painted bathroom.

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Places of Everyday Inspiration

September 15, 2023 by in category Writing tagged as

It’s fall!!! Well, kind of. My husband’s birthday is this weekend and he likes to remind me that technically his birthday is still in summer. But, it’s almost fall and it feels like fall – that counts, right? The leaves in Minnesota are starting to change, there’s pumpkin spice favoring everywhere you turn, kids are back in school, the stores are out of chili beans, and the temperatures are dropping.

One of my absolute favorite parts about fall is taking outdoor walks. I do this year-round, but let’s be honest, fall is definitely the most optimal time of the year. No need to wear extra bundles of clothing and worry about your face freezing off, or shed clothes like crazy and have sweat pour down your back.

landscape field and trees
Photo by Simon Berger on Pexels.com

I started walking outside during the pandemic as a way to escape the four walls of my house and keep my mental health in check. It’s since grown into one of my favorite pastimes. I queue up an audio book, grab the dog, and take a walk during my lunch. Sometimes my husband joins me and it has become a way for us to have meaningful, adult conversations without tiny voices interrupting us. I also find that this time has been a great source of inspiration to me as a writer. Very frequently an idea will come to me during my walk that requires me to stop and make a note in my phone.

Unfortunately, my “day job” company recently decided to adjust our hybrid work policy in a way that now requires us return to the office more often than not. This means that I need to say goodbye to my lunchtime walks. Side note – My office is not located in a place that is conducive to outdoor walking.

I find myself now mourning my midday outdoor walks and the everyday inspiration they’d bring me as a writer. I’m now leaning heavily on the other places that bring me inspiration. They are as follows:

1. The shower. It’s weird, but it works.
2. The car. Not so great for taking notes, but usually pretty effective for generating ideas.
3. Vacations. Doesn’t happen as often as I wish they would, but usually great writing time for me.

What are you favorite places and/or activities to spark creative thinking?

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Featured Author Renae Wrich

August 28, 2023 by in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month tagged as , ,

A born and raised Minnesotan, Renae Wrich is a lover of hot dishes, lakes, and snuggling up with a good book on a cold winter day. Renae holds a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She lives in a suburb of Minneapolis with her husband and two children (who love macaroni and cheese). Mac and Cheese, Please, Please, Please is her first book.

Visit her website at www.renaewrich.com to learn more.

MAC AND CHEESE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE
Buy from Amazon
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