December 2025 Newsletter

Hey everyone! Happy December!

Somehow it feels like it’s been both a very long time since I last wrote a newsletter…and no time at all. We’ve officially entered that season when everything speeds up—travel, family gatherings, activities, all flood the calendar.

I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for winter break. (Just one more week!) I’m excited to dive into some writing, do a few crafts, and finally work on projects I haven’t had time for.

I hope that amid all the busyness and rush of this season, you’re able to find a little rest and peace too. Happy holidays!

Writing: Timers

I know I’ve probably talked about this before—and if you haven’t heard it from me, you’ve definitely heard it from someone else in the writing world.

Timers.

They seem so basic, but honestly, timers have been one of the most effective productivity tools I’ve ever used. There’s something about that ticking countdown that creates instant urgency and focus. When the timer’s running, the rest of the world just…fades, and I write until it hits zero.

This year, I’ve struggled to get much writing done—and surprise, I also wasn’t using timers. Since I remembered my old trick and started using them again in October, my monthly word count has noticeably shot up.

Breaking my writing time into ten-minute increments helps me estimate how long it’ll take to reach my daily word count and plan my time more intentionally. With timers back in my routine, I’m actually on track to finish two novels by the end of the year.

It sounds almost too simple to work, but sometimes the simplest tools really are the most powerful. Try setting a timer during your next writing session—let me know how it goes!

Reading: Better Than the Movies

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Age rating: 14+

Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar - and maybe snag him as a prom date - even befriend Wes Bennet.

The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic-comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in.

But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love - and rethink her own ideas of what happily ever after should look like. (Blurb from Goodreads)

I recently reread this book for my book club, and I fell in love with Liz and Wes all over again. This might be one of my favorite rom-coms ever. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, filled with lovable characters, and written in a style that instantly pulls you in. Plus, if you’re a fan of classic rom-com movies, you’ll adore all the references.

I read Better Than the Movies years ago, but I’m just now picking up book two, Nothing Like the Movies, which came out last October. Nothing will ever top Better Than the Movies for me, but Nothing Like the Movies is already amazing—just like every other Lynn Painter book I’ve read!

Spotlight: Treaty of Vengeance

You may have seen the short email I sent out a couple of weeks ago, but The Treaty of Vengeance is out in the world!!! 🥳🥳🥳 

This is my first piece of writing to be officially published, and I’m so excited for everyone to read it! I first drafted this story on a plane to Hawaii back in March (I drew quite a bit of inspiration from that trip), and it’s come such a long way since then.

Here’s a quick blurb:

It has been two years since the Invaders arrived on Mirhi Tawai’s island—two years since the day her mother’s blood stained the sand, and her people’s floral wristlets were replaced with chains. With only days left before her beloved home is declared an official territory of the Commonwealth, Mirhi faces her last chance to save her island—and her people—from falling into the Invaders’ greedy clutches forever.

I drew inspiration from the Polynesian islands during the Victorian era. While nothing is historically accurate, I wanted to create a fictional world that feels like it could exist somewhere out there.

Thank you so much to those of you who have taken the time to read my story and comment on it! I hope you’ll check it out if you haven’t had the chance yet!

Personal: Thanksgiving and Arizona Trip

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! What did you do to celebrate?

This year, my dad’s side of the family all went down to stay at my aunt and uncle’s house in Arizona over Thanksgiving. It was so amazing to be together, enjoy the sun, and eat way too much food. I had so much fun! There were a couple of pool days, a lot of games, and on the last day, we girls all went out shopping and just hung out, which was super fun. (It definitely was a shock coming back from Arizona, where the temperature was in the 60s for most of the time, to Minnesota, where the ground is covered in snow, and the temperature has dropped below zero.)

I hope you had a happy holiday!

Quick Writing Update

• Wrote 16,000 words in The Phoenix Pendant

• Wrote 9,500 words in Project: Sci-Fi

• The Treaty of Vengeance was published in The Pearl Magazine

Have you read any Lynn Painter books? What’s your favorite rom-com? Let me know by replying directly to this email or leaving me a comment of the website that corresponds to The Introverted Writer!

Thank you so much for reading! Have a great rest of your day!

Abby Henderson

P.S. I’m hoping to have some exciting interviews lined up soon!