Halfway there! 100 pages and counting

Time is a funny thing; it can work with you or it can work against you.  By this time next week I'll already be starting back with classes at my college.  On the other hand, this week I'm already halfway through my upcoming book and so eager/nervous to be finished.
(Note: This is not the official cover)  The exciting part about writing this book -and I hope that will always be exciting for each book I write-is getting a feel for the characters, finding simple reasons to fall in love with them and then the next minute being sucked into their world.  Now my inner editor has been driving me crazy, begging me to edit every single thing I write, to analyze every single period.  Truthfully, I've been ignoring that urge.  Yes, there is a lot of editing to be done, but I want to focus on the story for now and once it's complete then I can edit.
Several readers and fans have been asking a lot of questions about the upcoming book, which I'd like to address on here for everyone to see.

What's it like writing from Leal's perspective?  Don't you miss Celestria?
I'm sure this won't be my first time admitting it, but Leal can be difficult at times.  He my first full time male character -one that I have to stay with at all times, the one whose head I have to walk around in till I know him better than the back of my hand.  And yes, I do miss writing from Celestria's perspective.  We grew a special bond together, and I loved the fact that we ended up relating to one another in ways neither of us planned on.  She is dearly missed as a narrator, but there's so much more to tell, and I don't want anyone to miss out!
Who's your favorite character so far in the book?
In Cursed With Power my favorite character was Alaire.  He seems to have that effect on people, doesn't he?  Now with the sequel I'd have to say it would be between Nicia or Leal.  I like Nicia because she can be mysterious; you never quite know whether she's the best thing for Leal or his worst nightmare.  She has a good heart, but there's also a sense of sadness that makes you wonder what really goes on in her head.  Then Leal is the opposite... He has insecurities, but he'll make jokes to avoid facing them.  He carries a lot of weight on his shoulders, but in his head he's always trying to make the right decision -and for that I admire him.
Is there anything you've written that's surprised you -something you hadn't planned?
The idea of starting the book a year before Leal meets Celestria was always something I contemplated, but now that it's actually happening I really like the twist.  Probably the most surprising part so far is that Nicia has a major role... in my head before I started writing the book I never knew who she could be, and she seemed like a minor character.  Now she has potential for much more.
Can we expect ARCs of Punished With Destiny?
I will try my best to obtain ARCs, and I'll probably have a giveaway of some sort to decide who wins them.  Keep checking in on the blog for more details! :)

Speaking of giveaways....
I wanted to have a giveaway sometime this month, but I've decided I'll wait until the spring (March) to have one so that way -regardless if PWD is releasing that exact month or not-everyone has something to look forward to.  I will have more details as the month approaches closer.

And in case you were wondering what else I've been doing...
So I recently dyed my hair this week -I already miss the blonde!  There are some blonde highlights, but for the most part I have a brownish/red color now.  It will take some getting used to, but I think I'm starting to like it.  I might add in some more highlights in the weeks to come.  We'll see!

Oh, and I finally got my nose pierced!  My nose feels weird, but I love the little diamond stud.

So there's the update -it was driving me crazy that I hadn't posted because I've been so busy.  Hope everyone has a wonderful week, and enjoy your night!  I'll be back later this week with more to share.
Lindsey R. Sablowski