Writers are people too

Current projects:

Edit finished pages of 'Winter Emergence' and finish the second book of the trilogy, before, Moon, who stars in third book, drives me crazy.

Complete submission for Steampunk Trails. Done and submitted. Yeah!

Keep track of writers submissions for Different Dragons 2 & Supernatural Colorado. Ongoing.

Watch for more opportunities to submit short stories. Never ending.

Do all this in between working full-time and having a life. Work/life balance. Something we all struggle with. Particularly when we're thrown a curve ball. Like promotions, spouses walking out, house hunting, preparing for kitty deaths, and senior parents.

Writers, for all their creativity and talent, are also people. That's the most important thing to bear in mind. So, if your favorite writer takes a couple of years to put out their next book, a bit of understanding is in order.

Batteries Recharged

Last week I was on vacation and got my 'batteries recharged' as we're all so fond of saying. I'm rested and ready to continue on life's journey.

So far I've managed to complete my first sort of Steampunk story, which still needs to be revised and submitted to my editor. And I've re-edited the first Chapter of 'Winter Emergence'. It's long past due that I complete that book.

Not a bad average for someone who has day job, tries to have a life, and is dealing with personal crisis.

Vacation!

I'm on vacation this week. I only had a couple of things planned and am enjoying just being away from work and the regular schedule I'm forced to keep.

So far, I've done housework and laundry. Did a little shopping since I needed a new pillow.

Went to the zoo. Got to see the new snow leopard cub Misha at the Denver Zoo before she hid with mom in their den. At the Asia exhibit I showed up when the fed the fishing cat her dinner. It was fun watching her bounce through the water, catch her fish and then protect her back while she ate her fish. The tigers were up and marking territory. The other big cats did what they normally do - sleep when its hot.

Yes, I did see other animals. But my favorites are the cats. Besides, it doubles as research for future writing projects. I love it when what I know and my passions blend. Makes for great story telling. 

New Projects

Time snuck up on me and here it is - the day I should have already had a new post up. Whoops!

My two biggest projects this week was to edit my over fifty romance 'Worth the Wait' and get it submitted to Written World communications. The second was to get the guidelines completed for 'Supernatural Colorado'. It's a new anthology I'm working on for the same above publisher. It's invite only. It'll be the first I'm doing that has a darker theme than what I usually do accepting mostly Dark Fantasy, Horror, including Western, Paranormal, Supernatural, Weird Western and other genres as well. It's got a great line up of authors and it'll be fun to see what they do with the theme.

Also on my upcoming agendas, several short story deadlines, completion of my next novel 'Winter Emergence' and in the Fall, putting together Volume 2 of 'Different Dragons'.

Book signings - Profit not always the way one thinks

Last Saturday I went with several other writers to Colorado Springs for a signing at the Written World Bookstore. Despite advertising both by the store and authors, no one showed up. That was okay. We sat around and talked, read from various pieces we're working on, and got to know the owner of the bookstore.

The real profit for the day was the networking we did. Two of us will be included in a writing challenge. All of us will be part of a new anthology, Supernatural Colorado, I got a nibble on my young adult series and my over fifty romance, which Written World Communications is looking for, now has a home. I just have to do one last edit and format it.

So while we didn't get a chance to sign the anthology we're all in, there was profit to our gathering.