Home Again

Have you ever come home from vacation and felt like you couldn't get back into your old routine? That's how I've felt since returning home after five weeks with my Arizona family. First, spending all day traveling--spending most of it waiting in airports for flights--was so tiring. Getting home after 11 pm (local time, but only 9 on AZ time) meant we should go to bed but stayed up to watch a couple of episodes of Murdoch Mysteries (aka The Artful Detective). Getting this old body used to local time isn't as easy as it used to be. Even though I tried to keep up with blogs, etc. while away from home, it seemed extra hard to get back into routine.

That being said . . . If you're a member of my Facebook Readers Group, then you know I finished the rough draft of THE CASE OF THE MEDDLING MAMA (aka the story that took way too long to complete). If you're a regular reader of this blog, then you know I'm a combo pantser and plotter, heavy on the pantser part. Usually. With this book, I knew the beginning, the dark moment, and the end. I'd even worked out many of the scenes in my mind. So why did it take so long to write? I felt like I knew the whole story. Most readers would say, "Duh. You're the writer. Of course, you know the story."

Not usually.

As a pantser (one who writes by the seat of her/his pants), I don't know the story. I let it unfold as I write. A plotter, on the other hand, knows exactly what's going to happen and when. That takes the fun out of writing, for me. I'll have a vague idea for the story. As I write, I let my characters take the lead. Inspiration takes over. Not so with Meddling Mama. But now it's done and on to revising, editing, and proofing before it goes off  to my fabulous editor.

Also, if you're a member of my Readers Group or read yesterday's Weekend Writing Warrior post, you've seen the cover, If not, here it is.

When my amazing cover artist, Florence Price, and I talked about the cover for the first Alex O'Hara book, we decided to have the covers follow the seasons (since the stories would). As you can see by the tulips in the planters in front of Alex's building and people on the beach but not in the water, it's Spring.

Now it's back-to-work time. Revising, editing, proofing. Again and again.

Have a great week.

A New Year

It’s hard to believe this is 2016. Didn’t we just celebrate the Millennium? Last week, I talked mostly about looking back and a bit about looking forward. Today it’s about looking forward. What I want to accomplish . . . today, this week, this year.

Since I’m still “on vacation” so to speak, visiting our son and his family, it’s difficult to think about getting back to a routine. Yet, I know I have to. I released The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé on December 8^th and proceeded to do as much promotion as I could. If I’d written as many words for the next book as I did for guest posts, I’d be a third of the way finished with The Case of the Meddling Mama. Promo has to be done, though. Besides, short pieces are a lot easier to write than a 75,000-word novel.

Yesterday, I wrote a post for tomorrow’s visit to Pamela Thibodeaux’s blog. Stop by and find out what I treasure (as regular readers of this blog, I’m sure you’ll guess). Now I need to buckle down and return to the third Alex O’Hara novel. The first scene is written. The rest is still in my head.

The commenters on last week’s post recommended scheduling and compartmentalizing my life. I did make a To-Do List for what I need to accomplish in my writing life. I need to make a list for home—the everyday/week stuff. After that, I need to divide my time into blocks and plug in items from the To-Do Lists. I’d better include things like sleep, meals, shopping, and exercise. Also fun time—playing with the grandkids, “dates” with the Hubs, reading, and watching movies. 

Are there really only twenty-four hours in each day?

I need structure. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s too easy for me to get involved in a project (like a

new story) and nothing else matters. That’s why making a schedule will work. Maybe. Making the schedule will be a lot easier than sticking to it. I’m not trying to give myself an out. I need to be realistic. If it takes setting an alarm to tell me to stop reading email and start laundry, I’ll have to do it. But I’ll also have to be flexible. If Hubs says “let’s go to the show” I’ll leave Alex and Nick and the Meddling Mama, even if someone is in jeopardy. Hubs needs some attention, too.

Do schedules work for you?

Old Year - New Year

This week, news programs review the past year. The good and the bad, mostly the bad. Do you spend this time reviewing your life, career? Or are you thinking ahead about the coming year?

The name of the first month of the year comes from the Roman god, Janus, the two-face god. Statues, like the one to the left, show him looking forward and backward. The time between Christmas and New Year’s is a good time to do both.

Looking back, 2015 was a good year over all. The high point was the birth of a granddaughter, my son’s first child. Enjoying time with my other two grandchildren, one (8 y.o.) is a reader like her grandmother as well as a writer; the other (5 y.o.) taught me how to play Candy Crush. I’m not sure that was a good idea. LOL. Reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, enjoying fairly good health. Two trips to Arizona to visit our son and his family, two to Indy to visit with my sister, a couple of shorter trips around Michigan, my first airplane trip in eight years, which wasn’t too bad. And I got back to sewing—something I haven’t made time for in years—making a jumper for my older granddaughter and a dress for her doll.

On the writing front, I released two books—The Protector (An Outer Rim Novel, Book 3) and The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé (An Alex O’Hara Novel, Book 2). I also wrote a short story for The Roses of Prose holiday collection. Alas, the Christmas novella didn’t make it. Time got away from me. Maybe I could make it a Christmas in July release. Hmmm.

What does 2016 hold for us? Plenty of surprises, I would guess. I’ve already started the next Alex O’Hara book, and I even have a title—The Case of the Meddling Mama. Hopefully, more trips. More time playing with the grandkiddies. More sewing. Better time management. That’s the key. I tend to go in spurts, getting totally immersed in a project to the exclusion of everything else. Not good.

In the past, when I’ve written goals (resolutions), I’ve tried to make them specific (e.g., finish three books). While that’s good since it’s measurable, I need to make one overall goal. A balanced life. Vague but more important than the number of words written per day or books released. Keeping things in perspective might be a better way to express the concept.

Share your old year accomplishments and/or new year goals. While you do that, I’m putting aside my computer to play with the grandbaby.

Happy November

I never thought I’d say that. November in Michigan is always gray. Gray skies equals gray mood. Surprisingly, the first two days of November this year have been bright and sunny, warm even. Just goes to show how changeable Michigan weather is.

Are you well rested this morning with that extra hour of sleep yesterday? Although I really don’t like sunset coming so early, it’s great to wake up to the sun. Makes me want to get working earlier.

Speaking of work, I finished the revisions on the second Alex O’Hara novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé and it’s off to my editor. Now to play catch up on all the household stuff that I’ve let go--cleaning up my garden, dealing with bills and paperwork, all the "fun" stuff. And wouldn’t you know, the next Alex O’Hara story that has been percolating in my brain for months is yammering at me to write.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) started yesterday. As fascinating as it sounds (write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days), it’s not for me. I admire those people who can do it. To accomplish that goal, you have to write as fast as you can. No going back to fix anything. Just keep moving forward. As I’ve mentioned in interviews, that’s not how I write. Someone calls it circular writing. I write some, go back and revise, write more, go back, and so on. I tell new writers to find the method that works for them. I found mine. And it works for me. Still, I’m sending best wishes to all who enter NaNo.

Speaking of interviews, Kam Brook interviewed me today with a terrific review of The Case of the Bygone Brother. http://www.superkambrook.com/2015/11/author-showcaseinterview-and-review-of.html?m=1

This month I’m taking an online class sponsored by the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal chapter of RWA, “Lessons from Firefly, Learning from the works of Joss Whedon.” All I had to do was see the word Firefly and I was in. I was a latecomer to the fans of the sci-fi show that only last for 13 episodes on television back in 2002. Once I saw the film Serenity, I got the entire series and watched it over and over. So I’m curious about these lessons. Should be fun.

Thanks to everyone who participated in my two blog hops last week. Nancy Gideon’s Haunted Open House Blog Hop and Patricia Lynne’s Trick or Treat Book Blog Hop. Lots of winners—Tricia D. won a copy of The Pilot and everyone had a chance to get Switched for free. (If you scroll down to the previous post, you can be a winner, too.)

Have a great week!