#Ryder’s Journal–Tuesday November 1, 2011

It has been an overwhelming week. Four carpenters descended on our house to ‘weatherize’ it. They were here bright and early, at eight-thirty, and stayed until five in the afternoon. The house now looks like we just moved in. There are boxes and crates everywhere, the floor is filthy, and the dishes are stacked halfway up the wall.

I surely couldn’t write with the commotion and yet another four needy men in my house!  I’ve managed a few thousand words in the last couple of weeks, and have noticed that my name, and the name of my book are all over the internet, which is great.

My book will be advertised on http://www.savvyauthors.com for a month as a result of my participation in one of their events. And I came up wi th a possible fourth plot which could mean that my trilogy could truly turn into a series.

Now I’m off to bed with a swollen foot and a tired body and hopefully, tomorrow, I’ll be back to my writing. I hope all you writers out there are pounding away on those keys, and I hope all you readers out there are finding wonderful books that thrill you, make you laugh, or if I wrote it, make you cringe.

Ryder’s Journal–Thursday, October 6, 2011

I’m wishing right about now that I had the chutzpah I had fifteen years ago. I keep making plans and beginning the implementation, but managing to keep up the pace just doesn’t happen.

I haven’t had a vacation for five years and it’s taking its toll. I’ve decided not to participate in NaNoWriMo this year. I need to focus my energy on the book I’ve already started. And I need to find a way to create when my brain is mushy.

At least the weather has become comfortable. I never recognized how much the weather affected me until the last year. I’m learning a lot about myself. I thought I knew me, but it turns out I don’t really.

People change. I’ve always known that. I just didn’t see it in myself. That would make a great subject for a book–recognizing the changes in self long after the changes have taken place.

Ryder’s Journal–Friday, Sept 16, 2011

The theme of this journal is the dilemma that authors face after we are published. Another facet is added to our daily lives as we try to balance our relationships and write, with all encompasses, and also promote.

The new TV schedule could cause me some major time issues. I love cop and lawyer shows, and there are several new ones. I often DVR them, and then speed through the commercials. I hate it when there are three things on at the same time. That means I have to choose one to watch when the season ends and reruns start.

I managed to get a few more words written and am feeling good about the story. I just wish I was able to get more words written. It seems like an impossible task. I really love to write, but I can only do what I can do.

My son made us a beautiful spaghetti and meatball dinner, with French garlic toast. His first foray into the Italian cooking. He could be a chef. He is as concerned about the taste as the presentation of the meal, and he does both really well.  No doubt my hubby and I would be in rest homes without him.

Hope everyone has a great week-end.

 

Ryder’s Journal–Thursday, Sept 8, 2011

The theme of this journal is the dilemma that authors face after we are published. Another facet is added to our daily lives as we try to balance our relationships and write, with all that encompasses, and also promote.

I had planned to join in the writing of an article on Writing Rituals for Wednesday. The topic was even my idea. But health issues got in the way and I was unable to do anything for a couple of days. Not sure I should even be doing this now. Though my hands weren’t working, my mind came up with a plot for book 4 of what was to be at least a trilogy, maybe a series. If I can come up with a couple more, then I will go ahead and plan a series. If not, I may well stop after the third book and go on to a couple of other projects waiting in the wings, including a literary love story that I think could be a very good seller. My current publisher doesn’t handle that kind of book, so I have to finish the trilogy first.

I bet you wonder how I get anything done, when I can’t even put up a short article on a regular basis. Well, it’s because I’ve learned to work when I can, and not to stress over it when I can’t. I’ve learned my limitations. But I’ll get there, just maybe slower than others in my position. At least I won’t regret the time I was away from the writing, because I’m taking care of things that need taking care of. We don’t get a do over at the end of this life, so I try to remember that, while I am passionate about writing, I’m also passionate about my  family, and my own health.

Ryder’s Journal–Monday, Sept 5, 2011

The theme of this journal is the dilemma that authors face after we are published. Another facet is added to our daily lives as we try to balance our relationships and write, with all that encompasses, and also promote.

Even with metal reinforced wrist braces my wrists are swollen. So this will be short. I think I may have to get a voice recognition program and talk my way through this novel. In the meantime, I have an article overdue at the local newspaper and must concentrate on that.

I’m hanging in, but barely. Blogs will probably be short, and maybe fewer, for a while. Hope you guys stick with me.

Ryder’s Journal–Sunday, Sept 4, 2011

The theme of this journal is the dilemma that authors face after we are published. Another facet is added to our daily lives as we try to balance our relationships and write, with all that that emcompasses, and also promote.

I kicked out some words today. It just seemed like my fingers were flying. I had planned to produce 2500 words by this coming Tueday, but I’m almost there already, so I’ll have to set a new goal. I love days like this, when I spend a few minutes at a time with my laptop, my brain coming up with just the right scene.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go have an affair with my ice pack.

Ryder’s Journal–Friday, Sept. 2, 2011

The theme of this journal is the dilemma that authors face after we are published. Another facet is added to our daily lives as we try to balance our relationships and write, with all that that emcompasses, and also promote.

I received some bad news today regarding our income, and can only pray that everything works out. Must work harder on book two and see if it’s possible to get it out next year. It took me years to finish book one, so getting another done in one year seems impossible. But as long as my laptop keeps working, and my bed doesn’t fall apart, I may be able to do it.

Hope everyone has a blessed Saturday.

Ryder’s Journal–Thursday, September 1, 2011

The theme of this journal is the dilemma that authors face after we are published. Another facet is added to our daily lives as we try to balance our relationships and write, with all  encompasses, and also promote.

And life just keeps on going. At this point in my life, I’m very glad that I’m an author. I don’t know that I have the heart to do anything that I don’t really love. Some days are just hard. Some whole weeks. But knowing that I will get to write again, that I can sell my work, makes getting up worth it. If I had just one bit of advice for anyone, I would probably be to do what you love. If it’s something that doesn’t pay much, learn to live on less. We scrape by, but when I work, it is because I love it. I want to work. I want to write. I want people to read my work. My body doesn’t always agree, but my mind is determined.

With the state of the world, doing what we love is so vital. Getting a job is almost impossible. And getting unemployment isn’t easy either. The world is facing war, famine, drought, hurricanes, tsunamis, recession, depression and poverty. But people still read. And I still write. How can anyone ask for more?

Ryder’s Journal–Wednesday, August 31 2011

The theme of this journal is the dilemma that authors face after we are published. Another facet is added to our daily lives as we try to balance our relationships and write, with all that encompasses, and also promote.

I have come to recognize that how much time I expend on the three parts of my life seem to cycle so that they are never balanced. For the last few weeks my time has mostly been consumed with personal issues–my own health, my hubbie’s health, things breaking, new things arriving. Promotion for the book has taken a distant second and actual writing is a distant third.

I wonder if there will ever be balance, or if it will always be like this. I hope that I can work things out so that maybe thirty percent of my time is used to write, and thirty percent to promote and the other forty percent can be used for all those things that don’t fit in the two previous categories. But I doubt that anyone’s life is so easily divided, or balanced. A time will come when I spend a lot of time writing and not much on anything else. And I’m sure there will be times when I’m promoting more than anything else.

For now, I just have to handle the issues that arise, one at a time, and work in writing and promoting as I can. This is why I chose a small press. I cannot be pressured into writing and promoting and not handling my life. Or even having a life. I love to write. But not so much that I’m willing to be miserable all the time. I have limits. And I have responsibilities. So all I can do is keep plugging along.

#Ryder’s Journal–Tuesday August 30 2011

The theme of this journal is the dilemma that authors face after we are published. Our job doubles. Now we have to write and we have to promote.

Today I finished A Stolen Life, by Jaycee Dugard, wrote a review, and did a blog article.  No writing on the WIP. We are prepping the house for a new a/c, which will be delivered and installed tomorrow morning. I’m feeling rather overwhelmed with the family health issues and can’t seem to concentrate on real writing projects. I can do a 500 word article in twenty minutes. But real writing takes more creativity, and mine has been gone for a few weeks now. At least I think it’s only been a few weeks. Somehow, I must work this out. No sense in promoting book one, if I never write book two. Something’s gotta give.