As the new year begins I am trying to get back into a rhythm of some sort regarding, I was going to say my writing, but my life would be more accurate.
Too much has been going on in the extended family and very little of it good. A death and two serious illnesses have taken their toll on all of us. I have been distracted to say the least. I find myself staring out the window a lot, walking in aimless circles, eating a lot of junk food, and generally wasting entire days unable to focus.
But it’s 2014, time to pull myself up by my bootstraps – I am not entirely sure what bootstraps are, but I’m pretty sure that pulling them up is a good thing – and getting on with life, writing, and – heaven help me – a healthier, or at least less fattening, diet.
First step – I will be positive. After all 2013 wasn’t all bad. I did get my book published. Last week I went to Barnes and Noble in Alexandria and signed some books for the store. Just like a real author! I’m going to a cozy mystery conference in May. This is all good stuff.
And second – I’m getting organized. I can hear a lot of laughing out loud, but I’m determined. I will develop tunnel vision. I will be like many men I know and completely ignore anything that is not right in front of me.
Of course, this will happen as soon as I finish writing this blog, making dinner, and then spending tomorrow on the phone with the fine people from Affordable Health Care, COBRA, CareFirst and probably a few others in order to straighten out the mess someone – and we have no idea who – has made of Eileen’s health insurance. So really, I will get organized when hell freezes over or when I throw the phone out the window, whichever comes first. This is my plan and I’m sticking to it.
In the meantime, I am stuck on a key part of my new mystery. But after tomorrow’s marathon phoning I may change the whole plot anyway to a woman driven mad by insurance companies who gets her revenge by locking all of the people who run these companies in a room with a non-stop recording telling them to “Press 1” now, but never letting them do it!
Penny for tomorrow try to remember that the phone call is going to take time. But try to be polite and calm and check the temper at the door, so to speak. One question that you can ask and it always helps me. It’s either what can I do or what do I need to do. Good luck and I hope it goes well.
OLS
It’s a new year, Penny. I’ve been through some very tough spots myself. Spots that have kept me from wiring any new fiction. Take a deep breath and keep those boot straps up and cinched. Keep your blog going and let us know how you’re doing. If you have a book out by Intrigue, direct me to your amazon page. Or, I just might find it on my own by doing some digging.
Take care and cheers,
chris