My awesome readers know I haven’t published a novel in three years. My first impulse is to offer some lame apology but I won’t because there’s nothing to be sorry for. Events over the last few years effected all of us. When my life took some turns and I turned with it. Publishing and keeping my poor neglected website up to date took a back seat, and that’s okay.
Long story short, in four years I lost three family members and one very special little dog. My husband and I sold our home of 30 years and moved. We went all of 60 miles, but it was a major upheaval for me. That may sound like a complaint, but it’s not. On the contrary, our new home is wonderful, but it was an adjustment.
And none of this means I haven’t been writing, I have. Three new novels are in first draft and waiting final touches. I’ve been honored to have some short stories published in anthologies. My coauthor, TR Kerby, and I are about 3/4 of way through our third novel together. So, the writing happened. Publishing, not so much. I had enough on my plate that I didn’t want to commit to the final push of putting books out there, marketing, and all the things that go with it. And that’s okay.
I addition, I spent a year as a content editor for a long established small press. I learned much and made many wonderful friends. I had so much fun and spent so much time editing other authors’ books, that editing my own became a chore.
I became Author Adjacent, doing things next door to publishing, but not quite doing it. And—you guessed it—that’s okay.
These events were all seasons in my life, and the seasons always change. I am now cycling back to publishing my books (after they’re polished of course) so be patient with me a while longer, my little grasshoppers.
If there’s a point to this, I suppose it’s to say when life happens, and it will, do what you must to take good care of yourself. Let go of the reins for a while and go where life takes you, even if it’s to something you never expected you would do. Chances are, you’ll find the answers you’re looking for.
Our new place is Polly approved. If the Great Dane is happy, everyone is happy!
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