It’s been a while since I’ve posted, and I’m trying not to feel bad about it. What was going to be 1-month hiatus turned into 3 as I watched January pass me by, then February and March and suddenly, it’s April and a whole third of this year has gone by. Symptoms spiraled as treatment intensified, and I was so mentally and physically exhausted that I felt I had nothing worthwhile to give. There was really nothing to say except “I’m tired, I don’t feel well, and I’m not even writing.” And that was just depressing.
I took time off to try to rest, however, I had so much treatment and still so much to do at home that I wound up learning to make it a priority to pace myself. I can go to church on Sunday, but then I need to come home and rest. I can run errands for the household on a good day, as long as I don’t do it days in a row, don’t stay out long, and make time to sleep afterward if I need it. I can cook dinner and meal prep, as long as it’s one of the only things I do that evening. As you can see, this doesn’t leave much time or mental bandwidth for anything creative when I’m just trying to survive the day-to-day.
When April rolled around, I really wanted to say something. After all, the spring of 2024 was when I originally planned to release “The Contract.” Seeing that appointed time arrive without being any closer to my goal was disheartening. But I’m trying to get back on my feet. I plan to get back on my feet. I’m feeling that pull, that desire to write. But there has to be space for it, otherwise, it’s just another source of stress, something I don’t need while my body and my brain are trying to heal. Writing is a source of joy, though, and I desperately want it back.
In the meantime, when my brain allows it, the wheels are turning. I’ve solved some plot issues with another book I’m working on and I’m ecstatic to begin rewriting it if I can find a way. I’ve always preferred having two stories going at the same time so I can toggle back and forth between them when I get frustrated or bored with one or the other. Not that I don’t love visiting George and Meenah in their world in “The Contract”; I do. But what’s not to like about jumping from their lush, green, Mediterranean estate to the peaceful farmlands of Georgia in the summertime? It’s the beauty of having a mind filled with a plethora of fictional stories: I can go wherever I want and visit with whomever I want from the safety and comfort of my couch while I rest. And when I find the strength to write these lovely characters and their stories, I can come out the gate swinging. Stay tuned for more details on upcoming works!