I’ve told you before how balancing writing and Life is something I’ve yet to master, and I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s no such thing as balance.
It’s a juggling act.
It will always be a juggling act. When my kids are grown, I will have fewer balls in the air, and maybe then it won’t feel so much like juggling since I won’t be making a choice between spending time with the kids vs. time writing.
Maybe.
But for now I’m juggling like mad. Which means the writing is slow going right now, because after the whirlwind that was the writing of the Untamed series with Victoria, after the months I spent focused on those books and not my family, after feeling totally burned out and guilty for all the time I’d NOT spent with my kids…I made the decision to be more present with them while they’re young. While I can. Because I know the day will come when they’ve all gone their own ways, and I really don’t want to look back on this time and wish I’d spent more time with my kids rather than sitting in front of a computer.
This is a long way of saying that I think I have to finally admit to myself that Total Bliss isn’t going to be out by the end of the year. It should have been out months ago, I know, and I’m sorry about that, but…I’m slow. Especially slow when I’m not focused solely on writing.
When you’re a writer with a family (and you want to keep it that way) you can’t be focused solely on writing.
So yesterday I had one of those moments of clarity when I thought, holy crap, it’s almost the end of October, and my heart sank with the realization that the craziness is about to begin. With the holiday season looming, life is going to get stressful and busy, and for my own sanity, I realized I need to not kill myself to get this book done and out in the next couple of months. Because, realistically, I don’t think I can get it all done in that time with everything else going on, and trying to do it will just add unnecessary stress to an already stressful season.
BUT I will tell you this: Total Bliss is coming along beautifully (if more slowly than I’d like). I’m about halfway through the writing, and love love love this story so much. I will continue to write through the madness of the next couple of months, and hopefully, come January, I will have a finished draft and a good idea of when it will be ready for release.
It’s coming, I promise. Bliss will have her book. As will the rest of The Girls. It’s just going to take some time. <3
“You know, my life would have been so much more fulfilling if I had spent more time in front of my computer and less time with the people who love and care about me the most and who I love and care about the most!” ~ said no person EVER!
I’d much rather read a book that is well thought out and written with conviction rather than one written under duress and stress. But with that said, I’m still eagerly anticipating Total Bliss so take care of the family but don’t forget about us readers, we’ll be the ones waiting patiently over here. ????
Thank you for understanding, Cris. <3 I could never forget my readers---you guys make all the hours I put into each book totally worth it. I do feel a strong obligation (in the best sense of the word) to finish this book in as timely a manner as I can, as well as finish the complete HEA series, while making sure it's my best work. I owe you all that, and it's the only way I work.