Thursday

I've got a lot going on in my life these days.  My mom's cancer, my elderly dad moving nearby, the normal things like my husband and daughter, my dogs, the weather, the house, the yard, exercise and eating clean (trying), and the pain (still) in my tendonitis and whatever the hell is wrong with my other leg/back/hip (sciatic nerve?)   And there's the writing job.

Some nights I don't  get much sleep, mostly due to physical things (the above mentioned pain plus menopause).  Other times I can't sleep because I have a lot on my my mind. 

When I can, I escape into the pages of a great book.  I've read some good ones lately, and I am in awe and envy of those authors who can write so well (you know who you are Barbara Samuel O'Neal).  With my own writing and constantly being under deadline with Harlequin, I have been finding it increasingly difficult to write through all the pain, both physical and mental. 

When I was doing the Candy Haven's Fast Draft Workshop, that was the closest I've gotten in a long while to pure writing joy.  Plus pages.  Lots of pages.  I still haven't gone back and edited the stuff I wrote during that time - I had to stop for revisions on another book, and since then I've been redoing proposals and writing a short, on-line Harlequin Read. 

Now, I've turned in the third (yes, third!) revision of a Harlequin Romantic Suspense proposal that will be my 25th published book with them.  I'm working on a Harlequin Nocturne proposal that I really like (one I push past the massive doubts in my ability caused by the above synopsis revisions.)

When I turn this Nocturne proposal in, I'm going to finish the Romantic Suspense that was due 7-1 and hopefully get to writing the Nocturne.

And then maybe things can get back on track, work-wise.

But I'm going to also get my lazy behind to work on something else - a single title that I'm going to write completely on spec and then send to my agent to shop.  Heck, if it doesn't sell, I'll pay someone to edit it and then put it up online.  I'm making at least a car payment on the backlist I've put up, so who knows?

I read on another blog - not a writing one, but a travel one - the most amazing quote.  I copied it down and printed it and taped it up in my office.  The blog is called What's Dave Doing (here's a link:
http://.tinyurl.com/6wg8ugl )  On it, he quotes someone named JD Roth.  The things you DO are your priorities, not the things you say you want to do.

Pretty clear, isn't it?  In other words, walk the talk.   I have not been doing this.  I've been talking for what seems like forever about writing another single title.  Since I first went with Harlequin in 2003 or 2004, and with my last single title coming out from Dorchester in 2006, I've focused all my energy into writing for one publisher.  Or, I put all my eggs in one basket. 

So even though I'm just saying it here, not doing it (yet), I am going to write a single title on spec (which means without a contract) and still manage to meet my multiple deadlines for Harlequin.

Wish me luck.  Oh, and PS - I have finally fixed the problem with the comments that was keeping so many of you from commenting.  

Your turn.  What are YOUR priorities?