Tackling a couple of subjects in this post.
I’ve been blogging a lot lately about juggling life, jobs and writing. I’m not the only one tackling the subject. Here are a couple of other writers who’ve shared recently.
Someone brought up the panic spiral. It’s pretty easy to get caught in it. A lot of my recent angst has been summer related, but I’ve also been antsy over DOTT’s status out there in Publishing Land–I’m so looking forward to Beri finding a nice, comfortable spot on the bookshelves… and hopefully, a list or two. 😉
But just in case, I want something else circulating and personal circumstances had me pulling extra long work hours. Between summer-bored kids, and long hours, I’ve had brain mush. I’m still averaging 3000 words a week, but I’m used to doing that per day.
So that panic spiral has been looming with its big, wicked swirls.
But it looks like a few things are about to change here and life will ease up considerably. I’m 100 % determined to put writing in the top two priorities. I’ll be able to get in my bigger daily word counts again.
When I went the submission round in the past, I didn’t have an agent cheering me and the process can be… well, I waited two years on one manuscript as it languished in slush piles, then nearly broke in. I started getting two and three page responses with suggestions for rewrites. One editor compared my writing to a popular single title author then asked me to tone down the mainstream issues… You all know the rest. I was working on this when she went on to a different career. But while doing the rewrites, I basically realized my writing was not going to fit in my intended genre of the time. I dig those mainstream issues. <g> So, I took some time off to work on my voice before playing the submission gig again.
This time, I feel I have a real shot. I was determined to bring my writing to a place where I could excite an agent–someone to help in the submission process. I actually excited two–and believe me, the excitement of that week keeps me going on the long, rush job days.
I have soooo many ideas. My writing is much stronger. The heroine saving herself scenario is more popular now than it was then… so yeah, I’m ready to jump in.
So, while we’re waiting for my news, another urban fantasy author has some of her own. Jocelynn Drake’s debut novel, Nightwalker, is out today! (Ironically, the book I nearly sold is called Moonlight Walker. I plan to revise and instead of toning it down, I’m turning it darker. <g>)
Anyway, Nightwalker is getting great reviews already! You won’t want to miss it! Here’s the blurb from Amazon:
For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker—an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed . . . and may be all that prevents her doom.
The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt . . . or be hunted.