Wow, so much has happened since I started this blog so let me see if I can catch you up!
Health wise: I have my last dose of chemo on March 17th- 19th. It looks like I am kicking it into remission. I will be glad not to be sick every other week as this major impacts everything I do including writing and publicity.
Since starting chemo, I have still been able to put out two novels and one children book. Magic Scorned (very adult), The Bloodmines and Once Upon a...Wait! I can't wait to see what I can do full time when I am not having chemo. Hopefully this thing will stay in remission.
Family: I have four wondrous grandchildren that love me very much. I am not an intrusive mother. ON the good side... well I have good relationships with my four children. Bad side... I don't call enough. My only grandson calls me Granny Bacon. For those that know what this is from you will laugh. My youngest son Devin thought it was cute and now that he is five, it is entrenched.
My mom and dad are still with me but getting older. I don't call them enough either. Puts this on to do lists.
Finances: Writing income is cyclic for an independent author. It goes up when you first put a book out if your first ones were well received and then cycles back down in about four months. This is due to being our own publicists; something that cancer has impeded on but not stopped. This is why it is so important to review an author's work on the purchase sight and/or goodreads. It keeps them stable enough to continue writing. Putting a book out every four months and still working even part time is an aggressive schedule and is likely to have editing mistakes. Why just last week I had a reviewer post a neutral review because I missed a comma on the first page. Yes, such deep scrutiny is common.
I have taken on two side things to help when my book is not quite ready but I am at the end of the downcycle for book sales. Chemo is expensive as is my insurance since I am no longer employed. I now facilitate a mental health/chemical dependency curriculum for other counselors to learn how to implement. This is sporadic but does allow a great deal of writing time in the evenings as I am usually in a hotel without distraction in the evenings. It has also let me meet some fans when I am in their area. That is kind of fun, having coffee, signing their books.
I also started a home based business that only has two products but which I have faith in and am excited about. I can't promote something I do not believe in. Since I know increased fiber and increased water intake support health and weight management. I dove in. The cost was minimal and even if I only make enough for my own products, I will be happy. Looks like it is going to slowly rise to much more than that with the response I have been receiving. Great group support to.. don't have to cold call anyone .. don't have to bother family and friends. My kind of business. If you want to take a free tour, here is a link. No obligation to get in there and look around.
Let's see.. Writing. I am on chapter 8 in Pseudo-dragon. That name one in my reader pole. It will be the fourth book in the series and make much more plot movement.
Book three was a lot of set up for book four and of course... meeting the dragons in more than memories and dreams. Also, book three is in audio production and should be out in the first two weeks of March. Jimmy Moreland is doing a great job and even gave each dragon their own voice. I am really happy with it. I love the scene where Henrick gets drunk. Has anyone figured out Henrick's secret yet??? Also, I was a Nanowrimo winner. Bloodmines was mostly written in that month.
I will be doing some live appearances in different places this year. I am just now scheduling book signings. I did not want to schedule much while I was on chemo as I never knew what day I would begin to feel okay again. I am hoping that The Source in Minneapolis will agree to let me do a big event there. Waiting to here. My editor Alex lives near there and is working on setting that up.
I have also met some great authors this year. Theresa Snyder, Robin Chambers, Mistral Dawn, J.D. Halloway. You should really check them out. Different authors that have something for everyone who likes a bit of fantasy and/or scifi.
Have other questions. I will respond to anything not too personal. Though as you can see above. I am pretty open.
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