I am a new author at the ripe old age of
58. I’m finally doing what I was born to do.
With my first book Anna’s Secret (contemporary romance) I had the privilege of taking my time…years in fact. No one knew my name, nor was my writing in demand. Currently I’m contracted for a five book historical romance series. The first book in the series Katherine’s Arrangement will be launched on August 4th, 2020 with the following four at what I feel is warp speed—every half year thereafter. My situation has drastically changed. I still have my mother-in-law to care for, my huge property as an avid gardener to keep up, my family and personal life, and full-time hours writing. I understand stress. So, for all you writers out there with deadlines and real life pressing in, here are three tips on making a deadline when feeling dead tired.
With my first book Anna’s Secret (contemporary romance) I had the privilege of taking my time…years in fact. No one knew my name, nor was my writing in demand. Currently I’m contracted for a five book historical romance series. The first book in the series Katherine’s Arrangement will be launched on August 4th, 2020 with the following four at what I feel is warp speed—every half year thereafter. My situation has drastically changed. I still have my mother-in-law to care for, my huge property as an avid gardener to keep up, my family and personal life, and full-time hours writing. I understand stress. So, for all you writers out there with deadlines and real life pressing in, here are three tips on making a deadline when feeling dead tired.
One: It may seem logical but is indeed
the most important tip. Start your day with a quiet time with God.
Give Him your stress. Give him permission to interrupt the day in any way He
deems necessary. (And trust me He will deem people more important.) But God
will supernaturally give you the wisdom, balance, and strength you would not
otherwise have.
Two: Ask this question. What is the
best use of my time? With only so much energy in a given day I
had decisions to make. My deadline to meet an extensive edit of book two loomed
large. The outside work beckoned. As an avid gardener on a ¾ acre lot, all
neatly groomed with a copious array of flowers and weeds fighting for dominion,
I waffled. I had my mom-in-law who needed help and a friend who could not get
her groceries because she is at high risk for Covid. I had my husband, and
household etc., my other writing of blogs, newsletters, emails, and social
media FB, Twitter, Instagram notifications all reaching out for a piece of me.
Answering this question put all in priority,
God, people, work…and more precisely, what work? My God and people got the
attention. Gardening and housework got the boot. I turned off social media,
blog writing and unnecessary emails. My editing took up the rest of the focus.
God helped me prioritize and finish my grueling edit. In other words, I had to
let some of it go, and when you are perfectionist like I am…let me tell you,
this was good therapy. LOL
Three: Don’t forget to take care of YOU.
Get enough sleep. Eat properly…don’t binge on sweets while sitting at the
computer, (it will make you more tired). Go for a walk or run at least once a
day. Exercise feeds the happy endorphins in your brain. My dog schedules this
like clockwork. By mid-afternoon she lets me know, it is time to go. This
little break gives me energy to sit again. Lastly, don’t forget to laugh. My
husband always has something funny to share, so spending time with him adds
that much needed humor. Whatever makes you smile…don’t be stingy on giving that
a thumbs up in your day.
...you writers out there with deadlines and real life pressing in, here are three tips on making a deadline when feeling dead tired. via @BlossomHoneyBee #SeriouslyWrite
~~~~~~
Blossom Turner is a free-lance writer published in Chicken Soup and Kernels of Hope anthologies, former newspaper columnist on health and fitness, avid blogger and novelist. She lives in a four-season playground in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, with gardening at the top of her enjoyment list. She has a passion for women’s ministry teaching Bible studies and public speaking, but having coffee and sharing God’s hope with a hurting soul trumps all. She lives with her husband, David, of thirty-eight years. Blossom loves to hear from her readers. Visit her at https://blossomturner.com
To Preorder Katherine's Arrangement:
Amazon for Canada https://www.amazon.ca/
Marrying him is her only choice to save her family, but Josiah Richardson isn’t at all the man
she expected.
Katherine Williams’s family was left destitute when their home was burned to the ground by Yankee soldiers, so the ready solution presented by the prominent Mr. Josiah Richardson seems almost too good to believe. He’ll provide a home, work for her pa, and a new beginning for her family...if only Katherine will accept his proposal. A marriage of convenience is the last thing she wants, but there doesn’t seem to be a better option for her family or herself. Setting aside her dreams of love, Katherine agrees to the arrangement.
The gentleman in Josiah Richardson can no more force his frightened bride into his bed, than he can force her into loving him, so he sets out to gently woo her. He works hard to befriend her, to earn her trust and win her love.
Katherine is pleasantly surprised to find herself drawn to the man she thought she would never love, until an unexpected friendship tears apart all they’ve worked for. Where once the promise of love had budded between Josiah and Katherine, now they wonder what to do with their so-called marriage. Is love strong enough to weave its healing power through two broken hearts?
