I haven't been on my blog much since October 4th. Not only did my latest novel, The Cautious Maiden, release that day, but my laptop also died... taking everything on it to the grave. I did have a lot of my future book ideas and details saved in DropBox, but I did lose a lot of photos.
All this a week and a half after my husband and I moved our little family to a fixer upper--my old brick house.
Oh, and I'm not sure if I mentioned, but I had baby #2 in June.
Interpretion: babies and fixer uppers take a lot of money, and there hasn't been any for a new laptop yet. There also hasn't been much time for writing. But don't worry, I will still write. I brainstorm my next book as often as I can with an infant and toddler running circles around me.
What's next?
I plan to write a novella focused on a side character from the Everstone Chronicles. If you've read The Cautious Maiden, you can probably guess who it's about. I might even pick up a few more of the characters and do the same in the future. And I do plan to write more full length novels as soon as I'm able--but they will likely be a new start of a story world with new characters... all of whom I'm sure you'll love as much as I already do. 😊
The glaring fact is, with the baby and the move, I just don't have time to create a full length novel in the next year. I purposefully refrained from giving my publisher any of my ideas for now because the thought of trying to figure out all the details for a book and then write it in the next year frankly stressed me out. I waited a long time to be a mommy, and I want to be able to say I was "all there" for my kids, and not stressing out and being mean mommy because I don't have the time to think about what I would need to think about.
Just to be clear:
I got married May 2005.
I didn't start writing until I wrote The Hesitant Heiress from January 2010-January 2012.
I wrote The Bound Heart from February 2012-October 2012.
I wrote The Captive Imposter from November 2012-December 2013.
I signed the 3-book contract from Whitaker House in December 2013.
I had baby #1 in March of 2014.
The Hesitant Heiress released August 2014.
The Bound Heart released November 2014.
The Captive Imposter released April 2015.
I wrote The Cautious Maiden from November 2015-March 2016.
I had baby #2 in June 2016.
We moved.
The Cautious Maiden released October 2016 and my laptop died.
Writing with two kids is going to be something to get used to, so please be patient with me.
And do please pray for me while you're at it. 😍
Be kind to yourself, Dawn. Motherhood is stressful, but so worth it. The books will always be there. Praying for you!
ReplyDeleteThat is certainly a lot going on. Your babies will grow up so fast. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for choosing them over writing. You will know when the time is right to begin writing again. It is a compliment to your writing skills that readers want more, but true fans/friends will understand and give you time with your children. Blessings to you.
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn, you've been on my heart ever since I heard that you were writing a novel on your phone while pregnant and caring for your young son! That was a magnificent feat, and so much has happened since then. I could just cry for you at the loss of your laptop, with the photos, etc. gone, too. But mostly, I want to give you a standing ovation from over here in Iowa for your decision to put writing on the shelf for now, until God tells you to pick it back up again. I've had these seasons before, too. After I wrote my four-book Civil War series, I was so burned out I took some time off and just had to trust that if God wanted me to write again, He'd give me both the inspiration and the time to do it. (And a contract. Haha).
ReplyDeleteYou'll know when the time is right to write again. You are the only mommy your children have. I so admire your perspective on writing and family life. It does get easier as the kids get older, but as you aptly stated, writing with two kids will, indeed, take some getting used to. :) I will certainly be praying for you! Feel free to email or message me for moral support at any time.
Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment, Jocelyn! And thank you for your encouragement! I really appreciate it, especially coming from someone who's been in this very strange place. 😉
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