I have been pressing hard to finish Obsidian Gate: Homeworld Lost (Book 7) all week. Mostly because I went to a conference the week before, but also because I am that type of writer who works on more than one project.
I used to be worse, writing as many as three to five books at a time. In the early days of the story, that is easy and exciting. But it gets hard and becomes a bad decision. (Like I would ever make one of those. Please! Laser focused is my middle name… name phrase? Whatever.)
Now I put ninety percent into the series that the most people want (and that pays my bills) and follow some literary rabbits into their holes.
That doesn’t sound exactly the way it did in my head, but the point is I spend at least a half our a day writing just for me, writing deep, writing to push my limits. Yes, that is what I do for fun. Lol.
Yesterday, I was doing a lot of proofreading as well as attempting to finish book 7, and I had some computer related technical stuff. Since I get up very early (the house is quiet and there are fewer distractions) there was no one to help me with the issue. It didn’t need to be fixed immediately, but it was in my head and holy crap that was distracting and miserable.
I sent of emails (and a smart friend and webmaster fixed everything.) I finished the book and completed the final proofread on the first seventeen chapters, then sent those to my editor.
By that time I was mentally wrecked. Ate too much chili and cornbread for dinner, but it was so good. Through the football with my youngest son, and realized something amazing.
I was really enjoying it. For all the years of working fulltime, wrirting fulltime (in terms of raw hours, not income), and trying to do all the other things, playtime with kids wasn’t always fun because I was exhausted.
Now I was pretty beat. Long story. But everything just felt great and we were connecting. My wife and parents and basically everyone tells me I am a good parent, but I don’t feel I am sometimes. Sitting in a room with the door closed for seven days a week for months to hit a deadline, then another deadline, and another deadline doesn’t make you feel like father of the year.
But it isn’t about that. I got it done, and enjoyed time with my family.
As a bonus, I really like Obsidian Gate. I think it may be the best, or at least most fun, book in the series.
Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe.
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