Do you work and write?

 Author!!!  Do you have a full time job and write?  

And is that job draining you of your creative juices?  Maybe its just a bad couple of days, but being yelled at on the phone and being told that "This is unacceptable" ugh..... Maybe I am just looking forward to my next 3 days off for Memorial day... .yeah.  That's what I'm going with.  I'm just looking forward to some time off! 

And the ideas and stories are going over and over in my head.  One the way into work, thought of a scene with a police officer pulling over a woman... cliche?  yes... but I love my stories.  I'll work that one into something in the future.  I can feel it.  

I have been writing in my notebook, the stories are out of order, but when I get in the mood I just write.  I don't care what order they are in.  The more you write, the more information you get down and when I transfer the stories to the computer and put them together, you can see how much you really accomplished.  

When they say just write... it does work.  I did that with my first book.  While it did take me a year, I think that the next ones will be done in less time.  

But working does put a crimp in my writing time - well... technically in my inspiration time!  

Do you have jobs?  full time?  do you write full time?  I am working towards retirement in a few years and then write full time.  I am planning on about 4-6 books published by the time I retire.  Once that happens, I can dedicate a portion of my day to writing.  

Sara and Christopher are on my brain

 I was starting the story of Dario and Maria. Then Sara and Christopher chimed in.  I have been writing their story - in my notebook - now.  I actually got quite a few ideas down.  I don't do dialogue per se, but I do some talking relevant to the scene and when getting this down on my computer I will add more dialogue for the story.  Once I finish Sara and Christopher I will continue with Vanessa and Tav.  I am excited about their story.  A story of redemption and love.  Are you strong enough to change for yourself and the man you fell in love with?  And then April and Daisy have been tickling my brain too.  Why is Dario and Maria lagging behind?  I don't know.  But I have them on the back burner and I know that their story will come through when the time is right.  

And then I am excited about the story about the twins.  These stories are exciting to be fleshed out.  

Almost done with my second story. I think - plan ?- by the end of June I will be done with the editing and ready to publish.  

Stay tuned!  

STARTING MY SECOND, THIRD, FORTH....... BOOK

 I am now working on my second book.  It was a short story that I wrote last year and I am now expanding on it for publication.  Its not going to be my normal romance.  Something much different.  It has me emotional as I am writing it.  But my other stories are pushing forward.  I am hand writing Daisy and Jacksons story right now.  This is why I keep my notebooks handy.  But Daisy and Jackson are going to be my 4th??  book in my series.  I am writing about Dario and Maria and then Daisys sister April will be after that and then Daisy will be the fourth.... Then its going to be Sara and Christopher and then Vanessa and Tav... they are shouting in my head to get done.  I have Charlottes story on the back burner too.  Her love interest, Max? is a marine, undercover, retired, working with her brothers.  And then her three brothers, who are all family if Diane... .the last book in my Forever Home series.  but then I can't forget Casandra and Ciara - twins.  Their stories are going to be angsty and epic. And then I have my MMF story... two marines and a vet.  I have to have a character named Bunny!!!  Its just tickling my brain.  

So this weekend, is going to be about writing. I want to get Conviction of Forgiveness done for publication around the end of June, beginning of July.  Then Dario and Maria by the end of the year. 

Can I say, while its a slow process, I am so enjoying getting my stories down on paper.... finally!!! 

WRITER INTERFERENCE - READING

 I have lots of story line in my head.  I should get down to writing and I will this weekend.  But... reading interferes with my writing.  How many have this issue? 

I read a question on facebook - which books have you re-read.  I am a big re-reader.  My most favorite book is Honours Splendor - Julie Garwood.  I have read this book at least a dozen times.  It is my go to comfort book.  Her second book - The Bride - was a great book too and I have read that about 4 times.  Its a laugh out loud book.  In fact, I was at a fast food restaurant eating my lunch, reading my book, laughing.  A man sitting close to me asked me what I was reading as he would like to recommend the book to his wife.  

And for laugh out loud - Janet Evanovich.  Her books are great.  I was reading the ending of her second book - Two for the Money - on the train on the way home from work. I laughed so hard, tears poured down my face.  People were looking at me like I was crazy, but I could not help myself.  When I grow up, I wanna be like grandma Mazer.  

I have fleshed out my second book - in my head - and its going to be a book with three parts.  first part about Barbara and Jill.  Their growing friendship.  The second part will be about her son and his road to redemption.  The third part will be about Jills sons and their acceptance and forgiveness. I have it all in my head.  Now getting it down on paper.  

I have already contacted my editor with the preliminary short story to see if it was worth writing and he said it would be.  So, I'm going for it.  

BEST WORK - DREAMLAND

 I have been working on my second and third books.  The third book - tentatively named - I just met a girl - and while I am excited about the story, there was a piece missing.  I didn't know what it was, but I knew that something was missing.  

I don't get crazy.  I don't get nuts about it.  I know that it will come to me. 

The best time for me to let my imagination go is when I go to bed.  I lay there and my mind just floats.  I have gotten some of my best ideas while laying in bed.  In fact, the whole premise of my second book was created in my head while laying in bed.  

And now, I have the hook for my second book.  Extended Italian Family Members!  How can anyone go wrong with that?  I, of course, will draw from my own experiences, with a few changes.  But that was the umph I needed for my third book.  

I'm also working on books 4 - 11.  Does anyone else juggle stories like this?  I write scenes in notebooks. I have about 5 books just in my head that I haven't even gotten a word down on a page yet, but they are there waiting.  I have names, connections, places, story lines.  How many books does an author juggle in their head?  

I am also thinking about a series of shifter novels.  This would be a first for me as I am usually the stock romance writer.  But I have to say I am enjoying the shifter stories.  Male to female and male to male.  I am loving them!  I never even knew they existed until a few years ago.  

I am hoping to get my second book out by the end of May into June.  My third book I anticipate will be maybe October.  Is 2 books a year too much?  not enough?  

and how do I get a following?  I think that, while social media will be helpful, I am not good at promoting myself.  It kinda feels selfish to me for some reason.  I have got to get out of that mindset. I have to get a tik tok going promoting my book.  My hubby is promoting my book better than I am!  shesh.  The man doesn't have a shy bone in his body!  I envy that.  I struggle with shyness and introvertism ( think I just made up a new word) every day. Its a constant struggle.  

Who else deals with these issues?