So here’s a glimpse into my schizophrenic life.
I’ve got a book due in a few days. And it’s going to be a few days late! It’s BEYOND FEARLESS, a sequel to BEYOND CONTROL, my story of sexually linked telepaths who were created by a genetics experiment gone bad. A clandestine government agent has discovered them and sees them as a threat to national security. So he’s bent on wiping them out. But in BEYOND FEARLESS, my hero and heroine have more problems. The heroine’s also being stalked by a guy who wants to join his power with hers–and kill the hero.
I worked on editing this book most of the day, my head deep into my characters. But as the sun went down, I knew I had other pressing business. So finally I got up and went out–on a marathon shopping trip.
We started at BJ’s warehouse, then progressed to PetSmart, Target, Home Depot, and Safeway. I’m assuming I’m supplied with food, cosmetics, cat litter, cat food, light bulbs, and bird seed just in time for a coming snowstorm.
I even fit in a little fun. At Home Depot, I treated myself to a pretty magenta cyclamen for the sunroom (which I then had to carry around with me to Target and Safeway because it was too cold to leave it in the car).
By the time we got home, it was after nine. Pretty late for dinner. But I’d bought very nice salmon fillets at BJ’s. I cooked one in the skillet and had it with broccoli and salads I’d bought at Safeway. (The coleslaw was tasteless, and I had to doctor it up.) I’ve got a lot of salmon left over that’s going to be salmon and cauliflower chowder today. Hum–and maybe celery, too.
So how does YOUR real life fit into your writing life?
I admit I tend to work writing AROUND real life rather than the other way around. My kids are at school all day, perfect time to write, but that’s when I do selfish things, like bathe, watch my favorite shows, or nap. When they get home, writing’s out of the question until bedtime - which is ok, because I’m more creative at night anyway. However, this leaves little time for the dh. Not sure if thats a good thing or bad thing though
Comment by Heather — February 13, 2007 @ 12:25 pm
I guess I decided that if I was going to write three or four books a year, I had to be selfish about my writing time.
Rebecca
Comment by Rebecca York — February 13, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
Hi Rebecca! I laughed when I read your post. I’m often taking on projects that require intense crashes (hence my continued love affair with caffeine). My husband, a writer too, is usually just as crazed. So when we figure out we’re about to run out of milk, eggs, and toilet paper, we jump in the car and make a crash run on a number of stores, clipped coupons cluched in our fists - Pathmark has the right cat food, but Waldbaums has the sale on Snapple, and don’t forget the Home Depot for value packs of light bulbs. It’s a whirlwind tour of flourescent aisles, then back to our flickering computer screens by nightfall. I’m guessing Dan Brown and Tom Grisham can write on lounge chairs by the lapping waves of a sunny beach with shrimp cocktail breaks on the hour. Me? I’m emptying kitty litter and scarfing down frosted mini-wheats between chapters. Ah, the glamorous writer’s life!
Luv,
Cleo Coyle
Comment by Cleo — February 14, 2007 @ 7:22 pm
Cleo, I laughed when I read yours, too. I can so identify. You’re married to a writer? That must be great. I’d love someone “in house” to bounce ideas off. Dh is great at proofreading, but the creative stuff just isn’t him. But he does spend all day in front of his computer.
Rebecca
Comment by Rebecca York — February 14, 2007 @ 8:13 pm