I wasn’t going to post a blog this morning. I’m busy, busy, busy sprucing up my first attempt at a novel because I received a positive response to my first query letter. Yes, a publisher is interested in reading my manuscript!
However, I felt I needed a little extra time to wake up this morning before working on the novel, so I decided to chat with you a while. I may play a game of FreeCell to make sure my brain is awake—that is after I finish my glass of water and a squeeze a glass of fresh orange juice. About the time I pour my first cup of coffee, I may feel appropriately alert to start the serious work.
Once I send the manuscript off—either this afternoon or tomorrow morning, I will continue creating material for the webinar I’m doing for Author Marketing Club in a few weeks and polish the presentation for the Cat Writer’s Association conference the first weekend in November. My latest book, Talk Up Your Book, should arrive shortly and I’ll be in book promotion mode, big time. I’m still waiting for the publisher and Amazon to switch book cover images. We changed the cover in mid stream and the old one is still up. I won’t start promoting in earnest until this problem is remedied.
I’m also preparing for an overnight guest this week, a birthday barbecue in our backyard and a little overnight stay out of town week after next. Amidst it all, I will be starting the second in my Klepto Cat Mystery series and continuing to work with clients. I have a new one coming in over the weekend.
The outing I mentioned is a mini-high school class reunion. Our class officers are so gung ho that they didn’t stop at organizing reunions to celebrate the usual milestones—10, 15, 25 years and so forth. Oh no, we have a mini-class reunion every year. It’s casual and involves anyone who happens to be able to make it. Now everyone my age is retired. Their spouses are retired. There isn’t a writer or a Walmart Greeter or a consultant among them, as far as I know. I am the only one who is still working for money and for fun. I mean how (and why) does one stop doing the work they love?
It would be like getting to a certain age and giving up cats. My work as a writer and editor is a part of my DNA. It is why I get up in the morning. Well, Lily and Sophie are why I get up in the morning. They are ready for breakfast around 4:30 a.m. And our grumpy old cat, Max is ready for a lap.
Do you know why you do what you do? Is writing something you will pursue into your retirement years? Some of you started writing in retirement.
I’m off to put the finishing touches on my novel. I hope you have an equally delightful day of writing planned.