Pardon My Absence

Let me just go ahead an apologize, now. To everyone whose call I don't return. For all the emails that may get backlogged. Hell, for all the dinners that may not get cooked. Sorry, y'all!

I'm writing again.

Yep, back in the saddle.

Immersed in the writing pool.

Down in the hole.

Call it what you want, but it means that mentally a large chunk of my brain will simply not be paying attention to much else.

I have my issues with Diddy, but he said something on Making His Band (yeah, I'm watching it. So sue me!) that resonates deep with me. He was talking about his new CD and how important working on it was for him. Then he said something to the effect that in order to succeed at something you have to be obsessed with it.

That's an entirely true statement.

People have asked how I wrote five books in three years while still working full time, raising a family and coaching a cheer squad. You'd think the person who took part in it would know, but I don't. I don't know how I did it except I was obsessed with writing. It wasn't something I wanted to do as much as it was something I had to do - literally and figuratively.

Literally, I was under contract. The funny thing about getting paid is, it makes you want to get the job done.

Figuratively, the voices of my characters possess me, forcing me to pay heed to their whisperings lest I lose what's left of my mind.

This go round, I have no contract to spur me (and that's a huge bummer) but I do have several stories sitting on my chest. They're not pressing so hard I can't breathe, but that's only because so far I haven't let them.

Now I'm going to let them. I've put everything in front of writing, the last year, because I needed to. You don't stay obsessed for three years and not have some making up to do. So I had to take the break the last nine months or so.

But I'm about to gear up into pure selfish mode, which means I won't let anything get in front of my writing time. Sorry fam. Sorry friends. Sorry social networks. That's the life of a writer - letting the voices control you for awhile.

I'll check in periodically. So, be good while I'm gone or they'll be hell to pay.