So it’s been a month and four days since Hailey’s passing, and we’re still grieving. We’re adjusting, little by little. I’ve been working a lot and trying to write, as I always do when I’m coping with something I’m hurting over.
But this time…it’s like my muse suddenly woke up from a long slumber. Or, I just got tired of not writing. One of those two. Or both.
And there is so much I am trying to do now, it’s not even funny:
~Poetry submissions to contests and literary magazines (online), often requiring revisions to existing poems or writing new ones, as they usually don’t accept poems published on social media (and most of my newer stuff is on Instagram).
~My short story for the TDP anthology, theoretically due next month, on its third rewrite. I scrapped what I was doing, rethought it, pulled Tarot cards on some things, and wrote 3,000 words on it already. Most I’ve written on one project all year. What?! It also spawned a SERIES IDEA which I am contemplating.
~Thinking about my poetry chapbook, Eterne (Esperanto for “Eternally”) — I wasn’t planning on publishing any more chapbooks, buuuuut I have so many new poems that it just makes sense. Already bought a premade cover. Just need to, write more, organize it, all that stuff.
~My Radish erotic contemporary romance — experiment to see how that goes (it’s a serial website similar to Kindle Vella) and how writing contemporary romance works for me. I’m about 10,000 words in. (Those were written long before now, but it’s still on the table).
~Survivor, which I’ve written about here, my oldest project. Need to get going on the rewrite again. Nuff said. It’s about 10,000 words so far. It’s haunting me.
So what’s a girl to do with all these projects clamoring for attention? (And more than I haven’t even listed, that are screaming for airtime?) Because there are always more, right?
I really don’t know, to be honest. I’m trying to prioritize. Poetry contests and literary magazines have deadlines, so that makes it pretty easy. Our antho has a theoretical deadline, too. But beyond that…things get a bit wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey (bonus points to whoever gets that reference). In days past, I’d say, screw it, and work on everything, but back then, I didn’t have the best focus and have since realized that I do much better when I’m focused on one project at a time, maybe two at most, instead of splitting my focus so much and getting not much done. So there’s where the problem lies. The project after the antho, for example. Theoretically, it’s my turn for a novel slot, and I have a few possibilities. So there’s that. But there are other things (points upward). And still other things. So it’s really nutty and not always a great thing when the muse, who’s been MIA for a few years, suddenly jumps out of her comfy bed and says, “Hey! I’m awake now! Let’s get rockin’ and rollin’! Where arrrreeeee yyyooooooouuuuu?” And you’re like, “Seriously, dude?” With a raised eyebrow.
My muse has always been slightly psychotic anyway, so there’s that.
So it’s been interesting around here. And I’ve been distracted from my grief, but it does creep in occasionally still, and I remember that I lost my kitty, and well…it’s still a raw wound. 🙁
So that’s how things have been the past month. I sorta kinda resurrected my author Facebook, so if you want to follow me, check it out. I am hoping to not abandon it this time. (crossing fingers).
Hopefully you’ll find some goodies from me on the (virtual) shelves soon. Meanwhile, send chocolate. Because chocolate makes everything better!