Author Tricia Schneider: writing life

Showing posts with label writing life. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

When Inspiration Strikes #IWSG #writing #writinginspiration #storyideas

The first Wednesday of every month is officially

Insecure Writer's Support Group day.

The Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It's a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

IWSG Asks: When you are working on a story, what inspires you?

Inspiration comes from several sources. For me, I get a lot of inspiration from the dreams I have at night while I'm sleeping. Since I was a child, I've always had vivid dreams. My mother once suggested that I write my dreams into a notebook, and maybe one day I could make stories from them. I followed her advice. I've been keeping a dream journal since I was a teenager. It has become a source of many of my story ideas. For these, the dreams are so strong, the images so striking, that the dream haunts me for days afterward. Not in a bad way. But one that compels me to write it down and craft a story from it.

My paranormal romance, Into the Dark, was inspired by a dream I'd had about a woman captured by witches and thrown into a dark hole in the ground. She was not alone. Someone was with her. A man with shaggy brown hair and a long face. His clothes were badly torn and dirty. Not only dirt stained his clothes but also something that looked like blood.

From that dream, a 90,000-word story developed and is now available on Kindle Vella.

Another story I created from a dream was Loving Boone. This dream didn't play out as a story in my head like Into the Dark. Instead, it felt more symbolic. In my dream, my family was being attacked by a dozen or more large cats. It was scary. Then one of the cats morphed into a young man and begged us to stop fighting his family. From that image, the young shifter in my dream became Boone Evans. The idea of two families at war with each other unfolded, and soon I had developed a paranormal romance with cougar shifters.

Sometimes I'm inspired by listening to a piece of music that sparks an idea. Or perhaps an emotional scene from a movie. I once overheard a couple at the mall arguing with each other which created an idea for a line of dialogue in a story.

Then there are times when inspiration strikes at the oddest moments. The idea for The Pirate's Lady hit me while I was driving to work one sunny day. For whatever reason, I had an image of a man and a woman sword-fighting on a beach at night pop into my head while I was driving along the highway. I was curious and kept playing the what if game until a story emerged. I couldn't get that image out of my head until I finished writing the story.

When all else fails, what truly inspires me is my desire to simply write stories. I love writing! I've been writing since I was a child. I'll never stop. Stories fascinate me! Intriguing characters, fantastic settings, spellbinding plots. I feel like this is what I'm meant to do in this life. So, that's what I'm doing. :)

Be sure to visit the other writers in the

Insecure Writer's Support Group!

I write sensual paranormal, sci-fi and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Become a VIP Reader by signing up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!

You can Follow me on ...

Looking for a little escape? Check out these stories!

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Do You Remember Writing Your First Book? #IWSG #writinglife #writinggoals

The first Wednesday of every month is officially

Insecure Writer's Support Group day.

IWSG Asks: Do you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you? If you're at the start of the journey, what are your goals?

I was 15 years old when I wrote my first full-length manuscript. At the time, it was simply for fun. I had no thoughts about having a writing career. In fact, it took me a while to figure out that the people who wrote the books I loved reading actually got paid for writing them! Yeah. Paid! As in money! Even as a kid, I lived in my own fantasy world that rarely included reality. Well, I guess I still do as an adult. Hey, I guess things don't change that much! :)

Eventually, with the advice of a wonderful teacher in my high school creative writing class, I figured out that writing books for fun could turn into a possible career. (A huge thanks to Mr. McCormick for suggesting I submit my stories for publication! I never imagined that one conversation after class could alter the direction of my entire life!)

Now, 30 years after writing my first book (don't do the math here, my kids assure me that I'm old), I'm a USA Today Bestselling Author, a best-selling international author, and my books have hit Amazon's Top 100 bestsellers lists. I've been writing professionally for thirteen years as an indie author and with traditional publishers. Those are accomplishments that I never would have imagined when I was 15!

The journey to get here hasn't been an easy one. It's been a bumpy ride, and I still have a ways to go. I have more goals to reach for and many more stories to write. Life is never simple. There have been numerous obstacles in my path. And there have been more than a few times when I considered giving up. But writing is my passion. It's in my soul. Even if I stopped publishing books, I would never give up writing completely. I started out writing for fun, and I'll keep doing more of that.

But it's nice to get paid for writing. Having a career where I don't need to get out of my pajamas in the morning is kinda cool, too!

Be sure to visit the other writers in the

Insecure Writer's Support Group!

You can Follow me on ...

Looking for a little escape? Check out these stories!

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Author Envy or Inspiration #IWSG #writing #writinginspiration

The first Wednesday of every month is officially

Insecure Writer's Support Group day.

IWSG Asks: Have you ever read a line in a novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy?

Of course, I have! There are so many books I've read where I think, "That's it. I'll never write as beautifully as that. That was amazing!"

Surprisingly, instead of discouraging me to write my own books, these authors inspire me. The better the book, the more I feel the need to write, too. Not that I want to compete. Not that. And I don't feel exactly envious. That's too negative. I admire them. I want to be like them. I want my books to be on the same shelves as those outstanding authors.

When I started my writing journey, whenever I visited a bookstore, I would check the area where my books would be located, imagining one day being published and selling my books in brick-and-mortar stores. I'd trace my finger along the shelves, searching for where my name would fall alphabetically. When I'd find it, I'd wiggle open a small space between the books where mine should be. Then I'd check to see how close I was to my favorite authors.

A few books away? Right next to mine? Maybe a shelf under or above?

It was a game I'd played, and I've heard other authors played this game, too. It must be a writer thing. :)

But it was because of the words these authors wrote, the clever plot twists and the amazing characters they created, the stories they wrote that made me want to be an author, too.

I've read so many authors that have impressed me with their writing talent, but here are a few that come to mind immediately when it comes to particularly outstanding lines.

Georgette Heyer was incredibly talented at capturing the language of the Regency era. Her books truly pull readers into that world, so much they can lose themselves in her almost poetic writing. I'm always in awe of her character's wit, humor and perfectly turned phrases.

Maggie Shayne is another one that amazes me with her storytelling abilities. Her creativity, plot twists, and characters have made her one of my favorite authors. One that is on my auto-buy list!

And Julia Quinn. I've been raving about The Bridgertons since I first read an ARC of Romancing Mr. Bridgerton during my days working at Waldenbooks. I'm ecstatic that her stories have made it onto Netflix! A dream come true for any author! And now so many more people are enjoying her stories. Her writing style flows so smoothly, and there were several moments while reading her books when I found myself emotionally teary-eyed because of her writing.

Be sure to visit the other writers in the

Insecure Writer's Support Group!

You can Follow me on ...

Looking for a little escape? Check out these stories!

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Writing Regrets #IWSG #writinglife

The first Wednesday of every month is officially

Insecure Writer's Support Group day.

IWSG Asks: What's the one thing about your writing career you regret the most? Were you able to overcome it?

Hindsight is 20/20, they say. And that's true for my writing career, too. I've been writing since I was a young teenager, actively pursuing publishing by the time I was 18. I had no mentors. I didn't go to college or university for a writing degree. Other than my English teachers and a Creative Writing teacher I had in high school, my writing and marketing knowledge is basically self-taught. In my 20s, I did take a few writing workshops from which I benefited greatly, but looking back, I wish I would have done more.

My greatest regret: My lack of self-confidence.

I had (and let's face it, continue to struggle) with low self-esteem. I know I'm not the only one. There are many of us out there. Although I believed in my talent and pushed myself, I had great doubt that I'd ever amount to anything in the publishing world. My writing was good, but maybe it wasn't good enough.

The world was different back then. This was before self-publishing. Internet was only just new to households and I didn't even have a computer other than the one I used at my aunt's house. I didn't have much support other than the encouragement of my family. And I believed then (and still do), that they only told me that my writing was wonderful because they loved me. My grandmother actively read my work, which pleased me to no end, and she was probably my greatest supporter before she passed away. (I wish she had been alive to see me get on the USA Today Bestseller list! Oh, she would have been shouting the news to everyone! I can just imagine! lol)

Now, with the help of Facebook and Twitter (oh, and let's not forget MySpace where I got my social media start!), I've connected online with many other authors and writers, including those in the Insecure Writer's Suppor Group. I continue to learn a great deal from them. Knowledge, support, craft and techniques, even a shoulder to cry on when the occasion warrants. I've learned I'm not the only one with this self-esteem issue.

My greatest regret stemming from this issue is not writing more because of my self-doubt. I wish I would have believed in myself more, wrote more stories, sent more submissions out to agents and publishers, not obsessed over every single scene wondering how I could make it better. I wish I wouldn't have hesitated so much about writing a certain series or a book because I might not be able to do it justice as a writer. I wish I would have not worried so much.

Have I overcome this?

To a degree. I have much more confidence in myself these days, but I think that also comes with age and wisdom. I know more now at 43 than I did at 23. In the past 4 years, I've written and published more stories and books than I have in my entire career.

I've learned and experienced a great deal in my life and I'm so grateful I had those opportunities, both the good and the bad. It all amounts to life experience and I can see how its helped shape my writing. It's made me stronger, more confident, wiser, and more fearless of the many possibilities.

So, I guess, yeah. I'm doing okay. I try not to think of the would've's and could've's too much. Regret can foster bitterness, and I don't want that. We're all on a journey. Traveling at our own pace. Learning as we go. Looking back at the past is useful only if we can apply that wisdom to the now and the future. In that respect, yes, I've definitely overcome this. And I hope to continue.

Happy writing!

~ Tricia

Be sure to visit the other writers in the

Insecure Writer's Support Group!

I write sensual paranormal, sci-fi and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Become a VIP Reader by signing-up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, writing tips, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!

You can Follow me on ...

Looking for a little escape? Check out these books!

Alpha Shifters Furever Shifting Hearts

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Favorite Writing Craft Books #IWSG #writing

The first Wednesday of every month is officially

Insecure Writer's Support Group day.

IWSG Asks: What is your favorite writing craft book? Think of a book that every time you read it you learn something or you are inspired to write or try the new technique. And why?

As always, when asked about my favorite book, I have more than one. I mean, is it possible for any avid reader to have only ONE favorite book??

I enjoy reading writing craft books. Not only to learn something new, but I like to discover how other writers write. What's their process? How do they do it?

I'll limit this list to the books that I like to re-read. I suppose that's as good as saying they are my favorite, right?

This is at the top of my list because it's the first one that popped into my head. I learned about this book through a workshop by Debra Dixon. She was fascinating! I learned so much about conflict and really enjoyed reading her book.

Goal, motivation, and conflict are the foundation of everything that happens in the story world. Using charts, examples, and movies, the author breaks these key elements down into understandable components and walks the reader through the process of laying this foundation in his or her own work.

Learn what causes sagging middles and how to fix them, which goals are important, which aren’t and why, how to get your characters to do what they need for your plot in a believable manner, and how to use conflict to create a good story. GMC can be used not only in plotting, but in character development, sharpening scenes, pitching ideas to an editor, and evaluating whether an idea will work.

Be confident your ideas will work before you write 200 pages.

Plan a road map to keep your story on track.

Discovery why your scenes aren’t working and what to do about it.

Create characters that editors and readers will care about.

Check it out!

Here's another one I read in my early days of becoming a writer. Excellent book for coming up with character types! Organized and easy to research, also entertaining to read!

All fiction writers want to write stories with great heroes and heroines--characters who leap off the page and capture the reader's imagination. Heroic characters can be broken down into sixteen archetypes. By following the guidelines of the archetypes presented in this comprehensive reference work, writers can create extraordinarily memorable characters and elevate their writing to a higher level. Throughout the book, the authors give examples of well-known heroes and heroines from television and film so the reader can picture the archetype in his or her mind.

At the very core of a character, every hero can be traced back to one of the eight major archetypes, as can every heroine. The core archetype tells the writer the most basic instincts of heroes or heroines - how they think and feel, what drives them and how they reach their goals. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a novice, The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes & Heroines will help you improve your own writing and help you create truly memorable characters.

Check it out!

As we're already talking about characters, I'll add this one, too. I was amazed by this book! So much that I couldn't put it down and read it fairly quickly. As well as helping me with my characters, I think I might have delved into analyzing my own mind with this one.

Psychotherapist Rachel Ballon teaches the reader how to use the principles of psychology to understand their characters better. Through a mix of instruction, examples, and writing and visualization exercises, readers learn how to tap into their own stories and emotions to create realistic, complex characters.

Check it out!

Once I knew I wanted to become a writer and take writing seriously, this was one of the first books I read about story structure. It was educational and easy to read. With the examples being compared to popular movies, I enjoyed learning about story writing and often re-read this book again and again. I always seem to learn something new.

Originally an influential memo Vogler wrote for Walt Disney Animation executives regarding The Lion King, The Writer’s Journey details a twelve-stage, myth-inspired method that has galvanized Hollywood’s treatment of cinematic storytelling. A format that once seldom deviated beyond a traditional three-act blueprint, Vogler’s comprehensive theory of story structure and character development has met with universal acclaim, and is detailed herein using examples from myths, fairy tales, and classic movies. This book has changed the face of screenwriting worldwide over the last 25 years, and continues to do so.

Check it out!

This is one of my favorite books to read about writing fast! Always inspiring! Before I read this book, I always considered myself a slow writer. I never realized that a writer could actually write fast. This book helps with motivation. For me, anyway. I like to push myself to keep writing and do more because of what I learned in this book.

Have you ever wanted to double your daily word counts? Do you sometimes feel like you're crawling through your story? Do you want to write more every day without increasing the time you spend writing or sacrificing quality? It's not impossible, it's not even that hard. This is the book explaining how, with a few simple changes, I boosted my daily writing from 2000 words to over 10k a day, and how you can too.

Expanding on her highly successful process for doubling daily word counts, this book, a combination of reworked blog posts and new material, offers practical writing advice for anyone who's ever longed to increase their daily writing output. In addition to updated information for Rachel's popular 2k to 10k writing efficiency process, 5 step plotting method, and easy editing tips, this new book includes chapters on creating characters that write their own stories, practical plot structure, and learning to love your daily writing. Full of easy to follow, practical advice from a commercial author who doesn't eat if she doesn't produce good books on a regular basis, 2k to 10k focuses not just on writing faster, but writing better, and having more fun while you do it.

Check it out!

It's difficult to pick just one Chris Fox book that is my favorite. He has several books that I've read and learned a lot about writing and marketing. He also has a YouTube channel where he talks about writing that I frequently watch. His series Write Faster, Write Smarter is very inspiring!

Are you tired of writing intermittently? Would you like to install a lifelong writing habit, one that gets your butt in the chair every single day? Then this is the book for you. Lifelong Writing Habit draws on well tested neuroscience to help you install a daily writing habit that will endure for life.

It contains a simple to understand system, with actionable steps at the end of every chapter. You'll learn:

- How to install a permanent writing habit

- How to get organized

- How to set and achieve writing goals

- How to harness discipline and motivation

It’s time to make a permanent shift in your writing. Let’s get moving!

Check it out!

Happy writing!

~ Tricia

Be sure to visit the other writers in the

Insecure Writer's Support Group!

I write sensual paranormal and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Become a VIP Reader by signing-up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, writing tips, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!

You can Follow me on ...

Looking for a little escape? Check out these books!

Alien Embrace In Love with an Alien

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

First Draft, Second Draft, Edits #writing #writinglife #rewriting #IWSG

The first Wednesday of every month is officially

Insecure Writer's Support Group day.

IWSG Asks: For how long do you shelve your first draft, before reading it and re-drafting? Is this dependent on your writing experience and the number of stories/books under your belt?

Ideally, I like to have about 3-6 months pass before I go back for a second draft and edits. I always work on other projects in between. This gives me enough time so I can get back to the story refreshed and able to re-read my work with a critical eye. And depending on the story, I sometimes have more than one or two drafts. For some of my books, I've done 5 drafts with revisions and rewrites. It all depends on the project.

Recently, I've been writing faster, so I've been going with less time in between some projects. For short stories and novellas, I've been letting them sit for about a month or two before I start working on them again. But for novels, I still feel 3 months is a beneficial time frame.

So, I guess to answer the question, the longer the project, the longer I shelve it before reading it again. And yes, I think this is a direct result of my writing experience. I've been writing for over twenty years and I've published around 30 projects (short stories, novellas, novels).

When I first began writing, it took me close to a year to write a book. Well, maybe six months to a year, depending on the book. Some longer. My writing skills have grown, I'm much more confident with my abilities and talent, and my home life has changed significantly giving me more time than I ever had to focus on my writing work. I outline more and write first drafts faster. Now, I'm able to get a novel written in 4 to 6 weeks, a novella in a week or two, and a short story in a day depending on the length.

All these details factor into what my writing schedule looks like. Because life keeps changing, my writing schedule keeps evolving. Having my four kids home during the last year for virtual school because of the pandemic really took a hit with my writing output. I spend the early morning hours writing, but the rest of the day is spent helping them with their schoolwork. A little bit of writing/editing/marketing/networking in the afternoon, and then evenings are spent doing other family activities. Once they're done with school, hopefully, I'll be able to extend my writing hours by letting them sleep in during the morning. Then I'll be able to get back to a more productive writing/editing schedule.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I have a lot of stories I want to write and several waiting for that second draft.

As always, be safe and keep writing!

~ Tricia

Be sure to visit the other writers in the

Insecure Writer's Support Group!

You can Follow me on ...

Looking for a little escape? Check out this book!

books2read.com/AlienEmbrace/

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Working, Aspiring, or Hobbyist? #IWSG #writing

The first Wednesday of every month is officially

Insecure Writer's Support Group day.

IWSG Asks: When you think of the term working writer, what does that look like to you? What do you think it is supposed to look like? Do you see yourself as a working writer or aspiring or hobbyist, and if the latter two, what does that look like?

This only my opinion as I'm sure others see these terms differently. And that's okay. We're all allowed to have our own views! :)

I suppose I see the term working writer as just that. A writer that's working. Someone who is getting paid for their writing. A writer who's working every day or maybe several days a week. One who has a publishing schedule and is actively working to move his/her writing career forward.

An aspiring writer is someone who is actively striving to be a working writer. An aspiring writer isn't published. Not yet. He/she is on their way. They're still writing every day or as much as possible, but they're not getting paid for their writing.

A hobbyist is someone who is only writing for fun. A writer who writes because its part of their soul, or something to do to pass the time. Hobby = Just for Fun. A hobbyist could be getting paid or not. To me, a hobbyist isn't publishing for the money, if they're publishing, they're doing it for the beauty of sharing their creativity.

These are all different terms and I'm sure people have different opinions in interpreting them. To me, it doesn't really matter. A writer is a writer. Published, unpublished, making money or not making money. It doesn't matter. The reason we're each writing is up to the individual.

For myself, I can see I started my career as a hobbyist. Writing was fun and a way to play when I was a kid and teenager. Publishing wasn't even on my radar at that time. When I grew older and began to become more interested in writing, I switched from hobbyist to an aspiring writer. I realized then that I did want to become published and earn money for my words.

And now... years and years and years later... I am a working writer.

The next level I believe is the retired writer. The writer who has written for long years and has now decided to retire from writing. They're done making their money or playing as a hobby. It's time for them to put their pen down.

"I'm done," they say. "I'm retired."

You know, like Stephen King!

And then a week or two, maybe even a month goes by, and they pick up their pen again.

"Just kidding!"

Yeah, I don't believe writers ever retire! It's in our hearts and soul to keep writing. I don't think we can ever give that up! Nor would we really want to. :)

Be safe! Stay healthy! And keep writing!

~ Tricia

Be sure to visit the other writers in the

Insecure Writer's Support Group!

You can Follow me on ...

Need a little escape? Check out these books!

PREORDER! PREORDER!

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Getting into the Writing Zone with Kids at Home #IWSG #writinglife

The first Wednesday of every month is officially

Insecure Writer's Support Group day.

IWSG Asks: Do you have any rituals that you use when you need help getting into the ZONE? Care to share?

Yes! I'm all about rituals. Or habits. Or magical spells.

Getting into the ZONE is one of the easiest and equally most difficult things for me to do. Typically, I try to get my writing done first thing in the morning when my brain feels fresh and I have no distractions (aka my kids are still sleeping).

My morning routine remains relatively the same each day. Feed the kitty-cats. Make coffee or tea. Do some yoga and meditation. Eat breakfast.

And then sit-butt-in-chair and write.

Now that my kids are home from school thanks to Covid-19, I usually have the mornings all to myself from 6am to sometime after 8am-ish. My 5 y/o is the alarm clock for the family. When he wakes up, everyone else wakes up and then our day truly begins. (This online schooling sucks, btw. Just saying.)

But while I have the house blissfully to myself, I can write and edit to my heart's content. To get into the ZONE, I re-read a brief section of the work I did the day before and then force myself to write. One word at a time. Then one sentence at a time. And one paragraph, and on and on.

It's not fun at first, but I have a ticking time bomb of when will my kids wake up hovering over me. It's a race of how much writing can I do before they wake and stop me? There are times when I come upon that elusive ZONE just by sheer force of willpower. Other times, it stays just beyond my reach.

Since this is my job, however, I need to write more than an hour or two in the morning.

When I need to keep writing after a morning of chaos with my four children (breakfast, getting dressed, making beds, yes, of course you need to brush your teeth - and your hair! I don't care if we're not going anywhere today!), that makes it a little more tricky.

After my children are done taking turns sharing the school's borrowed Chromebook to do their lessons, they are free to play or cause whatever mayhem they can concoct (safely) while I use my earphones to block out the noise. Since I'm a single mom and have no one to help me with the kids, my writing desk is the sofa in the living room. I'm still there physically, at least, to prevent any major disasters. Mentally, if I'm lucky, I'm worlds away!

In this situation, I use music to help get into the ZONE. The music depends on the work-in-progress. I often create a playlist for the story I'm writing to help get me in the mood. Or I have a certain type of music for whatever subgenre I'm writing. Type O'Negative always works well for me when I'm writing gothic paranormals or dark suspense or I'll listen to classical music if I'm writing a historical or regency romance. Of course, Christmas music is perfect for a holiday romance. You get the idea.

I wish it was easier. The ZONE is a mystical place where the writing fairy blesses us and our fingers fly with something akin to a magical presence controlling us.

I'll be honest. There are many days that I don't achieve the ZONE.

Those are sad days.

But, the writing still needs to get done. Getting into the ZONE is like icing on the cake. Such deliciousness! But plain cake is still good, too.

Be safe! Stay healthy! Keep writing!

~ Tricia

Be sure to visit the other writers in the

Insecure Writer's Support Group!

You can Follow me on ...

Need a little escape? Check out these new books!

Loving Boone: A Cougar Shifter Paranormal Romance (Cougar Shifter Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

Ice Princess: A Fated Mates Romance by [Tricia Schneider]

Mermaidia: A Limited Edition Anthology Kindle Edition

Heart of a Phoenix: A Limited Edition Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Reverse Harem Collection by [Margo Collins, J. C. McKenzie, Gina Kincade, Erzabet Bishop, Kat Parrish, Angela Sanders, S. Cinders, Leigh Kelsey, Lily Luchesi, Dana Lyons]

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Adjusting to Changes #Covid19 #Quarantine #IWSG #books

The first Wednesday of every month is officially

Insecure Writer's Support Group day.

IWSG Asks: The IWSG's focus is on our writers. Each month, from all over the globe, we are a united group sharing our insecurities, our troubles, and our pain. So, in this time when our world is in crisis with the covid-19 pandemic, our optional question this month is: how are things in your world?

I've actually been contemplating writing a post about my thoughts on covid-19 and this gives me another reason to write it. Thank you, IWSG, for supporting writers everywhere!

My thoughts are with the world right now. My heart goes out to all those suffering. This virus has affected all of us to some degree. Our lives are different now. It won't be like this always. I don't like to say things will get better because for some of us, lives will be forever changed. But we will move on. Life always does. So, saying that, I want to wish you all the best of blessings and that you stay safe and healthy, and your friends and family stay safe and healthy, too!

Working in my "office" which is the sofa in the living room
with my laptop, my cat, and my son watching Paw Patrol.

For me, working as a full-time author and mother, my life hasn't changed in any drastic measures. I am extremely grateful and realize how lucky I am considering there are many others out there that are not in the same situation.

My four kids are home from school. For how long, we don't yet know. This affects my writing time. I write when they're at school, so I've had to alter my schedule. But to be honest, it's no different than when they're home on summer vacation. So it hasn't been a great upheaval. I write in the early morning when they're still sleeping. Or most of them, anyway. I don't write as much or as long, so my production is not where I want it to be. I'm not getting as much done, but I know that will change eventually and I'm trying not to stress about it.

Meetings and appointments are cancelled. No more Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or Cub Scouts. No sports or activities. No hanging out with friends or window shopping anymore. So, that's changed. But not by much. I'm a single mom with four kids. At the moment, my income is extremely small. We barely get by. Having money to take trips and go shopping isn't part of our normal routine. In fact, having my kids home has saved me money. I don't need to give my kids money to go to school dances now. I don't have to pay for any fundraisers or field trips. I don't have to buy extra food for packed lunches for the Scouting events. And since I have nowhere to go, I don't have to pay for gas.

I'm still trying to look for the positives in this difficult situation.

My grocery shopping has changed. I don't just pop into the nearby Giant to get a gallon of milk every other day now. My kids eat a lot! I'm trying to teach them how to ration food so I don't need to keep shopping so often. Ideally, I'd like to go once every two weeks, but so far I've only made it ten days. I'm also hoping this will teach them how lucky they truly are to have things like food. To appreciate what they have and not complain about not having more, more, more.

Instead of going to the park for a walk or playground time, we take walks in the cemetery. There usually aren't a lot of people there. My kids can run, get fresh air and sunshine. Again, this isn't unusual for us. I've spent many days walking around the local cemeteries. As an introvert, there are some days where I don't need to socialize, but I still want to get outside.

Personally, my anxiety and depression have spiked. I'm very empathetic. I feel a lot of the emotions around me. Even though my life hasn't changed too much, I know others are suffering greatly and that pains me. I worry about my friends and family. I worry about my Facebook friends who have posted that they're ill. I worry about my favorite actors and actresses. I worry about strangers I've never met. I'm worried about my readers and you! Seriously, if you're reading this, whether you know it or not, you're important to me, too. I hope you're well and safe!

My writing has suffered. It's difficult to write feel-good romance when you're depressed. After the first week, I switched stories realizing that I wasn't getting anywhere with my current WIP. Then when I started stalling on that second one, I realized I just needed to take a break. I walked away from writing for a few days.

Instead, I dove into reading. Like reading for hours, which is something I haven't done in a looong time. I'm so busy all the time with writing and the business of writing and marketing my books while raising and caring for my kids that I only read for enjoyment while I'm waiting to pick up my son from preschool and for a little while before bed.

It felt really good to read a whole book in one sitting again. I haven't done that in so long, I can't even remember how long. Since I became a single mom, for certain. But even before that, I was so busy trying to keep my life together that I didn't have time to read for enjoyment and relaxation. And I needed it. I didn't even realize how badly I needed it. To simply lose myself in another world for a while. To forget about the troubles of this real world and the threat of virus and uncertainty.

Doing this, losing myself in reading again, has really made me think.

Is someone else out there, wanting, maybe needing, to escape the real world and choosing my book as the vehicle for their escape? Are they grieving? Are they overworked? Exhausted? Worried? Anxious? Depressed? Or just needing to think of something else, anything else, for a short time? Maybe they just need a short diversion. Maybe they need something more in-depth and involved. Could the choice be down to picking up a book or picking up a bottle? Maybe something worse? I've heard others say how reading books have quite literally saved their lives in one way or another. And I've heard others say how reading kept them sane during tough times. I, myself, used reading (and writing) as therapy after I lost my mom when I was a kid.

Books are important! Reading is important!

Keeping this in mind has given me the motivation to get back to my writing with a new sense of purpose. I'm not a doctor or a nurse. I'm not a politician or a teacher or a grocery worker.

I can't save the world.

But the one thing I'm good at, the one thing I know I can do is create entertaining stories. I write romance novels where happily-ever-after is a guarantee. That's something we're not promised in the real world. But I can write those stories for readers.

Or King! ;)

I have no idea if anyone will ever read my books and say how much it helped them get through tough times, but if there is even one person, then I feel it's worth it to keep writing.

This virus has impacted us all in some way or another. If you're a writer, struggling for a reason to write, as I was, maybe this blog post will help you. Maybe it will be enough to keep you writing, too.

Someone out there needs to read your book. Someone needs to escape the world for a little while. Your book might be just the thing they need at just the time they need it.

Be safe! Stay healthy! Keep writing!

~ Tricia

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