The best laid plans ...

I'm working on a new book and this one was giving me fits -- I just couldn't get the groove on the book.

When that happens, I've found that all I need to do is unconnect from the world for a bit and FOCUS like crazy. If I do that, then I can usually find my way through the morass that's holding me back.

It happened again. I let my mind wander (the best way to focus) and I came up with what I think is an excellent way to tie my secondary character in this book to a previous book. By doing that, I open up a new world of possibilities in how I can have the plot move.

Lack of focus is a good thing sometimes!

A day for ME!

I have an entire weekend of Unplanned Me. This means I have nothing that *has* to get accomplished (oh, there's the usual: laundry; groceries, etc.) But I'm not going anywhere and I'm not on deadline for anything.

How did I spend my Saturday? On Friday, I thought, "What would be fun tomorrow?"

An early morning swim at the gym. Stop at the casino (very early in the a.m.). I love casinos in the early morning. They're quieter, the people there aren't desperate (yet), and there's plenty of chance to wander around and try out different slot machines. I spent an enjoyable 2 hours, frittering away $30 on assorted machines.

Then to the garden center. The best time at a garden center is when it rains, and it was drizzling today. I scored some plants with no one else there to jostle me as I wandered about, under my umbrella. I came home and had the plants in the ground by 10 a.m. Then I cleaned up my little garden shed, had some lunch then talked the Spousal Unit into a movie: Iron Man 2.

I am a sucker for Super Hero movies. I love 'em. IM is very good, too, because Tony Stark is a well-rounded character (annoying sometimes but very 3-dimensional). We had a rollicking good time then went to our favorite sandwich shop for a meal. Back home early enough to watch horse racing on TV (another of my favorite things) and now I can sit down and write.

What a great day of ME things. ME ME ME

We all need these days now and again, days of "what do *I* want to do today". No deadlines to meet, no planes to catch, no trips to take.

You know what ... I may do it again tomorrow!

Why are we here?

It seems like whenever I have time away from thinking about publishing, whenever I come back to it, I wonder why the heck I'm doing this.

I had a hectic but fun weekend with my family last weekend, and publishing was on the periphery of my mind. Now I'm back to my routine and I find myself asking why I do this -- why do I write? why do I attempt to be published? Why do I read reviews, and industry blogs, and author blogs?

I recently read an article about a "Vision Map" -- it's a New Age kind of thing where a person is supposed to cut out pictures of things that give her a visceral reaction. Keep those pictures, and eventually you'll come up with a collage of things that reflect your true inner vision.

I'm starting to think my books are my Vision Map. They reflect themes and topics that intrigued me at the time. If that's so, should I care about sales and placement in lists and reader reaction? If my books are written mainly for me, well, why should I care about anyone else?

One more thing to ponder as I resume my writing cloak and settle back into routine.

Oh, woe! Where is publishing going?

I don't know if you've noticed, but the publishing industry is changing as we speak (metaphorically speaking, that is).

Authors are bypassing the agency model and pairing with Amazon (and soon, Barnes & Noble) to put their back lists on assorted e-devices. Some authors are going straight to Amazon (witness Joe Konrath's startling news recently). I am still skeptical about Joe's assertion that if the marketing is right and the price is right, an author can make beaucoup bucks on Kindle. I don't have the time to spend that he does on marketing and schmoozing my books, but I'll give it a try in the future, probably, with some books whose rights will be returned to me soon. I'll report back on what I find.

A friend and I had coffee last night and she said, "Look at how much publishing has changed since you started three years ago. Do you have any idea where it will be in three years?"

I never thought it would change as much as it has so quickly. I knew I was on the inside track of the New Wave, but I thought it might take a decade or more for e-sales to take off the way they have. I always thought that at some point I might re-approach a NY house and look for that "real" publishing contract. But I don't have that inclination any more. I've seen how authors have to compete for those rare publishing slots. I've been to quite a few mystery conferences lately, and I've heard about it, believe me. A NY contract gives me access to walk-in sales at a bookstore. From what I've heard from other authors -- that isn't much. Only a rare few get some promotional help from their publisher. The rest of the authors are mostly on their own.

I know of a handful of authors who make their living as writers. By 'make a living' I mean those who have no spouse to provide a backup income or who can provide medical coverage. These are people who make enough money to support themselves now -- and of course, their future is dependent on more books and more sales. All of them have a 'side job' as an editor or speaker to supplement their writing income.

I like my 'side job'. I'm a writer (technical) and I make really good money doing what I do. I'm disciplined and I can juggle both jobs: fiction and non-fiction writing. Some day I may walk away from one or the other, but for now they peacefully co-exist. I have 15 books out, I have 3 more coming this year, I have 5 for next year, and who knows what will happen after that?

The way publishing is changing, it's anybody's guess...

Free time, hmm. What is it good for?

I had some free time today.

This is very unusual for me. I work full-time outside the home. I write (I've got 6 books out this year). I'm working on edits for 3 books for next year, my WIP is a 6-book series, and I've got 2 other books waiting for me to write them.

Through an odd quirk of fate, I had a few hours of free time. I thought about how to spend it -- do some gardening? Nope, still too soggy from a week of rain. Pack for my trip tomorrow? Mostly done. Just a few last things to do. Read a book?

That stopped me in my tracks. I don't read any more. Since I started publishing, I very, very seldom read a fiction book. I do read non-fiction now and again, and I read the occasional book from friends who are publishing and I read (now and again) someone that I'm curious about, but I seldom read start-to-finish, "I want to read this" any more.

I've lost the reading bug.

Let me hasten to say I don't miss it -- reading (like needlework and gardening and wycinanki) are activities I do to relax me and have fun at the same time. I never classed reading as 'entertainment' (like I would a movie). It was a hobby, a "thing" I did. Now I don't do it any more, just like I don't do much needlework or wycinanki (aging eyes make those hobbies a chore now, not fun). And I have to admit, I don't miss reading fiction. I was skimming most of the books I read anyway except for a few from authors I really cherished (and they are few, believe me).

Nope, I'm going to have to find something else to fill those rare few hours of 'free' time. I could do the obligatory piece of promo: NEW BOOK OUT. FUN READ. FUNNY HEROINE. CLASSY HERO. All about a college professor who writes erotic romances and gets outed just when she's up for a promotion. There's a murder (at the State Fair, no less), a stalker, a boorish fellow professor, and a fan who is in love with the heroine's erotic alter ego...

Or I can take a nap, or lay on the couch and watch a bit of TV, or ...

Get caught up on my blog reading!