My husband has this thing about soccer. He says, “It’s the ‘sport of the beast’.” Okay, under certain eschatological positions, he may have a point. After all, it is a “one-world” sport, so to say. Whereas, American “football” is pretty much ours. I don’t know if anyone else in the world does it quite like us. There’s “rugby” but… yeah. Not the same. My apologies… to rugby. And it might be partly why the Super Bowl is evil.
Well… I say, all sports are evil. It starts with my opinion on baseball and goes from there. And, because I’m a hypocrite, the Olympics are the exception. Love. Olympics. Just sayin’.
So, why am I whining about sports now? Did “my team” lose the Super Bowl? (and just an aside… WHEN DID I GET SO OLD THAT I AM SEEING SUPER BOWL 50 on the screen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
The Super Bowl is evil, but not because “my team” lost.
Anyway,, while the rest of the world dashed home from a sermon that ran over (and while they repented of their impatience at the minister’s lack of compassion for their need for the last “fix” of the season), I blithely rode over to a fellow writer’s house… with another fellow writer. You’ll meet April someday. Yes. Yes, you will. Can’t wait to share the mystery she’s writing with you. A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Hint… Shakespearean artifacts and fountain pens appear in it. HOW COOL IS THAT?
Back to the story. So we drive up to C.R. Rowenson’s apartment and are shown inside. His lovely wife was getting ready to go out–probably to one of those evil Super Bowl Parties–and the dogs let us know in no uncertain terms that they were glad to see us. Or, at least, that’s how I’m taking one’s half-raised muzzle and the other’s incessant (or seemingly-so) yapping. He was fine after I petted him… for half an hour or so. (hyperbole–thought you oughtta know).
We went over C.R.’s work in progress and really hammered out everything he wanted to address. The guy is a workhorse and has AMAZING skills for seeing flaws and figuring out how to fix them. He is also phenomenal at figuring out what YOU are trying to get from the book. If you’re not crazy about something or whatever, he’s good with that.
Then, it was my turn.
Still riding a high for finishing Madeline in record time, I pulled out the few things I wanted to address and started asking questions. That’s all it took. C.R. came alive. He asked questions, listened to what I was wanting from the series, asked more questions, and then he said it. Just two short sentences.
“You need to split book one into two. The electrical scheme should go in the second.”
I want it noted that when we left C.R.’s apartment, he was alive and well. Need proof? I have a witness.
So, I left for his house at 1:00. Got home between five and six. Note: I hadn’t had anything but two large cups of water to drink and nothing to eat. I ate a “little smokie” or two and zipped a FB message to my husband. “What are we doing for dinner?”
He never responded. I went to bed.
At ten o’clockish, I woke up, grabbed my stuff, and went to Denny’s. By that point, I HAD no blood sugar. So, I told the server to order for me. She got me the sirloin with broccoli and smashed taters. I ate almost every bite. Yes. Yes, I did.
And as I did it, I chopped my pretty, all-done book. Into two. Then I sent Ashley a pouty, whiny, grossly immature email about how my done book now needed to be rewritten.
She asked if book 2 would be done in February as well.
Note. She is alive and not buried in rubble or some other evidence of my internal explosion. *whistles*
For the record, I also wrote–a lot.
Not as much as a couple of times last week when I did 8700 and 7500 words respectively, but I’d say 5906 isn’t too shabby after spending HALF THE NIGHT CHOPPING MY BOOK IN HALF!
And, if you really want to commiserate with me, we can talk about the email I got today. The one where she said she wants me to fix book 1 and finish book 2 in February and then finish Aggie in March. Um… do you KNOW what that does to my beautiful plan? I have it all written out.
It looks like this:
Yeah. March is SUPPOSED to be Webster’s. I’m thinking I should sic my friend Adrienne on her. Yeah…
What are the odds I can finish Aggie, AND rewrite Madeline in what’s left of February… oh, and with us being gone from Thursday-Sunday for my niece’s wedding? *blush*
So… will I obey Ashley er… MEGAMIND or will I be bold? Daring? Rebellious? Will I write whatever tickles my literary fancy?
Time will tell, folks. Time. Will. Tell.
And for those of you who don’t get what this has to do with sports and evilness? C’mon. What day did it happen? What day? It’s all the fault of the ball. I’m tellin’ you! It can’t be C.R.’s fault. He just made a good series better.
That leaves football. Just sayin’.
That’s my “logic” and I’m stickin’ to it.
Andrea Rossignol says
February 13, 2016 at 10:55 amTHANK YOU for showing us your list!!!!!!! I’ve actually been wanting to ask you for it for some time… 🙂 I’m super excited for July and August!!!!!
Wait – that was the ‘write’ column. Why is the ‘publish’ column empty?????????
Chautona Havig says
February 13, 2016 at 11:59 amThat would be because I don’t know publication month for any but Christmas Embers. I suspect Madeline will go in the April slot. 😀
Lucinda Culp says
February 11, 2016 at 10:02 amFeel your pain. Thinking there aren’t too many people like me, who can read a book in a single sitting, and I don’t mean an all day sitting, either, who has devoured your every offering. Again, often in a single sitting. As much as I NEED to read your work, and looooove your work, I love you more, my friend. Truly, if you need to rework your schedule, do it. If you need to cover over that lovely timetable in your planner, do it….or grab an exacto and excise it! Take time to think about what YOU want from life. Does it fall in line with where God is taking you? (keeping the old axiom “Man plans, God laughs” in mind) Does this schedule promote it? Does it even allow it? Only you can answer those questions, though your kids and hubby likely have formed opinions on these questions as well….please note I didn’t use a single sports related comment in this post. You’re welcome.
Chautona Havig says
February 11, 2016 at 12:09 pmThis schedule is what I planned for myself. It’s a challenge. Can I do it? We’ll see. I love the challenge.
This post wasn’t about me whining about my schedule. I’m so sorry it came off that way. I was making fun of myself for being so pumped for catching up to my plan and having my friend knock it down with a different one that is BETTER. And then Ashley coming along and STOMPING on it completely.
And, it was to show that I’m a rebellious little twit. I may not obey. *whistles*
Julie says
February 11, 2016 at 5:11 amWhy? Why push yourself so hard. Traditional authors come out with one book a year. Ebook authors maybe 3-4 per year if they are prodigious. It seems like your blogs, newsletters, emails show you stressed to the max. This frenetic pace cannot be good for you. Slow down, relax, take time to enjoy life. We will all still be here waiting for the next and the next and the next. I have gotten where I can’t keep it all straight anymore. Start one series, bounce to three different series, start a book that hasn’t ended…seriously, it’s not worth the stress. We all love you, but we can wait. Enjoy the family, watch, well, not a football game, lol. Go look at the stars. Breathe!
Chautona Havig says
February 11, 2016 at 12:22 pmAw… I’ve left a terribly false impression if my busyness shows me that stressed out. I really am not. I’m one of the least stressed people I know. I have stressed MOMENTS… like just before release when something goes wrong or if I am crazy behind on something and I forget that it’ll get done when it gets done. I must write about it then and forget to let you laugh with me at myself when I snap out of it a few hours later. I’ll remember that.
My goal to WRITE those books is just a personal thing I want for myself. Ashley doesn’t expect it. I don’t EXPECT it. I just want to see if I can write them–not publish, write. And most authors I know (traditional or not) write a lot more than they publish in a year. Writing and publishing are two completely different animals.
We do absolutely enjoy ourselves as a family, and I love my trips that take me to see lovely people all over the country. I love being home. I love travel, and I live in the desert where we can see the stars like most people can only dream of. 😉
Meanwhile, I think I need to be sure I don’t leave a false impression. For example, in this post, I’m not stressed. I’m making fun of myself and teasing Ashley because I got all done with a book, looked like I was going to stay on track for this goal, and then C.R. messed me up with his VERY right “you need to split this.” And then Ashley comes along and my pretty little list up there got tossed aside with, “I want you to finish Aggie and both of those instead of Webster.” So, I was taunting her and mocking me. Because probability is high that I’ll do what she says… but it’s not set in stone. I may be rebellious and do my own thing. *whistles*
But I feel like I should apologize. I never want people to see my life as frenetic! Those who know me know that’s almost opposite. A frenetic quarter of a day? Sure! Otherwise… not so much.
Alicia says
February 9, 2016 at 12:08 pmI always love your blog posts. And they always leave me smiling, and often laughing. Your wit is awesome as is your ability to write. Can you do it?? Sure. A little less sleep and a lot more time at Denny’s. LOL
Lorraine says
February 9, 2016 at 7:53 amWell, we were in a third world country, we were watching TV. There was Rugby. This teenage girl was watching with me. Her comment was -how can they play like that ? That one guy is supposed to be a Christian. Look what they do to each other! How can they?
I like the look of A blind child’s prayer.
Chautona Havig says
February 9, 2016 at 12:43 pmThat one was HARD to figure out–to decide exactly what to do to make it a good book that sticks to the song but not have my readers hate me. Then I figured it out. 😀
Ryoko says
February 9, 2016 at 5:01 amI’m with you in this