From childlifemommy.com
For the past month I’ve been juggling priorities and only finding bits and pieces of time to catch up with blogging buddies. Writing came to an almost complete standstill and blogging – well, I’ve been re-posting older pieces. Marketing and promotion – forget it!
Now that I have a day unfettered by priorities, I feel like someone who’s fallen off a horse and now must regain the confidence to ride again. What to do next? Revamp the blog? Work on my WIP?
My goodness, I can’t even remember where I left Fiona Butters. Tied to a railroad track outside Ely Nevada while on the trail of her missing beau, Civil War Professor Lopinski? Or, in a small town in New England trying to convince a group of horny teenage girls that the 
rock pile behind their boarding school is not a portal to the underground world of H.R. Lovecraft’s macabre imagination?
And, while I think I’ve worked out the skeleton of a plot, what will it look like to me now after thirty days? Total and utter crap? Probably.
The good news is I’m about 130 pages into the story and a Cheeto has not crossed Fi’s lips. I can’t promise one won’t or that she’s suddenly going to start fasting, purging or yodeling but all things are possible.
How about you – are you finding it hard to get back on that old horse and ride bravely into the New Year?
In news from blogging and non-blogging buddies:
- Many thanks to Mary Rowen, author of Leaving the Beach and Living by Ear for including me in her list of bloggers to check out. I’m honored!
- For those of you who are fans of his work, there’s a new Duke Miller poem posted here.
- Gentlemen bloggers, Hugh of Hugh’s News and Views has a new award especially for you!
Saying Nothing in Particular 
Well this was a good jump in — better just to start than to decide where to start 😉
I agree Joey – sometimes it’s best not to think about starting too much and to just do it!
130 pages into the story sounds pretty good to me, Jan! I can’t wait to read the continuing adventures of Fiona Butters.
Thanks Mary! Looking forward to reading your upcoming novel!
Thanks Jan and Happy New Year!
Thanks Charlie!
Good that you are looking at the stirrup and saddle if not quite back in the horse. Like you I’m just committing to a wip that was three quarters done in October last year but I haven’t actually re read page one…
That’s the hardest step – page one!
I have no doubt you will ride again!! :)))))
Thanks Glyn!
I vote the the Lovecraft path. 😀 I find that there’s an ebb and flow to my blog. Some days the ideas come fast, while others, the ideas are strained. Best of luck with adventures of Fiona Butters!
Thanks V-Pub! It’s interesting that Lovecraft has had a bit of a revival the last decade or so, isn’t it?
🙂 I wasn’t aware of that, Jan. I got tired of Stephen King years ago, and discovered Lovecraft. His imagination was creepy, but thoroughly enjoyable. There was a movie made called “In The Mouth of Madness” which was loosely based on Lovecraft’s books. It wasn’t bad! Most Lovecraft based films are pretty bad, though.
Rob
I’ve been suffering from the doldrums, Jan. You gave me the energy to get re-started. 🙂
I’d continue going with the flow, Jan, and go wherever that creative flow is taking you. Blogging breaks are good to embrace and can work wonders. You’ll be surprised by just how many people will still be here waiting for you when you come back.
The very best of luck with what you are doing, and thank you very much for the mention.
A writer called Fennel Hudson wrote a good comment about writer’s block. It was this: “There’s no such thing as writer’s block, so long as you’ve had plenty of time to think about what you want to write.” But there’s an answer to that and it’s this: sometimes you have to make time.
Just keep moving forward, Jan, your rhythm might be a new one.
Yes – in fact I could reblog this and sign my name to it! (You would think on vacation I could come up with more pages than at home!) I’m glad to hear Fiona Butters is resurrected.
You’ll be back at full gallop in no time at all. ;o)