A day in the life of an author

After about two hours sleep, a dream awakens me and I rush to my laptop to record everything I can remember before the dream fades. You never know what useful material the subconscious mind shares with you from the dream world and I, for one, am not going to let that fantastical material go to waste. I decide, now that I’m awake, I might as well re-work the chapter I finished the night before and maybe even use the creative energy flowing through my mind to work on a new chapter or two.

After my fingers get tired from racing across the keyboard and my brain starts to feel mentally exhausted from the remarkable data dump onto the pages of my work-in-progress I need a break. My first stop is the kitchen for a much needed hook up to the caffeine IV which I live by daily.

The alarm clock sounds, a signal my husband will be getting up for work in about thirty minutes. So I climb back into bed for some much needed cuddling. After hitting the snooze button at least three times, sometimes four he awakens and gives me a goofy grin and quick kiss. We discuss our daily plans; his day consists of going to work, mine consists of housecleaning, shopping, cooking, paying the bills, hitting social media, discussing plans with my street team, researching marketing plans, checking into book contests and networking with my author friends. Somewhere in the jumble of my schedule I plan to write at least two thousand words.

My fabulous editor, beta readers, or publisher has different ideas. One or more of them contact me with changes and or suggestions needed for the work I previously submitted and so I work on that first. After all, the sooner that book is done the sooner I’ll be able to refocus on the new work-in-progress. The reworks take a good three hours.

If I hurry, I’ll be able to finish the tasks around the house and spend a little time with my street team – without them I’d be lost. They are my support system on so many levels. I do a little happy-dance with each item I cross off my list and after about five check marks I also cross off exercise, I mean a little dancing does wonders for the body and soul- just look at the people on Dancing with the Stars-it works for them, maybe someday it’ll work for me. Heck if I become a famous author someday I'd love to become a guest on the show. I put that dream into my mental goal list and move on to the duties at hand.

I continue to chug down coffee by the gallons to keep my energy levels up. I glance at the clock and the blaring red digits alert me to the fact that my husband will be home soon. I decide to sit down and do a little writing. Only inspiration doesn’t come on my time frame, it often strikes at the most inopportune times.

After writing and re-writing the same two paragraphs I decide it’s time to take a break. By this time my husband comes home and I greet him with a goofy grin of my own and kiss. He is my life and one of the reasons why I work so hard to write my novels is so we can have a little more time together. Life is short. I start dinner and listen to him tell me about his day.

We spend a few more hours together and then he is off to bed and I’m off to my laptop. I know inspiration will strike again as I sit and stare at the blank white page and blinking cursor. Instead of waiting, I decide to do a little research and hope it sparks the creative muse in my soul. It’s not easy living a day in the life of a writer but the rewards are well worth it. 

And check out the cover art of my soon to be released book series PBI (Paranormal Bureau of Investigation)... The Beginning Episode One