Someone recently commented that I had a lot going on for someone who was planning on cutting back. I responded that, believe it or not, I actually have fewer in-person events booked this year compared to previous years. I mean, sure I’m cutting back but I’m not taking time off – that’s crazy talk!
Right now, I’m aiming for about 2 in-person events per month and one OSCatR fundraising event every few months. I think that’s pretty reasonable and achievable with everything else I’ve got going on (like meetings, and interviews, and speaking engagements, oh my!)
But what am I doing with my extra time on certain weekends? Writing, of course! What, you didn’t think I was going to take a day off, did you? I am making sure to give myself one day off (aka chore day) per week, but I want to make sure I’m writing (or working) 6 days per week. After all, I’ve given myself some ambitious publishing goals and self-imposed deadlines – and until I got the flu in the middle of the month, I was actually ahead of schedule.
So, sure, getting sick slowed me down, but I think things are still looking up for me. In March, I’ve got a follow up appointment with my doctor to discuss how the new meds are treating me and if we’re going to change things up or stay the course. And some of the personal issues in my life are resolving! Many of the things I was dealing with in the fall/winter of 2025 are easing up.
And although I went no contact with my father (for the second and final time) in the fall, the last thing tying me to him is finally over! It’s an issue that’s been ongoing since July (I’ve been dealing with this nonsense for almost 8 months) and it is officially resolved. Believe me when I say I was really close to taking legal action against him; but I knew it would make more of a statement if I simply ignored him (narcissists crave attention). Thankfully, I chose the right course of action and did not have to waste my time dealing with him. So now, I can move on and get back to tormenting the fictional people in my life.
As I’ve been submerged in writing and editing all of my books for the year, I used this as an opportunity to dig deep into the archives. Like many writers, I don’t kill my darlings; I just retire them to a folder on my computer until I can find a use for them. For some of my projects, I’ve been digging through things I wrote 5, 10, 15, and even 20 years ago! It’s fascinating to see what’s changed and what has stayed the same. My overall author voice has mostly remained unchanged, but I have clearly grown and improved as a writer. The stories are great, but they are in desperate need of some re-writes. Except for some passages that should never ever see the light of day. Re-reading those made me wonder what the hell I was thinking back then. Seriously, what the hell?
So, yes, February has been a busy month. And apart from all the random body aches that came with the flu, it’s been a great month. I got a lot done and set up some great things to look forward to in the coming months. By the end of March, most of the uncertainty I started the year with should (almost) all be gone. I just need to make it through one more month and then I’ll have a better idea of what to expect going forward.
Good luck to everyone dealing with their own bullshit right now. And stay spooky!
