Thank you to those of you interested enough to ask that question.  Or other questions, like,

“Haven’t seen a blog entry lately…everything all right?”

“Why are you reading books…shouldn’t you be writing books?!”

“I never did understand how you had time to write the first one.  How could you have time to do another anyway?”

Let’s see…in order, the answers are:

The book is coming along fine, it’s the author that needed tuned up!

I am absolutely fine…the blog was off on a short vacation with the beginnings of the second novel; I’m certain they had a hell of a time in the land of no guilt – all they have to do is reflect my effort and or enjoy the downtime when I’ve checked out!

I read because I love to read and it makes me a better writer, but also because it’s a great means of procrastination!

I have just as much time now as I did then…and the truth is, I don’t have any less time than anyone else on earth, some people just use it better!

I could give all kinds of excuses, like I needed to focus on the marketing and better editing of the Unlikely Savior (sounds impressive, but I finally hired out for both of those processes…). Or, the holidays were just so distracting (I guess everyone else out there with real jobs just quit working during the holidays too, right? Not!).  Or how about writers block?!  I hear it happens to everyone (except me, so far – and you actually have to sit down and do it to determine if it’s “blocked;” sat down this week, and guess what? No block!).

Bottom line?  I just didn’t blog and didn’t write.  Still love to write.  Still felt that “thing” inside that I’ve identified as my story screaming to get out; sometimes it caused more anxiety than the less subtle guilt I felt for putting it off.  And I’m very familiar with that guilt because I am a lifelong procrastinator.

Part of almost believed I stalled and didn’t produce, because I could make that choice; I could make it and not have to really answer to anyone.  Call it a mid-life rebellion or maybe a nose-thumbing to my thirty years of joyful military regimen.   With this career, I only have to answer to me and maybe I was kind of getting off on that.  But even though that explanation helps me feel kind of cool and self-aware, I know it’s hogwash.  I was procrastinating (see a theme here?).  Besides, I do, indeed, have to answer to someone else – like those folks who really enjoyed the first book (God bless you!) and genuinely want more.

I have no idea why we procrastinate, particularly when it comes to things we love and things that love us back.  It’s like having the best friends in the world and totally ignoring them.  I’ve been shamefully guilty of that too.

I realize I sound like I need therapy…probably true.  But since I like being motivated by quotes more than therapists and Googling quotes is much cheaper than therapy, I looked and found my motivation…short but profound.

For writing:

“If you don’t write when you don’t have time for it, you won’t write when you do have time for it.”

― Katerina Stoykova Klemer

Got it, Kat!  Well said, and I wish I could make profound points as succinctly as you.  I shall write, time notwithstanding.

For time management:

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” -”

― Michael Altshuler

Thank you Mike!  I am my pilot…and on this week I created my flying schedule and have been on course for three whole days now and I feel better than I’ve felt in months!

So, strap on your indulgence – spamming regarding my novel-writing via this blog, Facebook and, God Forbid, Twitter, shall commence.

Thank you for those of you who were caring enough to ask; it was about time I became caring enough to answer.