Handling downtime

I had every intention of posting at least three times this week. That's my new goal. "Get serious about your blog," I told myself. "You can't attract readers if they don't find something new to read." Then I went and poisoned myself while giving my dogs their flea treatments.

It's that time of year again--flea and tick season. Here in Ohio we don't treat our dogs all year round. At least I don't, that stuff's expensive. I know, I know, bad Mommy, putting your wallet before the dogs. Anyway, I guess I was out of practice and must have got some of the nasty stuff on me. I got sick during the night, violently so, and spent the next day in a total dehydrated stupor. I wasn't totally up to par the following day either. That put me behind with my writing chores.

Believe me, I have plenty of those. The cover designer of my next release needed a synopsis of the book so she could start working on the cover. Author Relations at Tsaba House needed three different sized blurbs for the same book. Not to mention editing is still going full force on the next book I really need to submit this month. Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! Is it April already?!

Did I mention it's also little league season and my grandson was here every afternoon on his way to practice tying up my computer and basically getting under my feet and messing up my well tuned routine?

Balancing family, marketing chores, and the occasional sick day with writing is the hardest part about this job. According to every writers' group in which I lurk, we all must deal with it. It's tough. I'm not good at saying no to the grandchildren when they want me to guess their hangman solution while I'm trying to concentrate on something else. I'm even worse when the phone rings or the baby cries or my two-year-old grandson climbs in my lap and wants to help me type.

I need to make better use of my time when I don't have interruptions so that when they come--believe me, they will--I won't get behind for giving in.

But it's Spring. Raining again. A dentist appointment will keep me away from my desk today. Then a trip to Lowe's for a new screen door and kitchen cabinets if I can talk my husband into them. (In my dreams, I have a lot of cabinets to replace.) So distractions will happen. You'll get sick, dear writer, just as your deadline is looming. The baby will need you. So will your husband.

Hope you're better at handling life's interruptions than I am.