Legends of Windemere

My son had his Spring Break this past week and things went about as smoothly as they typically go when I make a plan.  The father/son trip to the zoo didn’t happen because we couldn’t find parking.  This is a small zoo found in a park, but the real problem is that nearly half of those who parked were in 2 spaces.  We almost got a spot, but somebody swooped in to take it and nearly took the front of my car too.  Settled for getting ice cream and going to an arcade, which worked out.  The munchkin won two ticket jackpots on the machines, so he got a fun prize that I’m surprised is still in one piece.  It’s one of those small, Styrofoam planes that you throw outside and watch it either loop, crash into the ground, or snag a tree.

The Thursday family trip to the Aquarium worked out and became a full day thing.  I do wish I had a heads up that the submarine simulator was a moving ride because my stomach did not appreciate it.  Thankfully, the ice cream helped settle things.  The highlight for my son was when I surprised him with a container of food for the rays that you get to pet.  He kept wanting to go back to them and saw the feeding cart, so I figured it would be fun.  Now, rays have their mouths on their chests, so it isn’t easy to feed them and you don’t realize this unless someone tells you.  This means that my son put the first 5 fish in the animals’ nose, but he was happy when they got close enough to touch.

Didn’t get much work done and I’m planning on starting Path of the Traitors on Monday.  How is traitors not a word, Google spellchecker?  Anyway, I never finished the new characters for the next Bedlam book.  Might have a shot of doing it this weekend since I only have a couple to go.  The part in Miami is shaky because I want it to be 2 chapters, but I don’t know how to extend the adventure there.  Cassidy has a pretty direct plan to handle the problem, so I’ll have to think of a monkey wrench.  Beyond those two ideas, I’m really hoping to get Tribe of the Snow Tiger out in May.  There is going to be some news to go along with that too.  I don’t know how well the Hype is going, especially since it’s a difficult book to promote.  I’ll be posting the blurbs for feedback tomorrow, which means the sharing stuff will be shut down for the day.

Now I haven’t been as social as I should be on the blogosphere.  Just can’t get myself to be friendly half the time.  We’ve established that 2016 is wearing me down physically, emotionally, and mentally.  The big goal is to finish writing Legends of Windemere because this could be my last year doing this.  Sales have been shitty and money is getting tight.  All of that is wearing on me because it means I’ll have to give this up.  With the final books written, I can still publish them, but the time I put on social media and blogging would be reduced.  New projects would be a near impossibility too.  You see, a 9-5 job means I only get nights and weekends for working.  In turn, those are absorbed by family, exhaustion, and errands.  I’ve tried that life before and I never made progress, which was before I had a kid.  All of this is a big source of my anxiety and stress, which no amount of medication will fix, so don’t even think of mentioning that.  Drug me up as much as you want, it won’t change my situation for the better.  Just means I’ll be smiling as things crumble around me.

I wish I had more positive news to share, but why break the pattern of 2016?  This week should be easier with fewer people in the house, Passover being over, and a new project to dive into.  The kid is going to be home one day for a dentist appointment, but I can possibly get 2-4 chapters done by next weekend.  Depends on if I can get back into biking and other issues don’t crop up.

Finally, I’m considering a second post today that covers something that’s been on my mind.  Actually, someone and it isn’t a person who exists.  I was going to do it on Tuesday, but I really should post some teasers for the next book.  Questions 3 could work, but those posts are losing their punch.  Then again, I could just skip that this week and put this thing up instead of later today.  I can think about that while I walk to the doctor for ANOTHER visit.  This time it’s to discuss blood work and get an ultrasound.  I’ll be heading out the door as this post goes live.  Fun, fun, fun.  Well, bring on another month of 2016 and let’s see if things improve.  Releasing a new Legends of Windemere book should be a nice upswing.  Fingers crossed.

Goals for the week:

1. Get back into biking because this past week was a failure.
2. Errands and appointments.
3. Make a decision on that character.
4. Start writing Path of the Traitors.  Hope for 4 chapters, but settle for 2-3.  Getting slower in my old age.
5. Take breaks to finish Chasing Bedlam designs.  Might start the actual writing in July to give myself a break from Windemere for the summer.
6. Work on the Legends of Windemere Fantasy Series Bundle #2.  That’s going to be a June release since people are requesting it.
7. Whatever I’m forgetting now.