That’s what this week has been like—falling off the edge of a cliff.
I was determined to finish the next Joanna Brady book, By Reason of Insanity, before it was time for the next Beau book, Den of Iniquity, to hit the shelves. I worked on it seven or eight hours a day for weeks, day in and day out. I finished the rough draft at about 8:30 PM on Monday, September 2. The first interview for DOI was on Tuesday, September 3.
Wait, wasn’t September 2 a holiday, like Labor Day or something? It may have been for everyone else, but I was too busy laboring to notice. Right now I’m holding my breath and waiting hear from my beta readers on BROI. Once I have their input, I’ll install their suggestions before sending the manuscript to New York.
I’ve now done three Den of Iniquity interviews. Do you have any idea how hard it is to talk about one book, when the characters from another book are still rattling around in your head? Fortunately, the interviewers had all actually READ the book (unusual, by the way!) and the on-point questions they asked, helped me get back into the world of J.P. et al. Unfortunately the copyedited manuscript for Overkill is due any day, and then I’ll be back with Ali Reynolds.
My daughter claims I’m calendar-challenged, and that’s true under the best of circumstances. Yesterday was not the best of circumstances. I wasn’t feeling well—a bad head cold. (Today’s interviews were conducted in what my friend Janis Ian calls my “key of R” with me sounding as raspy as if I were a life-time smoker which I’m NOT!) But back to the calendar issue, when Bill asked me yesterday if America’s Got Talent was on last night, I assured him it wasn’t because AGT is on Tuesdays. In my messed-up world it was definitely still Monday.
So I’m not actively writing right now—not writing a book, I mean—and that’s weird. As a consequence, I decided to go out on the back porch and take a nap in the recliner out there. When I woke up two hours later, I pushed the recline button back instead of forward and broke a kitchen window behind me. (FYI, when a double-pane window breaks it sounds a whole lot like a gunshot.) For several minutes, we had no idea what had just happened. It took a while to locate the broken window. The Glass Doctors will be here shortly.
And now that I’ve written that, I think I’m going to go back out and give the recliner another try. I believe I’ve actually earned another nap, and the recliner has been moved out of reach of any windows.
Last week’s blog was extra long. This one is short but brief. I guess is all evens out in the end.
Awww! I’m sorry about the head cold. AND the broken window! And yes, you’ve been working very hard and definitely deserve that nap!
Holidays do that to me all the time, J.A. You feel like you’ve lost a day and you are wondering where the week went.
Grab that extra nap. To paraphrase an old milk commercial: “Naps…they do a body good”.
Funny
It seems you have just come out of “The Fog of War”!
Your challenges you’ve told us about in creating the characters, etc. was so immense in my mind I couldn’t imagine your doing it. I guess today’s blog illustrates what price you pay for that. I thank you for accepting that challenge, for us your readers.
You’ve definitely earned time in the recliner. Yes, it is so.
Take a little break and get some good rest. Exciting to have so much that comes together at the same time, but exhausting too. We all need breaks. Can’t wait to read the DOI. Deep breath, nap or two, and then onward…
This isn’t about “Falling Off a Cliff” but “Keeping Balls in the Air”. You wrote about word counts.
NANOWRIMO sets a 50 thousand (5K) words goal in 30 days. Your books do not seem overly long and you shoot for 95K words. Do you think NANOWRIMO setting a 50K word count goal is too short? If I were to get a complete story written with only 50K works, would it be too short to be taken seriously? Would it be better to set a goal of 95000 words?
With those earliest original paperbacks, the goal was 65,000 to 70,000. Hardbacks 95,000 to 100,000. So yes, I’d say 50,000 is too short.
Yes, I think another nap sounds like a grand idea. See you on September 10 at Third Place Books. Sandy and my sister are coming also.
Hope you are feeling better and the head cold is, like Labor Day, past. Keeping 3 plots and sets of characters in mind all at once must be exhausting. You deserved that nap on the back porch in the recliner. Sorry about the broken window.
DOI comes out on Tuesday and on Friday I will call and pre-order the paperback. I will not wait for the paperback for BROI however. It will be the first time ever I will buy the hardcover book on purpose.
And, because your blogs are REAL, yet one more reason I love your Friday morning blogs. I seldom deny myself naps when the urge hits…sleep deprived most of my life, still catching up!
Even with a cold and despite a broken window, you have managed to create a great blog and endeared yourself to all us who fall off cliffs every day!
Bless you, dear Judy!
You are truly an amazing lady! Having all these books going on at the same time. Keep on writing. I love your books. When my parents were alive they would argue over who got to read it first , so I usually bought them 2 copies!
If you ever need more beta readers I would be happy to help. I’ve done it for other authors, but currently have no authors.
Wow, you are such an inspiration! All that writing and nap time too! Looking forward to the arrival of my kindle book Tuesday! And your online event
Judith. I’m worried about your head cold. Take Covid test. I had Covid in August and it seemed like a bad cold. I know Covid is going around our area(PNW). Please take care of your health.
Fan and neighbor
You deserve a break! Windows can always be fixed, but your mind can be on overload! Be kind to yourself! We’ll always be here!
Praying you feel better very soon; extra vit C, water, soup – you know the drill and if you ever need some extra help, I take Immpower to boost my T-cells and fight whatever.
Always thankful for you and my late mother who introduced me to your writing, Linda
Yikes, glad you didn’t have a rain of falling glass splinters to contend with, in my mind’s eye it looks very dangerous. Maybe the glass fell in?
Anyway, hope nap #2 was less exciting and that your head cold moved on.
Cheers, Ceci
9/6/24 JAJ, you might consider slowing down a bit. I finally have, after a horrific fall 3 years ago, don’t ask. But I haven’t broken any large windows or fallen off a porch, yet. Be well. Your faithful reader and admirer, JAG, age 81, 3 equally aged dogs Lola, Russell and Sam ?
Blessings and Hugs to you!!
Doesn’t it drive you crazy when you have days like that? The only solace is that eventually something will give you a break.
Take it easy, JA. We all love ya’!
I’m lobbying Bill to place his vote for Richard Goodall, the singing janitor from Terre Haute!
Congrats on all of your hard work. Can hardly wait to read both. You are a great inspiration. I signed up for free Fitness program as I need an overhaul. Love your blogs. Joan (Jeanne)
Naps are good. There is a nap monster residing in my recliner that reaches out and grabs me. Sorry about the window.
At a family vacation in a rented beach house, one of my grand-nephews stood up in a rocking chair on the deck and tipped the top of it smack into the nearest window. Fortunately, he didn’t do any significant damage to himself. One of my nephews suffered a stitchable cut while doing part of the clean-up. We all learned a lesson about the placement of rocking chairs in relation to windows!
So sorry you’re having a rough time. The main thing is to take care of yourself, and it sounds like you are doing that, so keep it up until you feel better. Take care.
Can’t wait to read DOI
I believe that Sue Grafton kept a notebook for each book. She didn’t have too many repeating characters, but kept track of them this way. I think every writer has their own method.
Congratulations on finishing your Ali book. We are so excited to read DO and the new Reynolds. I do hope Trig has a presence in the new book. I’ve become quite fond of her. Take care of yourself and I hope you’re feeling better.
Hope you feel better soon!
Love the new Beau book, but I’ve got to go to sleep! First few chapters are great!
Received my “Beau” book yesterday. Am looking forward to reading. Just finished a Brady/Beau book, perfect timing. Thank you for not spoiling.