reserved and relaxed

Yup, there we are all, reserved and everything. 

   I went away again this weekend, for the second week in a row. Between Hubby’s broken arm, the pandemic and all the other craziness in my world and the world in general, we have been staying close to home, just like everyone else. But I was born with wanderlust and it starts to pull me down if I can’t be traveling at least a couple times a month. Plus, it’s summer! Which means we all just need to get out!

The other exciting news is that I got paid royalties on the novella, “To Find Justice”, that I published on Amazon in March. Okay, it wasn’t enough to put me in the next tax bracket or even make a payment on pretty much anything. But I am pretty thrifty, so I think it was enough that I could buy a whole new outfit at St Vinnie’s thrift store. The biggest thing is that it justifies me calling myself a writer.  

Speaking of writing, here’s what I had hoped to do this week and what I actually got done. Highlight in green for each item accomplished, yellow for those at least attempted, and red lettering for an item which did not happen.

WRITING     

1) Continue updates on “How Chris is Coping with Corona”.  Yes, three times for 1,519 words.

2) Post three times to “The Dino Chronicles.” After the last two weekends, I have lots of fodder for it. Yes.   

3) Post here once. Yes.

4) Work on my memoir, “Holding All the Aces”. Nope.

5) Edit my story for the Road anthology. Yup.

REACHING

1) Submit that story to the anthology as the deadline is June 15. Yes, sent it off on Friday.

2) My novel, “The Truth Beyond the River”. The Ultimate Goal is to publish it through KDP by July 1.

a. Work on the front cover. I just emailed my friend to see where she was at with the cover. But I did take a ton of pictures from along rivers this weekend, so if she doesn’t get back to me, I will use one of them. I had been thinking I could buy a stock photo, but why, when I have so many pictures that I’ve taken myself.

b. Work on the back cover. Yes.

c. Decide about headshot pictures for the back cover. Now I think I will just skip the pictures of me. I had thought it was the thing to do, but now I’m not so sure.

d. Format it for both e-version and paper version. Nope.

e. Think about marketing for its release. Always thinking about it, but if I didn’t do anything concrete, I don’t think it counts.

READING

1) Read six other blogs and comment on three of them. Read six blog posts and commented on one.  

2) Get half-way through “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott.  Yes.

REMAINING

1) Work on my family tree two days. No, only one day for a few minutes.

2) Send out three thinking-of-you cards. Yes.

3) Relax again next weekend as we have a camping trip planned. YES!

I can’t think of anything extra that I have going on this week. Maybe I can get a few extra things done. But after having two relaxing weekends in a row, I’m not going to stress myself out.

WRITING     

1) Continue updates on “How Chris is Coping with Corona”, but I think I’m going to wrap it up for now. Heavens, I’m up to 26,500 words!

2) Post three times to “The Dino Chronicles.”    

3) Post here once.

4) Work on my memoir, “Holding All the Aces”.

REACHING

1) My novel, “The Truth Beyond the River”. The Ultimate Goal is to publish it through KDP by July 1.

a. Finalize the front cover.  

b. Finalize the back cover.

c. Format it for both e-version and paper version.

d. Think about marketing for its release.

2) Research other places to submit short stories to.

READING

1) Read six other blogs and comment on three of them.

2) Finish “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott. 

REMAINING

1) Work on my family tree two days. 

2) Work on finishing the garden shed my kids put up last weekend.  

3) Take the bags of stuff I cleaned out of my closets over the winter to Goodwill. (Speaking of being thrifty . . . maybe I could spend my $3.89 royality check.)

Have a great week, cut back on any stress you have control of and enjoy the summer as best you can.