OVERWHELMED!

I have so much going on right now!

I know that sounds so trite. Who doesn't have so much going on right now? There must be something about the high temperatures that makes me highly frustrated I have so much I want to work on, so much I want to write, so many ideas about marketing my books (all while I'm inside my comfortable air-conditioned house). I would start with something, then go on to something totally different. After a full day at my laptop, I feel like I've accomplished nothing. 

Oh, no! There's that four-lettered f-word again. Haven't I been taught time and time again, especially lately to not go by my feelings?

How about I recap this summer's events? Maybe that will give me some perspective.

-I found my favorite place to go to for my own writing retreats
-I have new and better business cards. What made the order awesome was keying in a promotional code I had gotten from a TV commercial. There's something great to be said about watching mindless TV on MeTV after a day of hard work.
-I met Breanna Thaman, bought one of her books, read, and got re-inspired
-I attended every ETCWA meeting. In so doing, I found a great idea for swag: necklaces with a musical note, a peace sign, and guitar pick charms (still working on that one). I may even try my hand at making jewelry. But I also learned marketing can be overwhelming and requires trial and error.

-I published Twofold Love Comeback.

-I figured out my target audience.
-I gave copies of Wise Turned Foolish and Professional Fans to Chuck Garric, Christopher Latham, and Calico Cooper of Beasto Blanco, as well as to Kip Winger.

Calico Cooper at Diamond Pub, Louisville, KY

Kip Winger at Square Room, Knoxville, TN

-I went to the Thunder Road Author Rally and met many other Christian fiction authors. One of them invited me to the meeting for the Knoxville chapter of the ACFW (Americal Christian Fiction Writers). I went to the meeting on Tuesday night and now can't wait for the next meeting on October 9th.

Early in the summer, I started making a screenplay for Crawling to the Light, learning about it as I read Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting. Then, I came to a screeching halt literally halfway through it. I realized I hated this book with a passion. Of course, some people have read it and tell me they can't put it down. I, on the other hand, thought I could make the main character Melissa Leahy a little more "real." I want to rewrite the book. That right there shows you writers are really rewriters. But I have yet to get started on this.

I want my next work in progress to be Active Waiting. I started working on this three years ago this month. Whatever is keeping me away from moving forward, I need to remove that from me. As I'm writing this, I know it's partly due to sinus and allergy problems, as well as to stress from some personal issues I'm having that will only bring about character development. It's hard for me to write when I'm feeling "snotty." 

And obviously, there is such a thing as too stressed to write. All I have to remember is rest, drink fluids, and take two nasal sprays, one in the morning, one at night...and to quit trying too hard. 

Would it be considered unrealistic to finish the first draft of this book at the end of next month?

What makes me more frustrated is, instead of working on either Active Waiting or Writing Soulmates, my current romance novel in progress, I worked on Crack Hill. Listening to Metallica's Black Album (anything that can help me work on a scene of domestic violence), I worked on it Labor Day morning. It was a productive morning. However, since that day, I haven't worked on it...or anything, for that matter.

As you can see, I'm overwhelmed. I think I should go over to the Guitar Center today to try to be re-inspired and to clear my mind. I've had enough of this confusion.

If I don't make it over there today (chances are, I won't), I'll have to realize now is the time to find a balance between creating and marketing. I believe this is where the rubber meets the road regarding that.

(And I don't consider it an accident that as I'm wrapping up this post, "Straight On" by Heart comes up in the queue on YouTube. Awesome stuff!)