A Writer's Juggling Act

Now things are beginning to get really busy. If this post sounds fragmented, it's because of all the things coming at me at once. I really do feel like a juggling act at times. However, it's also fun and exciting.

Thursday I had a phone conversation with Tim Lowry, who is the Chief Operations Officer for my publishing house. We talked about promoting Cleared for Planting and the second manuscript in the Appalachian Roots Series I've sent him, Sown in Dark Soil. He's assigned me an editor. I assumed it would be the same editor I had last time, but this one is different. She and I have emailed and she's asked that I go back and cut some more, while she finishes up some things she's working on. I'll also have to read through it at least three or four more times as we work back and forth, and the turn around time will need to be quick.

In addition, I'm still holding events to promote Cleared for Planting. I'll be presenting and signing books at Whitaker Library on the campus of Chowan University Tuesday, April 7 at 3:30 p.m. Then Jim and I leave immediately from there to go to Stanly County, where I'll be meeting with retired teachers from Oakboro School. Our wedding anniversary will be two days later, and we've still to decide what we want to do for it, but we have to be back here by 5:30 Saturday afternoon for church activities. Then, Jim will preach Sunday, and I'll have the children's sermon.

In addition to all this, I'm trying to reread, edit, and revise Uprooted by War, the third book in the series. I'm finding that I haven't spent as much time going back to it as I had the first two, so it needs a lot of work. I want to have it ready in case I get to publish it. I've had to temporarily stop work on the first book in the New Mexico series, and I've got a feeling it will have to be put on the back burner for a while. Of course there's also the duties required of a pastor's wife, mother, and grandmother. But I'm not complaining. I find these a joy.

I've still managed to post a blog each morning, although, when some problems came up, it got harried a couple of times. I really need some more online book reviews for Cleared for Planting, too. I never realized it would be so difficult to get people to leave a review, because I always do this for every book I read. I'm also trying to schedule some book promotions for after the first of May. Many of the sources that sounded hopeful have fallen through. If you're within my radius and know of a church, bookstore, or other group who would like me to give a talk or sign books, please let me know. Have books will travel.

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