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| Top: 20th Century's Norma Rae starring Sallly Field Bottom: My choice for writing solitude. |
Notice the amount of times “very”
appears in the title? It isn’t a homage to the 1963 film It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Nope. Each “very” represents how
many weeks my children have been home for summer vacation. I love having them
home. I truly do. We usually keep busy by taking day trips, but they really
haven’t happened this year. Financially, we’re grounded from doing them. I had
so many ideas about how we were spending our summer and it isn’t happening. For
me, personally, I planned on getting my latest work-in-progress, Overcoming Sarah, finished and published
by the end of July. Only that hasn’t happened either. I don’t know how other
authors with children do it. I just don’t. How do they write while their
children are home for summer vacation? It escapes me. Those on Twitter post
that they maintain a specific writing time, sit down at their typical work
area, and write. Their family knows they are working and have strict orders not
to bother them unless the house is on fire or someone is knocked out or leaking
great amounts of blood. That doesn’t fly in the Stringham household. My family
doesn’t understand how hard it is to enter a productive writing mindset. They
think I just sit down, fingers to keys, and write. If only it was that easy.
I’ve touched on this in a previous Broads
of a Feather blog post, but it’s worth repeating; writing is like having an
out of body experience. I have to immerse myself into the character’s head,
feel their emotions, and see their environment. I can only be interrupted so
many times before creativity slips elusively away from me. I know. My complaint
is pretty petty in light of the way things are in the world and the real
problems others have. As you read this, you’re probably thinking out loud, “Whiny
baby.” And I realize that’s how it sounds. I’m a stay-at-home mom and an indie
author. My e-books help supplement our income so it is important I have time to
write. Extra income is good for my family. As it is now, I’m so close to
telling them, “I can’t work in these conditions!” while doing my best Norma Rae
impression. Because of my unproductive summer, I now know why Thoreau slipped
off to his cabin in the woods. It wasn’t to be one with nature. He “deliberately”
wanted to be left alone. I even have a Pinterest board called My "Thoreau" Spaces. I fantasize about being alone all the time. Solitude. Quiet. Productivity. *sigh*
The worst offender in my family is my
youngest. As some of you know, she has an Autism Spectrum Disorder. While she is
considered high-functioning and perfectly fine on her own at the age of
(almost) fifteen, she likes to pace the house—which includes the master bedroom
and where I have my writing area. I can count on her to come in almost every
seven minutes. Each time, she talks to me and concentration is lost. No. Not
lost. Trampled on. I’ve tried to explain to her how important it is for her to
pretend I’m not home. Her older sister’s around to watch her and help out if she
needs anything. All I want is two to three measly hours of uninterrupted writing
time each morning. That’s it. I hate having to remind her I’m working. Hurting
her feelings isn’t worth my productivity. And then there are times of
frustration when I almost grind my teeth into dust. For some reason, her normal
hobbies aren’t keeping her busy. She works with an in-home, private tutor once
a week so she doesn’t lose academic ground while school’s out. Since we live in
a rural area, there aren’t any local day camps for special needs kids so she
can get out for the day. As for classmates, she really doesn’t have many
friends. On the rare occasions we’ve scheduled play dates, she loses interest
two hours into it. It’s a sensory thing. She will leave her friend, find me,
and say, “Is it time for them to go now? I’m ready for quiet.” Or, “They keep
following me and won’t leave me alone.” Nothing like having your child go to
their room, shutting the door on their guest, and me having to scramble to
entertain them while my daughter isolates herself to decompress.
Alas, it is what it is. School resumes
the last week of August. I’ll be able to settle back into my Monday through
Friday writing routine. Since my first book, Seventy-Two Hours, came out in August of 2012, I have gotten to experience
what it’s like having readers excitedly ask when my next book is coming out—even
more so since I entered the world of book sequels. My Ellis Springs book series
has been popular among my readers. One customer review likened the characters’
friendships to those in Steel Magnolias.
Others talk about how much they like getting to visit with old friends each
time a new installment comes out. And I like that. Before, I’d only experienced
this type of devotion as a reader and having to wait for the next book in a series.
I’ll admit to being impatient while waiting for Patricia Cornwell’s next
Scarpetta book or Janet Evanovich’s next Stephanie Plum. I may or may not have
even commented on Julia Spencer-Flemings’ readers’ page that I’d gladly go to
her house in Maine to clean, cook, and drive her kids to and from activities so
she could work on her next Millers Kill mystery. In a role-reversal, I’m
getting to hear offers like this from my readers! I love their enthusiasm. And
a little frightened by it. I’m in a daunting situation now. What if I take too
long writing book four? What if I let them down by writing a hollow story just
to get it done? In all honestly, a book series is a little overwhelming. I’d
rather err on the side of literary caution; write with quality instead of
quantity. I just want to write.
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| Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser on the Starz TV series Outlander based on the book series by Diana Gabaldon. |
On the bright side of all of this, I have been finding time for reading. It doesn't require the same level of concentration as writing does. Thank God. I'm currently enthralled with Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Can't wait for the Starz TV series based on her books. I'm a little obsessed at the moment. If you haven't read the books, you really need to. I have a feeling the TV show is going to be "verra fine, Sassenach." If you need further convincing, let me just add: hot men in kilts. Need I say more???
How is your summer going? Have you
taken any exciting trips? I’d love to hear about it so I can live vicariously
through you.
