Sourcebooks Casablanca Romance Authors

I am on deadline. Again. I'm not complaining. I love what I do and as a writer I feel blessed to be contracted for several more books which means I will be living on deadline for the next three years. At least. That being said, my latest deadline is looming large and I have been stressed to the gills--as I always am the two weeks prior to turning a book in. Most writers will tell you that they have a process and for most of us that process includes stressing out--usually more than once. In order to save my sanity, I have a few go-to tools for stress relief. I'll admit right off the bat that some are smarter than others. 1. Get up from my computer, step away from the manuscript and go for a walk --This is the best option but I don't always do it because I feel guilty for leaving the project. However, when I do force myself to take that break, it helps every single time. It's good for the mind and the body. 2. Call a friend --Chatting with one of my writer fri...

by Amanda Forester Hello all you nice people in blogger land.   Today is my day to blog, but it is also the day before I have a manuscript due.   A manuscript that is not ready yet.   And that terrifying reality gives me hives and makes me doubt myself. What on earth makes me think I can write a book? (Never mind those other books I somehow published).  Seriously, I don't have time.   I really don't.   After going to work and then coming home and taking care of the kids, and the pets, and the house, and the husband, and writing that PTA newsletter I have no idea why I signed up for, and doing the fundraising for my kids sports team, and a hundred other things that demand my time like angry Canadian geese (the most scary image I could think of at the moment relating to a horrible childhood experience involving a loaf of bread and a hungry goose - shudder) why, why am I doing this to myself? Let me think... Oh right - I actually love this. ...

by Amanda Forester Can I see a show of hands of people who are utterly stressed right now? Do you see my hand waving wildly in the air? December for me is full of deadlines. I must send packages by a certain date. I must have my house ready for people to visit. I must buy presents, and cook the dinner, and decorate the house, and send the cards, and (most important) be filled with holiday cheer. This year to add to the normal pressure I've had writing deadlines, work deadlines, and illnesses of myself and my family pressing for my attention and time. We are also remodeling part of our house and hosting a family reunion (hopefully the remodel will be finished before my family arrives next week.). Oh yeah - I've been STRESSED. This type of pressure can lead to unfortunate incidents such as using some very un-holiday like language after burning a pie, or screaming the kids to stop wiggling and SMILE for the camera or so help me... Ahem. Of course those would be just random example...

by Amanda Forester The one thing I have in abundance is commitments and scheduled activities. What I lack is time. I work, I write, I volunteer, I raise two kids, and every third Thursday, just for a special treat, I let myself get a few hours sleep. Ok, the part about sleeping isn’t true. But it feels like it’s true. Here is a casual picture of me checking my schedule in my negligee, like I always do. . . hahahaha. Oh, I crack myself up sometimes. No, that’s definitely not me. Stress kitty over here is far more accurate. Yesterday I got the kids off to school, went to work (and stayed an hour late to deal with “issues”), and then prepped dinner in advance and began the after school routine. That day we had an eye doctor appointment, swimming lessons, piano lessons, and soccer practice. Perhaps I had overscheduled just a bitsy bit. But… it’s so hard to say no. Even with the acknowledgment that I already have too many things on our schedule, I am still considering more. I know…...

By Robin Kaye Crazy Holidays is more like it. My third book, Breakfast in Bed will be out by New Year’s Day, and my blog tour is heating up--check my website calendar for all the stops and giveaways on my Virtual Blog Tour. My next book, As Good as He Gets is due in a few days and isn’t quite finished yet. Twinkle Toes, my ballerina daughter, is dancing in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker for the next two weeks, so her normal dance schedule has made the jump from crazy to certifiable. My son is down with pneumonia and has had to go back and forth to the doctors three times this week alone. My mother-in-law is visiting next week to see Twinkle Toes’ performance. My husband is working to finish the drywall in the living room (one of the four rooms currently under construction) so we can put up our tree. And I have yet to buy one Christmas/Hanukkah present. I’ve either become very Zen about the holiday stress, or I’ve completely gone off the deep end and just haven’t noticed. In eith...