Quick Update

I should be writing (updating my blog, while it's somewhat work-related, doesn't really count as actual work) but wanted to pop in to give my loyal readers a quick update.

The first half of the book is due on Sunday. It's written and (mostly) edited. I want to make a few more small changes before I send it to the publisher. I'm working feverishly to write the second half of the book which is due on April 15.

I'm focusing on one month at a time. It's less daunting, I think, to break the project up into chunks. Otherwise, I'd be sitting at my computer, fingers poised over the keyboard, thinking, "I can't write an entire book! It's too much!" This way, I only worry about writing one month. Once that month is done, I start on the next month. It's working.

Ninety percent of my day is devoted to writing the book. It's a lot of work. I'm still squeezing in a few articles here and there which is a little stressful but I also appreciate the break from writing green tips.

One of the reasons I love freelancing is because no two days are the same. I can start the day writing tips for eco-friendly living, spend an hour interviewing an expert about maintaining weight loss, research a new construction project and then return to writing green tips. I get bored easily so the ability to hop from one task to another is a necessity for me.

I did take a much-needed break last week to spend a few days at the beach. I went to Ocracoke Island, one of the barrier islands in North Carolina's Outer Banks. It was a long trip (6 hours in the car and 2.5 hours on the ferry) but it was absolutely worth it. Now, I'm back at work. In the midst of finishing the book and working on a few freelance deadlines, I'm dreaming about going back to Ocracoke...

You Should Stop By...

I'm just popping in quickly to let you know that I'm giving a FREE workshop next week.

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is hosting an event called ArtsFest on March 27th and I was invited to speak about query letters. The session is aimed at aspiring writers so if that's you, please come check it out. All of the details are here: http://artsfest.cpcc.edu/literature. I hope to see you there!

She Shoots, She Scores!

I scored my first broomball goal last night. Sadly, I scored on my own team. Instead of basking in the glory of FINALLY getting a goal, I had to apologize to my teammates for my lack of stick-handling skills.

I started playing broomball last summer and I'm easily the worst player in the league. I was offside for most of the first season, frequently forgot whether I was playing offense or defense and even received off-the-ice instruction on stick handling from opposing team members. Still, I show up every Sunday afternoon, change into my gear and head out on the ice. I play hard and I get a little better every week.

Broomball is a lot like writing: Sometimes I'm excited about it, I feel great about my skills and love working with my team. Other times, it takes all of my energy just to get out there and play.

My life has been consumed by work for the past three months. I've been working 12-14 hours per day from Monday to Friday and putting in several hours over the weekend. I'm working on a lot of great projects, including the book. Most days, sheer excitement about my work is enough to make me jump out of bed and go to work. Last week, exhaustion took over. I struggled to focus on my work; I drank too much caffeine and exercised too little. Now, it's Monday morning and I'm determined to get back on track. Here's to the start of a very productive week...