Category Archives: Life

Visual Writer

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When writing, we often talk about pantsing or plotting, and now it’s starting to be recognised as a continuum, rather than one or the other. Which is kind of nice, because I don’t really fit in either camp. I do plot, yes, but I also only briefly outline my story, and allow the story to take me where it wants to go.

Which brought me to another interesting fact. Some people are visual thinkers and others are verbal. What I mean by that, is some people think with words, others think with pictures. It is just one of those things that makes us all different.

When I’m writing, the story will play out like a movie in my head. For an example, in my recent story, with Hope Hart and Thor, Thor was having an argument with another person (spoiler alert averted), and I could see them bickering back and forth, and my fingers honestly couldn’t keep up with the words that they were saying to each other. I felt like I was Hope, standing on the sidelines watching this bickering unfold before me.

I also dream in colour. I remember because the colours are so vivid, and I have woken up a couple of times with a deep red dress or gold ring on my mind. I also dream every night, although my psychologist told me that trying to remember and interpret my dreams was a form of overthinking – which is a negative thing. While I don’t try to interpret them anymore, sometimes a dream will disturb me enough to impact me through the day.

So, technically, I’m a plotting pantser, who see’s movies in her head when writing, and dreams in technicolour glory! Lol.

Enough Mucking Around, Time to Get Serious.

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It’s nearly two weeks since I quit my job, so now I have to sort it out.

I’ve been writing, gardening, studying, spring cleaning my house, now I need to get back out there and find a job. The thing is, I don’t know what I want to do, and whether I want to be fulltime or part time.

Fulltime work would give me the money to be able to continue my writing and cards until the money from those keep coming in, but I’m also trying to get my proofreading business off the ground, and my cards, and my writing, so would part time suit that better?

I’d love to be able to not work at all, and just focus on my cards and writing, unfortunately I have had less than stellar sales in my books, and I haven’t sold any cards yet, so it really isn’t such a good idea to just try and exist on thin air.

I have a partner and a son. We share the costs of living between the three of us. And if I’m not paying, then unfortunately, there would be a few bills that didn’t get paid.

Now, if I could get something that paid mega bucks for few hours, that would be fantastic, but the chances of that are relatively slim. I’m no executive or manager, so I’m not even going to apply for those sorts of jobs. Fortunately I live in an area full of orchards, and now is a good time to find a job. There’s apple thinning, then pruning, then picking, then packing. That will last through until May. If I put aside enough money, I might not have to work over winter, which would be more than ideal, however I don’t see that working out.

Oh well, one day at a time, one step at a time. I’ll get there. I’ll work out what I need to do for the next part of my life journey.

Multiple Beginnings

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So, I did a thing this week. It was rather an epic thing. If not the smartest thing I’ve ever done.

I love my job, I really do, but there is one aspect of it I don’t like, and we’ve had to be doing it since the end of last year. And that is mowing. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind mowing, but when you’re mowing a rest home. No, let me rephrase that, Push mowing a rest home lawn.

For weeks, I’ve been stressed about mowing and weed-eating the lawns. I struggle with weed-eating, because it hurts. I have tennis elbow which started about the same time we started mowing the lawns. Anyway, I know what stress looks like in my body, and my eyebrow was starting to twitch. I also noticed that my multivitamins weren’t working quite like they used to, so I brought more vitamin b to help me with my stress.

But it all came to a head on Tuesday, when we were supposed to mow. I hadn’t had a lot of sleep the night before, and to be honest, I was looking for a fight. So, I started one, with my boss.

And then I quit. I told her where she could stick the job, and I told my boss in Auckland as well.

To start with, I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do, and after talking with my immediate boss (who is an absolute sweetie to be honest,) she made me promise that I would think it over before I made a final decision. After an epic walk home, I had a sleep. I literally slept on it.

That night, I wrote a formal letter of resignation to my bosses. If there was a chance of not mowing, I probably would have stuck around, however, that wouldn’t have happened anytime soon.

While I’m sad to be leaving my job, I’m looking at this as an opportunity to move forward, find something new to do, and look at doing part time work so I have more time for my writing and other business ideas that I have.

And while I’m nervous, because I don’t have anything lined up, I’m also confident that something will come up that will make me as enthusiastic as I was about gardening.

And talking about new beginnings, I also started writing Hope’s story, the next character in my Racing Harts story, and I’m already 18k in. I’m taking part in NaNoWriMo, and so far, I’ve clocked in over the daily limit to get the story done by 30th November. I’m quite excited about this story, and even though it is the second story in the trilogy, I have a feeling that it will eventually become the third story, so I am kind of aiming it that way as well.

I hope you all have a good week out there. Think of me, and if you know of any part time work, let me know.

Changes Afoot

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Some people don’t like change. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. It all depends on whether I’ve initiated it or not. Overall, I’d like to say I’m adaptable and it isn’t often I dig my toes in and resist change.

Change is something that happens regardless of whether you want it to or not. Change can be positive if embraced and negative if you don’t want to accept it. Change is inevitable, you can’t stop progress.

I’m a ‘routine’ kind of girl. I get up in the morning at the same time, prepare the coffee, get dressed, make breakfast, use the bathroom, bush my teeth, wash the dishes, (hang out clothes from the washing machine if I put it on), and then I have writing time.

My work day is different every day, and I have some things on in the evenings, but I try and do editing and some admin in the evenings. Weekend, I get up later, and I tend to tidy around the house, or outside for most of the weekend, but then Sunday afternoon, I’m writing up my blogpost, preparing my facebook feed and getting ready for work on Monday.

Routine helps me to get things done. I discovered this after a long bout of not writing because of procrastination and realising that while I thought I didn’t have time, I had plenty, I was just wasting a lot of it.

And I’m starting to feel like I’m wasting time again and something needs to change. I want to be more productive, do more writing, more editing, get more books out there, but I’m also aware of burnout and not wanting to wreck myself, because I still work a fulltime job.

I have a five year plan. I’m now down to 4 and a quarter years, but I think my five year plan is achievable. I might not be making millions in year five, but I intend to have a good crack at the six figure income by then. My five year plan is so that I can finish working at the end of that time, and rely solely on my writing income.

In saying that, I’m looking at updating my website and completely branding myself – I would say rebranding, but my website has been an ecclectic mess of my branding anyway, but bringing it all together cohesively would be great. So say tuned people.

A Car Wreck of a week

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Normally I tell you what I did this week past, but instead I want to start by saying I AM OK!

This week has been good, writing-wise, and I came up with another story idea! That’s two stories and one to plot…

Thursday wasn’t such a great day. My co-worker and I were in a car accident, and we both suffered some impressive bruising and a crushing ride sideways in our work van, which is now a write off.

My boss thankfully gave me and my co-worker Friday off, and we are extremely grateful for that. Because I had to travel to Wineborough to catch up with my Dad who has his birthday this week. His first birthday since the passing of my stepmum.

It was a lovely day with Dad, we (my son and I), weeded some of his garden and made things a little easier for him, then took him out for lunch.

And then, to make my poor bruised body feel even more miserable, I have a cold! So a great way to start a week. NOT!

But hopefully this week, I will finish Faith’s story, and then I’m not sure which story to write next.

Hope you had a better week that I did.

Take care out there.

Catherine

Post Conference Thoughts

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Some of you probably didn’t realise that I hadn’t posted a blog, or any of my usual posts on Social Media last week, it’s because I was at the Romance Writers Conference, creating havoc and merry hell with these two…

Janet Elizabeth Henderson, myself and Carole Brungar

Well, actually, Carole and I behaved ourselves, it was Janet that seemed to be behind all the mischief, she is so much fun, and it was the first time I’d met her, even though we’ve been friends for a few years now. And it was fabulous to hang out with Carole, we’re writing buddies, we check in with each other regularly to make sure we’re on task.

The conference was amazing, full of interesting people, great presenters and amazing talks. I managed to ace it with all of the workshops I attended last weekend, none of them were duds. I got to meet Cathy Yardley, Becca Symes, Sacha Black and Fiona McArthur. They are amazing authors themselves, and Cathy, Sacha and Becca also run Author businesses supporting other writers in their creative endeavours.

On Monday, Mr H and I were chased from Christchurch to Wineborough by a front that caught us at Kaikoura where it rained, blew like billy-o and hailed. Apparently a similar squall went through Christchurch, probably about the same time.

We spent the night in Wineborough before heading home on Tuesday, and then I had to return to work on Wednesday, but I had post conference blues by that stage. I’d felt so inspired and on fire when surrounded by like minded people, but when you are away from them, you feel less like doing things.

This week I’ve also came to the strange realisation that I don’t like writing the last 25% of the story, because I don’t want to put my characters through the dark moment. It’s not a normal thing, but it is for me, I guess it’s some kind of trauma response, but I also recognise that they are going to get back together again, but my characters become quite real within my head, and they are the one’s arguing against it. Now that I know that, I can assure them that it’s okay (even when they do argue against me), and that they will have their happily ever after.

I got Compromising Positions back from my editor, and I have finished those edits. I have it up on pre-order, which I will announce in my newsletter (make sure you’re signed up for that…)

I’ve also started the editing process on Finding Sam Healey, I’m loving this story, and can’t wait to dive back into it.

And so, back to your regularly scheduled program… lol

What have you been up to this week?

The light at the end of the tunnel

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After four weeks of illness, I think (touch wood) that I might finally be starting to feel better. I’m running on 80% at the moment, but that is way better than I was.

I have to say that I managed a walk yesterday, and while the wind was cold, and it made me cough, it was nice to get out and about. The previous week, I couldn’t wait to get home, so that’s a win for me.

I have also finished editing Compromising Positions. It just needs a final grammar / spelling check and then it is off to my editor. I’m excited about this story, but also a little nervous. I hope that I managed to get a decent romance coming through. I love the story and the dance of the three main characters and how they interact.

I’m hoping that I will get back into writing next week and I can knock out the last bit of Faith’s story in Racing Harts. I’ll also get to start on my first edit of Finding Sam Healey, which is in my Finding Yourself series.

So how was your week?

Winter Woes

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Man, I hate being sick. And I don’t do sick well, that’s to say, I’m a lousy patient. I can’t just sit and rest, I need to be doing something, like vacuuming the floor, or dusting, or cleaning, or SOMETHING!

But that something isn’t writing at the moment, which is an indicator that my mental health is declining. The fortunate thing is that I recognise this, and I am being constructive. While I’m not writing, I am editing – Compromising Positions – and it will be ready to send the editor by the middle of next month (I’m pretty sure that’s what we agreed to…I hope…)

I’m trying to be active, however this cold / flu / post covid whatever-it-is has me feeling good some days, and really crappy others. I can wake up in the morning feeling good, then go downhill, or wake up feeling really ill, and within a couple of hours, I’m feeling okay. But it is in my chest now, and it has started rattling whenever I lie down. And on a quiet stroll on Saturday, I ended up with asthma, even though I wasn’t rushing or pushing myself, and it was a comparatively short walk to what I normally do.

I’m finding funny videos to watch, and spending time with my partner, as my son is holidaying in California. I’m crafting when I feel like it, so I am doing the right things to help improve my mood. It’s just my physical health that is really bringing me down, and I can’t do anything about that.

But I’ve bitten the bullet. I’ve made a Drs appointment, even though I know she is going to say that it’s viral and there isn’t anything they can do, at least I can go in and see her and tell her how sick I am of being sick!

So how has your week been? Better than mine, I hope.

Taking Each Day as it Comes.

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It’s been a week. Really. A long week. After having covid, I seem to have picked up a post covid infection. Of course, it isn’t clear exactly where. My chest isn’t wheezing, my nose is clear, but I’m coughing up some yucky stuff.

I’ve been taking it quietly, very quietly. I haven’t been doing a lot at all. The reason is, I knew I would have an incredibly emotional day on Saturday, which was the memorial for my dear friend Aaron. And I was right, it was an emotional day. I spent the entire service in tears. I’m still feeling very raw.

To add to my emotional woes, my beloved Son is heading off on his own adventure overseas, and it’s the first time he’s left home for a significant period of time. And of course, he couldn’t just go to the North Island, or travel around the south, no, he had to decide to go to the US for a month. To say I’m nervous is an understatement, but I have to let him go and experience life on his own terms.

As a result of the recent emotional upheavels, I have not been writing, which means that my mental health is dropping, but I know and recognise that. That is the reason why I am taking each day as they come. Because I only have the day I am in. It is pretty much how I exist, and its only at the end of the day that I look at the following day, and think about what I might do for dinner (if it’s my cooking day) and make my lunch and get my work gear organised for for the following day.

So as this week begins, I will be taking it one day at a time, which means enjoying spending some time with my son before I take him to the airport on Monday afternoon.

Advantages of being SICK

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Last week, Mum sent me home because she had covid, and on Monday, I tested positive for it. It was probably a coincidence that she had it, then I got it, because my son also tested positive, albeit weakly.

Monday and Tuesday I felt pretty blocked up with sinuses and felt pretty yuck, but not any different than having a cold.

By Wednesday, I was desperate to do something, because I don’t do well being confined to home. So, I cleaned. I tidied up my craft desk, my writing desk, I dusted the entire house, and I deep vacuumed the floors (like the skirtings, the corners, any cobwebs, EVERYTHING!)

And I even wrote. And instead of writing for fifteen minutes and getting 300+ words, I wrote for however long I wanted, and often finished entire chapters.

I watched series 3 of Bridgerton (Colin and Penelope, *sigh*) and watched movies, and caught up with ‘My Life is Murder’.

My mental health has taken a hit, because of the deaths I’ve experienced lately, but I’m processing. I’ve cried a lot in the last few weeks, but that’s good, it’s normal to cry and let out the sadness and move through the grieving process, and we all grieve differently. Some of us keep it all inside until we go to bed at night, then allow ourselves the opportunity to cry. Some cry and get it all out and move forward. Just know that grieving looks different for everyone.

Back to the grind this week, provided the weather plays ball.

Hope everything has gone well with you this week.