Category Archives: Life

Keeping up with Myself

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The last couple of weeks have been hectic. Learning a new job, writing two stories, editing Finding Sam Healey…

I have officially started into my normal roster, which means I’ve worked this weekend. Some of you are probably thinking – why would you work a weekend. Easy – I do it once a fortnight, and I get paid handsomely to do it. And you know what, there is plenty of time in each shift to do my own thing. So yesterday I started editing Carol’s Christmas! If this keeps up, I’ll run out of writing before I do editing!

But I have my regular roster, so I know when I have time for writing and when I’m working, so that gives me a clear idea of where I’m heading, because the last three weeks, I didn’t know when I was working half the time. But now it’s clear, I can set some boundaries around my writing time.

Because things have been so chaotic, I decided to focus on editing instead, and after missing my deadline, (and with agreement from my editor) I was able to get the document to her on Thursday. I will know how good, bad or ugly the story is by the beginning of April.

And now that is out of the way, I can crack back into writing. Which I have been itching to do, because I haven’t done it for a few days – maybe two weeks now. It will be good to get back into writing and I hope to have at least one of the stories finished by mid-April.

With all of the mess that has been going on, it is nice to finally be coming out the other side and starting to get back into normal and routine, because I cope better with that than chaos and crazy.

Steeping Learning Curves

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I’ve been at my new job for three weeks now, and it’s been a steep learning curve. I’m having to learn not just one CMS (Customer Management System), but also an outdated requisitions website, which I’m not allowed access too until I’ve done appropriate training.

I’m enjoying the new job; it is certainly an eye opener. I’m already aware that I’m not a keen ear when it comes to gossip, like my two cohorts are. They can tune into any conversation and follow along, no matter how noisy it is. I struggle to remember to open the door when the door chimes! Never mind answering the telephone. As a gardener, I didn’t need those skills.

I’m working in ICU (or ICCU – Intensive Coronary Care Unit), and it hasn’t been full on like it expected it to be, although that is probably a good thing because I don’t think I’m quick enough to get ahead of the eight ball if I need to be. I will be with time, but right now, not so much. I have to say that the staff are amazing, and really helpful. A couple of them have been able to answer any questions I’ve had or find answers if they can’t help. I also have the trainer on speed dial, and I might need her this week, as I am going it alone this week, on my first roster shift on my own.

As a result of the large learning curve, I haven’t had a lot of time for my writing, or editing, but I have today (Monday) off, so that will help me get ahead in my editing, because Finding Sam Healey is due to the editor at the end of today…eek!

Overfilling my Cups

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With Intellection and Learner being high on my Gallup Strengths, work has been filling my cups to overflowing at the moment. I’m learning so much about work, my work environment, my co-workers and understanding the place that I’m working in. There is the learning also, learning the new computer systems, which are probably slightly dated, but I’m coming to grips with them.

As a result of my tumultuous timetable, I’ve had little time for writing, and on the morning’s, I haven’t been working, I’ve managed to scramble around in Finding Sam Healey which I’ve promised my editor by the 10th of March.

I haven’t had a lot of time for writing because I’ve been focused on trying to get my edits done. And I haven’t had a lot of time to edit because I’ve been working erratic hours. It will be nice to finally get into my roster so that I can settle my routine and get my new routine working. I’ve also been incredibly brain tired as my brain tries to process what I’m learning.

I have worked out something important though in my writing. I started out this year, thinking that I didn’t have a job until now. I was going to focus on writing fulltime to get my books out there. But I realise now, that isn’t really a possibility. I need to have a job in order to give my brain a break from creativity. And while there are other things I could do in that time, because my writing only takes up about two hours of my day, marketing etc wouldn’t take up much more.

Listening to the Rebel Author Podcast with Sacha Black, made me realise that it’s okay to still have a job and write. Some popular writers find they need that stimulation to keep them writing. So. I’m looking at this as a win.

Until I get into a routine, my writing is going to be out of kilter for a little while. As long as I get my editing done by the 10th…

Birthday Sale

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Yesterday (Sunday) was my birthday, and I got to spend time with my family having a picnic on Kaiteriteri Beach, then dinner with my Handsome Mr H.

This week, my book, Finding Amy Archer has been for sale for 99c – why? Because it’s my birthday! And Finding Amy Archer was a book that helped me out of my writing funk when a lot of bad stuff happened to me.

I was able to put into that book a lot of the emotions that I was feeling at the time about the end of my marriage and the death of my beloved Bobba (stepdad). It was a turning point in my life, and while I’m sad that those events happened, they have shaped the person I am today.

I’m a weirdo, I like strange things – like bats. I eat different food, preferring Japanese cuisine to anything else. I love different cultures and studying new places. I have a love / hate relationship with roses, yet I have nearly twenty of them. I’m a passionate gardener, and I love to write about what I see (and don’t see) around me.

So, get in quick, Finding Amy Archer is available until Tuesday at 99c through all various ebook retailers. Check out this link

Being Organised

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This is my last week of not working, as I start my new job on Monday 17th. And while I’m keen to get started and feeling relatively calm at the moment, next Sunday night I’m probably going to be a nervous wreck.

But I’m now having to plan to be organised in my daily life to make sure that I still have time for my writing and creative interests as well as working.

I know 20 hours a week doesn’t sound like a lot, but I’m a natural born procrastinater, and I can clean my house faster the more pressure I put on myself to write. It can be funny to know that I should be writing, but instead, the floor suddenly needs to be vacuumed or washed, or the toilet need to be cleaned.

It’s been over two years since I started my writing journey in earnest, knowing that I do have enough time in my day to write and do my creative interests. I managed to do it when I was working 40 hours a day, I took the twenty to thirty minutes each morning to write.

But since I’m writing two books, and spending about 45 to 60 minutes per story, I need to make sure that I spend that time actually writing. I’ll be working from 1pm until 6pm and weekends on a rostered basis, which add up to 20 hours a week. Which means that I have the morning to get my writing, editing and anything else I need to get done, and the evenings will now be relaxing and kicking back.

I’m looking forward to getting back into the workforce, and to spend time writing and getting my books out there, because I eventually want to make some money off my books. I won’t be making millions, but I want to be able to not have to work full time.

But that is in the future. And I only live day to day, so we’ll have to see what the future brings.

Encouraging Others

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I love writing. But it can be lonely. You’re sitting at your laptop, staring at the screen, wondering where the words will come from.

It’s part of the reason why I’ve joined so many writing groups, to meet like minded people. Because we are all alone on our computers, trying to write the next best selling novel.

And I’ve met some really lovely people through this experience.

This week I’ve been in communication with a lovely lady in California who is still working her way through her first novel. It’s had several iterations, but she’s happier now with where it’s going. She just needs to finish it.

We have a deal going. If she doesn’t finish writing it by the end of February, she is going to send me a $1. And while it would be nice to have a US$1 bill, I’m going to do everything I can to encourage her to finish her novel, because I want to see her happiness at succeeding, rather than have that $1 note.

I’m that kind of person, I like to encourage others, not just with writing. Just before Christmas, we were at Rai Valley having a coffee when I saw a lady walk past with these most amazing boots. I complimented her on them. She was gruff and not very happy looking, but I smiled and told her I loved her boots. When she came out of the shop, she told me to have a lovely Christmas and smiled at me. It was a beautiful smile.

Sometimes someone needs to hear that they look good, or they did something pretty awesome, because our inner selves are telling us otherwise.

So next time you see something you like, or something that was a kind act, tell that person. They might just need to hear it.

Trying Something New

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I hinted that I would be trying something new earlier this year (was that only three weeks ago?). I wanted to see if I could do it before I told you about it.

And I can actually do it, so what have I been doing? I’ve been writing two stories at the same time.

And it isn’t that hard either. With one exception.

I knew that I had three months to write some stories, before I had full time work for a couple of months, so I wanted to see if I could write three stories at the same time. I had a Racing Harts story to write, an Urban Fantasy story, and a fairytale.

The only reason I wanted to try this, was because I can only write for about an hour a day before my brain goes to mush. It was a gamble; would I be able to write three stories?

The answer is no. And here is why. The fairytale and the Racing Harts story were both contemporary romances, so I couldn’t switch between the two stories comfortably. But I am able to switch between a contemporary romance and an Urban Fantasy with no issues, so I have been writing two stories a day since 5th January.

It’s been an interesting experience, but it also gives me twice as much to think about and plot out before my next writing session.

And then I got news, I have a part time job, working 20 hours a week, mostly in the afternoon, which meant that my original idea of focusing on my writing this year is still happening.

I’m looking forward to my new job, I’m moving back into office work, which is somewhat scary, but also exciting. It means that I’m inside all day, even in winter, so no more finding sunny spots to start the day.

I hope to continue writing two stories at a time, with plans to write the fairytale next, then the Men in Kilts series, so there could be a few new books out next year.

My publishing plan this year is to publish Finding Sam Healey (tentatively April 2025), Carol’s Christmas (July/August 2025) and Faith’s story in Racing Harts (October/November 2025).

I’m looking forward to sharing my successes with you all.

Understanding Catherine Mede

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It was a big year for me last year, I learnt a lot of things about me. Stress and I don’t work well together, I let anger build until it gets too much then blast everything around me, and I’m a relator.

Let me explain. A big thing in the writing industry at the moment are Clifton Strengths. Becca Syme (all hail Becca Syme) teaches that you need to write to your strengths, and how to work out your strengths. She’s a business and writing coach, and I got to meet her at the Romance Writers New Zealand Conference in Christchurch in August last year. She is amazing, so insightful and full of inspiration and lots of other things. So, I did my strengths. My top five are: Relator, Intellection, Learner, Positivity and Consistency. A lot of you out there will be nodding your heads, either knowing that is exactly me, or knowing exactly what that means.

Pretty much, I like to develop relationships with people, but I have a boundary system. Only one or two get to the inner sanctum. Everyone else fits into the remaining rings, either as friends or acquaintences. When I’m writing, I like to get indepth with the relationships that people build. Intellection is about enjoying mental activity, intellectual discussions. I like time alone and I am my own best companion. Learner, means I like to learn. Not necessarily about the learning, but the process of learning. I like to continuously improve myself.

Consistency means that I need to treat people the same. I crave routine, structure, rules and procedures. I don’t like unfairness or inequality. And lastly, positivity. I have contagious enthusiasm, generous with praise and encouragement. I like to celebrate achievements.

Many people are probably wondering why this blew my mind. Perhaps because I took a test, and these were the results. There are 34 different strengths, and these are my top five, and they pretty much sum me up. And looking back, I can see how they have affected me this year and the decisions that I made.

Going forward, they will help me with my writing. I already use Relator in building the relationships with my characters, and they with each other. The learner in me, has me studying NZ Small Business studies so I can run my business successfully. The positivity and consistency mean that I need to write every day and be happy with what I’ve done and celebrate the achievement of having written. And intellection? Well, that explains the need for cryptic crosswords in my life.

Moving Forward

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A lot of reflection is done at this time of the year. Looking back to see what went well, what didn’t, how things can be improved, and a writer’s life isn’t any different.

What went well this year – the launch of Second-Hand Daughter. It actually went better than I expected, and I can’t explain why. I wonder if it was the topic, discovering your husband had a secret second life you had no idea about. Anyway, the book sold okay (not thousands, that will be in years to come) but it sold well.

What didn’t go well was the launch of Compromising Positions – this is a fun little romance, but for some reason, I didn’t sell many copies at all. Another writer friend of mine launched her contemporary romance at the same time (November) and she didn’t make many sales either. We both have to wonder if it was too close to Christmas, and people were looking at big ticket writers for their books. It’s hard to say.

As a writer, we often bombarded with so many mixed messages. Write to market / don’t write to market. Write from your heart / don’t write from the heart. Write what you know / write something new / don’t reinvent the wheel. This year, I followed my own thoughts and feelings, and now, more and more people are saying, follow your own goals. I published two books this year, the most I’ve published before. And I loved every minute of the writing and editing process, until I have worked on the piece entirely through and think it’s shite. Then I put it out into the world, and let it float away into the abyss of Amazon / Kobo / Draft2Digital to be swallowed up in the millions of other books out there.

I’m really pleased with both of the books I produced. I’m looking forward to putting more out there next year, which will include Finding Sam Healey, which I am currently editing, and then Carol’s Christmas. Whether I start publishing the Racing Harts series I’m not sure, but I intend to write three books next year.

I wrote three novels this year. The Dragon story, which is part of a five book series, and needs a lot of work, because it became a never-ending story. That doesn’t work in the publishing world, but that’s okay. It needs work.

I also wrote 2 other novels, in the Racing Harts series, Fatih and Hope’s stories. And I hope to have Grace’s started in January. I have ideas for about five other stories, which are all up in the air at the moment, so I’m not sure what will come next, but I’m hoping to write my Ice Planet sequel, featuring the son of Kelvaras and Vyvica.

I’m contemplating splitting off my fantasy / science fiction books under a separate pen name, but again, not something I am fully decided on just yet. If it happens, I’ll let you know, because you’ll want to follow one or the other, I don’t expect everyone to follow me on both. There will be the odd one or two of you, like me, who will read just about anything. I read a large variety of books, and can’t say I’m solely a romance reader. If I have a thriller, I will enjoy the storyline even without romantic elements. But that’s a whole other blog post!

I will list out my goals for 2025 on 6th January, I intend on having a decent break this year. No laptop, no notebooks, just 10 – 14 days of nothing but reading. We’ll see how that goes then aye?

Anyway, I hope you all have a lovely Christmas. Stay safe out there and look after one another. Look forward to catching up with you all in the New Year.

Looking Back to Look Forward

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Last year I set some fairly high goals for myself. And now I’ll go over what they were and how I did.

  • Write Dragon Story – This I managed to do early on in the year. I plan on making this a series, however this was a neverending story, so I need to reassess this story and find a cut off point and decide what I want to keep and what can go into the next book.
  • Write Faith’s Story – This I achieved as well, in early October.
  • Write another story – in November I wrote and completed Hope’s story in the Racing Harts series, so really pleased with this.
  • Edit Second-Hand Daughter – not only did I edit this, but I published it as well in May 2024
  • Edit Compromising Positions – edits were completed and was published November 2024
  • First draft edit of Finding Sam Healey – These I started, but I haven’t completed them yet. I have a date with the editor for March 2025, so it will be published next year.
  • First draft edits of Carol’s Christmas – this hasn’t happened, but I’m not too upset about that.

    Overall, that isn’t a bad year considering I was working fulltime for most of it. The results are pretty epic. At this stage, I have yet to find another job, so I now have to have a real think about what I want to achieve heading forward. I would love to be able to quit work and write fulltime, however I have some limitations as far as that is concerned (will talk about in a future blog post), and to start making money from my writing, I might have to write to market, which isn’t where my heart is. I want to write what I want to write, and that means that I need to find readers who want to read my work, and that proved elusive this year. I guess I could focus on writing in the first quarter of next year and really push my publishing timetable, but I also don’t want to burn out.

    It’s a fine line between doing something you love for money and doing something you love for the enjoyment of writing. I guess it is something I really need to work out over the next couple of weeks as we start the full on countdown to Christmas.