I've been in contest prep land for over a month. I entered two different contests with four different manuscripts in each contest. I am not sure if I'll final, but I always like to enter contests because they give me deadlines. And if I do final, I have a positive affirmation about my writing. If I final in the Golden Heart then I have a fun networking time to look forward to, but I'm not going to count on the Golden Heart. I am putting together kick a$$ partials and querying them long before those results are in. I want a contract. I want to draw attention to my name and prove to my favorite publishing house that while I am waiting to hear from them about my revise and resubmit, I have been busy writing new books for them.
So once the Golden Heart entries are out, I am putting together submission packages and query packages. I have lots and lots to do. This is my life. I know I'm supposed to be interesting in this blog and write about stuff that will draw in readers for my future publications, but the truth is my life is not so interesting right now. I'm BICHOK all the time and even my new kitten thinks I'm boring. She'll get used to it. I do take breaks and play with her.
But a writer can't be BICHOK all the time. BICHOK stands for BUTT IN CHAIR HANDS ON KEYS. This is usually the case. I'm a motivated and dedicated writer. I put in 3-4 hours or more per day to this career that is currently rewarding me with my own quarters. For every hour I write, I get a quarter. I also get a quarter for every deadline met and for every contest entry sent out. I am busy busy busy. Made over $30 last week!! Woot.
But if I'm not BICHOK I am taking care of myself. I made a decision to take care of my body and lose weight despite the fact that my thyroid is acting up all the time. (I have lost the same poundage 3 times now and I had hormonal help gaining it--not fun but that's the way my cookie crumbles). I tried the 4 Hour Body diet. Fail. Epic fail. I had thyroid checked. It was wonko so went on better medication and tried another diet. Weight Watchers. Doing well on it. I have stopped counting points every day, but I have slowly lost 14 pounds since mid-July. I wish I could lose it without trying but that's not possible. In addition to dieting I have been going to the gym. A lot. I have worked out hard. I attend Zumba classes, I do a weight workout, and I do cardio machines. I also go for long walks. I even worked out with my friend when I went to DC. I ate what I wanted to eat, but I didn't gain any significant weight. What I did gain was lost as soon as I got home.
Right now I've hit another plateau, but I am determined to drop at least another 10 pounds. Wish me luck. It's Thanksgiving and cold weather season. A season where I'd rather eat and stay home and warm and cosy by my computer but I will prevail. I'm just like a lot of women who run households and empires. This is my life. Writing, working out, dieting, worrying, cooking, being a mom, being a kitty mom, being a wife.
I'm not that interesting. I just have a dream and a goal and hope that one day I will be published. Ask my kitten, Catadora Tonks. I'm just that lady who sits all day except when she takes a break to play with her kitty or go to the gym or buy groceries or cook a meal.
I'm an ordinary woman with a normal everyday life and my concerns are the same as other women in my age group. I have to diet and exercise. I have to go to the doctor and get all kinds of stupid tests that are not fun or pleasant because of my age, I have a graduating teen and she's great, but a lot of pressure is cooking. I'm an unpublished writer who wants to be published and believes one day it will happen about as often as she believes it won't happen. There are no guarantees.
I just write. That's what I love to do. I hope one day my books will be published and that they will interest my readers. In the meantime, I hope to stay relatively healthy and normal sized so I don't look weird at the book signings.
What's your life like?
4 comments:
My life is exactly the same as yours. BUCHOK. Except I don't have the wherewithal to diet and exercise and although next summer is far on the horizen, I'm worrying about the bathing suit I will wear at 400 pounds. (just kidding, but not.)
It's a life I chose and it's not glamorous, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. And I suspect, neither would you.
Hi Anne: I wouldn't have it any other way, but I am determined to keep the butt firm in and out of the char LOL.
I'm writing my tushie off right now. Big time contests going on and I've got my tush in the proverbial fire.
But that's what makes life interesting for me.
:-)
Great job treating yourself right, Christine!
Like you I spend over 4 hours with BICHOK at work, then I come home and BICHOK again, if I'm lucky and nothing crazy is going on around here.
I'm feeling the spread, let me tell you. Had the idea today that I need to get more exercise. Just waiting for this neck therapy thing to finish up and then I'm hitting the treadmill or the pavement. I'm going to actually lift light weights too and hubby said he would show me how to use his Bowflex. Woot!
I'm tired of feeling blah!
Hi Kathy: Sounds like you are writing a lot!! Way to go. And take care of yourself -- heal that neck first and slowly get into the routine again. I think you'll feel less blah because working out does increase endorphins. I have to say the Weight Watchers diet really helped. I'm going to hit that hard again in the new year. I am trying to maintain till then--any losses through the holiday will be a bonus :-)
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