Sunday, January 8, 2017

If you thought 2016 was bad...

Despite the fact that I haven't posted anything here in a long, long time, this blog is getting about 200 hits every day. I'm guessing this is an automatic thing that pops up because I still have a few blog followers out there, but it seems strange that an essentially defunct blog would get so much traffic.

Of course, there's a reason I haven't been posting or sending out newsletters. Both my agent and my Sourcebooks editor have passed on my Soul Survivors trilogy of paranormal romantic suspense. This lack of enthusiasm has crept into me like a virus, sapping my desire to write to the point that I'm having a very hard time finishing the third book. When she passed on that series, my editor asked for another Cowboy Heaven book, as well as another Cat Star book. I told her I didn't have any ideas for another cowboy story, but I did have four chapters and a synopsis for the first of a "Next Generation" Cat Star book. I also wrote a synopsis for a second book, but so far, interest has been lukewarm at best. I'm still waiting to hear from her after providing her with a better "hook" for the two books and the series as a whole, but I almost hope they say no.

The truth is, I'm tired. Tired of constantly trying to promote, promote, promote. Tired of checking my Amazon sales only to see that another day has gone by without a single sale. Tired of scrolling through Facebook and seeing nothing there to improve my mood. If you followed anything I posted before the election, you'll know I'm not a bit happy with the outcome. The general despair from that fiasco has had a negative impact on my overall outlook to the point that I've lost purpose. I'm bored and restless at the same time. I don't know what I want to do now, but writing isn't bringing me the joy it once did. I realized a few days ago that, aside from cooking, I no longer have any leisure activities that I enjoy. They've all dried up one by one as my writing career devoured every second of my spare time.

Perhaps what I'm feeling now is only the usual post-holiday blues, but I can't help believing it runs deeper than that. I turned 61 last week. I know that in today's world, that age doesn't seem very old--that is, until Carrie Fisher died at the age of 60 the day before my birthday. So many of our beloved actors and musicians died in 2016. I can't say that anything terrible has happened to my family directly--except the death of our fifteen-year-old cat on January 5th. It's more pervasive than that. There's a pall hanging over our world, and romance just doesn't lift the spirit the way it once did. Maybe someday I'll catch the writing bug again, but for now, I'm going to try to find something else.

7 comments:

  1. Hi Cheryl
    I very much understand your feeling down due too the way the world are looking right now. I just want you to know, that your cat star cronicles helped me, when I went trough a hart part of my life.
    I got "Stud" as a free book from kobo, and fell in love with your universe and your talented writing. The very next day I bought the other books you had out at that time, and fell just as much in love with those. Since then, I have bought everything you have published.
    Some people look down on romance, but my opinion are, that you cant get enough romance, especially when things look grim - we need a counter!
    But I do understand your creativity not being the best in this environment, and I wish you the best.

    I want you to know, that if you ever decide to write and publish again, you have a loyal fan in me, and I am sure there are others out there all over the world!

    Feel better!

    Laila

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    1. Thanks so much for your support and encouragement, Laila. It means a lot to me. I'll drag myself out of this blue funk eventually. It just takes a little time. 😆

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  2. (((hugs))) Don't give up! I love all your sci-fi romance and paranormal romance.

    I struggled through a very debilitating chronic illness for the past 8 years. I remember buying 'Slave' in 2010 just before I had to have pituitary surgery and read it during recovery. Your books helped me from going crazy!

    Self pub your Soul Survivors trilogy. Author Evangeline Anderson has been very successful in self pubbing. I try to check your blog every month hoping for a new series. God belss you <3

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    1. Thanks, Tonya! I'm glad Slave kept you from going crazy during your recovery. Hearing stories like that is part of what keeps me going.
      I do plan to self-publish the Soul Survivors trilogy. Right now, I'm writing like a fiend trying to finish the third book before--you guessed it!--I sign the contract for the first two books in my new Cat Star Legacy series. Finally! Things are starting to look up!

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    2. ☺️ Wow I'm so happy to hear that things are looking up for you!!

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  3. I am very glad that you feel better and that you're writing 2 books of your Cat Star series. I have all the other and love them, they helped me to pass difficult time you know. I am one of the 200 who came on your blog lol lol. Have a great day. Kathleen St-Onge who hope to read you soon

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    1. Thanks, Kathleen! I'm writing as fast as I can, and I'll be self-publishing the first book in the romantic suspense series as soon as I get the final cover!

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