Anyone else ready to eat your screen looking at a picture like this?
Like the rest of you, I’m currently sheltered in place. We’re in Week 4, I think, and will continue until the beginning of May…unless they change it to longer.
The plus sides are that I get to work from home (my day job). My commute is from my bed to my desk, though I’ve been making a conscious effort to shower and dress every morning before work so that I can get in the work frame of mind. Because I’m working from home, I have more time to do things around the house and make meals. My life has slowed down a lot, and that’s been really nice. And on my lunch breaks, I’ve taken up daily walks or runs just so I don’t go stir crazy from being inside the rest of the time. We don’t leave the house except for store runs, so any kind of activity out of home is a bonus.
I’m also so fortunate to be able to still work from home when so many are not. My boss just called me to do a wellness check, and seriously you guys, who has a boss like that? I’m grateful for this, and for the extra time I have because time has slowed down.
The negatives? The lack of creative energy is full force.
With all this extra time, you’d think I’d be writing up a storm. Not true. The past four weeks have actually been about getting my head around this new rhythm, which includes family routines, streamed yoga classes, creative writing classes, and, of course, work. I’ve tinkered a little on Turtle Treasure, but not as much as I thought I would. I finally realized I need to put it down for a later time…if I decide to return to it.
This brings me to the point of this post.
While I haven’t done a lot of writing, I have done a lot of thinking about where I want to go with my books. Years ago when I first started publishing, I dipped my toe in the romance genre, but my books always skirted around the love story. It was an element, but never the main element of the story. I wanted to write romance, but never felt qualified enough to pull it off.
Lately, my books have been treading further into the romance genre. Numbered is a perfect example, and something I’d like to do more of. I really loved developing the relationship between Noelle and Ryder, teasing the sparks between them until they finally realized they belonged together. I want to write more stories like that, celebrating those feelings of passion and wondering and wishing and longing….
If you’ve been a follower for some time now, you’ve been very patient as I tried out genre after genre. I’ve enjoyed writing so many different kinds of books – after all, I read a lot of genres, so I’m interested in writing a lot of genres. But romance tops them all, soooooo….
I’m sticking with romance!
And yes, those cupcake up there are a clue, because I’m currently in the middle of edits for Just Desserts, the sequel to Come Here, Cupcake! 🧁 I’m feeling my creative energy return, especially as I resume tinkering on this novel, and hope to have a finished novel by summer (no promises, but you guys have waited long enough!).
I’m excited about this decision, and I hope you are, too.
For now, I hope you all are staying healthy and doing well as we navigate this weird and treacherous time.