I’m a writer. It’s how I make my living. When I start to talk about my profession, I usually get one of two reactions. Most people immediately tell me about the book they’re writing. Yeah, I’ve even gotten that from a waiter in a foreign country. But then sometimes I get – wow, that’s exciting. You must live an interesting life. I think Judith Krantz ruined reality for all writers. You remember back in the eighties when a network would make one of her romances into a sweeping, epic miniseries? There she would be, introducing the series herself in her designer clothes from the library of her multimillion dollar mansion, a stunning cabana boy walking around the pool outside.
Yeah – I ain’t Judith Krantz.
My glamorous morning begins with the hubby’s alarm going off. I hear it. I throw things at it, and then I swear that I’m getting up this time. I’m getting up so I can exercise. I’ll have time before the baby wakes up to go for a jog and get some word count in. I’ll do that in just a minute…Then the baby is screaming through the monitor, and I realize that I’ve overslept. The morning is half gone, and I need to get a move on. After changing the baby, feeding the baby, cleaning up the baby because I left the syrup way too close to her little hands, I finally get to sit down with a cup of coffee. Yes, let the ideas flow.
Except I need to update my blog, answer my e-mail, update and answer all my Facebook posts, check my calendar and crap – I forgot to pay that bill. By the time I get done with all of those fabulous tasks, it’s lunch time. This time, the baby decides she doesn’t want chicken noodle soup. Yep, I get to clean up the baby again.
The afternoon brings edits and a call from my publisher about when she can expect a new Bliss book. I assure her that after I help my teen with chemistry, yell at my middle daughter about the state of her room and watch Toy Story 3 for four hundredth time, I will get right on it.Sometime after the hubby comes home, I finally sit down and I do, in fact, fall into that amazing, wonderful, interesting life. Words flow and before too long, it really takes shape. I tell the kiddos good night and finish up another chapter, before I get ready to sleep so I can wake up and do it all again tomorrow.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s mine and I wouldn’t change it for the world. But sometimes, like when I’m writing an erotic scene and I can’t think because Elmo is talking in the background, just sometimes, I want to punch Judith Krantz in her perfectly made up face.
Sophie Oak writes erotic romance for Siren Publishing.
www.sophieoak.com
LOL, Sophie. No mansion? No designer clothes? Dealing with kids and husbands and alarms and promo?
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked. Dismayed. You've burst my bubble about being a writer. (No, wait. I'm wrong. I've lived the same reality, so my bubble burst a long time ago. lol!)
The not being able to write an erotic scene over Elmo...lol. I think those scenes are the hardest (pun...semi-intended) to write anyway, and Elmo is not exactly proper mood music.
But that's okay. Because you work from home so you don't really work anyway, right? (Do you get THAT reaction, too? I've gotten that one.)
Anyway...I have to run off to my other day job, but I wanted to say that I really did LOL at your post here.
Have a great day!
Thanks, Susan! I find I do most my erotic scene to some form of children's programming. It's deeply disturbing.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Sophie! And so true. However, you don't have to have young kids and toys to interfer with your writing. Life intervenes every day for all of us. Between jobs, husbands, housework, it's amazing any book ever gets written.
ReplyDeleteGeri
Great post, Sophie. How many of us match Judith Krantz's life style. Oh, yeah, Judith Krantz. And Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, and a handfull of others. Most of us just try to keep our life together and get our stories told. I admire anyone with small children who can manage to squeeze in time to write.
ReplyDeleteYou had me rolling on the floor, Sophie. I've so been there. I also remember those miniseries and remember that I wanted to be her!! Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIf writing is a priority, then the books do manage to get written, despite all the insane other stuff going on in our lives.
ReplyDeleteAll those people who say, "I'm going to write a novel when I find the time."
You don't FIND the time. You make the time.
Which is something I'm recommitting to. Despite insanity in my home life, work, etc. I'm recommitting myself to writing as much as possible, and finishing books.
Who's with me?