This blog post is more an apology for my lack of presence throughout 2015.
So much has happened over the last six months that I’m not sure whether I’m coming or going. My feeds and timelines have always been flooded with preppers telling me that I should be preparing for the apocalypse (a variety of scenarios are mentioned from alien invasion to the more believable, total economic collapse), and I’m starting to feel like I really do want to GOOD (apparently it means, Get Out Of Dodge). Not because I actually think we will have a SHTF (Sh*t Hits The Fan) event, but because I need a break and off-the-grid, away from it all, back to nature living sounds pretty darn good right about now.
Back in December, my dad died. I am executor of his will so have spent the last six months fighting with solicitors and organising finances. Add that to being a full-time mum and housewife (is there really any other kind?), working part-time as an admin and teaching assistant, job-hunting because that contract was about to end, volunteering for the Girl Guides Association, completing the first module of an English Literature & Creative Writing degree, finishing my next erotica novel (currently under submission), and trying to promote, market and publicise my other five books, I have been left feeling utterly drained. The rest of the year doesn’t seem to look any less hectic. I’m still a full-time mum and housewife, I’ve just agreed to be a supply teaching assistant and midday supervisor at two schools (the original primary school I was working at and a specialist school nearby), the next module for my degree starts in October, I still need to promote, market and publicise my books, and I’ve started writing a new fantasy series (which will be published under a pen name). Not only that, but I’m still dealing with my dad’s estate, I’ve got a couple of courses that I’m taking as part of the Girl Guides, and I’ve started a new company – R W Literary Services (www.rwls.co.uk). I feel exhausted just reading through all that.
Something needs to give.
I’ve started to make some changes. One of these is the day job. I can’t go into too much detail, because the right people haven’t been told yet. We’re lucky that hubby has a good job, and my books are selling quite well **Seven Dirty Words is available for 99c / 99p** so finances aren’t really an issue. I need a break though, something bigger than just getting rid of a few stresses. But, thanks to the fridge dying at Easter and other unexpected expenditures like having to pay vet and crematorium bills after editing cat died (RIP Harry-Bo, **sniff**), our savings have been eaten into over the past few months, so no holiday this year. We have done day trips to places like Longleat and Lego Land, but really what I need is a desert island or a cabin in the woods, away from reality.
I’m not religious, but I’m praying for a change in luck right now. 2015 has been nothing but bad luck after bad luck. I’m hoping that 2016 will be a new year and new start, but I still have the next four months to get through…
Charlotte Howard - Romance Author 