The Inevitable Outcome of the DNF Life
I'm not finishing that book (right now)
Hi friend,
If you haven’t read last month’s newsletter on the DNF, go back and read that so you can understand this month.
I sort of don’t want to write this email. But I feel there’s a relationship here. I’m not here to tell lies and you signed up for information (And book and tv recommendations?)(maybe?)
Okay. Let’s start with the DNF (the Do Not Finish). It can be harrrrd to not finish something. For me, at least. Maybe you can relate to the objections running through my head: But I paid good money for that. But people expect me to do that. But I promised myself/ someone else that I’d do this. But people in Africa are starving.
When these thoughts come up, it’s a challenge to remind yourself that (1) the money is already gone (2) People in Africa don’t know who I am and, perhaps hardest of all (3) Other people aren’t living my life.
OOF.
Let’s say that again.
Other. People. Aren’t. Living. My. Life.
Does that hit you in the gut?
Other people aren’t living my life. My kids aren’t living my life. My boss isn’t living my life. My agent isn’t living my life. My (gulp) readers aren’t living my life.
As much as I have been conditioned to make everyone else happy before me, this single fact remains; my life is mine. My happiness is mine. If my happiness is making other people happy? Great! If my happiness doesn’t make other people happy? Well… their happiness is their responsibility.
Is this “selfish?” Yes? No? I don’t think so. But if it is… Okay? I guess that’s something I have to answer for, when I’m meeting Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates.
I believe that all this is a fairly common realization that a lot of people get when they approach a certain age. And maybe you’re like “yeah yeah, what does this have to do with you writing me the book I want?”
Well, I might not be writing that book.
Some of you reach out to me about writing another Margot book or another royal book. And the horrible truth is, I haven’t always been 100% forthcoming about why those books aren’t coming. It’s been hard for me to admit that a moment has passed, or I’ve not been contracted, or I’m just not feeling it anymore. Writing another Margot book would be great, but there’s no way that I could write another book about sororities without addressing a ton of things that have changed in Greek Life in the past 10 years. Another Cape Moonshine book is planned, but until sales pick up, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend a lot of time on it. “Never say never” is also a motto of mine. I always want to be open to changed circumstances. Yet…
A DNF is a DNF (for now). You may care if I’m not writing that book (for now). You might not. You don’t have to tell me either way.
It’s hard to say that. Because I LOVE making readers happy.
But I love making me happy more.
what I’m writing
Curiously, the projects I’m working on right now are revisions. One is for a book that has been with my agent but we’ve agreed to take a new outlook on it. And the other is…
Okay, maybe it’s not a revision.
Some of y’all have heard me talk about Hot Pastor. That’s the working title for a romance I wrote in 2015 (!!!!). My last agent didn’t even want to look at it with the pastor main character. My current agent liked it, but we’ve focused on other projects and recently, I’ve decided to start playing with the same characters but take the story in a new, more fun, fresher direction. And yes, those characters have been living in my head for nearly 10 years. Being a writer is FUN like that.
what I’m reading…
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (read here) - I might be the last mystery fan on earth to start this but I’m so glad I have!
And I’m probably going to pick up a football romance some time this fall. I have a blog post about some picks {here.}
what I’m watching…
I’m watching a variety of things!
Rings of Power (on Amazon) with my husband on our “date” nights
Only Murders in the Building (on Hulu) - it’s killing me with the one episode at the time but I’m loving the writing this season
Hart of Dixie (on Freevee) - just because I’m trying to keep funny, light things in my eyes and ears this fall (AHEM)
Oh - and time is running out to get your tickets for the 19th annual Buns and Roses Romance Tea for Literacy, benefitting the Richardson Adult Literacy Center! My table guests are going to get sweet gifts but the best part is supporting an amazing cause and hanging out with all the other book lovers! Click here for more info: Buns and Roses
Hope to see some of you there and if not, you’ll hear from me next month, as usual!