It's been a long time coming. I know. Trust me.
My first two years, I released a respectable three books annually. It was nice. As an avid reader myself, I empathize with the frustrations and eagerness of waiting for a favorite series to be continued.
So, I apologize heartily!
Life got in the way. I know a lot of people say that. It's cliched for a reason though.
My husband and I finally had a baby--after a very long six years of failed attempts. Throughout that time, I'd try to get through the downs by researching aspects of parenting. One of my favorite quotes that has got me through the loss of my brother in high school and my dad in college is:
Everything happens for a reason.
Of course, if anyone had said that to me a month or even a year after their deaths, I'd have had steam pouring out my ears, but I've gotten a wider perspective since then. I've had time to heal. I know I never would've met my amazing husband or been inspired to travel if I hadn't lived through those tragedies, and so I adopted that quote and clung to it while my husband and I yearned for a little one to run around the house.
To keep my mind off of the countless negatives, I'd tell myself that it was just the universe making sure I had enough time to prepare for being a parent. I was ready for anything the baby would throw at me. I'd worked in a daycare from the age of fifteen until I left in college to study abroad, and I'm currently a teacher. All of those extra years just gave me more experience. I was confident. Not to mention, it gave me time to launch my writing career. Looking back on it, I'd have never been able to afford the fertility treatments or hospital bills on my teacher's salary alone, so I got both a baby and a way to monetize a beloved hobby of mine to afford said baby.
Fast foward to pregnancy where I would spend hours just staring off into space daydreaming about the little one, perfecting that baby registry I'd been adding to for six years, and running through the to-do list to prepare for his arrival. All of this instead of writing like I'd sat down with the intent to do.
I told myself, "I'll make it up on my maternity leave. Babies sleep most of the time when they're first born, and with three months off from school, I'll have PLENTY of time to crank out a book.
Yeah. My fellow parents out there, I'll just pause for a second there for you to get out your laughter.
Anyway, now my baby is going on eight months old, and I finally feel like things are getting back into a groove again. Returning to school was a godsend because it forced me to focus and quit endlessly scrolling through my gallery of baby photos or napping.
I do miss the napping though.
So, I got the second book penned during my lunches--because my attention was shot by the time I got hom with the baby--and my editor, bless her heart, sqeueezed me in somehow even though she was book through to the middle of July. I got an email with the edited copy YeStErDaY!!!
So, I plan to release at the beginning of July instead of the end of August. I'll be sending out sneak peeks for the book soon and doing a cover reveal and preorder link for the third book, currently in the works!!
Anyway, preorder your copy of Baptism by Fire today, due to be released July 1.
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