Author Update

#PitMad and Pirates and Portuguese, oh my! 😱

I like to stick to about a post or two a week, but I’ve been busy lately! I figured today is a good day to post a little update about how things are going in my little writer world. Exciting things are happening!

First of all, I can understand how writing really is a full-time job if you can make it one. And I haven’t even published a book yet. While I hated to lose my job because of the pandemic, I also wasn’t happy with it. A blessing in disguise, it has allowed me the massive amounts of time to focus on my writing and I couldn’t be more pleased with that aspect. I spend every day writing like it’s my job because that’s what I want it to become.

My routine starts in the morning. First I drink the coffee, then I do the things. I check the news and my email, then I refresh all the open tabs on my laptop to see if any jobs have been posted. If so, I’ll apply for the appropriate ones. (I do still need to make a living if I can). Usually, there’s nothing to apply for, so I continue on with the more exciting parts of my day.

I have five works-in-progress right now. That’s right, FIVE. It’s kind of crazy! But I love it. It keeps my creative juices flowing at all times, just the way I like it. One of them is quite far back on the shelf, and that’s ok. It’s not a genre I typically write in, but it’s something that I want to get out into the world at some point because it’s important to me.

But right now, in addition to Well-Hidden Secrets being queried, I have book two on the go, The Whispering Bones, which is halfway done. I have a psychological/domestic thriller on the go, which I’m REALLY excited about, and it’s also halfway done. I have a MG/YA (haven’t decided yet, it’s still early) fantasy in the works – something my kids can read and get excited about, and be proud of their mom for. 😊

And one of the most complex, most exciting projects I’ve ever put my heart and soul into is a new Trilogy I’m embarking on. All it took was reading 1/4 of an article about 300-yr-old pirate bones being found on the ocean floor in a shipwreck and wanting to test the DNA against known descendants of said pirate. That’s it. I didn’t even finish the article before I had an idea for a new book. It snowballed into a brilliant story and then, a trilogy was born! I’m SO EXCITED to get this written!

In the meantime, I know that there is a LOT of research to be done, and I love the research part just as much as I love the writing. Not only do I get to research pirates (and more specifically, one in particular, including his rumoured love interest), I also get to research pirate ship wrecks, all the different things that are done when a wreck is found and artifacts are recovered, an ancient Poet from the 1500s, Portugal’s history and geography, and what it means to be a Philologist! On top of that, I’ve decided to brush up on my Portuguese skills!

As if I needed any more to keep me busy, I also occasionally submit short stories and flash fiction to various contests and literary magazines for publication consideration. AND I am a critique partner to a few fellow authors. AND I am always online to interact with my followers and fellow authors because I like to connect and share and let people know I’m a real person. (You can catch me on Twitter @kfoxx_writes, and on IG, Pinterest and FB @kathleenfoxx_writes)

And somewhere in there, I manage to find time to read for pleasure! (I’ve read 5/26 books on my Goodreads goal so far – I kept it to a minimum because I know it’s going to be a busy year but I’m hoping to read a lot more than that!)

So, because I’ve got so much on the go, one might wonder how I divide my time among all.of.the.things.

It’s simple, really. I work on whatever I feel like working on at the time.

That’s right, folks. I don’t have a schedule to follow. Of course I keep my deadlines in mind, both self-imposed and submission guideline-i,mposed. And I keep everything organized in my nice, neat, pink vegan leather day timer. But for the most part, I’m fairly flexible. I know what I need to get done, and I know what my heart wants to work on, so I follow it. I keep all my notes and ideas and Portuguese lessons in my spiral-bound Hilroy notebooks. I highlight and use coloured fine-tip Sharpies to make things stand out. But there is typically no division of ALL of the things in any one day. I work on things I know I need to get done, and then I work on things I want to get done. (It’s super great when those things are one in the same.) 😂

There is one exception: a small part of every day includes my Portuguese lessons on Duolingo.

Right now, I’m making a few revisions to WHS in preparation for the #PitMad twitter pitch event coming up on March 4, writing my domestic thriller, and doing loads of research on my pirate/poet action/adventure trilogy. I generally read for pleasure in the evenings after I feel done writing. (My TBR list is toppling so I do try to read a lot. Besides, there are so many great authors with so many great books! I just want to read ALL.THE.BOOKS!)

Doing all this stuff keeps my mind active. It keeps me busy. And most importantly, it makes me happy. Staying occupied during the pandemic is paramount to keeping my head above the water. Doing things that make me happy every day makes the time enjoyable and go by faster. While time flying by isn’t always a good thing, it is when I’m stuck at home without work because of various stages of lockdowns and restrictions. I can honestly say that the pandemic has had a lot to do with me finally deciding to do what I’ve always wanted to do, which is to write to my heart’s content and get it out into the world. This process has been exciting and nerve-wracking so far, and I can’t wait to keep going and see where this takes me.

I hope you’ll join me on my journey and follow along for updates. There’s always so much happening! If any you can relate to any of this, click the like button below and leave me a comment. I love to interact with my followers! 😊