People respond differently to a global pandemic and the ensuing social isolation, quarantine, hoarding, etc. that have become a part of life. The introverts of the world rejoice that they can stay home in peace. The work-from-homers shrug their shoulders and carry on as usual. People with children—from what I’ve heard—are thrust into a new reality where they’re trying to do everything at once.
Us extroverts? We’re bouncing off the walls. Some clean. Others start new hobbies, or pick up long-abandoned interests. Others plan virtual happy hours and game nights and whatever they can to keep up their social interaction, even if it’s online.
Me? I finished writing a novel.
My TENTH novel!
I can’t fully give credit to social isolation. I’ve been closing in on ‘the end’ for several weeks so all it took was me continuing to write in the morning, as is my normal schedule. But as we can attest, these past few weeks have been anything but normal. And as my fellow creatives will agree, the stress and anxiety and uncertainty that have seeped into our lives has made it difficult to be creative. To tap into that part of our brain that can’t be bothered with what’s happening in the real world.
There’s been a lot of conversations on Twitter about how contemporary books from here on out will look differently. That there’s now a NEW BC and AC. (I literally just made that up and I mean no offense to Christians.) That it will be hard to ignore this new reality, even in fiction.
Fortunately my book is set in 2017 during the solar eclipse. 🙂
Another thing a lot of authors have been doing is making their books free. I haven’t done that, but to celebrate finishing this draft, I’d like to give away five copies of any of my ebooks. There will be five winners total, and you each get to choose one of my six novels. You can check them out here.
To enter, leave a comment HERE ON MY BLOG. Comments elsewhere, while lovely, won’t count. One entry per person. I’ll announce the winners Friday at noon EST so you can start reading this weekend. Which means you have until 11:59am EST to leave a comment on this post.
Now please wash your hands and stay away from people.
Good morning. I appreciate your positivity DC.
Thank you!
Thank you for giving back as always and sharing with one of your readers. I need to read your books and should have already been reading them. congrats on your publishing success–10 books is amazing! Double digits!!
Thank you so much!! The first two will most likely never see the light of day but I have high hopes for the rest!
Happy Tuesday! I love how you can talk about what is going on in the world but in a way that doesn’t make my anxiety go through the roof! very strange times indeed 🙂
Oh I’m glad to hear that!
Congrats on finishing your 10th book!!!
I fall somewhere in the middle, in definitely an introvert (I feel bad for the ones stuck at home with their entire family and no time for themselves).
I have plans to deep clean the house (otherwise I’ll just sit the entire time in off and that is not a good thing for me).
I just struggle with motivating myself to get started. I really need to cut myself off from the internet for larger chunks of time. =)
Thanks for all you do!!
I FINALLY cleaned the floors tonight. I said I was going to do that the day I started working from home. So yeah… Good luck!
Happy Friday! You’ve nailed it. I work from home anyway but am used to running out to the store and to visit family/friends at will… So, I’ve done yardwork I don’t enjoy, rearranged furniture, dusted off the bike (used twice now) and pulled out my paint supplies. Luckily, we have a pool so it makes being “trapped” at home much more enjoyable. (Florida rocks!) I also love to read so, again, not awful to have quiet time. My advice to those who are frightened… watch limited news and MORE comedies. My nightly indulgence has been That 70’s Show. I’m on Season 3 of 8 on Netflix. Congrats on your 10th book! Watch out James Patterson, here she comes!
I’m glad you’re finding ways to cope. I’m at the point that I grab at anything anything that makes me happy.