Writing The Lines We Draw: Crafting Kyson and Livie's Story with Real-Life Inspiration
When I started writing The Lines We Draw, the second book in the Grand Mesa Men series, I knew it would be deeply personal. This story, centered around Kyson and Livie, is full of themes that resonate with me—love, loss, and the incredible bond between people and animals.
What I’ve Learned (the Hard Way) in 5 Years as an Indie Author
As I approach the 5th anniversary of publishing my debut novel, Soul Jumper, I’ve been reflecting on the journey so far. Being an indie author has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, but it’s also been a steep learning curve. For every success, there have been a few missteps, and I want to share what I’ve learned in the hopes it helps others navigate this crazy, chaotic, and creative path.
Balancing Motherhood and Writing: Crafting My New Series and Sharing Some Helpful Tips
Navigating the complexities of indie publishing while being a mom to two wonderful young children has taught me a few tricks on managing time and creativity effectively. Today, I want to share some of these insights, hoping they might help those of you embarking on your first writing project, or anyone looking for a nudge to balance writing with parenting.
My 2023 Goals
I’m writing this in August, so keep that in mind. I’ve got some big goals to fulfill in four short months. My main goal and priority is getting the Grand Mesa Men series published. I'd honestly be thrilled to have this series out by January 2024 so that's what I'm aiming for. The Grand Mesa Men series has been a long time coming. I am so in love with Jesse and his sons and the female leads in this series are some of my favorite women I’ve ever written.
Writing Postpartum
Taking a planned break while still focusing on how/when to best move forward is completely different than dropping everything with no intention of pulling yourself out of that dark hole. For me it wasn’t just being busy with my son and a new baby. It was the inability to write. It was my lack of inspiration and will. I didn’t want to. During that time, my love of writing was hibernating. Those of you that have had children may know what I mean when I say one day I “woke up” and the year before felt like a dream.
Things I Love to have while Writing
I can write in almost any environment. I’ve gotten used to having to write with noise because I have two young children. I write a lot on the road because my husband and I take frequent road trips. I’ve trained myself to be able to tune out everything around me and write. Right now my son is watching a National Geographic show on sharks and I’m standing at my kitchen counter writing this. The fact that I am a person who doesn’t need quiet to write has helped me tremendously. Even though I don’t need peace and quiet, there are a few other things I really enjoy having when I write.
What I’ve Learned (So far)
The absolute biggest lesson I've learned so far on this journey is that you have to go at your own pace. It's so easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to others, and it will drive you nuts.
My writing journey as a wife, as a mother of two, as a person with a full-time job, as a person running a home with 45 animals, is going to look different than someone who is single, someone without kids, someone who is already a full-time author, and so on.
That's okay.