Sunday, December 2, 2012

A day late and a dollar short...again! Argh!

I'm a full time writer with limited obligations outside the home...so why is it I still can't seem to get everything done? I missed my blog here yesterday, and, Internet wide, I only blog two or three times a month.*Head desk*

Right now, my roomba is vacuuming the living room. That should free me up to do even more. I require a certain word count to make sure I'm doing "my job." (1,000 words per day Mon through Fri) and yet this weekend, I'm playing catch-up. Yes, I'm working on Sat and Sun this week. I haven't opened my WIP yet and it's already 10:20. What kind of employer would put up with that kind of slackerish behavior? I should fire myself!



WTF, Ash? Ohhhhh, yeah. It's the holidays.

I have very few people to shop for since my in-laws decided to go all Secret Santa. You'd think that would free up even more time, but noooo... I see a small bubble of time and decided, "I'll make gifts for my entire street team!" In other words, I bring this shit on myself. *sigh*

Blogging is no different. I hear people both praise and curse blogs. I have a love-hate relationship with them too. On the one hand, it's nice to be able to get an entire thought out there without worrying about somebody interrupting to say, "Oh, hey...that reminds me. Would you consider..." Ack! I probably will consider whatever the request, and there goes more me time.

Now, it's twitter. (Ash crosses arms and pouts.) I have a big, fat new series release in April, so I need to build my Twitter followers NOW. I was recently told what I needed to do and I've been doing it. What a pain. I'm probably not doing it right. What else is new? Ahhhh, yes. Jenni.

My new assistant Jenni was hired to help me with this madness. I hope I don't overwhelm her like I must have done with my old assistant. Now I only hear from Shelly when it's to "like" the posts where I dump another assignment on poor Jenni. I picture her spitting raspberries on her monitor and gleefully chanting, "Neener, neener, neener..."

So, okay. I struck my keyboard for a few minutes and have some words to post on the blog. They're not pretty or particularly coherent, but Hell, what do you want from me? I'm completely at my wit's end. Reminding me, I'd better get into that WIP while I'm still feeling snarky, so I can let my characters blow off steam for me.

I'm excusing everyone from leaving comments today. This is probably happening to you too. Just take a deep breath and send a kind thought in my direction.






 

14 comments:

Wynter said...

Oh, can I relate! Somehow I am way busier than when I worked a desk job and managed to write!

Unknown said...

I hear you loud and clear. I have dreams of sitting all day at the keyboard, knocking a book off every month. But life keeps bitch-slapping me. I have no idea how the other authors do it.

Hot Ash Romance Novels said...

Me neither, Victoria. I've always been in awe of authors who are wives and moms with outside jobs.

How the heck do they do it?

Sherry said...

Ok, this is my answer to EVERYONE...NO gifts please.. My gift would be for you to get yourself a gift certificate to a day at the spa...I know you love me...Just tell me how much you enjoyed your gift to ME.. Talk about taking the pressure off...

I love you, Ash

Hot Ash Romance Novels said...

Thanks, Sherry. I love you too! Everyone should have a Sherry. The world would be a better place.

Em Epe said...

Just remember, Your presence is your present:) Simply by giving of your time, even in a blog or a personal email is a spectacular gift! Even more so is the heart you put in your books. Don't forget to gift yourself with your presence! LOL Happy Holidays!

Jina Bacarr said...

I always enjoy your posts, Ashlyn, and your fun and witty words. Take heart, we're all in the same crazy frenzy.

I just followed you on Twitter...

Maggie Nash said...

Very weird. I left a comment an hour ago and it's disappeared!

Anyway, I know what you're saying Ash. It happens to me too....but during the holidays, it's different. We're all a little crazy!

Mai said...

LOL too funny, I love my author friends, you guys give us gifts year round :-)

Thia said...

See, here you have so much support that I feel relatively no shame in.saying such things as... its okay, if Jenni burns out you can hire me. I dare you to TRY to overwhelm me... and... dangit, now I've got to get back on Twitter, wt-hey Ash!? And seriously, what's with the slacking? Don't you know you have stalkers for a reason?? Let's put things in perspective and get that snarky wit on paper! Now as for you time, all I can say to that is there is absolutely no excuse to go burning yourself out. And you can't fire yourself, besides the horrible stinky mess you leave behind you aren't really your own boss...your readers and characters are your bosses, you're more middle management...and if you let yourself burn out or try to quit you'd best watch out because if the voices in your head don't drive you back to writing the terribly obsessively adoring readers and friends will and do you really want to see what we're capable of? No, you do not.


Now, let's be honest. You excused us from comments so you could have less to do and now you're reading all this from someone who rarely interacts, laboriously typed out from her phone, miles away from you, so didn't get you out of work at all. (Evil laugh) Forget those Christmas presents. Send me addresses and I will personally handwrite a Christmas card to everyone on your street team, your friends, your family, your professional contacts, and everyone else you could possibly think of but YOU my dear are depriving me of enjoying your finished works so BACK TO THE GRINDSTONE WITH YOU! Hear that whip crack? That's right, it writing time Woody. Oh dang. I'm modifying Disney quotes into threats. Quick woman, write! For the love of my sanity, write dear woman!!


;-)

Hot Ash Romance Novels said...

I saw that, Jina!
Thank you. I can't believe we weren't already following each other. Twitter doesn't make it easy (at least for me.)

Hot Ash Romance Novels said...

Wow, Thia!!

You're a real bad ass! LOL. I love women like you.

Okay...you're right. No comments = no need to check in. You saw right through me. But I'm glad no one listened. I'm addicted. Addicted to blog love, reader interaction, and the good parts of social media.

I do have a bunch of unfinished projects and there's loads to keep me busy after this deadline. That means loads of books coming in the future. I hope knowing that will appease my readers...somewhat.

Dalton Diaz said...

Could be worse. You could celebrate both, and Hannukah could be next week. Oh crap!
Repeat after me:
I love the holidays...
I love the holidays...
I love the holidays...

Hot Ash Romance Novels said...

I love the holidays,
I love the holidays,
I love the holidays.

I love my January vacation even more.