Keep busy

Wow. Something got into me yesterday. I spent nearly eight hours writing my book. Eight hours! That’s like working at a “real” job. I am so close to being done. There are still some inconsistencies in the story that need fixing but the whole story is complete now.

You could say I’m on my third draft. I need to do some editing, have a professional editor look at it, come up with good cover art, and market it through Amazon. I took way longer than needed to write this thing but then again it was my first book and I was learning as I went along.

Now this isn’t going to be one of those classics you were forced to read in high school. It’s no Hemingway. I’m a long way from writing anything brilliant, but I think it is entertaining enough.

I may not make much money on this one but it has served to give me a better feel about how to write a book. It’s a small one – only around 22,000 words. I was shooting for 50,000 but the story didn’t seem to need it.

Anyway, point is, I am pursuing a dream I’ve had most of my life but didn’t take it on because I had other commitments. I retired early because of health reasons so now I have the time and the gumption to actually write.

That’s not quite true. I did do some writing back then. I wrote a weekly column for our local paper and did some news releases and ad copy. But I never took on something as hefty as a book.

What do you want to do with the remainder of your life? Even though Leuk is in your life now, do you still have things you’d like to accomplish?

In the past I have had depression issues but that was years ago. I find that focusing on a goal, being involved in life in some way, keeps me well away from the rabbit hole.

So I hope you keep busy too. Maybe you cook, or read, or write poems, or play drums, or color in one of those cool adult coloring books. It doesn’t matter what you do just do something. Don’t let Leuk take center stage because that’s exactly where he wants to be. It’s up to you to put him in his place.

Godspeed