I haven’t posted on my website for a while because to be honest, 2018 was a difficult year for me. During the past few months, I just haven’t been up to projecting the image of a content and productive writer. Because I didn’t feel like one.
Without going into detail, the main thing that sent me off the rails was my mom’s health. Don’t get me wrong here, what I went through was nothing compared to what my mom and her husband endured. But my mom is my rock. She’s ALWAYS been the one I turn to for support, especially since losing my dad and both my in-laws. It was very hard to have her turn to me for support and even more difficult to watch her go through treatment.
Treatment that turned my strong, nurturing mom into someone who could not look after herself.
Treatment that saved her life.
I’m happy to say that she is on the road to recovery. She fought hard and was, as ALWAYS, a role model for how to cope when life sends you in a direction you didn’t plan – or want – to take.
While I was away from my husband and kids caring for my mom, I continued to write. But when I got home I found myself staring at a blank page. Or worse, making a mess of my work-in-progress.
Even though I knew she was receiving good care from my sister and step-dad, being away from my mom when she was still receiving treatment was way harder than being there to help. And I just couldn’t concentrate. The only time my brain seemed to work well was at three o-clock in the morning.
At the same time, I was getting schooled on how much the market for children’s literature is changing. I’m still processing some of this but I will say that I understand why it needs to evolve. And I accept that this may be a time when other people’s voices need to be louder than my own.
From this, I took a lesson from my mom. My writing path was not going in the direction I’d hoped so I chose to follow another sign post. This one from a friend who suggested I try writing nonfiction for kids, using my background in genetic counselling as an anchor.
So I’m updating my website at the start of 2019 to project my true image of a struggling but determined writer. I know I’m not alone in assuming that everyone’s life is flowing like lava because it’s the good stuff that gets posted and shared. I will have good news about a book deal in the next few weeks. But until then, this is me starting 2019 on a new and open road. I hope to see you along the way!