Lessons in Quarantine

 Okay, y'all. I know I've really - reeeeeally - fallen off the blog wagon. There are a multitude of reasons why. One, I genuinely spaced on even having a blog. I know that sounds insane, but it's the truth. I completely forgot about my blog's existence. I know that doesn't sound very good, but if anything, honesty is key.

Two, I've been quarantined since mid-March. See, if I catch this lovely coronavirus, I'm pretty much guaranteed to die (yay, terrible lungs!), so I've been under strict orders to stay the heck at home. Sounds great, I'm sure, but it's been a complete life change for me. I can't go into work to get mail, file paperwork, etc - my husband has to do that for me. I've had to convert my job into a remote position. I've basically been in a weird fight or flight response for the last 6 months. My quarantine has also been extended until - bare minimum - March 2021. A whole year stuck at home.

Three, I've also written and published my second book in my Abernathy series! I worked really hard on it and it was released Labor Day weekend. It's available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, so please feel free to get your copy today! In book 2, Heir Apparent, the town matriarch - Mrs. Abernathy - has been murdered in her own home and it's up to Ali and Jerry to find the murderer. Unfortunately, family secrets are at stake and the family isn't exactly forthcoming. Everyone has secrets, obviously, and secrets aren't secrets if everyone knows about them.

Quarantine has treated a lot of writers differently. Some people have flourished under the lockdowns and limited social gatherings. They've been able to wrangle the time to push out work on their books or art. Other people have completely shut down, their creative processes coming to a halt under the pressure they've been under. And then there are people like me, who've had a mixture of both. My writer's block has definitely been worse - last longer and requiring more forethought - but I've also written and published a book in six months, so obviously I figured stuff out in the end.

So, no matter where on the quarantine creativity scale you find yourself, it doesn't matter in the end. As long as you keep at it and do your best, you shouldn't feel pressure to finish things on the same timeline as you would pre-COVID-19. Things are more challenging and stressful. Things aren't normal and it's okay if that means you're not writing with the same intensity or progress as you were. As long as you try and you keep at it, that's what's important.

I really hope my readers have been well. I really hope everyone's been taking care of themselves. And I'm sorry for falling off the blogging wagon and shirking a responsibility. I'll be more mindful.