Insomnia

Sometimes it sucks not being able to sleep, but other times it's when I get all my best story ideas.

I usually have to keep a spiral notebook handy, so I can jot down anything I think of. When I get up the next morning I have to try and make sense of all my notes. Sometimes it isn't always possible. Other times I'm thinking I'm the most brilliant person in the world. Until I realise how many WIPS I already have in the works and then grumble a bit and type up the notes and put them safely away in my back-burner file.

The weird thing is the longer I go without sleep the less tired I seem to be. And the more intricate my story ideas become. Hence the reason I have been keeping better records of all my characters. Keeping track of all the important things in the stories. 

The bad thing about insomnia is, eventually I'm going to have to crash. And when I do, it's going to be ugly. I'll end up with the mother of all headaches. Damn, I'm really not looking forward to this, but as a famous bushranger (Ned Kelly) once said━such  is life.

Getting older sucks.

Life is catching up with me, and I think my poor old body is shutting down on me. I'll be turning 51 in 47 days. But I have promised myself that I'm only allowing myself to down and out for the rest of 2019... Once 2020 starts, I have to be on my A-game again.

I'm going to be far too busy to get worn out again. Well hopefully I'll take better care of myself and I won't get run down again. I've been out of it for so long, I'm just grateful I have the energy and need to write again.

Let's make a deal. If I start to slack off. you can let me know and I'll up my game and get back on track... and I'll promise to give regular updates on what's going on... both in my writing and my health.

I have to believe 2020 is going to be a better year, it's gotta be better than the year just gone. I think there will be a lot of people out there who are hoping for the very same thing.

Looking into the future

Okay, so maybe it's just the future inside my head or cleaning up the clutter in there. Since being sick, the abundance of new story ideas has multiplied. I really think Vlad is trying to lead me down the garden path where they are concerned and hiding the series I should be busy working on. He thinks he's hilarious when he does crap like that to me.

This year I meant to finish two more stories:

• The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You
• Wardens of the Guild 3: Heartstrings

The next couple of weeks will be telling of how much I can catch up as I think I actually have 87, 474 words left to write. If I crackdown I could probably still make it I'd at least 5.4K a day until the end of the month. That's with taking Christmas day off to spend with family. I think I'll give it a shot. If I don't make it then I'll let you know on December 31st and tell you how much time I'll need to play catch up next year. Because I'm due to start edits on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses soon.

Happy Birthday, Max.

Leigh 'Max' Walker

Happy birthday you old fart.

I hope the kids spoil you rotten.

I can't believe it━where did it go?

I can't believe how fast this year has flown by in the blink of an eye. It seems like only yesterday we were all telling each other Merry Christmas/ Happy Hanukkah/ Seasons Greetings (however you want to say it) & Happy New Year, and here it rolling around again... 

Q> Where the hell did the year go, and how did I miss so much of it?

It's like I only woke up and it was already November. I'm not happy about it. I know it's my own damn fault. I know I was sick at the beginning of the year.

Q> But what the hell was my excuse for somehow missing the whole middle of the year?

I can't even seem to recall what was so damn interesting that it kept me so preoccupied and away from my computer. Hence the reason I need to sort out the schedule for next year.

Wish me luck━I'm going to need it.

Beautiful according to me

Again I haven't got a clue who these people are, but to me, they just have something about them that makes me sit up and take notice... Enjoy!

I liked his beard.

I thought she'd make a great wolf or a vampire.

I thought they would make great characters.

I thought she'd make a great demon or wolf.

I think this would make a great scene━Who are they?

I just love her hair.

Who doesn't want to hear his story?

I've always loved this one.

Today I am...

Today, even though I'd much rather be staying at home. I'm braving the shopping malls to pay some of my Christmas layby's━ all stuff for my granddaughter... but she's worth it. Thank the be-all and end-all there is only one or it would have cost me a small fortune. Next year I'll be better prepared I think. I'm going to try and buy my presents throughout the year so it's not all a rush at the end. Aside from baby dolls, my granddaughter is tomboy through and through. 

I have a freaking major headache today━but what else is new with me. I always seem to have a damn headache lately. The best thing I can say is, at least it isn' a damn migraine. I'm feeling much better than I was, but I'm not 100% yet.  I still can't seem to shake my cough, and It's driving me nuts. My throat and ears are so irritated from coughing. Mum is in the same boat, but at least she is also on the mend.

Today I am also doing my grocery shop for the fortnight. Picking up all the things we've run out of. I have my trusty shopping list on hand so I only buy what we need. Or else I'd buy a ton of stuff that would end up getting thrown out before it got used. Though I do need to stock up on cookie making stuff to make Grace and Elliot's Christmas biscuits. And this year I'm making my brother some herbed butter (not for Christmas) he grew the herbs. It's just something I saw on a cooking show and thought I'd give it a try.