I've finally finished
Who Buries the Dead, the tenth book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series. This one has been giving me fits and is technically late in terms of its deadline, although since it won't be published until March 2015, it's actually early (the publishing world is weird). At any rate, it's FINISHED. So now I'm filing papers and cleaning up my office and my house and trying to do all those things I've put off for the last year, except there are so many of them I know I'm never going to get around to even a fraction of them.
And the worst part of it is, it's Christmas time. I haven't done any shopping, or bought a tree, or done any decorating. Much of that is due to the fact that I'm finding it hard to get into the spirit of what is normally one of my favorite times of the year; my older daughter is now living in San Antonio and my younger daughter has been spending that past two weeks in England for the wedding of her half sister. Add in the extent to which all these sick cats have consumed my life, and who has time for Christmas? Maybe this weekend...
18 comments:
Yeah, yeah!!!! I'm so happy for you (and the rest of us that will eventually get to read it). You have to explain the "part four" on the cover. I'm sorry you'll be missing your daughters. It is hard to get motivated when you know they aren't going to be around. Also, you must be exhausted!! This year Hanukkah came over Thanksgiving (and I had my friends babyshower at my house on the same weekend). I was a wreck but am now done and didn't even decorate for the season. My daughter has requested that on Christmas day we go eat Chinese and see a movie. We always laugh and say that is what Jews do, but we've always done something with my family (who celebrates Christmas). This year, everyone is gone or doing something else so we are at loose ends. It will quite the experience for us doing the stereotypical thing. So, I recommend to you - eat Chinese and see a movie. You deserve the rest. Sabena
Hooray for us! Can't wait until this march, and the next, and the next, and ...
Christmas totally creeped up on me too this year. Regretfully, it is now a bittersweet holiday for me -- my mother passed away last year around this time. So last year chaos and sadness reigned. This year I was proud about the fact I was handling it well, until I realized there is no tree, no decorations, and no presents at all yet! Funny how your mind plays tricks on you...
Congrats on finishing the book. Don't worry about Xmas. It's still early to put up a tree. We never even start to think about it until after the 15th. And I know how you feel about the kids. My two twenty-somethings are living at home and even that's not the same as when you have little people around.
Sabena, I've actually had Christmas dinner in Chinese restaurants more than I care to admit! When my kids were little and we were living in Australia away from all family, none of us liked the traditional foods anyway, so I figured, why not? But my younger daughter will be home in time for Christmas this year, so I feel that I need to make the effort for her sake. I did get my village up on my buffet tonight. It's a start.
Paz, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. My dad died on a Friday, December 13, so tomorrow is looming very large in my consciousness. Funny, it never occurred to me that it might be a part of my problem...
Liz, it doesn't help that I have to drive to Texas on Sunday! I've been babysitting my older daughter's cats while she was in England for the wedding, and I have to hand them back. I think we're going to meet halfway between New Orleans and San Antonio--much easier than making two 9-hour drives.
Candy, please...Please slow down and enjoy the season. Close the office door - all that stuff will be there the day after Christmas. Since the girls won't be home grab your husband and go out somewhere. One year we ordered our entire dinner from our favorite supermarket - it was delicious and no one cared a bit. Not many dishes to clean up either. I spent all my life in retailing - I think you can imagine how fond I was of the holidays. I retired a couple of years ago and I can't tell you how much nicer it is - time for friends and family and no cranky customers yammering at me. Sorry ...Did I say slow down? Do!!!! And have a wonderful Christmas.
Wait....I forgot to say "ooh! ooh!" I can hardly wait for March and more Sebastian!!!
Congratulations on finishing book 10! I agree with Imhess - just close the door physically and mentally on the writing for a couple of weeks. Which makes my next point: why are you worrying about Christmas already? It's still two weeks away, and you can get ready for it after the cat delivery. Your youngest will be back soon.
I don't envy you, driving even 4.5 hours with cats in the car. That would be looming larger for me than Christmas! Talking of which, I hope your kitties are OK over the next few weeks, and you can just have a good rest.
Imhess, thanks! I always have a hard time coming down off the pulsing drive it takes to finish a book. But I've given myself a lecture, basically telling myself it's fine not to do anything. As a result, I'm doing one thing at a time and finding I enjoy it so much that it inspires me to do something else. And since I now have no looming due date hanging over me, I realize I'm actually going to enjoy this Christmas more than I usually do (the books are usually due in February or March, which can make the season nerve wracking if I'm running behind, as I usually am). The yearly pre-Christmas Filing of the Papers and Cleaning of the Office is necessitated by the fact that the tree goes in my office--right where you see the weight bench in that photo. It's the price I pay for putting my office in what most other families would use as the family room (but having a 14x25 foot office makes it worth it). And my youngest will be home next week--thankfully she loves to cook (I hate to cook), so SHE will cook Christmas diner!
Helena, yes, I've decided not to even consider writing for the next couple of weeks (well, sort of; I am plotting out #11). And it will be a relief to hand over these cats half way; we drove them all the way to San Antonio last June and Loki, a little black manx who fits his name, howled almost the entire nine hours, despite having been drugged. I love cats, but!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lana and I enjoy a nice, stress free Christmas. No tree, no decorations, no shopping. we will eat pretty well and that's about it.
Congrats on finishing book #10 in the Sebastian series! With the new year just around the corner, us readers are starting 'to chomp at the bit' for Why Kings Confess...sigh. You were under so much pressure with the book deadline and all the kitty drama (classic case of burnout-no wonder)! From reading the start of your blog entry to your later comments, you are definitely on the mend, and on your way to enjoying the holidays, thank goodness! This reader was really worried for you! You can finally sit back, slow down, and enjoy-without any deadlines/timetables to meet. Also, it sounds like it would be good to get out of the house a bit, too (cabin fever?).
c- great news for you and us! I cant wait to read that as well. another amazing accomplishment. the new book (march) was a topic over thanksgiving. I hinted it would make an excellent xmas gift! lol. I am reading when maidens mourn right now. getting so psyched for When Kings Confess. and try to be kind to yourself (my mom's favorite saying). you are doing the best you can and that's all anybody can ask. Christmas will be there waiting for you. I put my tree up on Friday and didn't decorate till Sunday! I bought cards last week and haven't written one. And thank God for gift cards! good luck with all you have to do! Merry Merry best, ali
Love to hear about new Sebastian books. I have another long running series that I love that is coming to an end next year so it makes me happy to know that there will still be more of your books to come.
So you have a daughter in San Antonio? That's where I live! Does that mean that you're more likely to schedule book tour stops here? *grin*
And don't feel bad about being behind on the whole Christmas thing. I have four kids, ranging in ages from 16 to 4, and I haven't even started my shopping yet. The most important thing is that the people we love know how we feel.
Congratulations on finishing the next book!
Now kick off your shoes, grab a nice warm drink, wrap your arms around your kitties, and please enjoy yourself for a while. As JustWingingIt put it so well, the best part of the holidays is letting our loved ones (people and furry friends) know how much we love and respect them!
Charles, I never seem to miss the eating...
LOgalinOR, yes, I am much more relaxed, thanks. We went last night to get a tree and found that all the lots had folded their tents and slipped away! But thank goodness Whole Foods still had a few.
Thanks, Ali; I must confess I gave up on the cards a few years ago. I do like your mother's saying! Have a good holiday season.
JustWIngingIt, my daughter is a doctor in the Air Force in San Antonio. I was there in June, but I don't know how I can go any where as long as I'm dealing with all these sick cats. I really miss having small children at Christmas time; have fun!
Essex, I must admit I'll feel better once the tree gets up; we're waiting for my younger daughter, who will be home for good on Thursday night (well, she'll be here until the 27th, when she's off to Mexico).
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