February Recap/March Look-Ahead

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Good morning! So, now that things have finally calmed down a bit and my life makes more sense, I can focus on mundane stuff like monthly recap blog posts.

As most of you are probably aware, my February was a rather intense mix of pain, suffering, struggling, despair, and a little bit of hope.

Okay, yes, I’m dramatizing, somewhat. But there were a lot of issues of valid concern that came to a head last month. Since this past summer, I’d been dealing with unexplained pain that came and went, and eventually it became constant and was growing worse. After seeing three different doctors — a primary care physician, two radiologists, and an OBGYN — finally a cause was suspected, and actual treatment planned out.

So on March 1st, I went under the knife (well, the laser and a very small actual knife — my incision is tiny, it’s amazing) to find out what was really going on. The bloodwork and ultrasounds I’d had ruled out a few things, but still hadn’t concretely established what was wrong, so the doctor needed to get a physical eye on my insides. It wasn’t terrible, it wasn’t great, but the anesthesia worked well, so I honestly don’t remember being in any discomfort during the procedure.

Afterwards, although sore, I started feeling better almost immediately. The blockage that had been created in my abdomen by endometriosis building up for probably months was at last gone. For the first time in ages, I am not in pain. I’m still a little tired (understandably), but I know that finally, finally I am on the road to healing.

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Because of doctor’s appointments and managing pain, not a lot of other stuff was accomplished in February. I was able to make some progress on Volume 3 (so, yes, it is coming along!), and I got a fair amount of reading done (especially at those times when I literally didn’t have the energy to do anything else).

While I was lying down more than usual, I did make some executive writing decisions.

My initial plan for How To Be A Savage is getting put on MASSIVE hold. Although I really like the concept, I simply don’t have the time this year to attempt starting it. I may actually scrap it altogether. After Volume 3, there’s Volume 4 to finish, and the field guide needs a bunch of work, and I promised White Fang we’d get started on our collaboration project this summer. And since it’s already March…

Also, I changed my mind about not writing a separate prequel for the series. Originally, I had considered it, thought about releasing it as a collection of short stories, debated making it part of the field guide, then basically had a meltdown over the whole idea. In the end, I opted to add a novella prequel to my ever-growing list of WIPs. Just, most likely not in 2018.

And I am not putting another addition on my TBR for the rest of the year. I have several library selections checked out right now, and there are such things as renewal limits, and fines. Somehow I’ve managed to get nearly halfway through my Goodreads challenge already, so there’s no shame whatsoever in slowing down.

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When you have a dilemmia with your health, it tends to put certain things in perspective. That has definitely been the case for me. As concerned as I am about promoting my books, because while sales aren’t everything, they are important, marketing is not more crucial than my well-being. So, since I need to take a break from the social media grind and concentrate on the actual creative process right now, I will be doing that, and leaving my sales in the Lord’s hands (which, truly, is where they always are, anyway).

My immediate treatment will hopefully only be medication, and they’re going to see how that goes. But there may still be an adjustment period to that, and plans may not work out. I’m optimistic, yet I remain practical and prepared for things to change, too.

My boys need me as well, and these last few weeks, worrying about how they’d fare if something serious happened to me, has been agonizing.

So, I officially don’t care about having an Instagram account, starting a YouTube channel, or putting together a newsletter. I’m grateful to have the loyal supporters I do on WordPress, Twitter and Goodreads, and won’t freak out if those numbers only climb slowly. Now is not the time to put myself under more pressure.

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Winter is hanging on, but now spring isn’t too far away, and I’m happy to have made it through this season.

I’m looking forward to what comes next, small potatoes and all.

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