Writing Addiction
Greetings Liz fans, followers, stalkers, creepers and lurkers.
I'm pondering a sober topic today as I wend my way through the final novel of the Stewart Realty series. Besides the fact that I am giving this series a fairly firm ending as least as relates to the Original Couple (Jack and Sara) I am also working through a very difficult topic: addiction.
Addicts come in all forms. Their substance of choice in many formats. In some cases, addicted people are among the most charming and compelling you will meet. You love them. You hate them. You try to like them. If you are actually related to them it's even more challenging.
Their compulsions and personality traits my seem exciting. They may appear to be "just" popular, or "simply" the life of the party, or even "fun" thrill-seekers. Never still, always looking for the next event or opportunity.
For many of us authors who also have day jobs that are not, erm, "authoring," it may feel like we too are addicted to our craft. We harbor many of the secret cravings for the keyboard or pen and paper common to addicts of other types. There is a certain "sneaking around" element to what we do, at least for me as I literally lug my laptop with me everywhere I go and will pop it open and glance around while waiting for my kid to finish soccer practice, or in between brewery meetings and obligations, just to get in my word "fix."
I stay up late, get up early and find time to feed my muse's demands every chance I get. But sometimes am looked at by family members as if I'm neglecting them, as though I put the importance of my addiction ahead of their needs.
If you have ever known or lived with an addict of any sort, you get this concept. My cycles of productivity at other things ebb and flow, wax and wane depending on how often or how successfully I get my fix.
NOTE: this is in no way meant to downplay the horror of actual substance addiction. I lived with one in my family. I know. Please spare me your righteous indignation if you feel I am "downplaying" it. I am most certainly not.
That said, the fact that in Good Faith I am chronicling how addictive behavior in one family member can ruin so many lives is draining me a little. This is the story I want told, and I will tell it. It will resolve itself in a way that anyone who continues to live with an addict (because they are ALWAYS addicts no matter where they are in their stages of recovery) will be able to understand and value.
Brandis Gordon is the beloved son of Jack and Sara. He is smart, driven, handsome, athletic (he even ends up as a division one college football quarterback). He is beloved by many and intimidates more than a few people. His final downward spiral is happening right now, and it hurts. Anytime you harm one of the characters you love it is painful. When you force him to hurt himself, and the ones who love him the most over and over again, it's even worse. Don't worry though. Good Faith will not be all dark and gloomy. There is plenty in there for all my amazing and loyal fans of this series: tons of typical Jack moments with his family and his friends. But his final struggle to help and then give up on his own son is something that he WILL experience. I may lose some folks through this final journey but hopefully I will gain a few more.
And to tide you over, the Jack Gordon FREE novella back story: HOUSE RULES will be available in June. This is a short book but packed with powerful emotion, heat and tons of motivation for Our Favorite Stewart Realtor/soccer club founder/politician (yeah I said that). The cover reveal plus a free chapter will be on May 16 at the You Gotta Read blog. It's a fairly simple cover, but one I think says it all about Jack in his younger days.
Keep reading! And stay in touch. I have a fun fan group on Facebook where there are FREEBIES galore including a bunch of "deleted scenes" from the Stewart Realty series, and exclusive excerpts from the upcoming side series, the Black Jack Gentlemen! Can't wait for you kids to get your hands on those books.
And now, I have 45 minute before my first meeting. Gotta go write!
cheers
Liz
I'm pondering a sober topic today as I wend my way through the final novel of the Stewart Realty series. Besides the fact that I am giving this series a fairly firm ending as least as relates to the Original Couple (Jack and Sara) I am also working through a very difficult topic: addiction.
Addicts come in all forms. Their substance of choice in many formats. In some cases, addicted people are among the most charming and compelling you will meet. You love them. You hate them. You try to like them. If you are actually related to them it's even more challenging.
Their compulsions and personality traits my seem exciting. They may appear to be "just" popular, or "simply" the life of the party, or even "fun" thrill-seekers. Never still, always looking for the next event or opportunity.
For many of us authors who also have day jobs that are not, erm, "authoring," it may feel like we too are addicted to our craft. We harbor many of the secret cravings for the keyboard or pen and paper common to addicts of other types. There is a certain "sneaking around" element to what we do, at least for me as I literally lug my laptop with me everywhere I go and will pop it open and glance around while waiting for my kid to finish soccer practice, or in between brewery meetings and obligations, just to get in my word "fix."
I stay up late, get up early and find time to feed my muse's demands every chance I get. But sometimes am looked at by family members as if I'm neglecting them, as though I put the importance of my addiction ahead of their needs.
If you have ever known or lived with an addict of any sort, you get this concept. My cycles of productivity at other things ebb and flow, wax and wane depending on how often or how successfully I get my fix.
NOTE: this is in no way meant to downplay the horror of actual substance addiction. I lived with one in my family. I know. Please spare me your righteous indignation if you feel I am "downplaying" it. I am most certainly not.
That said, the fact that in Good Faith I am chronicling how addictive behavior in one family member can ruin so many lives is draining me a little. This is the story I want told, and I will tell it. It will resolve itself in a way that anyone who continues to live with an addict (because they are ALWAYS addicts no matter where they are in their stages of recovery) will be able to understand and value.
Brandis Gordon is the beloved son of Jack and Sara. He is smart, driven, handsome, athletic (he even ends up as a division one college football quarterback). He is beloved by many and intimidates more than a few people. His final downward spiral is happening right now, and it hurts. Anytime you harm one of the characters you love it is painful. When you force him to hurt himself, and the ones who love him the most over and over again, it's even worse. Don't worry though. Good Faith will not be all dark and gloomy. There is plenty in there for all my amazing and loyal fans of this series: tons of typical Jack moments with his family and his friends. But his final struggle to help and then give up on his own son is something that he WILL experience. I may lose some folks through this final journey but hopefully I will gain a few more.
And to tide you over, the Jack Gordon FREE novella back story: HOUSE RULES will be available in June. This is a short book but packed with powerful emotion, heat and tons of motivation for Our Favorite Stewart Realtor/soccer club founder/politician (yeah I said that). The cover reveal plus a free chapter will be on May 16 at the You Gotta Read blog. It's a fairly simple cover, but one I think says it all about Jack in his younger days.
Keep reading! And stay in touch. I have a fun fan group on Facebook where there are FREEBIES galore including a bunch of "deleted scenes" from the Stewart Realty series, and exclusive excerpts from the upcoming side series, the Black Jack Gentlemen! Can't wait for you kids to get your hands on those books.
And now, I have 45 minute before my first meeting. Gotta go write!
cheers
Liz
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