Priorities. A completely random blog post
/If you’ve found yourself wondering why I’ve written 5 books with my co-writer as Mindy Michele since my last solo release, here is your answer…
What an evolution we go through.
Many moons ago, my focus and attention were on raising three little humans. When the youngest went off to kindergarten, I found myself at a loss with what to do with my time. At the suggestion of my supportive husband, it was
In short, storytelling became my thing as it had been before those three humans came along.
And now, ten years later, I find my focus shifting back to those humans as they dare to grow up. The oldest is a college grad, the middle a senior with a grand plan of moving abroad in the next few years, and the youngest is sixteen. I have three years left as a mom of ‘kids,’ and I have found my focus exists for them.
To soak up every ounce and every minute before they run off and create worlds of their own.
So forgive me if I disappear now and again. I’m still here, I’m still writing, I’m just putting my family first.
Co-writing is infinitely easier than writing solo. Mindy and I are so in sync that we finish each other’s sentences with little thought, making the process quick and (relatively) painless. This means when I step away from my laptop for personal things, I know my story is still being worked on by my other half. And Mindy, as a mother of a young toddler, has the same guarantee. Sharing these stories gives us a life balance we don’t have when writing solo.
We’re obsessive creatives by nature, so knowing there will be new words and directions to take our characters when we reopen the document rather than them sitting stagnant keeps us motivated.
The book world is fast-paced. It’s easy to beat ourselves over not keeping up with the authors cranking out releases and marketing their tails off. Maybe I’ll find the will to hustle when the season of parenting comes to an end…
But today, this is me telling me it is okay to step back.
*Don’t worry, I’m still writing solo and always dreaming up ideas. It just might not come as fast as we’d all like. One thing I’ve been struggling with is the direction I want to take my brand. Mindy Michele’s signature is '“sweet sexy drama” and “Hallmark with a kick.” Moving forward, my solo writing is definitely going to be my spicier outlet, but will I lean into more suspense, stick to sports-related themes, or dip my toes back into paranormal and fantasy? It might seem silly to obsess over these decisions, but they’re important in the grand scheme of a career.
And as always, THANK YOU to those of you who stick by my side supporting me no matter what. The best part of the last ten years has been YOU! XOXO ~M
