How I found the time...

Many people have asked me how I was able to write a novel and raise a child at the same time. I figured now would be a good time to explain.

Being a stay at home mom is a full time job, no doubt about it. Writing a complete novel in three months is arguably a full time job as well. How did I do both? My simple answer is that I wrote during nap time.

I had many people tell me that, in order to combat sleep deprivation, I should take a nap when my baby takes a nap. I did at first, but as soon as he was sleeping through the night I stopped. The naps seemed to make me more sluggish and less focused.

When I finally decided I was going to write a book, I made myself a schedule. My husband works five days a week, so I decided I would give myself days off only when he was also off. There were plenty of days when I told my hubby, "Oh, I just want to finish this scene while it's fresh in my mind," though. He is an amazingly supporting and understanding guy.

My son takes a three hour nap in the middle of the day, thanks to our parental diligence. The instant he started crying for attention at nap time (as in he didn't need food, clean diaper, or burping) we ignored him. Sounds harsh, but we only had to endure it for three days and thirty minutes at the most. Then he realized his attempts to gain our attention were futile and stopped.

I do my writing during his nap and for three hours after he goes to bed. That's six hours a day, five days a week. I am blessed to have a wonderfully easy son who sticks to a schedule so well and hardly ever fights me about going to bed when it's time.

I must confess, though, that the housework does often get overlooked. The dishes may pile up from time to time, as well as the laundry, but luckily, our family isn't as bothered by this as much as others may be.

So, that's how I did it. Doesn't seem all that complex. I'd like to encourage anyone who has something they've been wanting to do, but think they just don't have the time, to give it a shot. It helps keep stress down when you do something you enjoy. Even if you only do it an hour a day or week.

Cover Ideas

This may seem preemptive, but anyone who knows me well, probably saw it coming. I am a creative, artistic kind of person, and I've been trying to think up a cover for MIND'S EYE ever since I finished writing it (a year ago). I fiddled around with it yesterday and drew up a rough sketch. This is what I came up with: Cypress trees framing a view of the New Orleans skyline over the gulf. The eye pretty much speaks for itself. In the teardrop bellow the eye is a gun.

I'd like for you to vote on which cover you like more.

I know that for people who have never read the book, this might be a hard decision, but I'm only asking you which cover you find ascetically pleasing. Like I said, it's a little rough around the edges and not at a professional level in any way. In fact, the pictures were taken with my phone because I'm having computer issues that are making picture downloading take like a year. I am just curious to see what people think.

I should also clarify that when I get the book published, the publisher will probably not use this design, but will hire a professional artist to do the cover art. That being said, if I were to try to self-publish the book, then I am one step ahead by having a cover ready. I want to do this the old fashioned way: get my book published by a publishing house, but I'm not going to rule out any options this early in the game.

I know there is a way to set up a poll on this blog, but I haven't figured it out yet, so just leave your vote in the form of a comment below this blog entry. Thanks for your opinion!
We'll call this one: Cover Idea 1

Cover Idea 2

Cover Idea 3

Cover Idea 4


Just a little side note: I have begun writing the sequel to MIND'S EYE and have already written 50 pages in the last week. Does this mean I can finish writing it in 8 weeks? Nope. The reason it is going so smoothly is because the plot-line for this book (still untitled) has been running through my head since I finished MIND'S EYE. I'm sure I'll run into kinks and writers block, not to mention the personal life stuff that has a tendency to interrupt the writing process, but so far, so good!