At exactly 11.11pm last night I hit save for the final time and sent the first draft of my latest Superromance into my editor, putting an end to two weeks of marathon writing. Normally my deadlines don’t require heroic stints strapped to the keyboard, but this book was a toughy. I found it hard to concentrate during the period when I could have been writing a leisurely 4 to 5 hours a day, leaving time for me to live a life (I blame house renovations, getting married, and Christmas - not necessarily in that order) and consequently I didn’t have nearly as many words down as I should have as my deadline began to appear on the horizon in earnest. Usually there’s a little wiggle room in these things - a few days, maybe a week if I really smooch my editor’s you-know-what - but this time I knew the deadline was set in concrete, on a bedrock of granite, with titanium reinforcement. All of which means I have been a Deadline Zombie for the last 10 days and I thought it might be fun to paint a bit of a picture for you of what an average day is like for a Deadline Zombie. So here goes:
Wake up. First thought: is that scene at the party really working? Should I have him say this/do that instead of X? Hmmm. Should go look at that. Roll out of bed, sit in front of computer. Read last scene from yesterday. Correct some grammar. Start writing.
Mid morning. Hmmm. Forgot breakfast. No matter, there are still some of those delicious corn chips I’ve been snacking on for the past two days. I’ll munch on some of those while I keep writing. Damn. Left the bag unsealed and they’ve gone a bit soft. Oh well. There’s not a lot of other food in the house. Soft corn chips it is. Keep writing.
Lunchish. Should probably go to loo. Oooh. Knees don’t work. Probably because I’ve been sitting in one position for three hours. Should I eat? Am not really that hungry, what with the soft corn chips... I really need to remember to go back and add X into Chapter Four, so I’ve set up that later conflict... Where was I? Lunch. Right. Lunch can wait. Keep writing.
Mid afternoon. Delivery man at door. Oooh. Knees still not working. Need to remember to move every now and then. Delivery man stares at me and tries not to laugh. I sign for parcel, then shuffle back into house, blinking against glare of real daylight. Haven’t been outside for days. Or worn anything except pajamas. Check mirror, see reason for delivery man’s amusement - hair looks like home for nesting birds. Big, fuzzy, lopsided. And there are corn chip crumbs on my top. Should probably shower, do my hair... Hey, I know what I should do in the next scene - reference that comment she made in Chapter Six. Oh, that’s a nice idea... I can shower later. Keep writing.
Normal person quitting time. Feel a bit sick. Oh. Maybe should eat something. Forgot lunch. Not much choice in cupboard. Can of mixed beans. Instant gravy. Earl Grey Tea. Hmmm. Should try the fridge. This is better - left over Christmas pudding. Yum. Bit of ice cream. Maybe a handful of chocolates. Technically am on low-carb, but this is emergency situation. All bets are off... Speaking of which, maybe she should bet him that he can’t beat her record. That would be cute. And that would solve the problem with Chapter Seven... Huh. Ice cream melted, pudding cold. Oh well. It’s still food. Keep writing.
Late. Noise in the house. Scared for a moment. Oh. That’s right, I live with someone. My husband. He came home hours ago, kissed me, discussed what was for dinner (me: whatever you like. him: that means take away, right? me: sorry, did you say something?). Plate by computer seems to indicate dinner has come and gone. Huh. Wonder what it was? Feel a bit dizzy. Too much computer time. Maybe I should save for last time and go to sleep. Bang. Walk into wall. Too late to shower? Probably. Will just brush teeth and roll into bed. Mmm. That’s nice... Tomorrow, when I’m writing the big fight scene, need to remember that she told him about X. Key moment in scene. Could be really....zzzzzzzzzzz.
Today, I plan on getting dressed in real clothes. Putting on shoes!!! Driving to the local village to post some competition prizes - if I can still remember how to drive, that is. I might treat myself to lunch somewhere. Then I will come home and clean the house. Ten days worth of neglect. Washing everywhere. Dirty plates and bowls stacked in the sink. When my husband comes home, I will lavish him with attention and gratitude for putting up with me. He is a god, a fount of patience. No wonder my heroes are always such nice guys.
I’d love to hear your own Zombie stories. I’m sure you have some - the all nighter you pulled in college, the first days after your children were born - or whatever sends you into Zombie mode in your life. I’m going to give away a $10 Amazon voucher and a copy of The Last Goodbye, my February Superromance (available now at eharlequin!) as well as The Best Laid Plans and Hot Island Nights ( a Blaze) to one lucky poster. Just comment to be in it to win. And don’t forget I have a FREE on-line read, Worth The Risk, available at eHarlequin right now. (http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=1574&chapter=1) This story is linked to my Feb book via the advice column both characters read every day - the author of the column is the heroine in The Last Goodbye. I had a very intense time writing Worth The Risk, so I hope you pop over for a read.
Looking forward to chatting with you!
66 comments:
Hi Sarah,
Congrats on making the deadline!
Wow! Zombie stories! Ok, here goes..... it's not once but everytime I sit and go online for a few minutes just to check my emails...I end up sitting there hours on end! Surfing, visiting blogs, commenting! And end up a complete zombie!
Yes! This! I have actually got to the point where I have to ration my internet usage or I don't get anything done. What is it about the vast WWW that keeps us staring like...well, like zombies at the screen? Even today, my day of Doing Things, I spent time in front of the computer indulging in some online shopping porn (dining chairs...must buy new dining chairs). Sigh. I know it's probably not good for me. And that my garden would welcome a little attention...
I FELT your pain reading that! Think I've been a zombie writing for the past six years. Have been pregnant and or breastfeeding (until six months ago) for six and a half years and got VERY little sleep in this time. Think people got to recognise the zombie me and if I ever get rid of the bags under my eyes, they'll not know me! During this time I've actively pursued my writing dream... which means I'm often writing late at night when I should be sleeping.
Hope that babble made sense :)
Rachael, I have mountains of respect for writers like you who have young families and have to carve out their writing time whenever they can find it. I am very, very lucky to be able to work the way I do. Hats off to you! And I hope the zombie years end for you soon!!!
In school, I got up at 4AM to study for exams regardless of whether I was in college or in grad school when I had kids and a job. By 7PM,I was definitely in zombie mode.
These days, I turn into a zombie every winter. Just give me a shortened day, an increase in carbs, and less exercise and the resulting picture isn't pretty.
But anytime of the year, when I am writing, I start and look up hours later and find a husband going, "what's for dinner?" I just pretend I am still in monster mode and ignore him. :-)
I have The Best Laid Plans on my nightstand but would love an autographed copy. Looking forward to reading your latest as well.
Can you say why it was an intense time writing Worth the Risk?
Peace, Jule
Hi Jule. I'm not a great fan of the "what's for dinner?" question. I love food, and I enjoy cooking, but sometimes I just run out of ideas. I hope you enjoy The Best Laid plans. I just got my Australian editions of this today and it has a lovely picture of the Melbourne city skyline on it. Cool! Worth The Risk was an intense writing experience because it was such a tight little story - only 10,000 words - broken down into 500 word chapters. So, it was a new experience. The subject is very emotional - without going into too much detail, the heroine has suffered a terrible injury and she's struggling to reclaim her life. I really felt for her, and I really wanted her to be happy. I did a lot of research on the sort of injuries she suffered, which I think contributed toward the emotion I felt while writing.
Zombie huh?? Well this may be a little different but I always felt like a zombie when I was teaching and it was time to write up the final exams for my students. I would never get started until the day before and then I would not only stay up all night getting them drafted but then I'd be at school really early to print them out. Then of course I had to grade then so would spend the next night up all night trying to get them graded. And get final grades done.
Oh yes, Ellen, that qualifies as Zombie time! The all nighter is a weird experience at the best of times. I am a bit of a procrastinator with things I am not looking forward to, so I sympathise.
Isn't it funny how anything you wrtite in the last 2 hours before deadline sounds good? Enjoying your on online read at www.eharlequin.com
Hi Sarah,
Your post made me tired and hungry. Too funny. I absolutely love your books. Her Best Friend was one of only 2 books, i rated a perfect 10 last year. Plan B Boyfriend by Ellen Hartman was the other. Funny, that they were both Super Romances. Congrats on making your deadline - was there any doubt!!!
Hi Sarah!
I've had to pull all nighters in college. I'd put off papers and projects, then stay up all night to get them done. Though I do tend to work better when I'm crunched for time.
Enjoy your breather, you deserve it!
Hi, Sarah!
I feel your pain! I had to do massive revisions over Christmas a few years ago. All of my kids were home from college, two of them had brought significant others with them, and I was trapped at my desk for twelve-hour days. I still shudder when I think of that two-week period. Enjoy your freedom!
JCP, glad you're enjoying the on-line read. As I said, I had a lovely time writing it. My problem with finishing the first draft is that I immediately start to worry that everything I've written is utter dross. I'm trying to keep that feeling at bay at the moment because I've given myself a couple of days break before I start revising.
Hi Tammy. Glad you are loving the supers! I do love this line.
Hi Nicole. I still write scripts for a serial drama down here in Australia and I tend to put them off and put them off because I need the deadline to give me that crunch time feeling. Usually with my books I prefer a more measured, reasonable approach. But I really didn't leave myself much choice with all my faffing around before Christmas.
Hi Margaret. How horrible! Having houseguests when you're on deadline sounds like my idea of hell. You must have felt as though you had to apologise all the time. I'm taking my hubby out for dinner tomorrow night to make it up for the past 10 days of mad hair and vacant staring.
Corn chips are a must have here. :D I think hubby is half way trained and has learned my response will always be the same if I'm at my computer. Now...the kids are another story. They laugh when I give them the stink-eye-evil-stare.
Darn, I wish I could be the winner :) Oh, wait I still have The Best Laid Plans in my TBR pile and The Last Goodbye on order! Can wait to get to FINALLY read again.
I'm coming off my own Christmas deadline of 5 hour energy drinks and no sleep :)
Thanks for sharing, Sarah, now I know I'm not the only Zombie out there.
During my last round of revisions I ate a hamburger for the first time in more than twenty years. My husband made them for him and the kids for dinner and I needed sustenance before I started writing again. I gobbled it down without thinking about how much I detest hamburgers.
Too bad I didn't stumble across some soggy corn chips instead. I'd have liked them better. ;-)
I loved Best Laid Plans, and can't wait to read The Last Goodbye. (What a great title.)
Sarah,
You just described my life for the past week and on into the next week, except I do eat breakfast first and talk to hubby. Then it's off to zombie land.
I never answer the door. I would scare people. LOL.
Congratulations on getting the book off!! And congratulations on getting married!
Linda
I'm sure I have a few but the most recent one was the end of last summer. Big project at work. Turned out my role was much bigger than I or my manager had planned for. Only way to get it done--and it had to be done on schedule--was going to be a lot of extra hours. A LOT. I wound up working from the office during the day, going home, having dinner with the family, and then working into the wee hours of the morning--sometimes until 4 or 5--before catching 60-90 minutes of sleep and doing it all over again. This went on for a month. Yes, a whole month. I was falling asleep while driving, completely devoid of any knowledge of life's details and nearly incoherent by the time it was over. But the project went in as scheduled, and I got Employee of the Quarter. (Except I was off working on another project and missed the surprise presentation.)
Congrats on getting married and finishing your book.
Zombie Land ~ I don't write but I frequently read without being aware of questions asked or answered. My husband tells me I zone out completely. He's used to it after 42 years of my zoning out. I am truly in awe of anyone who can write a story.
The only time I can truly say I was a total Zombie was when I was making advent calendars for my nieces and nephews. I had finished making 13 of them in less than 4 months and had given them out. The two ladies who were working with me and my sister in law saw them and asked if I'd do one for their kids. So there I am one week before December the first trying to sew sequins on 50 ornaments and glue and sew together two felt trees and make two sets of numbers from 1 to 24 which then had to be glued to the felt pockets of the advent calendar. I had to do the machine sewing when I was semi-alert as I absolutely hate using a sewing machine. I did finish one on time but the second one was a day late. I haven't looked at a sequin since without a shudder.
Hi Sarah! I am so excited to see you, well you know what I mean, lol! I just read The Best Laid Plan a few days ago and loved it! Things around here have been crazy since before Christmas and I am finally getting back to my normal.
Zombie land is where I live most of the time since I had kids, lol! These days my day starts at 5:30am when I get up to get my oldest ready for school. Then once he's off I get my daughter ready for school. Then once she's off it's just me and the little one(who starts school next year, and I am so excited, lol!). Then I clean and try and catch up on my reading some. I also take the youngest to speech twice a week and in between all of that I am still trying to write. Then they get home from school and all hell breaks lose. Then it's dinner which I hate because I hate cooking. Then bathes and then bed thank goodness! Then I try and spend time with hubby and by the time I fall into bed I am dead. And if I'm lucky no one wakes me up to crawl in my bed or to go potty or because of a bad dream. So all in all I run on 3-6 hours of sleep a night, if I'm lucky, lol!
Congrats on the new book and on your wedding! Have a wonderful day!!!
I enjoy your books, Sarah, and look forward to Her Last Goodbye. One of my zombie times was when all three of my children had chickenpox at the same time! And my husband was overseas on business the entire time!
My zombie time was next to last semester in college. I had a heavy class load that just required constant work. There were so many times I wished I could just press pause on my life and sleep for a day! I did crazy things like getting up at 6:30am to go have breakfast with friends once a week. There was so much work I didn't have a choice about, I just had to choose to do something fun, even if it meant missing out on some sleep.
I love your books, Sarah! They've been the cause of some zombie days after I've stayed up waaaay too late reading "just one more chapter" and ending up finishing the book. I'm really looking forward to The Last Goodbye!
Sarah, I'm really enjoying your online read! Like Kaelee, I'm not a writer (of fiction anyway), but I do get zombied out when I read. sometimes I cannot put the book down (like last night when I finally got ready for bed at 1:15 a.m. Doesn't' make for a good day at work!!! I just got a nook for Christmas, so now I'm going to be on the hunt for ebooks!
Hi, Sarah! Thanks for a fun post & a great giveaway! A woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do ; ) I have a background in advertising and sales. I particularly loved working for our local newspaper as an ad sales rep, using my creative streak to come up with competitve ads for accounts with very small advertising budgets. I love to write ad copy and match it up with the perfect graphics. One of my accounts had a big promotion planned, and they had decided to either go with all radio ads or all print ads. I was determined to beat my competition, so I worked really hard, all through the weekend and right up to Monday morning. I was revved up on excitement, caffeine and sugar that morning, tweaking my presentation in between getting dressed, fixing my hair, and putting on my make-up. Not a good idea. By the time I had to leave for work, I felt ready to take on all comers, and a hasty glance in the mirror on the way out the door said I looked OK. NOT! I could only see myself from the waist up, and I did not realize that I had not finished dressing for my work day. My first stop was my ad account. Everyone in the office was looking at me strangely, and I thought maybe I looked too excited. NOT THE ISSUE! When I was making my presentation to the client, a very nice gentleman, he kept smiling and chuckling, even when I wasn't trying to be funny. He listened to the whole presentation, and then he asked me if I had spent a lot of time on the ads. When I said "Yes", he said: "I thought so. Is that why you still have on your PJs & slippers?" Sure enough, I was professionally immaculate from the waist up. From the waist down, I had on purple pajama bottoms and moccasins. The PJ bottoms did match my purple blouse, sort of, but the hot pink kitty-kat and hearts print just didn't cut it for business attire. Neither did the moccasins. However, I got the ads, my client got a good laugh, and I did not need to wear blusher for a very long time. Just the thought of that moment of realization brought heat to my face : 0
LOL, OMG Virginia! I can just imagine how you must have felt. I'm not sure if it would have been better for your co-workers to let you know, or if it was better to just go through with the presentation before finding out!!!
Hi Sarah, great to see you here, have just finished reading A Natural Father which was great! Love your style. Zombie stories... Hmm... I totally get that, isn't it weird how writing somehow condenses time? Hours can go by like minutes!
Oh my! I ALWAYS live like a zombie (or so it seems). I type from home, so that often entails typing through the night when deadlines must be reached. (Darn "real life" for sucking away those daytime hours, but I wouldn't give up this flexibility for all the world!)
I'm reminded of when I was expecting my first-born. I finished working full-time in an outside office on a Friday and was due on Monday. My son had been breech throughout the entire pregnancy, so I went in to the hospital for an ultrasound and X-ray to determine if he was bigger than 8 lbs because I'd need a C-section then. I drank the requisite 8 cups of water and had the ultrasound. Watched much whispering amongst personnel. Got up to go across the hall for my Xrays when my water broke. I thought it was just the 8 cups of water, but no, I was in labour. Had the C-section less than an hour later and missed the last 15 minutes of labour (close call). Stayed in the hospital 7 days because I got a bad infection. When I returned home, I not only had a newborn and a husband who was working outside the home full-time, but I also still had a book to type for a customer. I had been typing it the morning I went into labour and had back pain, but figured it was just because I was sitting so long in one place. (Hindsight is 20/20....) So ... my first couple of weeks at home with my baby were definitely a blur, because HIS needs came first (including that I ate/drank properly while breastfeeding), the book came second, and sleep came third.
My zombie story is staying up writing my project paper for a business class that I was taking and then getting up a couple hours later so I could go to my English class. I can sometimes stay up really late for a couple days but the tiredness will catch up with me and I will drag for a little while.
I enjoyed The Best Laid Plans and Her Best Friend and I can't wait to read The Last Goodbye. I am also enjoying your online read, Worth the Risk.
Enjoying your on online read Worth the Risk.Congrats on the new book and on your wedding! Have a great week.
Woule love to read your books...and the gift card sounds great. Thanks for the chance!
Hi everyone - it's morning again on my side of the world. So where we go:
Chelle, my husband is pretty well trained, too, and very supportive. I still feel guilty for living in a parallel universe for the last 10 days. I sat on the couch with him and talked about his day last night he said "She's back!". Note to self: try not to do this again!
Hi Rogenna. Thanks for being so patient while I was in the land of the lost. Promise I'm back on board now! And energy drinks sound a lot more healthy than what I've been scarfing down...
Hi Ellen. I think we should swap my soggy corn chips for your burger - I love a burger. But mostly I've been surviving on rice crackers, corn chips, breakfast cereal and left over Christmas pudding. I probably have scurvy.
Glad you enjoyed Best Laid Plans - you know I love your books.
Congrats on deadlines and weddings!
Looking forward to another book from you but a little bit scared that a zombie-Sarah image will spring to mind just as your characters are reaching their happy ending!
=)
Maybe it would have been better not to know.
I'll admit I'm a procrastinator and I pulled many all nighters in college. Mostly I was trying to write a paper in one night and then sleep for an hour or two before heading to class.
Bec. Too much information? Have I overshared? Thanks for the congrats. We had a lovely day. As for that deadline...it's not quite done yet. Still got the revisions to tackle yet.
Linda - I think I should maybe adopt your no-door-opening policy. There are some seriously bemused and amused couriers around here at the moment. I always feel like I need to explain to them that the reason I'm still in my PJs at 3 in the afternoon isn't because I'm lazy, but because I don't have time to dress. Good luck with your own deadline!
Hi Patricia - Wow. Employee of the quarter - I think you deserved employee of the year. And they could have made the effort to present your award to you in person!!! Good on you for being so dedicated and professional. And ta for the congrats. We had a lovely day. Lots of special memories.
Kaelee, don't you hate it when you take on a task for someone as a favor and it winds up being the biggest time suck ever and there's no joy at all in it for you? I made a bunch of very funky cushions for my SIL recently for her 40th, made from hessian coffee bean sacks, very groovy. When I had finished, I noticed my hands were dark with dye from the backing fabric I'd chosen. I asked my hubby what I should do, and we decided to wash them because we were worried that the dye would mark my SIL's couches. Well. When I pulled the cushions from the washing machine all the cool printing on the hessian had washed away. So essentially we just had these very plain, very ugly hessian blobs. Luckily I still had some sacks left, but I had to make all of the cushions all over again. I was not a happy camper, and I feel your sequin-induced pain.
Hi Sarah!
Just wanted to let you know how much I adore your books for the Super and Blaze line. Your writing always packs an emotional wallop, can't wait to read The Last Goodbye. I'm a real "crunch time" type of person and over the years I've encountered my share of all nighters both in school and on the job, but never under so much change as you have. I like to space my personal stuff out amongst the work stuff. Yeah, I'm always under the mistaken illusion that we can actually control life somewhat, lol! You - nothing like living on the edge! Congrats on your wedding btw.
Alina - There's a reason I don't have children - I don't think I could survive the lack of sleep. Anyone who can raise kids and still find the time to write is a legend, as far as I am concerned. Keep up the good work - I'm sure it will pay off.
Jan - Ah, the conveniently AWOL husband when illness abounds. Sometimes they just have a sixth sense, don't they? Glad you're enjoying the reads!
Carin - It's amazing how much sleep I survived on in my 20s. Maybe that's why we're all "supposed" to have kids then. These days an all-night gives me a hang-over - without the fun bit at the beginning. Glad you're enjoying the reads - apologies for the sleep deprivation!!
Snookie - So glad you're enjoying Worth The Risk. I'm loving the accompanying commentary they've got going on over at Harlequin - I love reading people's comments on each chapters, it's kind of like eavesdropping on their reading experience!!! I do the zombie thing when I'm reading, too. Drives my husband nuts.
Virginia - I guarantee that every writer reading your blog post just made a note to put this scene in their next book. Hilarious. I can't believe none of your work colleagues pointed out that you had your jimjams on before you went into the pitch! Great story.
Serenity - Glad you enjoyed A Natural Father. That was my first Super and will always have a very fond spot in my heart. As for writing condensing time...so true. Physicists should be researching this because it might actually be an undiscovered form of time travel...
Hi Laney. Lovely to "see" you. What a difficult start to motherhood. Everyone talks about pregnancy hormones getting you through those first weeks - hope you were full of them so that you were deliriously in love with your bub as well as just plain delirious from tiredness.
Cannot remember ever being a Zombie. No all night studies, babies slept all night, etc.
Amanda - Yay that you're enjoying my books. This is what keeps me strapped to that keyboard! As I said above, my days of pulling an all nighter with no repercussions are long gone - I need and love my 8 hours sleep and if I don't get them I am one hot mess!
Emma - I'm thrilled you're enjoying Worth The Risk Emma. I'm really enjoying watching the whole on-line read process unfold - it's so much fun watching people read and then comment on the chapters and try to work out what's going to happen next.
Jackie - Thanks for dropping by, Jackie.
Jane - I am a procrastinator sometimes. If I am really, really not looking forward to something I can put it off for ages. Then it's panic time.
Stephanee - Thanks for your kind words. Always nice to hear that my work is striking a chord with readers. Re: the life gets in the way thing,I am constantly saying to myself "when so-and-so is sorted, then things will settle down". You'd think I would have learned by now!
Estella - Look at you with your sleeping babies! I have a couple of friends who had babies like this - just very well mannered little bubs right from the beginning.
Ha, ha, Sarah. Are you describing my life?
Oh, Lordie, my deadline is in three weeks. But first I've got to go to my brother's wedding this weekend. Sigh. Life is so in the way. And as I type this, the 8 year old is standing at my elbow hungry again. Argh!
Yes, I get you, Sarah. This will be the last time I let this happen. Never say never, right? But you gave me a laugh for today, funny girl. Best of luck with your new book :) I bet it's fantastic...just like all your others.
Liz, good luck with your deadline - and with feeding that 8 year old! I promise myself every time I get into a jam with deadlines that I won't let it happen again...and yet here I am! But this was definitely my worst deadline zombie experience ever, because I knew, absolutely, that the book had to be in.Hopefully I've spaced the rest of my contract dates out a little bit better for the rest of the year. Glad you got a laugh - the delivery man certainly did!
Sarah, I suffered a flashback or two reading your post. My last deadline was definitely painful and I can't blame it on a recent wedding. I've been married a long time and my hubby no longer dares ask that dredded "What's for dinner?" question. A glance can say so much, you know. ;-)
Enjoy your respite.
Deb
Deb, I'm working on my glances. I really am! To Chris's credit, he actually doesn't ask that often - he just disappears into the kitchen and places food in front of me half an hour later. Bless his little cotton socks.
Hey, Sarah, congrats on getting your book finished! Love that feeling. Zombie times? I've had my share. Meeting the deadline for the third book in my current trilogy being the worst. As you know because I cried on your shoulder more than once and your bubbly humor and encouragement always got me going again. Once during that time the poor mailman delivered a parcel and I was in my pajamas at 3 in the afternoon. I saw him try to hide a smile. I started to explain. He's like, no worries, lady. I know what you house wives are like. Well, he didn't say that but I could see him thinking it! Can't wait to read The Last Goodbye!
I just know it's going to be a fabulous story.
House wives! I don't know a single stay at home wife who is still in her jim jams at 3 in the afternoon. They're all too busy looking after their kids or making the house look pristine or belonging to a million committees. Clearly, these mail men need to be re-educated!!! You know I love our sessions, Joan, and I've cried on your shoulder plenty of times, too! Can't wait to read your trilogy either (hint hint!!!)
What a terrific post, Sarah. I bet the book is another winner, too.
My deadlines are all self imposed which unfortunately means they can be, er, tampered with a little - stretched out a lot. More self control needed - especially with the dratted internet.
I remember studying for exams. I'd stay up late, get up early and forget to eat. I don't think I had a coherent conversation until a few days after exams were over.
Jane - I usally get to dictate my work day to a certain point, but when the procrastination kicks in and I've frittered away all my "wiggle room", it's nose to the grindstone time. And yes, the internet is just too, too tempting. Drat it!
Chey - I remember those crazy days of studying and paniccing and cramming. Fun in hindsight, at the time, not so much!
Hi Sarah, you forgot the part about the astronaut pants...I'm still chuckling about that. Glad you met your deadline, got one of my own on Friday so very inspiring.
Karina
www.karinabliss.com
I can relate to the work deadlines. I'm just returning from the Zombie Land I call "the day job" - I was there from 6am to 9pm. I don't even want to think about the hours. The rest of the week will be more of the same and we may have to put some time in over the weekend.
But before I go to bed, I wanted to thank you again, Sarah for your blog. And your help getting this whole show off the ground.
A reminder to everyone, we post drawing winners on Saturday. And we have an unclaimed prize from last week...
Chelle, I know you're here! Please contact us with you address via the contact page and Karina will mail out your book.
Karina, I DID forget to mention the astronaut nappy!!! What was I thinking? It's by far my best "I'm on a deadline" gag. Oh well. Next time. And there will be a next time, sadly.
Rogenna, I feel a terrible fraud every time you thank me for my help - I have done diddly, and you have single handedly carved this blog out of cyber space. Sorry to hear about your hell week!!
I go into zombie mode whenever I read a Super Romance. I can't put it down, take it with me wherever I go. Have conversations I later won't remember. Eat, drink and go on living without realizing anything until the last letter is read.
I think I am in zombie mode right now.. LOL My computer was messed up and I had to send it off for repairs. They ended up having to put a new motherboard in it, so today through tonight has been adding programs and the whole nine yards back to it. Of course I had to check ebay, facebook, and my email as well. My hubby was off work today, but he hardly saw me. I think I have had maybe 2 hours of sleep. Wondering which is better the me going through withdrawl missing my comp, or the me zombie who is so busy using it and adding stuff back that I ignore others... LOL Oh well going to bed soon... If I can get myself away that is...
Kirsten, I am a bit like that when I'm absorbed in a good book - I get in a lot of trouble for not replying when people talk to me when I'm reading. For me, though, I'm either in the book living along with the characters, or I'm not engaged and therefore I'm not reading. Great to hear you are loving your Supers!
Donya - how torturous! Being disconnected from the comp and the internet is both a torture and a boon. I always try to remind myself that I survived without the internet for most years of my life...but it doesn't seem to do much good. Hope the new computer is behaving itself!
No tales of zombie land, but at least I know what to expect.
I had to laugh at the banging into the wall part. Sorry.
Am enjoying your online read very much!
Marcie
Hi Marcie. I'm actually not kidding about walking into walls. By the time I've spent all day in front of the computer writing thousands of words, I am not safe to be around. Definitely driving is not a good option - I'm usually so distracted and still living half in the book that it's simply not viable! Yay that you're enjoying the on-line read.
Hey, Rogenna!
I've been trying to send my address but it keeps rejecting my post and saying I have the wrong security code. Grrr. I'll post it here instead if it's ok...if not delete the post and I'll keep checking back.
Chelle Sandell
PO Box 0184
Shawnee, OK 74802
Hmmm I never studied so I can't say I've pulled an all nighter for a test but I am a procrastinator so I guess you could say I've pulled a few all nighters for that 25 page thesis which was only 5 pages that was due THE NEXT DAY...yeah I've done it and not just once but many, many times!!! LOL
XOXO~ Renee C.
Ah, the overnight thesis. I have a friend who worked on hers for months and months and got an A. Her boyfriend wrote his overnight and got a B. She was a little bitter, I think!! Personally, I often used to leave my assignments to the last minute. I guess I like a bit of pressure. But not with a book. With a book I like wiggle room.
I've actually been in zombie mode for most of the past week, and not for a good reason like work or school, either. See, I got a new laptop last Thursday. I've never had a laptop before. I can now have a computer with me everywhere. So I'm going to have to train myself to NOT have it with me everywhere, because for the past week, I've been carrying it in front of me wherever I go. While going up and down stairs, while moving from room to room, while I'm searching for food in the kitchen... and of course, this means that if anyone wants my attention, they can't just wait until I get up to do something, because I'll have the computer with me then, too. And because I can take it to bed, I've been staying up late, so I'm also sleep-deprived, with turns me into even more of a zombie!
Lynz, I did myself a terrible injury walking around the house with my laptop. I as skyping with a friend, and running on battery, and the battery needed to be recharged. So I started walking up the hall to go find my charger, and I walked straight into some timber off cuts from our renovations that we'd left lying in the hall. BIG cut across my toe, blood everywhere, dropped my laptop... It wasn't pretty. My advice? Keep one eye on the path at all times!
Actually, I am in Zombie mode right now because I'm learning for my final exams. And I am now in the phase where I start worrying about everything, like, you know, did I start early enough with the learning or should I have read more books about that or that topic? Driving myself insane! :) (And I probably shouldn't read a superromance authors blog right now!) :) Good luck with your new book!
Your zombie story made me laugh, Sarah! Congratulations on the wedding and hope the new house is going well.
Eep, what a deadline nightmare. Kinda makes me glad I haven't had that Call yet, and am nowhere near it. My normal life is zombiefied enough, with long work days and a crazy commute. By Friday night, I'm always a zombie, fit for nothing but mindless internet shopping!But if I had to meet a writing deadline on top of my Day Job, I would do it. Two hours sleep a night is plenty, right?
I've had plenty of Zombie moments, from the all-nighters for every single assignment at Uni, to years of night shift work as a nurse sometimes doing double shifts, to the time a bit like Stephanie where a job my manager told me would be tiny turned out to be huge. A 350 page guide for the software we used, and a two week training programme for new staff. First I had to convince my manager that this wasn't something I could do as part of my normal work day still keeping up my regular duties as well. I'd just convinced her of this, when they moved the deadline forward six weeks. Arrgghhh! Weeks of practically living at work six or seven days a week, and a ten pound weight gain as I existed on chips and chocolate, anything I could eat at my desk and still keep working. I got it done, but oh boy, it was tough.
Hi Claudia. If you're reading this, you should be studying!! Good luck!!!
Hi Waitingforthecall. I think when the call comes you'll be ready for it and fired up to meet whatever deadline is called for. Mostly they're pretty generous, and you get to set your own dates when you put together a contract. But when life gets in the way and you can't concentrate...well, then you get yourself into trouble! Let me be a salutary lesson to anyone reading!!! But it sounds as though you have plenty of determination on your side. Good luck!
I've had lots of zombie moments recently. I returned to work a few months ago, and juggling that and mum and wife duties has meant I now have to write at night (and I'm normally a morning person). I think everyone was glad for the Christmas break .
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