As I’m writing this post I am a couple of hours away from the start of a release party in my Facebook Group.
The last month has been crazy, exhausting, busy, relentless, and also so much fun!
I haven’t slept much, it’s weird how when we’re tired and need sleep the most that’s when your brain refuses to shut down on those precious hours when you’re allowed to rest and recuperate like the other humans.

This is what I’ve done just in the last three weeks:

• Finished and formatted my new release, How to Catch a Prince. Check it out here.
• Finished the second book in the series and send it to the editor. You can pre-order it here.
• Created approximately a billion graphics and scheduled roughly the same amount of takeovers.
• Kept things ticking along with the regular social media activity.
• Day job (too much going on in there to list but it takes up 35hrs of my week)
• Friends and family activities.

Actually, seeing it listed like that it feels like I’ve done a lot and not enough at all the same time. What isn’t listed is the amount of head and emotional space that it takes to do some of the things above. I’ve also not listed all the things I need to do before I return to work on January 6, 2020. Hint – the list is twice as long.

I’ve just released a book. It’s an amazing achievement, especially as this book marks the start of a new pen name and a new direction in my writing. It’s also the start of me grabbing my writing career by the balls making stuff happen. And because of that I’m celebrating, not just virtually with my friends on social media, but also with a real life dinner out. I’m a lucky gal!

It was as I was getting ready earlier that I suddenly felt this rush of energy going through me. I felt happy, calm but also energized.

Why?

Because I bloody love being an author.

Give me all the late night and early morning writing sessions. Give me the endless plot bunnies and talking them through with friends. Give me all the time spent on social media chatting to readers and feeling like I belong to something that is so much bigger than me but also so worthwhile and satisfying.
Tracking sales. Praying for sales. Looking at pretty covers, and cover models. Fonts! Why are there so many fonts?

This is my twelfth monthly post this year. When I looked back I realized I talked a lot about people, connections, belonging, learning, taking chances.

Who knows that the new year will bring but I tell you one thing, I bloody love being an author, and if it’s up to me I will be doing a lot more of it and for as long as I can.

Have a happy and healthy Christmas, and may the new year bring you as many opportunities as those you create for yourself.

Hugs,

Ana