Erotica By Helen E. H. Madden

What can I say? I've been busy...

Since my last entry almost two months ago, I've had a lot of work land in my lap. The podcast has definitely kept me busy. I have to write at least one short story every week, sometimes two, plus record and assemble every episode. Then I had some graphics work that's come my way. I've got commissions for four e-book covers that I'm working on, as well as some website work, plus I've got my own artwork that I want to complete for a competition. I also got the final edits for Demon By Day. That took a month to complete, since I decided to go through the manuscript three times to catch all the small errors. Then there's the Eppies. I signed up to read as a judge, and got seven books in all. Can't tell you what I'm reading, but it's been an eye-opening experience, and I'm glad I decided to participate. And on top of all that, I'm working to put together a dealer's table at Marscon for members of EPIC VA, and I'm putting together the adult programming track as well. I've also been invited to be a writing guest at the con too, which is very nice. It'll be my first guest appearance at a con. Whoo hoo!

Throw into this mix the fact that both my daughters and I have been sick (I was sick twice in the last two month, in fact) and it all adds up to a rather hectic time. So hectic that once again I missed my dad's birthday (it was yesterday - d'oh!) and I'm already behind on my holiday shopping.

However, things are starting to quiet down, or at least even out. I'm getting the work done. My biggest problem right now is getting out of bed early enough in the morning to work on the podcast. I was getting up at 4AM. That went out the window Thanksgiving week when I came down with a really nasty upper-respiratory infection. Now I'm shooting for a more realistic 5AM. At least it would be realistic if I went to bed at 9PM. See, 5AM would be an ideal time to work on the podcast, especially since Michael cleaned up the office over the garage. I can get in there now, so I've hooked up my USB mic to my desktop computer and loaded up a copy of Audicity so I can record. At 5AM, in that office, I've got the ideal set up for recording and assembling each podcast. Everyone's asleep, and I'm in a part of the house where I won't bother anyone. Plus, the local Air Force base tends not to run any training flights that early in the morning, so I don't pick up any jet noise as I record. It's the perfect time to work. I just have to get up to do it.

At least it would be if I went to bed early, like I'm supposed to. The goal this week is to get into bed by 9PM so I get eight hours of sleep and wake up at five. If I can make it a habit, I'll be good to go. The rest of the day will fall into place. After working on the podcast, I can go straight to taking a shower, waking up the kids and getting breakfast. Once Cassie and Michael are out the door, Sam and I can putter around, doing laundry and housecleaning. I might even have time to blog. Then off to the gym at ten, lunch at 11:30, playtime with Sam, naptime at 1:30PM (for Sam) and two hours to write from 2-4. Doesn't that sound lovely? All I have to do is get up at 5AM... and go to bed at 9PM.

Wish me luck.

Labels: Conventions And Appearances, Podcast, Write-At-Home Mom, Writing Business

Monday, December 3, 2007

I Fell Off The Blogosphere