LEAVE IT!

This is something I often shout at Swingle when she’s eating something nasty or digging for mice!

One of the things that has come to me, is that we must put God first, stop striving, look at the birds of the field etc. What he wants is relationship with us, not our career, how we serve him, how much we give. See ye first the kingdom of God and all this will be added to you. Put him first, hence my reading and trying to meditate on his ways.

Then I knew he was telling me to stop striving with the book sales, getting worried about ways of marketing and clutching at straws. He dealt with my sales in the pandemic and now I need to leave it to him, having done all I can. Stop worrying about money and get on with life with peace. I even began to think, I wonder if I’m ready enough for some sort of ministry, so I stamped my foot on that one, even if once again I feel I have come to the end of me and all I want to do in life.

So after another damp trot on the hills, I came up to do my work on the next book, for I have said to him I will contunie with this so I dont go spare with boredom or let the reslessness in again. I put on the old FB, to see a comment on a racing group about a picture of the racehorse Lovely cottage whi features in my last book. I’d tried to track down an address of his owners but hadnt found one on the net that I could be sure was the right people. The comment not only turns out to be the family, but his parents have two paintings of Lovely Cottage, he’s bought the book and will be in touch. Nothing of me, God doing his work, after all this time.

Then later the evening, another author commented on how she likes my books and I always have that nagging voice saying no one likes your books. Know who that is and rebuke it.

See what happens when you stop striving?

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A question, dear readers!

As many of you know, I’m working really hard on my writing career. Being an Indie author means I have to do all my own marketing. I have started another blog, but am finding it hard to give both blogs my best attention. I would like to drop the book blog and incorporate it on this one.

I would continue to post about Swingle and life here in Austria as well, but would my adding posts about my books drive you away? I tried so long with this one, I don’t want to lose it. So here’s a poll!

 

On writing a book

My book is out with five readers, and I’m eagerly dreading the results. I’ve decided that I will have a bench mark that if three or more say the same thing, then I will take note!

It surprised me what a relief it was to have finished it. In a busy summer, it was always a battle to grab the time to write, especially as I don’t like to work in the evenings as I’m too tired or get moaned at. It took ages of intensive thought to get to the point of writing. I’ve learnt through a failed attempt that to start too soon before I have an end point  means it doesn’t get finished. I enjoy the musing and filling things in, inspiration comes often when dog walking, and in the night, but as I seldom wake enough to write a note, I can only hope I remember!

It sometimes takes three of four up and downs for coffee or snacks to get going, then I don’t want to stop. And I must do it on  my own, if I try to work with Dave home, he always by some sixth sense demands an answer to something when I’m deep in and he just can’t understand how I need to concentrate.

I enjoy the actual typing, I never thought I’d prefer this to writing with pen, and I do at times hate the predictive text coming in with stupid ideas about what I’m writing, that doesn’t happen with a pen!

Fellow authors, what’s your experience?