We’re preparing to leave for our home in Florida and are packing up the items needed down south as well as organizing the house here and winterizing it. I wish I could say that was all occupying me right now, but I’m also working on a manuscript for my publisher. It is due March 1, and I’ve set a strict writing schedule. At the end of October I was a few words ahead of my goal. Now, a week later, I’m coming up on being about 5000 words behind schedule. What happened to break my momentum? Well, check what I said about preparations to make our move to Florida and you have some idea of what cut into my writing goals. But there is more, much more.

At the beginning of this year I asked for and got the rights to several of my books back. I decided to republish them myself, but because of my already busy schedule of finishing one book and beginning two others, I decided to farm out some of the work on the two novels. I had the covers redesigned, and I went through both books and did rewrites. In the years since they were first published, I’ve learned a few things about writing. I think I’m a better writer now. I did not change characters or plot lines. I simply rewrote what was there with an eye to making it read better. In this process I noticed some plot holes which I corrected, some time frame issues, and other flaws. I then sent the manuscripts to be edited, after which I revised again.

Time was ticking by. I had completed a novella for an anthology, and another book was released by my publisher. A manuscript I’d submitted to my publisher went through its first round of edits. The novella went on blog tour (a really great tour with the other authors—the tour included a Facebook party to launch it). My new release also went on a two week blog tour. Unfortunately, the two tours coincided. Sometimes I had to stop and think: now which tour is this? Which guest blog is this? Did I already put that on Facebook? At the end of two weeks, I took a few days breather and then began work on my new manuscript, the one due in March. I continued to promote my new release and the anthology.

My recurring back issues got worse, and I had to limit my time at the computer. The only smart thing I did was to cancel the usual giant birthday bash I usually have for my husband. The food for the party entails many days of preparation, and I knew my back wouldn’t tolerate that. I tried to compensate for the lack of a party by buying him a bottle of vodka from a local distillery, and I took him out to dinner. It seemed to work. He liked both. Of course, he also got a funny birthday card, but no one sang the birthday song to him. Maybe I should do that now.

Okay, I sang to him. Now where was I? Ah, yes. I have sent the two to-be-reissued books out for conversion to ebooks and Createspace to reduce time at the computer to save my back. I still must do the necessary proofing when I get them back. I am in the middle of holiday promotions for the book released this summer, the anthology and several of my other publications and scheduling promotions and sales for the reissued books.

The next several days will be devoted to packing clothes and offices for our trip south. We leave on Tuesday. Did I forget something? Suitcases, briefcases, Kindle, cats in cat carriers, cat litter box, cat food (dry and canned), cat water bowl, cat food dishes, whisk broom to sweep up escaped litter in motel room, towelettes for cat accidents, bell and feather (favorite cat toy), fluffy towels for bottom of cat carriers, male cat to vet to get his shot of cerenia for motion sickness and, oops, don’t forget the cats themselves.

I can’t wait until we get on the road so that I can get some sleep while hubby drives. I’m exhausted.

Did I pack my drugs, I mean all of them? I’m like an ad for better living through chemistry.

How crazy have your summer and fall been?