But that's not because I have been in Iceland or captured by Orcs or even decided that the writing life was too much like having homework for the rest of my life and, hang it all, I was going to brew excellent coffee instead.
In 2017, I had a complete life shift when I moved from New England to the Bible Belt. I had to take a full break from writing because too many things happened at once. First, I started a new job. Second, I was developing an important relationship with a Dragon. Third, I was learning so many things about myself, my vision, my purpose, and my God that I needed all my resources to absorb it. Whatever writing I did during that time was purely for myself.
At the end of 2017, I married the Dragon. (Read all about it here in "How I Met and Married a Dragon.")
In 2018, I got a new chronic illness that resulted in my withdrawal from the workforce, at least in any traditional sense. Ya can't really be a reliable worker if you're having a seizure on the floor or (even worse) fighting one off when you're trying to drive.
(It's not an epileptic seizure, but something a lot more complicated. Two neurologists later, we're still working on the diagnosis.)
Between job changes, health changes, and just plain getting used to married life, the year had been wild. The Dragon and I needed a little time to re-orient our lives, so we decided to visit his family out west. We took our time, so that my body could handle it, but I tell you, my writing will be so much richer for the adventure!
(I write about it here in The Incredible Adventure series.)
Now I'm back from the trip, learning bit by bit how to manage my body in between my flare-ups, and facing the fact that I currently can't work, at least in the traditional sense.
So I'm getting back into writing.
FULL. TIME.
That doesn't necessarily mean that I write novels 8 hours a day, but I'm doing something book-related (writing, editing, marketing, networking in the industry, reading, researching, etc.) for those 8 hours.
I love my job.
Which means I'll have a lot more failures, successes, mistakes, and breakthroughs to write about.
If you're an Author From Scratch like me, learning constantly as you go, sign up for the email list at the bottom of this post so that you don't miss my peppy, rabbit-trailing, ENFP and surprisingly educational and insightful posts! ;-)
P.S. Despite my writing break in 2016-2017, I still have six fantasy and sci-fi books published! Check them out!