Well, Holy Carp.

That's right. Sacred fish. Needed something with a bigger weight to say than "Holy Crap." Totally was the case, totally not because I mistyped "crap" and then laughed at it.

No matter the case, fish or feces or not, I'm very close to being done with my next novel. I made the mistake of thinking I could take on three or four novels at once and winning, and sadly that wasn't the case.

That, and the wif just felt compelled to pop out another kid, as wifs are wont to do. Kids take up a lot of time.

The good news is, though, that the kids are all sold - um, er, I mean behaving properly and allowing me to write. I'm very close to the end of my next book, which means the audiobook version is close behind!

Having children really gets in the way of writing.

The title just about sums it up.

Having children really gets in the way of writing.

Especially having three children. The oldest of which just turned four.

Since my wife adamantly refuses to let me sell any of them on the black market, I'm stuck trying to figure out just how to get things done.

I had planned on having several of my projects finished by now, and I don't need to remind myself just how disappointed I am that I haven't gotten anything done. Hell, it's taken all my available concentration just to keep total chaos from reigning at the house.

My wife does an amazingly wonderful job. But as I work full-time, when I get home, the evening is so full of just trying to maintain order, eat, get the girls in bed, etc... that it's nearly impossible to find the time to write. I used to be able to steal an hour or so a night.

I'm lucky to steal an hour or so a week now. I just keep telling myself that it'll get better. Sooner or later all the children will sleep through the night and I won't feel like a brain-dead zombie just going through the motions. Sooner or later some sense of normalcy will return.

But until then - I'm sure some of you have gone through this... How did/do you handle it?

Goals and Deadlines

Okay, so I had set a rough goal of June to August for the completion of my next novel.

Methinks I bit off more than I can chew. For one, I started working on two novels at once. While wildly amusing and entertaining, it nonetheless put me far behind schedule. Instead of being 2/3 done with one book, I'm 1/3 done with two.

Ouch.

Add to that the 2.5 kids (one on the way in September), chores, job, etc... etc... etc... and it's tough for me to even squeak out an hour a night. And it's not avoidance - any time I manage to sit down I can dive in and re-populate the universe of characters and plotlines with ease. Writing comes naturally. It's what I love to do. So why am I having such a hard time doing it?

As is often the case, I'm sure, I sacrifice a little of my professional career to write. I'm sure joining this organization or that club would really help me along in my current career. People constantly ask me to freelance or join their professional organization... and I decline.

Which always begs the question... Is it worth it? Am I wasting my time?

Which always begs the answer... No. I love to write. I'd do it for nothing. Writing brings me entertainment, peace, and balance.

So the question is this: Do you have any hobbies that you'd like to do professionally? Have you crossed the boundary from hobbiest to professional? Any hindsight to share?

Like a ton of bricks.

Ever had one of those experiences where you're halfway through a book, and something you're reading or something you see makes you stop cold?

It happened to me last night. Martha Ward's "Voodoo Queen/The Spirited Lives of Marie Laveau" really turned my current story on its head, forcing me to really examine just where I want the story to go.

For those of you who are inclined to be curious about such things, and even for those who aren't, I highly suggest the book. It has really shed a beautiful light on what American (and more specifically, New Orleans) Voudou was all about.

I was already aware that it was far from the typical Hollywood portrayal of zombies and voodoo dolls and spells (though the spells are certainly a part of it). But I was not prepared for the rich, organic, beautiful portayal as handled by Ward. The book is nonfiction, but she manages to take such a complex story as the Queens of Voodoo - the two Marie Laveaus - and really bring their struggles to life. Far from being the secretive cult of a hybrid African and Catholic religion, Voudou helped the sick in New Orleans through the many outbreaks of Yellow Fever. The Laveaus and their family bought and freed slaves. They cured the ill and were highly sought during epidemics because of their medicinal prowess. Not to mention how ahead of the times voudou was culturally. Women could own and manage property, leave wills, and own and manage their own businesses. No wonder many felt threatened by Voudou and subsequently slighted it at any opportunity (in the press, novels, and through gossip). It was feminism, spirituality, Catholicism, and a good dose of dancing with snakes. Creepy stuff if you didn't get the history.

I really can't say just how much I'm enjoying the book. Ward does an amazing job of painting a portrait of New Orleans in the early- and mid-1800's. Merely reading a few paragraphs lets me immerse myself in the fragrance, the humidity, the social customs, and the richness of life. Very, very enlightening. I could go on for hours about everything this book has taught me - the mores and customs of interracial marriage and placage, Creole culture and life, and much more. I borrowed this book from the Library. I'll be buying it soon. I want to keep it and reread.

So what does this have to do with writing? Well, one of my current projects concerns a zombie (imagine that). I had the entire story mapped out and had planned on alluding to elements of voodoo, though not using it as a major plot point in the book.

Until I read Ward's book. Idea after idea struck, and I'm a little overwhelmed by them. I can still keep the majority of the framework of the story, but now there is this thunderstorm of ideas of how, when, and where I can go with it. The book was going to be mostly an action/drama about one man and his attempts to outsmart life and death. But now, with all the richness of Voudou, I want to incorporate the elements of their religion a lot more - and do the elements justice. Voudou is about shattering class structures, about helping the sick, and about protecting one's family. Those are all elements I had already chosen to include in my story, but now I find myself wanting almost to rewrite the story.

Has this ever happened to you?

Coming Soon!

In the next week or so, I'll be moving the old blog (blog.friedgreenzombies.com) to this one.