As some of you know, my physical and mental health deteriorated over the last few years. I've had several (many) health crises–and accumulatively, they just got to be TOO MUCH.
If you're aware of my health concerns or have limited attention/time, skip the colored portion.
For those of you who DON'T know, between 2019 and 2022 I had (in no specific order): kidney stones, covid (x2), pneumonia, physical and mental exhaustion/crash, issues with my depression meds/regulating new ones, diagnosed with sleep apnea and got a CPAP, serious upper respiratory infection (x2), ischemic colitis, colon failure, Leukocytosis, and sepsis (the last four had me admitted for a week in the hospital this past December), and I was diagnosed with moderate asthma in January 2023 and got two new handy, dandy inhalers.
It's been more than two years since the first covid (got it pre-vaccine and it was BAD–I was bedridden well over a month and it took three just to be somewhat normal again) and I still don't have my senses of smell and taste back fully. I'm dealing with memory and focus issues leftover from that.
So, yeah. It's been a lot. It left me unable to write for a good part of the those years. It's hard to be creative when you're ill.
Last year, I worked hard on making changes, eating healthier, exercising, went to the doctor more regularly, got a therapist, and was simply better to myself. (Yet still ended up in the hospital! Docs are still trying to figure out what happened to me in Dec. I have tests scheduled through JUNE.)
Once my health was somewhat better, I made the decision to refocus on my writing career. Since August, I've completed 3 MASSIVE novels (140K, 95K, and 106K) and I'm closing in on finishing a 40K novel for a Pride collection I will be in this summer. (#106 is Three Alarm Heat -- which arrives FRIDAY! Huzzah!)That's great and I'm very proud of each of those stories––BUT––I've noticed that I'm not being healthy. My exercise/movement has fallen by the wayside because of hours sitting in front of my computer. I don't eat much during the day, but late evenings, I munch–not because I'm hungry–but because I'm utterly exhausted.
It's time to step back a bit and reevaluate my schedule and see if I can't find ways to balance my health and wellness with what I want to achieve with my writing. I don't need to revisit the health issues of the past and lose years in the process. Sooooo... here is my promise to you: I will endeavor to release books at a regular clip, while prioritizing my health.
