Life Update

Well, it’s been a month since I have updated on my life. The month-long posts dedicated to the Holocaust were pretty successful, I think. All of those stories of survivors, victims, rescuers and resistors remind me of what got me interested in the first place. No matter where I go or what I do, the subject of the Holocaust isn’t far behind me. I can’t explain why, but it my magnificent obsession.

It has been a full year since my Dad has passed away. At times it feels like it happened just yesterday and at other times it feels like it has been over a decade. Sometimes the pain is so deep and the sadness so great that I don’t have the words to express my grief. Or the tears. I am going through a dry spell when it comes to crying. I can only muddle through and place my hope in God that someday times will be better. In many ways it is getting easier. We’ve gotten through all of the firsts and we are making plans. So that’s good.

My sister discovered that she has a gluten allergy. For the last few years she’s had issues with her digestion. Last year she had her gall bladder removed and expected that after a couple months to feel better. In many ways she only got worse. A few weeks ago, after a bad reaction to a meal, the three of us prayed and I did some snooping around on the internet. A half hour or so later, we concluded that she was gluten-intolerant. Now that she has detoxed from gluten, she has started to feel better. 

I am slowly and carefully querying the agents for WIP #2. I sent out a barrage of queries for WIP #1, up to ten a day at times. This time, however, I have limited myself to six queries a week. One agent (that I had high hopes for) rejected it sight unseen. One Christian agent (rather her assistant) said it wouldn’t fly in the Christian market because the heroine is deceitful. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come across Christian novels with a deceitful hero or heroine. She did say that the tone was good. Meanwhile, keeping myself occupied with WIP #3. It’s difficult to pace myself when it comes to a project that I am especially psyched about. I just want to dive in, head first, swim around and lose myself in it completely. I had my sister read a draft of it and she liked it and gave many helpful suggestions for it. If all goes according to plan (in all likelihood, it won’t because life never goes according to plan) perhaps I can query the agents about it in the fall. 

Day by Day

That’s how we’re taking it, day by day. I think with all of the craziness going on around here has been a little helpful. It is exhausting but it certainly keeps us distracted. Just when we think that we can’t take one more blow, somehow we’re able to hold it together. Others have it harder than we do. Everywhere I turn someone is in some kind of pain or going through some sort of difficulty.

Still writing like crazy. Nothing new to report on that score though. Just keeping my fingers crossed.

Trying to diet again. Yes, yet again. I need to lose maybe 30lbs. When I dieted in 2010, 22lbs came off in six months’ time. It didn’t last though, obviously. Maybe this fall I can start exercising again. For someone like me who battles anxiety attacks and depression, it is good to exercise. Finding the time though, is nearly impossible. Guess eventually I’ll just have to make time.

I’m a little late to jump on the “Once Upon a Time” bandwagon, but better late than never, right? I watched a little of last season and tuned in when my favorite Disney princesses showed up. Unfortunately I had missed my favorite heroine, Belle. When her episode premiered, our DVR went kaput. I did see the season finale when she showed up at Mr. Gold’s shop and was a little confused when they confessed their feelings for each other. Last I recalled Belle’s guy was Beast. Just this last week, I was able to watch episode 12 “Skin Deep” and all I can say is OH. MY. GOSH! Loved it! Rumplestillskin was always a hilarious character, but I just totally fell in love with him. It’s hard to remember that he’s a bad guy. Then I saw some scenes with him and his son and my heart went out to him. I have to keep reminding myself that this is not real and is just a TV show.

Now I am on a “Beauty and the Beast” kick. Sean and I dug out our old VHS tape of “Beauty and the Beast” and re-watched it. Still love it. Next we’re going to watch this new teeny-bopper movie called, “Beastly.” If it’s any good, I may even read the book.

Crazy

Life has been crazy for me lately. Dealt with some hard, unfair stuff and to be honest I’m not at all satisfied with how I handled it. It was one of those situations where no matter what you do there is no right answer. I just hope it’s over. I know, I’m talking in circles. I’ll move on.

I think I have my novella completed. It isn’t anything epic or fantastic. It is a small, simple story based in my home state, set in an obscure town. In a sense I’m a little bit proud of it, but I truly wish my debut work could be epic. I have epic ideas for future projects, but I just can’t tackle those right now. They’re too emotionally demanding for me. I need to write simple things for a little while.

With the completion of this story, I have had a resurgence in regards to my anxiety attacks. It is coming to the point where I can look for an agent and that overwhelms me. The last time I sent off work to be considered, the topic of my book was so epic and great that I hid behind it. I had thought that the agents would be shocked and awed by the subject matter that they would overlook my inexperience. Though my current project is smaller, it unveils little pieces of my soul.

Well, whatever happens, I will persevere.