Life Crises and General WTF-ery

I’ve avoided writing this post for a long time. Months, actually. But that’s what I do – when things get tough my inner introvert comes to the rescue.

Thing is, though, you guys are my people. You ‘get’ my books, which means you ‘get’ me – and you deserve to know what’s going on in my world.

In a word: carnage.

Crisis2017’s going to go down as one of ‘those’ years for me; the sort where you think “just fast forward me already”. I’ve had a LOT of personal stuff going on – and no, I won’t go into details, but suffice to say that’s why you haven’t heard from me. I’ve been up to my eyeballs in it. Still am.

On the upside, it’s perfect writing fodder and you can bet it’ll be good for my books in the long run. Short term, though – it’s disastrous!

As I mentioned a few months ago, I’ve gone back to full time teaching – which I love, but it’s seeing me burn much midnight oil as I get myself back up to speed.  And that’s midnight oil that used to be dedicated to writing.

This, combined with other personal stuff, means my focus is necessarily elsewhere. I’ve given myself permission to pause this year and get used to my new normal. Life interferes with our plans, right?

But I miss writing. More than I can describe, actually. And I feel like I’m letting you, my readers, down –  especially since the sequel (yes!) to A Heat Of The Moment Thing is still unfinished and languishing in my laptop . . . on scrawled notes to myself . . . in my head . . .

Anyways, that’s me. 2017 has changed me – but I’m still here, I’m still passionate about life and above all I’m very thankful for all the positives.

YOU are one of my positives.

 

Maggie xx

PS  Thanks so much to those of you who take the time to send emails and Facebook messages. You’ve no idea how uplifting it is for an author to know their books are touching readers’ lives.

PPS  I’ll let you know when the sequel to AHOTMT is eventually done – and its release price will be super-cheap as a thank you for being there :)

Over 1000 Quakes? No way!

News? Um… well, we’re still here, rocking and rolling with no sign the aftershocks are about to stop. (Last count: 1111 quakes since 4th September.)

A few days last week were almost quake-free – and I didn’t like it. Not that I’m enjoying the aftershocks – but the sudden lack of them was weird. Then, on Saturday night, a cluster of four significant aftershocks. My nerves twanged straight back up to high-stress mode. And, just like that, we’re back in QuakeZone. Weird as it sounds, it’s almost a relief to feel them on a regular basis because last week’s eery quiet reminded me of scary monsters waiting in the shadows.

Writing news? This week I’m working on submissions to editors, and adding to my current WIP. Busy, busy!

QuakeZone – Twelve Days On

Twelve days on and we’re struggling to re-boot normality here in Christchurch, NZ.

It’s not that we can’t function: we can, and very well. Our infrastructures have withstood this crisis amazingly. Our civil defence emergency response teams have been excellent. Our community has come together to help each other through – I’m proud to live here. And, miraculously, no lives were lost.

But it doesn’t feel normal. The shops are open. School’s back in. People, if their job still exists, are back to work. But there’s a nervous edge to it. I avoid large shopping malls. I constantly check where my kids are. I startle at every low rumble. I quiz my son daily on what he should do in an earthquake.

We’ve had 611 quakes in twelve days. There’s nothing normal about that.

QuakeZone

On Saturday 4th September 2010, at 4.36am, my partner and I woke to the biggest earthquake we’ve ever experienced. The pre-quake rumble was terrifying. Freight-train-through-your-lounge volume. Then the quake hit. Apparently it lasted forty seconds. To both of us it felt much, much longer. How to get to the kids in time? How to calm their terror, keep them safe? How to stay on our feet until we reached them?

Magnitude: 7.1 on the Richter scale. Depth: 10km (that’s shallow!). Epicentre: 40km west of Christchurch. Effect on our beautiful city: devastation.
Read More…

Brace Yourself: It’s The C-Word

Not cancer: Christmas. A word that conjures up such a range of emotions.

Emotion 1.  Surprise. Is it that time already?

Emotion 2.  Annoyance. The baubles and fake snow are cluttering shop windows, the piped music in lifts/malls/phone calls is Santa-themed, and the street decorations have appeared overnight. Do they really think we need reminding?

Emotion 3.  Panic. We’re in serious countdown, now. Have I organised presents? Bought Read More…