Hanging Out With Youngsters

Yep, that's what I'm doing here.

When I read some of your posts I know I'm truly over the hill. Oh, don't get me wrong, some of the blog posts are truly heart-rending when you talk about your bouts with life-threatening diseases. I can remember what it was like when you talk about challenges you're facing while raising your kids. I've certainly been there with five of my own and the several grandkids that lived with us at different times. (We are in fact going to lose our latest house guest soon when he moves to the state of Washington to work with his brother. We've been thrilled by how he's matured since living with us.)

I've never run a marathon though I used to walk 3 miles every day with my mom--when she was in her 80s. Needless to say we didn't walk all that fast.

I love your posts about writing, though I've probably been at it far longer than any of you, I still face the same problems as you all do. And though I started out with a New York publisher, since then, my publishers have all been small presses, and I've very happy with the two I'm with now.

I know that some of you are still working full-time and juggling families AND writing books. I retired from my job a few years ago but I can tell you that I seem to have less time now then I did then. I think when you've got so many things that have to be done you prioritize better.

I still do a lot of online promotion--certainly this blog is something I do faithfully. I've never done a book tour where I've gone from store to store. I do go to some bookstores but usually when I've been invited to give some kind of talk. I make appearances at libraries, sometimes solo, sometimes with other writers. This year I'm giving talks at two different colleges, one to lots of students, the other to only 16. I love giving presentations to writers groups and at writers conferences. Though the big cons are fun to go to, because I'm not a big name author, the smaller cons are more beneficial to me. I also do book and craft fairs where the book selling is often quite brisk. The older I get though, the harder it is to get to some of these things, so I know in the future my promotion will probably become more centered on the online.

And as most of you know, I have a big family which means a lot of family events to attend. The big one coming up next is my great-grandson's high school graduation! And I'll also be going to the celebration of my youngest granddaughter's high school graduation right after that.

Life goes on whether I get that book written or not.

Marilyn