2024 COVERS

2024 covers

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We are writers mainly from Australia and New Zealand who write speculative fiction with romantic elements. Be it fantasy, paranormal, dark urban fantasy, futuristic and everything in between.

Thursday 26 April 2012

Magic Thursday Slackness

Hello there. Yes it is after 2:30 in the afternoon and I am only just now posting my Magic Thursday spot. And what I had prepared went out the window, because instead I want to talk about a very serious affliction that I, and many authors (I hope, please don't say its just me) suffer from: Extreme Unorganizationitis. Sounds horrible, doesn't it?
Seriously though. I forgot I had to post here today. Okay, I didn't actually forget because I had it written down on my calendar and I'd written a blog post and I kept thinking to myself earlier in the week "must remember to post on Thursday." But then yesterday came and the Anzac holiday really threw me off. I kept thinking it was Saturday. And then when hubby got up and went to work today, my mind told me "Monday" and I kept trying to do Monday things, only to tell myself "DUH its Thursday."
So I had no idea what day of the week it was, and had many things on my mind; emails I need to send to people. The fact that I couldn't remember the last time I mopped the kitchen floor and how my shoes squeaked every time I walked across it because it was so sticky (I just finished the marathon of all sweeping/vacuuming/mopping triathlons). The fact that the dust bunnies in the corners were starting to breed smaller dust bunnies that were floating across the floor when a strong enough wind blew. The lovely drawing one of my kids did in the inch of dust coating the book shelves. The bills I have to pay today. The fact that my kids cleaned out my wallet so when I went to the Post Office I didn't have any gold or silver coins and had to eftpos four dollars (which the man behind the counter was REALLY impressed about). The fact I had to remember to pick my kids up from two different places at two different times and not get them mixed up (done that before!). Things I have to do for the kinder committee. Things I have to do for my local writer's group committee. At some point this week I'd like to fit in some yoga, but its already Thursday.... THURSDAY! Oh my god, I'm supposed to be on the DSDU blog. AHHHH!
Is this sounding familiar? This is a pretty typical day for me. I feel awful about it, but I forget to do things all the time. I really think people must believe I'm just a flighty, irresponsible person who can't manage to follow through on the things I promise to do. But underneath all these things I have going on, I'm also always thinking about my manuscript/storyline/characters/editing/ideas for future projects. And its damned distracting. One day recently I forgot to go meet my BFF for coffee and she raced over here, kids (including a newborn baby) and all to check I was okay. I was, it had slipped my mind that I was meant to meet her and she caught me my oldest, ugliest clothes scrubbing the bathroom tiles. Boy was I embarrassed that day.
I keep telling myself I will be more organized, that I can get on top of this craziness and be a goddess of organization. Cool, calm, collected and with my hair brushed every single day! I have a calendar, a diary, reminders in my phone, sticky notes placed strategically around the house, yet still things slip through the cracks and that one thing I miss makes me feel bad for ages after its all said and done.
So I want to know about everyone else. Who else has Extreme Unorganizationitis? What do you forget or neglect in your life to keep up with everything else?
I'm giving away a copy of my latest release, Heart of the Warlord, to one lucky commenter.

On the planet Kanaan, Jiovahnie Dorrian, the Marques of Gryffin, walks a fine line between keeping his place in society amongst the Ruling Families, and his ancestral legacy of being a warlord. Though he'd rather stay camped in the Borderlands with his men, when his cousin, the Duque of Harkin is to be married, it’s the event of the season. One he can't miss. After all, the duque expects him to be the best man. But Vahn doesn't anticipate his best man duties to include fetching his cousin's bride when an enemy attempts to abduct her.

Lady Gwynevive Tyne isn't the wilting Miss society expects her to be. And when mercenaries attack her traveling party on the way to her intended husband's home, she does what any self-respecting girl should —  tries to steal the enemy's ship to escape. But before she can get away with the reckless plan, a warrior turns up claiming to be sent by her fiancé. He dresses like a mercenary and his silvery, metal-gray eyes make her heart beat a little too fast.

For both Vahn and Gwyn, a forbidden attraction flames to life between them almost instantly. Both know there's no way they can be together. Yet neither of them can stay away from one another. An enemy is intent on preventing Gwyn's marriage, and at every turn, Vahn finds himself protecting Gwyn from danger. He needs to keep her safe and then hand her over to his cousin to wed. And when the time comes, they have to find some way to let each other go… Or risk starting a war that could tear apart the Ruling Families.

11 comments:

  1. OMG, Jess, this post made me giggle. I can so relate. I often forget stuff my kids told me just last week, but I remember in embarrassing detail things my hero and heroine are doing/saying/thinking at any given time. I have a gorgeous Squiggle To Do list pad on my desk that I write things in, and then I turn over the page and oops! I totally forget all the things I should be remembering because I wrote them on the previous page!

    It's comforting to know I'm not alone!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christina,

      Exactly. We all do it. Writers are very occupied people. Surely our families can't expect us to remember everything!

      Delete
  2. Hey Jess,

    I reckon invented it!

    Not only do I suffer from unorganizationitis but excel in putting things in the diary, it bleeps at me and I still by-pass it. Go figure. I think I'm pause or something.

    So in light of all your forgetfulness. You are not the only one. There are many of us and we are all scattered about the planet. Making life for those around us interesting.

    On a serious note. The new book sounds goooood!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Christina, glad you stopped by.
    Yes I can also recall in crystal clear clarity scenes and conversations from my books, but do you think I can remember what I did last Monday? Not a chance!
    Hmm, maybe I should add a to-do pad to my calendar/diary/phone reminders/ sticky notes...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Effie,
    LOL on making life interesting for those around us, that's a good spin to put on it and one I'm going to use next time someone reminds me I forgot something. "No I didn't, I was just trying to make things interesting!"
    :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spot on Jess!

      Because we writers are generous and want to share our divine gift of of as you say "unorganizationitis".

      Delete
  5. Yes, I can be completely disorganised, but I do try. i'm getting better thanks to Kitty's workshop and working what works for me - diary for day, checking diary before going to bed to see what's on for the next day or so, checking my iCal for the week. All little steps, and all help. And I have to write EVERYTHING down. Mind like a sieve. I think we are getting busier and busier all the time. What happened to technology slowing down life? You know it does things quicker, so you have more time to relax. Instead, it's get things done quicker and do more!
    Great post. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I can so relate Jess. Even on an organized day my life is total chaos. I always start off with good intentions but it all goes haywire at some point. I figure, as long as the bills get paid, the family fed and the house is somewhat tidy why stress? I used to write lists but they got so long they stressed me out. I now go by the mantra of "do anything that can be done in five minutes straight away" which is surprisingly effective. I also use writing as my reward, so I run around the house getting things done for an hour or two then sit down for a guilt-free writing session.
    Thanks for the fun post.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Eleni, you sound FAR more organized than me. I like your idea of having a day diary that you check before you go to bed! And yes, I think we are getting busier all the time too.
    Hi Peta, I also like your mantra of "do anything that can be done in five minutes." ...especially since I've spent a good portion of today cleaning the kitchen -- the over, cooktop and I even scrubbed the sink! Took me far longer than five minutes, I can tell you that.
    Thanks for stopping by and good luck with the draw everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, Jess... I often feel the same way, and I know I don't have half as much to juggle as you! I've forgotten loads of laundry in the wash until the kids complain that they've run out of socks; nearly forgotten to pick kids up from their classes; dashed off to drop them off late because we've forgotten what day of the week it is... *sigh* Some folks are organized about their belongings and their schedules, and I truly envy them ;) They probably don't owe loads of fees to their libraries because they forget to check what days their books are due ;p

    f dot chen at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  9. There's a name for it! Hallelujah! So nice to not be alone.

    I too, am forgetful and then spend the second half of the day playing catch up and trying not to misplace any offspring.

    I like Peta's five-minute task attack, I might try that.

    It seems to me that kids are the common denominator here, did you notice? I swear my mind was a steel trap ten years ago. Only got, um...about twenty years before they're off my hands and life can return to normal. ;)


    Best of luck, Em.

    ReplyDelete

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