Monday, July 27, 2020

Where did Summer go? by Peggy Jaeger

Next week it will be August already. I think every summer about this time I ask myself ( and anyone who is listening to me, which, truthfully, isn't many!!) "Where did the summer go?"
Even during this horrible pandemic, with the country in such a weird state of shut down/don't shut down, I still feel as if the world is zipping by and I don't have enough time to do everything I want, or need, to do, despite being more of a hermit than usual.

Case in point: this summer I had 4 things on my work calendar that were a priority( In addition to the 99 everyday things that weren't):
1. finish my Christmas romance and get it ready for an October release
2. Start the next book in my Pride of Brothers series and finish the first draft
3. Plot the next three indie releases I have planned in my head
4. Blog at least 3-4 times per week on my website

I figured June, July and August would be more than enough for 1-3. #4 I do anyway.

Then reality hit.

June was a crazy month in which a routine dermatology appointment knocked me out of the stratosphere with another cancer diagnosis( my fifth!) and a topical chemotherapy treatment that made me even more of hermit because it made my face look like an uncooked pizza. You'd think because I was isolating myself ( and not for Covid!) I'd get the work done.

Nope.

I was too devastated by the diagnosis and spent the better part of my hermitage (is that a word?) watching old DARK SHADOWS and CSI episodes on HULU instead of writing two books.



July rolled around and I realized I'd wasted a month wallowing, so I started on #1-3. I didn't get far with any of them because...life in general interfered. Taking care of my isolating and aging parents, getting lost in social media rabbit holes, promoting my two latest releases and doing Zoom and FB Chat events for them, even helping promote other authors on my blog, all took  up so much time, that before you know it, here we are just a few days from August.

I'm determined to do better in August.
I need to get my Christmas book edited ( it is done, thankfully!); I need to make a serious dent in Book 2 in the Pride of Brothers trilogy ( 15,000 words in so far.) ; and those next 3 indies need to be written down before I forget them.
I can do this. I know I can.

The phrase famous last words seems to be rolling around in my head, though. Hee hee

Have you heard about the  LAST CHANCE BEACH- Summer's End? It's an anthology of 14 romances from the Romance Gems. Short, sweet or sassy, you're guaranteed to find a story you love.


And don't forget my very own Summer Romance, VANILLA WITH A TWIST a One Scoop or Two novella.

"There's never a wrong time for ice cream." ~ Tandy Blakemore, owner of Vanilla with a Twist


Have you checked out the monthly Romance gems giveaway? 


Until next time, peeps. Stay cool and stay healthy ~ Peg

33 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. I loved dark Shadows. Hurried home every day to watch it at 4.

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  3. Oh my gosh, you've had quite the summer. I hope you're okay and take it easy with yourself. Work will get done in its own time.

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  4. I'm so sorry for the diagnosis--what a slam into your plans! I hope all is going well. Like Jennifer said, work will get done in its own time--take care of yourself first!!!

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    1. Liz - thanks for your kind words and encouragement. I need to let life take a back seat for a while, I know...just so hard to do, though.

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  5. Sorry to hear about the diagnosis. Like the others have said, the work will get done. Put yourself first!

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    1. Joanne - thankyou!!! i know it will...I just need to believe it!

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  6. Peggy...take care of you first! The rest will follow and wallowing is not actually doing nothing...it’s emotional repair time and we all need to do that when lightning strikes. We all have those times...take care!

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    1. Bonnie - I'm beginning to realize ( about time, too!) that the body and mind need rehab time. I guess I'm learning it better late than never.

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  7. Omigoodness! What a summer, Peggy! This will HAVE to turn around in August. I insist! But it does sound like you are doing what you need to do. And that may be binge-watching Dark Shadows (which I couldn't wait to get home from school and watch when I was a kid...aging me much?) and that is totally O.K. Take care of you, please!

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    1. Oh, Maddie _ I watched it every day after school, too!!!! From thebeginning. Couldn't wait for 4pm to roll around, hee hee. Thanks for the kind words.

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  8. I watched Dark Shadows too as a teen. I think there was a teen soap opera called, if I remember correctly, Never Too Young also. Then I'd watch Where the Action Is with Paul Revere and the Raiders. That was a Dick Clark show. I wonder when I did my homework. My device was the TV set. LOL! Not like my grandchildren today.

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    1. YOu know Jan, I remember always do my homework with the TV on in the background and all those shows playing. never did a darn thing to worsen my grades, either. With my daughter I had a strict no TV while school work rule, tho!!! She's probably gonna read this and be retoractively mad at me, hee hee

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  9. Sweetie, I'm so sorry you've been going through so much! And you still do a bazillion more things than anyone else. I had a bad week myself where my numerous goals kind of did me in and sent me spinning. I threw them all out the window this week and am focusing on one thing only. My new release - which isn't anywhere near ready to go.
    Take a deep breath and allow yourself some time to regroup. You've got this!!

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    1. Darling Girl, I feel ya! I think I may need to learn to do one thing at a time instead of 50. WHo knows? I may even write better because of it, hee hee. Thanks for the love and support and encouragement.

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  10. You've been hit hard! It's amazing you've been able to do what you have. Take some deep breaths. You can get through this!

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    1. Ilona - thanks. I have to admit, I'm lucky in that I get to work from home, my daughter is grown and on her own and hubby still works full time. I can have a lot of writing - and wallowing time! Thanks for the words of support.

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  11. You have a lot going on. Healing is the most important. Bonus! There are still 7 weeks of summer left. Our summer weather only arrived 2 weeks ago, so it's just starting as far as I'm concerned. Enjoy.

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    1. Kathleen - that's a great way to look at it. 7 weeks of summer left!!! Now I don't feel sosososos innundated. I know I'll get it all done, and get finished with my therapy before summer's end. Thank you for reminding me of that!!!

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  12. Here's hoping that dematology issue in over once and for all. What a summer you've suffered through, all told. I'm super impressed with your ability to write fast and on different stories at once. Peggy. I know you can do it--but maybe don't put too much pressure on yourself :) Hugs.

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    1. Barbara - bless you, girl!!! Like I've said, I'm blessed. I get to work from home while hubby still goes out to his job everyday. No pets, no kids at home to distract me from writing. I know I've got this ( points to heart!) I just need to realize here ( points to head! hee hee) Bless you for all the encouragement!

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  13. Peggy, I'm glad you took the time to just hibernate. Everyone needs a little down time and everybody's time is a different amount. Now you're ready. Go get em, Woman. You always do!

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    1. Bless you, Nora!!!! I love that encouragement! keep it comin'!

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  14. My dear Peggy... Take care of yourself! You are my super-hero. Not a day goes by that I don't truly think that thought. Don't know how you do all you do, but rest and heal. Time spent on those two things is never wasted. Besides, we have shenanigans to get to. Hugs. ❤️❤️❤️

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    1. Kathy- just thinking about those shenanigans that are awaiting us is keeping me moving forward and intent on healing!!! hee hee BLess you, dear friend, for the love and encouragement!

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  15. Sorry to hear about your dermatological scare. You needed some downtime to recover. I agree with Tandy--it's always a good time for ice cream and I wish I had some. Peggy, wouldn't we set the world on fire if life didn't intrude in our plans?

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  16. Oh my goodness. You have had a lot on your plate. You absolutely should have taken time for yourself, so I'm glad you watched all those shows! Just remember to breathe and let the peace settle in!

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  17. Kara - that's fabulous advice. Breathing and letting the peace settle in is EXACTLY what I need to do!

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  18. Sometimes it's enough to just be.

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  19. My daughter tried the topical chemotherapy on her second skin cancer which was a half inch from her first skin cancer that she had MOHS surgery on. Ended up having MOHS on the second one. The topical chemo not only cooked her fair skin, it didn't kill the cancer. Now she's going in Thursday because the cancer has come back in the same general area. Keep an eye on yours, Peg.

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