Nobody knows the troubles I've seen

I have had time to further develop my new friendships and associations, but had to do it in little spurts as best as I could manage. I’ve been reading a romance novel by one of them which is a first for me, it’s a historical romance so at least I had the historical aspect is there to tempt me into jumping in. In turn, the author, Kim Scott, is reading my novel. Her book is “Regarding Ruth,” the first in her series with four in print. I also ran a contest for “likes” on my Richard Alan – Author Facebook page which C.M. Wright won; he’s working on “The Zombie Overload Series” with two books already published.

Next I am going to reward the 100^th “Like” on my author’s page with a hardbound autographed copy of “The Rising of Julian Adams.” Consider this the official announcement which will also be posted on my Facebook page.

So, what else has been going on since November 15^th? First, I had thumb surgery to remove a benign tumor. It was immediately obvious that I wouldn’t be typing with a big ball of bandages on my thumb. That was just awkward. Worse, however, against my writing was the fact that I had to keep it held above my heart or suffer the consequences of a throbbing and stabbing pissed off thumb. One handed typing was such an untrained goofball idea that it was quickly abandoned.

Thumb surgery was bad, but I was paled by a string of migraines that are still threatening me almost daily. I’m prone to migraines, and have medication to help fight them off; during this long episode, however, nothing helped. The pain alone was intense, but even worse was the visual disturbances sometimes associated with migraines. The corona of flickering lights was compounded by blurred vision and occasionally my sight went completely black. Even if I felt like it, there was no way I could write!

Last, but hardly least, with the migraine came confusion like a perpetual senior moment. I had times when somewhat coherent thoughts could not reach my lips without being scrambled. I’ve had migraines this severe before, but they really worry my wife because the so closely resemble a stroke. Once I actually did have a stroke, but never figured out when because of my headaches. The scarring was visible in a series of scans, so the stroke happened migraine masked or not. This was the final nail in my coffin that kept me from the bright sight shattering glare of my laptop, the shear pain trying to type, and the confusion that couldn’t string a single sentence together let alone a book!

The good news is that I have survived two relatively short days of edit/writing on book two in The Rising Series. I’m not out of the woods yet, haunted by the migraine threat, but feel that I’m back on the horse again and so ready to make up for almost a month of lost time.

Again, my friends and followers, wish me Godspeed, and Bless You All!

Making Connections

I wrote the majority of this blog November 15^th, but it wasn’t posted for health reasons. I will explain that in my next blog which will be written today.

I had the fortune of being chosen for a name-your-price coaching sessions with my cyber friend, Carma Spence. We started our relationship when she did an article on me for the Orange County Register. Our one-on-one session was on speakerphone so my wife, Barbara, could take notes and also ask questions, and the notes are extensive which she will type out for us with so much great information my head was spinning after the call.

First, Carma guided me to three authors and people in the industry to start me off, and those relationships are quickly blooming past formalities and into friendships. They are all supportive, offer to be my sounding walls, and through them I have been guided to others in our special community. They are embracing this newbie and it feels great finally having this resource in my life. Why didn’t I do it long ago? I didn’t know such wonderful people were touchable by someone just starting out.

She also gave me information to further build my network and make it specific for this community. She knows of organizations in the area and in cyberspace where I can connect even more, and get genre specific mentors. Now I have a greater understanding about the publishing process from my own fumbling through it, and many ideas she knew to make the process easier next time. Her advice should also help my following books in The Rising series and my children’s fantasy to reach publication quicker!

I connected with another kindred soul on the opposite side of the country who is also disabled and in financial straits. Through her and several others in my new circle of writers and people in the business I am finding encouragement that only my wife and a few friends previously gave me. I am also receiving tips of the trade, and though we are writing different genres, it has turned into a bonus contrary to previous thoughts. We are all on the learning curve discovering different destinations on the internet that offer help, services, and places to promote our works and develop an online presence. I am so happy to have found these new friends, and find some of the things I have discovered are helping them. It feels so good to be helping others.

So, thank you all, my friends and followers, and wish me and these other artists Godspeed in our writing, editing, and in navigating the mysteries of the internet together.