Managing "real" life with a "writing" life

Balance - it's a goal, if not always a reality.

As my sons (now 8 and 5) are getting older, I am getting better about finding a balance between writing time and all other time. It's great that I can tell them "Give mommy until x:00 and I'll be all yours," and they can help themselves more. It also helps that since ROLL PLAY came out last August they know that what I do is "real".

I do my best to set times to write each day, mostly when my youngest is in preschool (a whole 2 hours to myself!). And I can do some at other times. Still, it is a push and pull with other obligations.

While writing ROLL PLAY, my youngest son was still home all the time and had a 2-3 popsicle habit. I actually once found myself writing "he put his popsicle near her...". Ah, the fun when real life intrudes.

As wives, mothers, friends, daughters and writers we have a lot of roles to play and keeping them all in line is a balancing act worthy of the finest acrobats. Still we manage. Dinner is on the table, homework gets done, groceries are bought, and deadlines are met. Sometimes it seems like a cross between magic and a miracle. Aren't we amazing??

I am looking forward to the day when my books are doing so well and my husand's therapy clinic is thriving so that I can hire one of those services that put the meals together for you and you just cook it up at dinner time.