Book is in.
Ahhhhh.
Dang that was hard. Start to finish. Probably didn’t help that I wrote it in 3 weeks, meant my days were just way too long and by this last week I was writing 10-12 hours a day and a chapter and a half a day. Yesterday was 34 pages. The day before was 41. The day before that it was 31. Makes me almost feel pukey. When I focus that hard and write that long my whole brain seems to hum too fast, makes it hard to sleep at night.
I know writers who do that kind of output consistently, frequently. I know some of the most famous Harlequin names have written 7-12 books a year. I can not. But I do need a better work ethic, and I only started working well once I left the house for a short-term office. “Going to work” every day really did get me in the mindset that it was writing time, not email, or blog or laundry or snacking. It was time to work. I was there to work. End of story.
But leaving the house everyday for long days meant not enough time with the kids and so its with great pleasure that I have 9 days with Mac without babysitters. We arrived last night in Hawaii on an evening flight and Mac and I just chilled today. We’re sitting on the couch watching Little Bear now. Haven’t done this in so long. Might even start reading a book tonight when Ty comes home from teaching in Waikiki. Bliss!!!
Thank you to my readers and friends for their birthday wishes over at Facebook yesterday. Thank you also to Latesha for the card (happy birthday to you, too, Latesha!!) and Shannon Schell for my present and card. Thank you for the emails and good wishes. But most of all thank you for the support while I wrapped up my book. I’ll probably get revisions on Monday but for the next two days I’m on vacation!!
Love you all, tell me something, anything, and you’ll have a chance to win one of my 3 fun surprise prizes! Contest runs through Sunday night and I’ll announce the 3 winners Monday morning.
Now back to Little Bear and doing nothing… and especially NO typing!!!
Wow first entry! Mac is a doll, what would you ever do with out such fine help??? LOL This week has been a tough one. I lost my job due to cut backs. This is when you realize who your real friends are. I have had so many wonderful loving calls, friends calling with job tips and leads, one even giving my information to a head hunter. I just love my friends, they are the sunshine in my life!
Whew! Way to go, Jane! I know that is not easy for anybody, especially with a young one at home, but you got through it! Mac survived just fine, and now it is time for you and your family to be together. Do enjoy!
Yippee! Lots of celebrating for you! Okay, had to enjoy the photo of Baby Mac before reading your blog…what a cutie, and looking so much like Daddy! Happy Birthday, Happy Finishing Your Writing, Happy Hanging Out in Hawaii, Happy, Happy Everything! Just picked up my GS Cookies from a young friend(good thing I was on the treadmill this morning), 1/2 through “Listen” (oooo, careful what you say even in private…)Had a great discussion yesterday with friends who are all reading “The Faith Club”. Just heard on the news that a young man from Florida who had been missing in Seattle was found safe and sound.Life is good; pizza for supper tonight then getting together Sunday with neighbor friends just for the heck of it.Dreaming of Hawaii…have fun in the sun with your special guys. Aloha
Wow! Jane you really got busy.
I don’t know how you did it.
Mac is an absolute doll.
I took my mom grocery shopping today. Tomorrow I plan on working in the yard it is suppose to be warm and pleasant.
You enjoy your down time.
What a great feeling to finish your book. Not much going on at my place, and frankly that’s good. I’m reading a Carolyn Brown book right now, My Give A Damn’s Busted. I’m really enjoying this series.
Jane,
So much to celebrate, your birthday, the book done, and sunshine in Hawaii. Happy wishes to you for enjoying your leisure and kids and sweetheart after all your hard work!
I just finished The Pig Did It and enjoyed it a lot and may pick up the second one to read. Also am reading The Perfect Summer about London 1911. Got into that time after enjoying the “Dougton (?) Manor miniseries on PBS.
Hey Jane, glad you got it done, can’t wait to see it in print. Since we all seem to be talking about what we’re reading, I’ve got What Happens in London going right now by Julia Quinn and Marrying Daisy Bellamy by Susan Wiggs waiting in the wings.
Enjoy your time in Hawaii… we had amazing springlike weather in Montreal the last few days, 50F which is highly unusual for mid-February, but it’s snowing again now and will dip below zero by Monday… sigh…
Jane,
Wow! Congratulations!!
Relax…you deserve it.
🙂
Yay for a new book! I’m excited!! I’m glad you are finally getting a break…I can’t imagine writing for that long in one day. I think I’d go nuts! 🙂
It’s been one crazy week for me. Spent 7 hrs. in my hospital (where I work) as a patient in the ER last week. I went in with stroke symptoms. Woke up in the am and my face was totally paralyzed on the left side. Vision blurry, nausea and tingling in my hand. I was so scared…being in the nursing feild, I knew what was happening. Luckily, I was wrong and after hrs of ruling out a stroke, brain tumor, MS and other scary things, I was sent home. It’s something called Bell’s Palsy and is the best thing I could have hoped for. My face is still a little numb and the muscles are not working right. It’s hard to eat, drink, put on make-up (all the small things.) My vision is messed up like crazy and that’s the worst of it all. Well, and the fact I have to tape my eye shut at night. 🙂 Anyways, what an eye opener. If that wasn’t a wake-up call to enjoy every day we have here on earth, I don’t know what would be! LOVING LIFE, even if it’s blurry and a little numb right now! So thankful to be here and be alright – I have children I need to raise!
Glad to hear you had a good birthday, Jane! Enjoy Hawaii and the time with your family!!! 🙂
Good luck to you Kari, my daughter’s riding coach had a Bell’s palsy attack when he was in his early 20’s (he’s 31 now) and made a full recovery. Was scary, but he made it through just fine and I hope the same for you.
Thank you Kathryn! I have improved a lot and I’m glad your daughter’s riding coach made a full recovery!
Kari-wow! I am absolutely in awe of you and your positive attitude. Hugs and congratulations on your new take on life.
Thank you, Shannon-Nicole! That’s very sweet of you. I guess these things happen for reasons. 🙂
Kari, so very sorry to hear what you’ve gone through. How scary, and intense, and my thoughts are with you! Sending you lots of love and hopes that your body will keep healing and this will never happen again!
Jane
Thank you, Jane! You and your fans are very sweet! Things are improving every day!
Phew!! I can’t imagine… And some write 7-12 a year?! Holy moly!
Mac is sooo cute!!! Love the pictures you post! 🙂
Also meant to mention in my comment above that I saw The King’s Speech tonight…. good, good movie. My vote for best actor goes to Colin Firth, hands down.
And for fun, one of the trailers preceeding the movie was for Jane Eyre… go to go re-read it and then see the movie when it comes out.
Love your books. I see you are now in Hawaii, we just got back from vacation in Oahu. Had a wonderful time, came back to rain in Oregon. Love to come home but already miss all the sunshine. Enjoy your break.
Congratulations!!
Enjoy your time off with Mac and Ty 🙂
Yay Jane!! I am so glad you are getting some down time – some YOU time with Mac and Ty. 🙂
Today has been a chillax day for me. Had a nice dinner at Cholo’s with my friend Jess (HAHA, we had a nice hardy laugh over my buzzy eyes from that very potent margarita – whooh). I wanted to see “Black Swan” afterwards, but it didn’t appear to be playing anywhere. And then I got home and checked online and it’s all over the place, lol! Droid was not working in our favor. So I think that will be one of my long weekend to-do plans :0) That and some warm beach; maybe a hike in Aiea.
Hope you enjoy your time to the fullest while you’re here chica! ~
Jane,
Relax and enjoy yourself! You deserve the time off after all that hard writing. I hope you had a great birthday.
I will be enjoying my status a first time aunt to little Dallas born on 02/10/11.
Jane,
This is a crazy birthday week here. My son turned 7 on Tuesday so his party is tomorrow. His friend is today, mine is Monday. I am still loving having birthdays. I always did.lol
I am very excited to read the next book! Hope you enjoy these days off in Hawaii with Mac and Surfer Ty! Enjoy Little Bear and doing nothing!
Cindy
you made my brain hurt from reading that! that is SO IMPRESSIVE!!!! and your mac keeps getting cuter by the day : )
Sometimes the best fun is doing nothing at all! One of my favorite hobbies. Good for you!
so glad you are enjoying a few days off with your men. you deserve it. baby mac is just the cutest! going to try to do all my domestic goddess chores today so i can relax tomorrow. busy week with dr. appts. next week. enjoy your day!!!!
Hi Jane enjoy your day of doing nothing, we all need those but never seem to get enough of them. Mac is so cute you should be very proud. Sounds like you have been on busy lady lately and you need the break. I have been trying to paint my house while taking care of everything else and it means a very busy time for me, but I will be happy when I am through. Take care and give Mac a big hug from me and a belated Happy Birthday to you.
Jane you are amazing! I don’t know how you do it. I hope you enjoy your few days down time and have a greay time in Hawaii. You deserve it! Happy Birthday 🙂
congrats on the book finish; but my you were sure whacking out those words.
I want to watch Little Bear, lol.
Enjoy, enjoy as we have Winter-snow yesterday and windy as usual. Very cold like -26C. We are staying inside and moving furniture around.
Hooray for a new book! I’m off this weekend, so looking forward to relaxing a little bit. I’m reading Half Broke Horses which is fabulous! Have a great time with your guys!
Cathy
Jane-
Enjoy! Relax! Just breathe! As I read your post, I could relate to your story. Hard work, perserverence and then comes rest. My son just went off to college and I am finding that I just need to remember to breathe. I discovered Yoga a couple of weeks ago and love it. Something new and totally outside my box. There is a season for everything and a time for everything as we journey through life with the shifts and changes that come at us. Enjoy your vacation as I will enjoy Yoga! Be Blessed!
Happy belated birthday Jane! And thank you for all of your hard work so that we can inhale your gorgeous books.
Mac’s little nose is so cute you just want to kiss it. 🙂
My girls and I are on a California adventure, Disneyland, San Francisco for a couple of weeks, picking our way back down the coast, stopping at little beach towns, and then Disney again before heading back to AZ.
Aloha!
Shannon in Tucson
Happy belated birthday, Jane! Glad to hear you are done with your book and have some free time. My son used to watch Little Bear and I’ve forgotten about it until you just mentioned it – I loved that show. 🙂
Hawaii sounds wonderful right now….but, the sun is out today in Washington – total blue skies. It’s so nice and lifts my spirits. Perfect for this “double weekend” – four day weekend.
Jane,
Yea we can’t wait for the next book. I get to come to Hawaii on the 3rd of March and hope the weather is good. I get to check out Ty’s new shop as I will be staying right across the street. It’s sunny here today in Seattle but cold. I get to spend the day with my grandson and that is so much fun. He just turned 2 months!! Have a wonderful vacation.
Dawn
Happy Belated Birthday – hope it was special. Congrats on finishing your book – can’t wait to read it. Enjoy your down time.
Today is a jammy day. I am doing absolutely nothing and I believe there’s a nap in my near future – yay!
Wow – Jane, you deserve a break! That is a crazy amount of writing to put in! Congrats on finishing the book – I can’t wait to read it!
Been busy with work this week. Preparing for a business trip next week to CA. I’m looking forward to seeing the sun instead of rain! Enjoy your time in Hawaii and RELAX, you’ve earned it once again!
Hello Jane, Kudos on getting the book finished, I can hardly wait for it to come out! I read your last book like you wrote, not able stop reading chapter after chapter. So you asked for us to tell you something, anything today is a bittersweet day for me my foster baby who I have had for 6 months left today. I’m happy her mom worked so hard to get her back but my heart is sad because she has left. Somehow my heart broadens a bit bigger after each one leaves leaving me feeling stronger and anxious for my next little life that is brought to me. So there you have it a small peek into my heart! Have a wonderful time in Hawaii with your family!!
Happy Birthday, a few days late – what a great gift to be done with the book and spending time with the guys. I’ve been trying to plan time in Hawaii with the husband, but we’ve fallen into the rut again of being scheduled by the kids’ activities. Time to make time for us!
The past 7-10 days have been all about doctors and kids. With the kids, little league is starting up and I’m (gulp) a coach again for my son’s baseball team, and help at tournaments for my daughter’s softball. We love it, my son lives for baseball, daughter is pretty softball crazy; I’ll resurface some time in July. The doctors gave me good news, my aches and pains are not a breast cancer recurrence. When you get that kind of good news, all the rest doesn’t matter much. Enjoy your vacation time!
I want to win something fun! I just had to spend $700 plus on a tune-up for my car and a new tire and now we have 10 inches of snow headed our way. I need some spring cheer!
Another wonderful Jane Porter book … hooray! Read She’s Gone Country a bit ago and absolutely loved it! Sitting here with my 4-year old daughter in my lap, admiring your sweet little Mac, “Aw, Mommy … he’s such a cutie! Can he PLEASE be my little baby brother?!”, and waiting for the skies to open over the Valley of the Sun. All 3 of my babies (8.5, 6.5 & 4) are sick with a nasty virus, so it’s to be a weekend of snuggling and hoping Mommy can make them comfy while they rest & heal. Have a wonderful time in Hawaii … hope you enjoy every relaxing moment! 🙂
Yay, Jane! You deserve some fun times with your boys! Hope your birthday was fantastic. We’ll be going to a high school music and dance revue tonight. The weatherman says we’ll get 6-10 inches of snow beginning late tonight. Can’t wait! (I’m being sarcastic.) It’s a good thing about a foot of snow has already melted so now there’s room to pile up some more.
Enjoy your little breather! You definitely deserve it!
I am excited to be heading on a winter getaway cruise next week. Woohoo!
Happy birthday, Jane. You are not getting older, you’re getting better…truly!
Happy belated Birthday! LOOOVE this shot of Mac – such nice light on that sweet toddler skin!
Way to go!
I have loved spending my winter break with you! My husband surprised me with She’s gone Country on my new Ipad.
Love your books. Thank you 🙂
Happy Day Late Birthday Jane!! I so sorry I missed it. I haven’t been on Facebook in weeks, too much drama on there at times. I am so happy you finished your book! Yeah! Having a toddler around must add stress in ones life when you have a deadline to meet yet he’s so darn cute! Way too cute!!! I wouldn’t get anything done with him around except get chapped lips from smooching him. Tis is the month of love. I’m resting today. One of the twinlets is coming home from college for the weekend and we are hitting a bridal shower with her sidekick sis tomorrow for wedding ideas and goodies. I hope you have a great weekend! Hugs, Lisa
I’m amazed at your ability to write so many pages and stay in a chair for so long, days in a row. Congrats on such a major accomplishment. Looking forward to reading it!
Way to go, Jane!
Mac, what a beautiful child he is!
Enjoy your down time in Hawaii!
Congratulations Jane. Well done. Enjoy this wonderful time away and best wishes.
Congratulations on all of the hard work! That would be rough and I would feel pukey, too!!
Spending the weekend watching my granchildren play sports and enjoying the sunshine in between. Maybe a little gardening time later on followed by a couple hours of reading with a yummy coffee in hand! Sounds like a perfect day to me.
Enjoy your precious time with Mac. He is such a cutie pie!
Hi! The picture of Mac is so sweet! He’s a cutie! I’m not a writer but I went back to school and working full-time in my home-daycare its been a rough. This semseter, I have alot of reading, and its hard for I love to read my fun books, and lately all I’ve been doing is reading civil war history, and a reading a book thats been assigned in my reading class. Then i have to do term papers. I’m off for 3 days so I’m taking a break and reading on of my books thats on my shelf, Angel’s Rest and since its so nice outside,I’m enjoying the sunshine. Have fun with Mac, and enjoy your vacation in Hawaii! I love your blog’s and hope to win of your prizes…Have a good one!
Great day! Enjoy your time in Hawaii…wish we were there, too! Just finished my son’s basketball game, had a little lunch, now the kids are having a frozen yogurt while my hubby and I are having a beer. Baseball tomorrow. Going home to watch Despicable Me! Love that movie! Have a great rest time!
Always so much going on with you….whew! Must be soooo relieved and now the exciting days with your family. Mac is so precious, a living little doll. Good luck with the new book, hope you don’t have to revisit it for corrections. Had temps in the 70’s here yesterday which is pretty darn cool for winter…maybe snow next week..go figure. Relax dear girl and enjoy it all!
Aloha Jane…so glad you’re relaxing with Mac and Guy Ty. Enjoy every blissful minute. Congrats on finishing that book; I’m in awe, really!!!
It’s raining here in SoCal this weekend. I’m cleaning out a room that was an absolute JUNK magnet and needed it badly. What’s going in? A reading spot for ME. No tv’s, just a candle, my rocker and a bookcase. ((:
Bonus: I found a ton of photos of my kids from 5-7 years ago (cried over how much they’ve grown) and JUST now found my iPod shuffle which had been lost for a year!! Shameful, but I’m so happy I don’t even care.
Aloha to you and have a wonderful week in Hawaii.
Hugs from Tustin,
Shannon
PS: glad you got your gift.
Three weeks! Thirty four pages! I’m exhausted just hearing that, Jane. Good job! Looking forward to reading it. Enjoy your time off.
Hi Jane
Happy Belated Birthday and congrats on finishing your book and now your time with the guys.
We are having a great weekend in Virginia Beach, one of my favorite places. We came for a good friend’s retirement from 23 years service in the Navy. The ceremony was most impressive. The weather has been great and it being the off season its been fun seeing all the dogs playing on the beach. Today is my husband’s birthday and tomorrow is the Daytona 500. All in all a great weekend. Have fun in Hawaii.
Hi Jane,
Feeling a little blessed cuz as a gov’t employee, I am off from work Monday due to President’s Day.
Melinda
Enjoy your weekend and lovely time in Hawaii, Jane ! you DESERVE It 🙂
Spending my weekend with my little family that’s what i’m gonna do today 🙂
Sweet pic! I can’t wait to hear more about the book you finished.
Spent the day shopping with mom and sister. Fun day!
Good for you Jane, Congrats!! I love thinking of you in Hawaii, enjoying beautiful sun-drenched days, and the warm trade breezes at night. (I hope it’s not raining!) Tell Ty that I had a dream about surfing the other night. I’m totally hooked and it’s all his fault!!
Loving this 3 day weekend, just started reading “She’s Gone Country” on my Kindle. 🙂
A Hui Hou,
Karen
Oh man, do I wish I was in Hawaii!! I hurt my knee at work so I have been hobbling around. I really need a good book and a beach chair and some chill out time. Congrats on finishing the book. I can’t wait to read it!!!
Congratulations on getting your book done! We have had some warmer days here and almost all the snow is melted. It is so nice to see the grass since it has been covered since right after Christmas. I can then fool myself into thinking it is almost spring.
I’m glad you finally got the book finished. Now, time to relax. That’s always the best part about any job. I hope you have some good time off and hope you celebrate your birthday in a fun way. My birthday was last weekend, but I had an infect tooth all weekend, so my mouth was swelled up. needless to say, I didn’t get to do anything for my birthday. tomorrow the root canal is scheduled and I’m really stressing and worrying about it. I’ve never had one and heard all the horror stories about it. So, I’m sure today will spur some panic attacks again.
We are rearranging our bedroom, a friend is coming to spend the night with us…and I have known her since 4th grade (VERY exciting, we are reconnecting..thanks FB!), my daughter turned 16 and my husband had a VERY promising job interview. He has been out of work for 15 months…so it is a roller coaster but that is more fun, eh? Ups and downs. Congrats on your book…pretty impressive.
YES!!! a new Jane book to look forward to. I’m having a lazy 3-day weekend. Enjoy your “chill time” and oh, by the way, I think your new personal assistant is adorable 🙂
Ahhh Jane, what you go through for your readers, your career, your passion etc! We are the beneficiaries of your “labors of/for love” and I, for one, am very grateful for YOU. You are responsible for me getting into reading – period. I never really got the bug ’til your books, your inspiration. So, thank you for that gift you labor to give all of us. You probably will never know how many lives you change and enhance. 🙂
I’m glad you do take this time for rest and renewal. With my physically demanding job of being on my feet all day, greeting and serving people, I really need and cherish the down time too. I thrive on all those people, infused with energy from them even. But, I recognize and obey my internal switch, when it’s time to unplug from it all. Enjoy your time. Love to you and your family from freezing MT.
Hi Jane!
Congrats on finishing the book in record time! Excited to get another book from you! Loving reading all your books…..
Last night had dinner and a movie with a friend that I had given “The Frog Prince” as a gift, she is loving your books as well and has bought what she could on her Kindle!
Enjoy your much needed break and the beauty of spending time with your family in paradise!
I plan to curl up with a good book this afternoon while the rain is coming down….
Nice to hear you are enjoying some mom time. Mac is adorable as always. We’ve been having some decent weather in MI this past week so my mom and i went shopping yesterday to a mall. Remind me not to do that again on a Saturday. Nice weather brought out even more people. We had a good time but it was a long day since i had to work first. Today is just doing laundry etc around the house and trying to relax some.
Happy Birthday again!!
Lisa B
Congrats on getting your book done. I can’t wait to read it. Happy late birthday. I have been so busy with school that it seems I keep missing things. I am preparing resumes for a college success class and studying for and algebra and a Human Growth and Development tests. I may just send a couple of these resumes out but maybe not. Haven’t decided. I have a creative writing project due soon but not until The 29th so I will spend next weekend writing that.
Hi Jane,
I hope you have a wonderful time in Hawaii.
I’ve been rearranging furniture today. Apparently, I can’t make my mind up. Moved into a different house a few months ago and I’m still trying to make it my own. So much to think about and so much to comtemplate. Makes my head spin.
Happy Belated Birthday!
And congrats on finishing your book.
May your birthday wish come true! Woo Hoo on another Jane Porter book entering the world! I’m listening to Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and I’m looking forward to the new movie version of Jane Eyre.
Congrats on finishing your book & I hope you had a very happy birthday.
Enjoy your time in Hawaii!
Enjoy your time in Hawaii! You deserve a break after all that intense writing. I have a good friend over in Maui right now and I know she’s having a great time there. She is dating someone there and is in the process of deciding if she should quit her job here and make the move out there, or not.
I am having a wonderful time with my sister and her two sons who are visiting from Washington. Nothing too exciting, just relaxing and eating 🙂
Hope you have a great week!
This will be super short–typing without my lenses or glasses and with migraine so 3 winners will just have numbers to help me get through this:
#1
#15
#66
Will 3 winners please shoot me your address and I will get prizes out pronto.
Thanks!
J
I hope your migraine goes away soon. I get them too, so I can sympathize with you. Congratulations to the winners.
What a wonderful surprise! Thank you Jane for your kind touches! Hope you feel better!
I just wanted to say thank you again! What a treat! And Congratulations to the other winners!