Preparing for the Holidays

I spent Labor Day weekend creating 5x8 versions of some Christmas novellas and story collections- using stories I've written over the past 20 years that are gathered ion three large volumes of holiday stories and cutting them down to three stand alone novellas (The Winter Solstice Ball, A Major Production, and The Red Velvet Suite, and four story collections by type of story- inspirational, Christmas past, Christmas Present, and Christmas with family.) I've been asked why I'm producing holiday books now. The answer is that I work full time and my extra activities calendar is getting pretty full, so I am not going to have any time until November to do anything, and by then it will be too late to start working on Christmas stuff, because these days, Christmas starts as soon as the Halloween leftovers are swept off the shelves. Thanksgiving is like a tattered ribbon caught in a holiday maelstrom of product promotions. I need to have my stocking stuffer sized books ready. So between working five days a week, and weekend schedules already booked through the end of October, I need to get stuff done ahead. That's why I dedicated the three day weekend to Christmas books.


Now I'm working on Halloween books for the October Fall Festival, my author event, and a Ghost Stories LIVE! event that will fill my October weekends. September is already booked with various things like a button show this weekend, writer's group the following weekend, and a family birthday.


November, if you haven't realized it yet, will be consumed by NaNoWriMo novel writing. There is no time for anything else in November.


I was never a scout, but the be prepared motto is one I've embraced throughout my entire life. My husband is a "wait and see" type person who seldom accomplishes anything and misses the boat on everything else (and never blames himself for anything that doesn't get done.) I can't be like that. I'm a get things done type of person. I've just always been that way.


I think I'm on track with all my myriad projects....at least I hope so!