A few years back, I was at a blogger conference, and the keynote speaker was a three-time NY Times best-selling author. During the Q&A, someone asked her what her secret was to being a full-time working author. The author answered: “Don’t quit your day job.”

She went on to say that unless you are very, very lucky and land that enormous advance on your first (and all subsequent) books, and then maybe a movie deal, you’re going to need to cultivate alternate revenue streams or you’re going to have to give up your dreams of a house in the burbs and a couple of kids and a car that impresses people.

I drive a Kia, but I do have the house in the burbs to take care of and the day job that pays for it and all my other bills, which are a multitude since my divorce. And this week, I had a lot going on at the day job. In addition, I got news about a book contest just a few days before it closed and I had to rush to re-review my manuscript before I submitted it (and commission some cover art) and finish up my novella “Ready in Red” so it’s positioned for Valentine’s Day. Add in two blogs and a professional article-writing gig and it really, really gets crazy.

All of that pushed back my final edits/read-through on “Changeling” and it’s frustrating as hell. But I will persevere, and come hell or high water, this thing is getting finished. I’ll update you shortly, I promise. I just have to stop second-guessing myself and decide it’s good like it is. (And I never feel like my books are good like they are. Never.)

So back to work for me.