Was this a call for help?

 March 30, 2023

There is an overwhelming preponderance of evidence on social media that writers are fueled by coffee. I can attest this is at least partially true. My morning routine does not vary.

I get up and let my slippered feet take me to the coffee pot, where I pop a pod in the brewer and press start. Then I shuffle to the door and step outside with Deuce so he can do his outside activities. We come back inside and my coffee is ready for a splash of creamer. Then, and only then, I turn on the computer. 

Having a morning routine is a wonderful thing for me. I like a bit of structure to start the day. It gives me a chance to settle into being awake. And yes, first thing in the morning, coffee is the "nectar of the gods."

So, why is there herbal tea in my cup? 

Every once in a while I realize I've over-caffeinated myself. It comes on with a few achy joints and tender spots. I notice my heartbeat gets a little jumpy. My bladder goes into overdrive (which is inconvenient as hell!). At that point, I will do two things: 1) stop at ONE cup of coffee or 2) switch off to tea for a day, then decaf for a day. That seems to clear the caffeine back to the level where it doesn't bother me. 

So, what's the picture about?

This morning I fixed a cup of tea and set it down on the coaster. Then I had a good laugh at myself because it looks like I'm about ready to call for help because I have tea! 

If you can't laugh at yourself, you shouldn't laugh at anyone else.

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 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, gay romance, LGBTQ, m/m romance, Between the Keys, coffee vs. tea, rural lifestyle, a writer's life, Amethyst Cove, Men of Marionville, morning routines, black Labrador Retriever, Deuce's Day

Creativity is essential

March 16, 2023

It might be arguable that there is more to life than writing. If we don't pay attention to life, we don't have things to write about. It's circular. 

While I've been busy writing this winter, I've become aware I need something else to do for those times when my hands have caught up to my brain and the brain has to process ideas and get ahead again. 

Read about my plan for next winter, Flying Geese, and a bit about my life over at Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway.) This is the blog where I share personal things outside of writing.  

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 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Rayne Forrest, romance fiction, LGBTQ gay, a writer's life, m/m romance, Kindle, ebook romance, arts and crafts

I can, so why not?

 March 10, 2023

Did you ever have one of those days when what you should be doing is simply of no interest to you? It happens. But the thing is, there are always myriad things I need to do. I should be working on the WIP, but a few other things intruded. Things like transplanting cabbage and Brussels sprout seedlings and planting tomato seeds. That's one of the things with gardening. The plants and the weather dictate to you. 

I should have jumped on the WIP with my few gardening chores accomplished. And I did. I opened the document ... and I closed the document. It's Friday and I've been good all week. I wanted to work on something to do with the writing, so I did a little promo and reworked a couple of promo cards. 

One of the books I rarely do any promo on is Hot August Comes. I don't really know why because the book was on the Amber Quill bestseller list, the ARe bestseller list, and it got good reviews. I've always thought it was a good story, if I must say so myself. I decided now was the time to make an improvement where HAC is concerned. So I did. I think the card turned out really well. 

The other thing I want to do is a series promo for the Amethyst Cove series like I've been doing for the Men of Marionville series. Last year I set myself the task of posting a promo on every book in the MOM series, and I did that. It's snowballed on me in that I keep finding new Facebook groups to run those promos. Thank goodness I thought to create a spreadsheet! Anyway, I updated the promo card for Double Deuce. It's not a big change but a small improvement. 

There is always something to do when I put on the writer's hat. So even if I'm not physically working on the WIP, I'm letting my subconscious brain work on it. Later tonight, or maybe not until tomorrow morning, my subconscious will toss the next chapter at me and I'll get it down. I've learned to relax a bit about doing other things. It pays off in the long run. 

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 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, LGBTQ gay, romance novels, a writer's life, promotion items, work-in-progress, Hot August Comes, Double Deuce, series romance, gardening, Between the Keys

The things that matter

 

March 4, 2023

This meme popped up in my Twitter feed and I read it and moved on. Then I went back for it. I guess the morning coffee hadn't kicked in the first time. 

Twitter is one of my guilty pleasures. Yes, most days there is a lot of crap to hop over, but little jewels like this one do exist. 

To phrase it another way, stop doing the things that don't matter (first) so you have time to do the things that do matter. 

In order to stop focusing on the things that don't matter, we must first identify them. Why are we taking out the trash instead of writing? It could be the trash truck is a mere three houses away and we'd better hurry. It could be the trash truck won't pick up until tomorrow. Prioritizing isn't easy. Overcoming our (possibly) brainwashed way of doing things isn't easy. 

As I prepared for retirement, I got a letter-sized desk calendar. It's a Day Designer that has a page for every day. The days have sections for Schedule, Today's Top Three, To-Do, and Notes, plus an inspirational saying. There are two small sections at the bottom for Tonight and for Gratitude. It's been a big help to me to be able to look at what I've done during the day and see areas I want to improve. I'm not strict enough with my time. 

I've embraced "retirement" and enjoy time spent with the Lord of the Manor doing not much of anything. He spent a lot of time alone in the last thirty years while I was at work. Setting aside what I'm working on to spend time with him when he is taking a break is something that matters to me even though it doesn't show on my desk calendar as productivity. Do I need to be a productive writer every free moment of the day?

Perhaps not, but I need to be cognizant of my use of time. It's time to use that desk calendar a little more proactively. That "Today's Top Three" block needs to be used to identify the things that matter, like time with loved ones.  

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 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Rayne Forrest, Between the Keys, romance fiction, time management, organization. loved ones, a writer's life, rural living, country lifestyle, ebooks