Doranna Durgin: Defying Reality

Reality says you can’t do it all.

So I’m clearly insane to be working frontlist (Claimed by the Demon, and the hero is NOT a demon), backlist (fantasy, mystery, and romantic suspense), running a service for authors with similar backlist efforts (Backlist eBooks), and working on my own original productions through Book View Café.

I guess the thing is, I want it all.  For one thing, having my early books out where readers can find them again?  Priceless.  Add into that the utter excitement of writing the stories I’ve ached to write and wow!  That is utterly the best feeling ever. 

The independent work also strips away the concerns that have intensified over the years within the publishing industry--the time lags, the scheduling, the late payments.   It means a production team that works with me, and not one that has a primary responsibility to the publisher.  In my case, that team will consist of other career professionals from Book View Café, where members have worked in every aspect of publishing over the years. 

None of which takes away the thrill of seeing publisher frontlist books out on the shelves.  Or holding the author copies for the first time, or seeing the cover art and design, or...you know.  Holding the book up close and sniffing the scent of freshly printed pages.  (Come on.  You know you do it sometimes...)

And let’s  not even talk about physical life, where the Lipizzan keeps me busy with his Lipizzan ways and the Beagles demand their daily training and on the very best weekends, to go out and compete in agility, rally, obedience, and tracking trials.  There’s no way I’m not doing those things!

So take THAT, reality!  I haven’t given up yet!  I’ve opted out of sleep, of eating, of having the house and office quite as organized and clean as it is in my best intentions, but when it comes to my writing, the cover art I enjoy so much, or my animals, it’s time to get fierce, don’t you think?

Have you ever wanted to do it all?  Better yet, have you ever gotten to do it all?

(If you want to win it all, give it a shot!  We’ll blindly stab a finger at the monitor to choose a winner, who’ll receive a title from my precious out-of-print box.  There are Bombshells and Nocturne Sentinels to choose from!)

***Pat Cochran, you won! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com***