I've said it before, I think I feel more whole now than I have in YEARS. I have picked up the pieces of a fractured life and become someone I actually like. (Yes, I like myself.) There are many out there who go day to day hating themselves and don't know how to change. I am not saying I hated myself, no, but I don't think I liked living bits of a life in each compartmentalized section of my existence. It is much easier, mentally, to live as one whole person every single day. I think this year has given me that.
I balance MANY things. Motherhood, wifedom, chores (laundry, cooking, cleaning, taxi-driving children, paying bills, caring for pets), and friendships. In between all this, I wanted also be be an author. Years ago, the pendulum would swing to one side or the other. Wife/mother/family … OR… Writer. I was having difficulty being one or the other. Mainly because I am both, but I wasn't balancing my life. In time, I learned I have to feed both sides of myself or one starves and then wants to choke the other side. If I don't get to write, I become anxious and angry. I am not a nice person when the writer in me is "starving." One the other hand, the wife and mother misses out on LIFE and my children and my friends if all I do is sit behind the computer and create other worlds and other lives. I NEED BOTH!
2014 was the year I found a BALANCE of both and I am much happier for it. And also in there, without even seeking it, was a deeper knowledge of God and a deeper faith in what I believe. My therapist asked me before, "Where do you think these stories come from?" and I answered, "God." It was simple to me. I thought that they had to be because sometimes they come all too easily to come from me. I was NOT and English major, I was a math major. I had a limited vocabulary and I have difficulty making a complete sentence. I saw the stories from God because who in their right mind would WANT to write a story about gay suicide? Um, no one. Those kinds of books don't sell. And aren't authors in it for the money? lol
When Love Is Not Enough did and does not sell big, but it makes a BIG impact on some and in that has made it a meaningful story. It is a significant story. It started me down a road where I considered writing about culture, society, and the oppressed. I wanted to write about marginalized people. I wanted to make readers think.
Now, I'm not saying that every darn book I write from here on out will always have a deep message, it won't, but I do feel like I have a calling to try and hit those subjects that effect people the most. Suicide, bullying, labeling, hate crimes, child abuse, stereotyping, IDK… lots of things. All wrapped up in romantic stories!
My website was edited recently and I took things OFF IT, but I will soon be adding tabs back on and updates of my works in progress.
Misplaced Affection is the current WIP that is in editing stage with an editor. I HAVE a cover. I HAVE a release date in mind. I am still working on the blurb. I hate blurbs! I want it to be true to the story (which involves 3 main characters), but I DON'T want it to sound like a menage because it is NOT!!!! NOT NOT NOT. So, the blurb will most likely contain names of two main characters and the third you will discover as the story unfolds. Is that okay? I know readers sometimes don't like surprises. Well, it is a Wade Kelly novel, there might be SOME surprises! IDK, you'll have to tell me. Beth, thoughts? Does that sound fair?
I am self-publishing this one.
WHY? Well, I think it best not to have every single egg in the same basket. Does that make sense? It is good and wise to spread things out. I love Dreamspinner, so I will be submitting more to them. I MAY also check out a couple other publishers. Wilde City is growing fast. IDK… might knock on their door in the future. What I want to do with MA (Misplaced Affection) is stick my toe in the water. I want to learn how it's done. I want to see how profits go and getting checks every month instead of once a quarter. I want to have it as a back up. I want to try what works VERY WELL for some authors. Also, I can self publish something in a lot less time. NAMES took 10 months in production. TEN long months! I would like to get MA out to you by January 1, 2015 if all goes well.
If you love Wade Kelly books, I hope you will look for me even if this book is not with Dreamspinner.
I am looking forward to 2015 as a BIG YEAR! As I said, this is the most balanced I have ever been. I plan to keep trying to balance writing and the other parts of my life. What I lack, is consistency. If I could consistently write, every day, then so much would get written!!!
In the works:
~Only Skin Deep - the sequel to NAMES (Corey's book)
~The Honorary Tooth Faryrie - a comedy or sorts, started for NaNoWritMo
~My Lover Sucks! - a vampire horror/comedy I started in 2010.
~Sculpting Clay - a rewrite of the story that is now out of print.
Others are in my head, like a sequel to JOCK, but have not gotten far. If the characters start talking to me, I will write them!
For now, I guess I want to say thank you to all who love and support me and my writing. I love you all. I need you all. PM me or e-mail me, I love hearing from fans ANYTIME!
<3 hugs
Wade
