Shannon here: Donna Schlachter shares how God helped her keep her writing on track. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing for an e-book copy of book one in her Written in Love series, Cactus Lil and the City Slicker. Deadline: March 1st, 11:59 pm central. Here’s Donna:
When Things Don’t Go As Planned
If your life is anything like mine, you’ve made plans and then life—or the Lord—intervenes, and things go awry.
That happened in the case of my most recent book, Cactus Lil’s New Chapter. My plan was to get the cover in November and make the book available for pre-order that same month. But when I went into Amazon to set it up, I heard the Lord speak to me, “Not yet.”
“What? I always set up pre-orders. I coach clients to set up pre-orders. That gives me—and them—a deadline to shoot for.”
“Not yet.”
Huge sigh. “Fine.”
Next goal: write the book in November. Didn’t happen. December? Nope. January then. Start the new year on the right track.
Instead, I worked on other things, including the launch of a new coaching program to teach and encourage people to tell, share, and preserve their family and personal stories. Lots to do there, including setting up a new website, automating registration, scheduling promotional posts, and on and on.
I knew that if the book wasn’t written in January, I couldn’t possibly meet my (unofficial) release date of February 14th.
Which brings me to now. I’ve got the book started, and it will get finished, but not this month, I don’t think. By the end of March…who knows?
Thankfully, I didn’t set up the pre-order. If I had, and I’d missed it, Amazon wouldn’t let me set up another for an entire year! Not to mention, I’d have been disobedient to the Lord.
So…the book is started, and the story is still alive. It could be the final book in the series as I cut back on writing to focus on other areas of coaching and online courses, but I trust the Lord to direct, guide, and provide.
Question for Readers: How about you? Have you had an experience where life went a different direction?
About Donna: A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers’ groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers. Learn more and connect:
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About Cactus Lil’s New Chapter:
A mystery novelist and her sheriff husband find themselves embroiled in a decades-old crime that threatens their past, their present—and their future.
About Cactus Lil and the City Slicker:
A rough-and-tumble cowgirl longs for true love but is afraid to let down her prickly exterior when a city slicker from New York City, with less-than-honorable intentions, tries to win her trust and her hand.
Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win? Interested in Donna’s other titles?
Get your copy/copies now!
Written in Love Series Donna’s Books
Come back Feb 21st for Shannon’s Book Bargains Roundup!
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