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Once upon a time there was an author who tried and tried to get her book traditionally published, but the evil overlords of the Publishing Kingdom would not open the gates. They all knew each other inside and were quite content not to make any new friends – especially not with outsiders – foreigners! – like Natalie.

So one day, Natalie got fed up with knocking on the gates politely. She decided to go to a neighboring village, where the people were much more amiable –
and bought some dynamite.

She returned to the Kingdom and blew the F**er to the ground. It was no more – and Natalie marched in, surrounded on all sides by hundreds of villagers, all holding their indie books tight to their chests.

They created a new kingdom from the bones and rubble; they built a city from the antiquated fallen walls.

Oh, and they all lived happily ever after.

My newly-(self) published YA/Fantasy book, The Woods. Now available on Kindle:
https://amzn.com/B01I4E3OME

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Remember that one time when I said I was going to write a blog post per month?

Yeah, that was funny.

Please, allow me to include my list of worthy excuses at the end of the post, so as to save some time here.

The reason I’m writing now after something of a hiatus, is more or less just to let you all know that yes, I’m still alive, and yes, I do plan to keep up with this blog. Occasionally.

That being said, I’m not going to make it my number one priority. I realize more and more that life is best spent outside and face to face with other people, rather than peering into the (albeit mysterious) depths of my computer screen. It’s about dancing, and laughing, and playing. It’s about connecting with people, acting a fool, and falling. Always falling.

This is the life that I want to live, and this is my priority. When writing fits into that, as it is now, I will joyously sit down in front of my computer screen or typewriter and type away- but more and more, forcing myself to write feels like a grind. After all, people tend to work so hard always in hopes of some day, some day finding the time to really live.

Now, I’m not saying that writing is always work – in fact, much of the time it’s a beautiful mediation for me. But I think I’ve decided to go ahead and retire from work – writing when it feels like work, exercise that feels like torture, spending time with people who feel like a job – and instead, allow myself to play and let things present themselves to me, rather than chasing them down. Things like the urge to sit down and write – like now; things like ideas, people, and circumstances. Things like opportunities, experiences, and abundance.

When you’re not searching for these things, it’s funny how they present themselves to you. And by funny, I mean Extremely Obvious-Why-Don’t-We-Remember-This-All-of-the-Time-When-We’re-Banging-Our-Heads-Against-the-Wall-Just-Trying-to-Make Things-Happen.

So I’ll be back to write more, maybe in a week or two, maybe in a few months, maybe next year.

PEACE.

WORTHY LIST OF EXCUSES
1. I have been focusing my attention on other things*
2. My mind has been elsewhere
3. A raccoon broke into my home and rummaged through my trashcan, found nothing but paper, so he stole my computer and left a menacing note
4. I’ve decided to go into politics under a pseudonym that rhymes with Ernie Flanders.
5. Contemplating the universe
6. Deep meditation
7. Chinese finger traps

* improv, spending time with friends, family stuff, see point No. 3….

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WRITING.

That’s right, I am writing. No, not in this blog post (though yes, that’s very astute of you), but in life.

I’ve been doing a lot of Typewriter Rodeo events here in Austin, which if you haven’t checked it out, you really should: http://typewriterrodeo.com/

And the funny thing about using that part of my brain – is that it just doesn’t get worn out. The more I write, the more I want to write.

So, inspired by my poetry-slinging the past several weeks, I’ve decided to go ahead and start working on Book Three in the Peter Able series.

I’m already one chapter in, and plan on finishing the book in the next few months. Because when I start a project, I have a pattern that looks something like this: work feverishly at all hours obsessively forever and ever until it is done, polished, edited, and perfected.

So, that’s all really. I just wanted to let you guys know that, YES, the third book is in the works, and YES, you will soon be able to read books one, two, and three – all in one sitting, if you’re anything like me – and YES, I seem unable to stop writing.

Hence this post to you.

The moral of this story is: If you know you love to do something but have been putting it off for whatever reason, don’t beat yourself up about putting it off. Just let it ride out. Once you stop putting so much pressure on yourself to do that thing that you’ve built up in your mind so much!!!! – you will simply and easily, do it. And it will be glorious. And you will shine.

❤