A Day in the Life of Liz Fielding

The average day in the life of an author is really, really dull.  At least it is for this author.   Today for instance I got up at seven – late for me – made tea, drank it while I read emails and obsessively check the Stats to see how many people visited the website and blog in the last twenty-four hours.    

After that I breakfast with the dh before dashing (if it’s raining) or wandering (taking time to check out the flowers if the sun is shining) down to the Snap & Scribble to get on with the thousand words that I’m locked into for the rest of the year if I’m going to deliver on my contract – three books before the end of January, plus a short story.   Oh, and say “Hi” to the cows who come and peer over the fence at me. 

I’ll stare my screen in a blank minded panic for way too long, then stop for lunch.  I had a fried egg sandwich today, which was yummy.  The diet can wait until tomorrow – again. 

Then, before almost anything is better than writing, I take time off to do a couple of PR things.  I love the back-to-school feeling I get from chopping up bits of paper and sticking them through the laminator.  Then I stare at the blank screen some more until it’s time to cook the evening meal.  Mow the lawn (actually it looks like rain, so maybe I’ll put that off until tomorrow – something I’ve been doing all week) and then I can fall asleep in front of the television.

Honestly.

Occasionally things happen to liven up the mix.  Yesterday I had a couple of foreign editions in the post, which is always fun.  One was a French reprint of His Desert Rose, the other a Spanish translation of The Bachelor’s Baby, which I’m sure has been published in Spain before, although there was nothing on the copyright page to say so.  Must check that.

The post also brought me a copy of Dinner with Giovanni by Kate Hardy, Billionaire on Her Doorstep by Ally Blake and Hired by the Cowboy by Donna Alward.  So that’s my reading sorted for the next couple of weeks. <g>

Then there’s the email.  Today I had revisions for the “purple shoes” book from my editor.  Nothing especially heavy or  – having had a couple of weeks to think about it – that I hadn’t expected, but it’s going to be tricky unpicking one particular thread of the story and replacing with a slightly different angle.   There was also news of colleagues in Australia suffering from the effects of terrible storms. 

Also there were notes from the ds with news of his wedding plans (autumn is going to be a seriously busy season!) and ideas for  PR play with a couple of friends.  What did we do before email? 

The days around a book release do tend to be a bit more exciting.   There are the ups and downs of reviews.   Interviews with the local media.   A trip to the local radio station in my glad rags – no, I promise, the pink feather boa is a myth – and a visit from a local journalist meant deep dusting in all the “on show” parts of the house.  According to the dh, it’s the only time I ever make an effort, but that is sooo not true!

Somehow, despite the hours staring at blank screens and grabbing all and any distractions, the books do get written.          

Liz Fielding’s Web Site

The Reviews are in:

Reunited:  Marriage in a Million

The Valentine Bride

Liz is one of our Featured Contest Authors here at Coffee Time Romance this month.  To win a wonderful prize from Liz, click here!