Aside from COVID, there have been many other 'bad motivators.'
I had started out in the year 2021 with grand plans for publishing all of my Novels still in progress. But as the title of this blog presents... That didn't happen.
I gave three of my books to my Editor in fairly rapid succession, and sne deemed the first two not ready (actually not even books she wanted to edit -- even going so far as to call them "Bodice-Rippers") for publication and in much need of work. Well one of them she didn't even deem worthwhile of me even putting them out into the world.
She is into science fiction and fantasy. My "Coming of Middle Age" stories were not to her liking.
The third of my novels, she did like. Although I had thought them to be near ready for Publication, she showed me that they weren't. So much for my delusions of grand release.
Since then, I have worked through not only her edits, but also mine, to be almost ready to release the first of them -- "Nothing Personal." It was the (in my mind) closest to being finished in any case.
It's a Romantic Drama with what I thought were some comedic moments, with a secondary Character that she did not even like, and so was pushing me to Write Him Out. He is the anti- to the Male Lead, and their interactions show the character of said Lead. And no, Benny is not a 'nice' character -- "He's like too many guys I've known." And yes, that's kinda the point.
It's an adult Drama, that yes, has sex in it. Not graphic and certainly not pornographic, but still to her dislike. Not at all a Bodice Ripper. It's 'sensitive Guy' sex with an adult Woman. That is not however, the majority of the Novel.
I envision "NP" to be my "Madame Bovary." The story of a Woman who, even in the age of Feminism is still 'left out' of her husbands dealings. (To which she had been a part of earlier in their marriage, but had been pushed away from by an over-zealous Chief of Staff.)
It deals with Feminism, the Role of Women (even in this day and age) in Society. It has those undertones of Someone who has lost her 'sense of self' in the process, and finds herself on the 'empty side.'
Yes, it deals with an Extra-Marital Affair. It deals with the psychology of the two main characters. It does not give the husband of the Female Protagonist much 'screen time.'
It does deal however, with the 'complicated' nature of Relationships and the motivations behind them.
The next Novel to come, will bewhat would have been my "Halloween" 'offering.'
Very different in tone from "NP," it deals with Power and the 'corrupts absolutely' part of that. It deals with Satanism and ritual sacrifices. Far in tone and just about everything else from the aforementioned 'bodice ripper.'
"shadoes and LIGHT" is a very dark and ominous work. Its themes are of a very different nature from much of my other work. It has Pyshchological as well as Demonic aspects, but is a 'Thriller' (of a sort), and not merely a Drama.
Why bring out two very different Books, one right after the other?
I don't choose the subject matters of my works. They choose me. They are what comes to me. I am not one to write "genre" material, like some other writers I know do. I write What Comes.
Which makes it very hard for planning and getting/gaining Interest in my work since it is not the 'standard' sort of progression. By getting "Dreams..." out into the world, I am hoping to 'start the ball rolling' in a way that each Work is an unexpected outcome.
It's not an easy path to strike out on and keep rolling, but it is what I am called to do.
All I can do is "roll with the punches," and get out as many different Books as I can, in as quich a succession as I can.