My One Year Anniversary

On 1/11/11 I became a full-time writer.

It was a an event that was a long time in coming.  My husband and I crunched numbers continually in 2010 trying to plan my exit from my day job.  I had a lot of trouble with my health in 2010 and struggling to recover.  The deadlines for the AS THE WORLD DIES trilogy were just starting to take hold in my life and I had only managed to write one book in 2010 (THE LIVING DEAD BOY AND THE ZOMBIE HUNTERS).  I was very concerned about my productivity as was my husband.

I knew that when the moment was right, I would have to seize it and take control of my life.  The day I left my day job, I couldn't stop smiling.  I had never felt so terrifyingly, wonderfully free.

And then I opened my email and saw I had two deadlines looming just two weeks away.  In the weeks that followed I worked nearly every second I was awake.  I realized very quickly that being a full-time writer was not going to be all that easy.

Over the last year I learned the ups and downs of my new job.  Waiting for advance payments and royalty checks can sometimes be nerve-wracking. Carefully laid out budgets can get blown to hell by unexpected crisis.  Paying for medical care out of pocket can be a bitch.  Taxes are a nightmare.

Yet, I roll out of bed each day with a great sense of satisfaction.  I'm happy with my life more than I have ever been.  In 2011 I traveled more than I had in any previous year.  I made some new friends, enjoyed new adventures, and wrote a whole damn lot.  I have never felt so accomplished and successful in my life.

2012 is here and I'm still a full-time writer. Last year I wasn't too sure if I would make to the end of the year, but we made it work.  I hope to make it through this year as well.  I recognize that at some point I may have to go back to a day job, but if I have to it will be a last resort.  My self-publishing royalties and my advance checks have been paying the bills and affording us some small luxuries.  I'm continually trying to find new ways to gain more readers and build up my savings account.  The fact that the economy is so bad, yet I'm living my dream seems unbelievable at times.

I am proud of what I have accomplished so far in my writing career and I hope to accomplish more.

In the meantime, life is good.

I like this full-time writing gig.