Sometimes life gets in the way of my writing and painting life, and I confess I am thankful that it does. I love seeing my children--all three of whom came today and had lunch with us. My daughter, who is a pilot with American Airlines and is based in St. Louis, flew into the West Point Airport in her small plane. She had planned to continue on by air to Columbia, SC for a South Carolina College alumni weekend. However, the weather changed that plan, so she and another daughter, also an alumni of the honors college in Columbia, drove from here. The third daughter came from Williamsburg to see her sisters. My plans to work all day on finishing my new book, Stranger in My Heart, were put aside.
Life gets in the way because of the 260 little artists I teach each week. I enjoy watching them respond and create. My job with them takes up Tuesday and Wednesday of each week. So I try to plan my writing (and sometimes art) around those days.
Part of the writing time goes to promotion and all those outstanding ideas my publisher and other author friends put out. The Kindle is a great market my pubisher has created for us. I am delighted with the Kindle Board connection.
On Sunday, I will be part of a panel on publishing. I've been asked to talk briefly about working with a small publisher. This will be our first annual Author's Book Fair at West Point Library. Meeting and talking with the other 20 authors who will be there should be a good learning experience.
For the future, I have all of my publisher's newsletters filed away. On those days when life doesn't get in the way, I can go back and put some of her ideas into action. Still, when good things in life get in the way, I'm glad.
Mary Montague Sikes
www.marymontaguesikes.com
