Remember when you were young, how giddy you felt as the end of the school year approached, and school finally let out for summer? If you were like me, you began anticipating summer recess once the clocks changed and the days started to get longer, and it was all downhill from there. Soon, you’d get a much-needed break from the relentless schedule of classes and homework assignments and have a few months of freedom to goof off and enjoy the warm weather. I miss that.
Of course, I have a full-time job now and a farm to manage, so I can’t just goof off. But I see how excited my nieces and nephews are to be done with their classes for the next few months, and I kind of envy them. Maybe I’m saying the quiet part out loud here, but I will admit that managing Substack can sometimes feel like homework. Has anyone else felt that way, too?
You may have noticed a decrease in the frequency of my posts lately. As is the case with most of us, this project is something I choose to do for fun. Lately, my life has become quite hectic with personal commitments, work, and the increased workload around the farm that spring and summer always bring. We’re all here because we either love to write, love to read quality writing—or both. But it’s hard to do either of those things the justice they deserve when we’re exhausted and swamped with other responsibilities that must take precedence. Writing has to take a backseat to reality.
Much as I value my time on Substack writing and reading all of the brilliant newsletters I subscribe to, now seems like a good time to take a little recess from it all, make the most of the summer, and take care of the things in my other life that need my attention.
I’ll do my best to check in when I can and maybe even post something here or there, but I am making a conscious effort to unplug for a while so I can commit to the things that need doing offline. If you write or comment, bear with me, and I will get back to you. I hope, one day soon, I’ll be able to catch up with everyone’s posts.
In the meantime, I have a few projects I plan to work on, including The Gifts of Heaven (Volume II of The Steppe Saga), which I intend to have ready for readers by the time I return.
Don’t hesitate to send your books to
, which I will continue to update, and please remember that is always available to handle your listings.I wish you all a happy and healthy summer and hope to reconnect in the fall! Hopefully, by then, things will have calmed down a little. Fingers crossed…
All the best,
JME
Have a great time, J! Make the most of it. Sit under a tree once in a while and read a book for enjoyment--not that you have that kind of time on a working farm, but you'll manage!
Happy Summer!!! My posts have also decreased because I’m determined to finish a first draft of a novel. I can’t prioritize my newsletter over my main writing goal, which is books! I’ll miss you and look forward to hearing from you again and here and there while you take a break