Howdy!

My first post of 2017 gets to be part of a blog tour! Today we’re celebrating Rachel Rossano’s newest release in the Theodoric Saga. I’ve invited her over for a guest post as part of the release tour to talk about her personal distractions and how she deals with them (a super helpful topic for me to read 😛 )

Make sure you read all the way to the end for book links and a giveaway!!

Guest post!

My Five Biggest Distractions and How I Deal with Them

#1 – My children are my most difficult distraction to overcome. First because they are always there. As a homeschooling mother, I rarely get a substantial period of time when my children aren’t my constant companion. Finding time and mental head space to write is a constant challenge. My solution is to prepare what I am going to write the moments of quiet and thinking time I get during the day and then write at night after the kids are in bed. It means that my writing time is limited, but by prioritizing that time, I can still make progress on my current WIP.

#2 – Email and Facebook are my second worst distraction. They are wonderful tools of my trade. I converse, market, and network via them. Without them I wouldn’t get nearly as much of my non-writing aspects of my job done as I do manage. But when it comes time to write, they can hinder more than help. My solution is to leave the house. Once to twice a week my husband lets me get out of the house with my laptop after the kids are down for the night. I run off to a restaurant and type away for an hour to an hour and a half. It helps!

#3 – Housework can be a huge distraction. Yes, I don’t really like housework. Very few people do. But it can still be a distraction. When one is looking at the laundry, the vacuuming, and the dirty dishes, it can be very convincing that they need attention more than a troublesome plot point. My solution is to prioritize them during the daytime hours so that the evening hours can be enjoyed conviction free. It doesn’t always work. If all else fails, I leave the house to write. Out of sight out of mind, right?

#4 – Difficult characters/plotpoints/scenes can also be a distraction. I have avoided writing for long periods of time because I didn’t have a solution. When one is stuck it is easy to ignore the problem. My solution is complex. Sometimes the best tactic is to let the story sit for a while and work on something else. There is always another WIP or some research that needs attention while things settle. Another option is to back read the story and try to pick up a missed or forgotten thread that will help the whole thing open up again. A third possibility is to watch a good movie or read a good book to spark an idea.

#5 – One last distraction is books and movies. I frequently find myself distracted by the new books or movies that I have available. When faced with writing, which is work no matter how much I love it, sometimes it is so attractive to just let someone else tell the story. My solution is to reward myself. If I write a set amount then I will reward myself with a book I want to read, a movie I want to watch, or another activity that will hopefully help my writing.

About the Book

She couldn’t hide forever.

A hard life taught Jayne to avoid men, powerful men most of all. When a new nobleman arrives to take over the vargar, she takes her family and hides. But the new baron seeks her out and makes her an offer she can’t refuse: protection. However, once they were sheltered behind the dark stone walls of the vargar, who would protect her from the new master?

His reward isn’t what it seems.

King Ireic of Anavrea charges Liam, a former bodyguard, with the task of retaking and taming a corner of the northern wilds. Upon arrival at Ashwyn Vargar, Liam finds challenges beyond his military experience. The keys to the vargar are missing and so are the field hands who should be harvesting the fields. Once he finds the keeper of the keys, she raises more questions than answers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2JATTB/

About the Author

Rachel Rossano is a happily married mother of three children. She spends her days teaching, mothering, and keeping the chaos at bay. After the little ones are in bed, she immerses herself in the fantasy worlds of her books. Tales of romance, adventure, and virtue set in a medieval fantasy world are her preference, but she also writes speculative fantasy and a bit of science fiction.

Giveaway

Rachel is giving away one of her favorite CDs to listen to while she writes. If you’ve ever wondered what kind of music she likes to listen to, you can check out the CD on Amazon and then come back here and enter the giveaway. https://www.amazon.com/Piano-Guys/dp/B009EAO38C/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

January 2
Bookish Orchestrations-Tour Intro and Book Review
Julie Coulter Bellon-Review
Bokerah-Guest Post

January 3
The Overactive Imagination-Guest Post
Queen of Random-Book Spotlight
Rachel Rossano’s Words-Book Spotlight

January 4
Stephany Tullis-Book Spotlight
Ember’s Reviews-Author Interview and Review

January 5
Frances Hoelsema-Book Spotlight
Laurel’s Leaves-Author Interview
Author Franky A Brown-Guest Post

January 6
Zerina Blossom’s Books-Review
Shout outs-Guest Post
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae-Book Spotlight
Rebekah Lyn Book-Character Spotlight

January 7
Bookish Orchestrations-Giveaway Winner

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