Writing, motherhood, and what’s coming.

This week I revealed the cover for The No Player Rule, which is coming September 20!

I’m so in love with this cover that Designs by Dana designed.

You can preorder on iBooks, Kobo, and Nook.

https://www.books2read.com/u/mle6M9

 

 

 

 

 

Writing and Motherhood

As some of you know, I became a mom in October 2017. It’s been a wonderful and challenging journey.  I have to admit, when I left work for maternity leave, I thought I had everything figured out about how life was going to be once my baby girl arrived. I thought balancing mom life and writing life would be easy, I mean, I’m home full-time how could it not be? I got some things right and I got other things incredibly wrong. I have had a tough time learning to balance being a mom, girlfriend, author, and everything else I need to do. Really tough.

There are times the laundry sits in the washing machine for a few days at a time before I remember to switch it over. My kitchen is messy. No, let me correct that, my house is messy. And there are days I don’t eat until 3 p.m. Now, some things have gotten easier, but as time passes new challenges arise.

The hardest part has been figuring out how to fit writing back into my life. I’m not going to lie, while I was pregnant I hardly got any writing done. I blamed it on working a new job, but my head just wasn’t in it.

And then Alayna arrived.

She’s absolutely wonderful and we’re so blessed to have such a good-natured daughter, but it was still so hard to write. I told myself I didn’t have time. Or I needed to get this or that done, but the reality is, I was scared. I was scared to write the story that was speaking to me. I was scared knowing that by the time I released it, it would’ve been more than a year since I’d released a book. I don’t regret taking the time I did to write Why Not Me?, and I truly love the way the story turned out. However, getting back into writing presented a whole new emotional challenge.

Guilt.

That’s a word I think every mom is familiar with. Spending time writing is time away from Alayna. Guilt.

Time writing is time I could be spending doing work around the house. Guilt.

I want to clarify something, I have an incredibly supportive partner and he’s never made me feel guilty about writing. This is all self-imposed in my head, but it’s very real.

I was writing yesterday and Alayna was playing in the room with me. The entire time, I was fighting more guilt. I should be playing with her. Paying more attention to her. How selfish is it for me to sit on the couch and write, letting my ten-month-old play by herself. I know it’s good for her to entertain herself and I know it’s all about balance, but telling myself that it’s okay to keep this part of myself is something I’m working on.

I still struggle, I struggle not to make excuses, not to use being tired from “momming” all day as a reason not to write in the evening once she’s asleep, but I’m not letting myself. It’s not easy and every day I have to remind myself that I’m not just Alayna’s mom. I’m also Ashley, author, artist, girlfriend, daughter, sister, friend, and so much more.

I guess my point to all of this is to let people know that balance is hard and it’s okay to allow yourself the time to do the things you love without feeling guilty about it.

What’s to come . . .

After The No Player Rule I won’t have a release until 2019, but 2019 is going to be an amazing year! So far I have three releases planned.

All About Forever, the third and final book in the All or Nothing series.

Out of the Fog, the first in a paranormal romance duet.

Into the Fire, the last book in a paranormal duet.

I’m currently working on Out of the Fog and I’m loving transitioning into the paranormal romance genre. It’s been an interesting new challenge and I can’t wait to share more about it with you!

 

Anyway, I think that’s everything for this week. If you made it this far, thank you for reading!

xoxo