Welcome to my Thursday
Learning to Live A Balanced Life Series
My blog guest today is a writer.
Listen to how she does it all!
Balancing Life As A Writer by Rebecca Ryals Russell
Creating balance in the life of a writer is probably the hardest aspect of a writer’s life. As a mother of four, ages 23, 20, 17, 12; a husband of 36 years who loves home-cooked suppers after his one and a half hour drive home each evening; entrepreneur of a Vacation Rental Business on our five acres in the country; owner of a 110-year-old Victorian home that is also on the Real Estate Market; AND a MG/YA Author of two current series plus more works in progress, I have to follow a fairly strict regime or nothing would ever get done.
For example: Tuesday my 12-year-old son had a home soccer game. Since my husband works so far from home we have a system worked out—I attend home games and he does away games. So I attended my son’s home soccer game along with my two young adult daughters (spending some quality time with them during the game). That evening my oldest daughter and I went to our standing Tuesday night movie date to see Girl With A Dragon Tattoo. When I got home, everyone went to bed. I began my writing day…or should I say night. With the house quiet, I answered emails, wrote blog posts and edited my current work in progress until about 2:30 am. Since my husband drops off the sixth-grader on his way to work, I can sleep a little in the morning.
Not every day requires so much juggling. Some days I can cajole my oldest son to do the drop-off and pick-up, allowing me a full day of writing in peace and quiet. It’s important to may hay while the sun shines on those occasions and often I don’t even eat until my husband arrives home.
I consider myself fortunate that my children are all self-sufficient and no longer require as much of my attention as they did when younger. But that’s also why I waited to retire from teaching and begin this new phase of my life as a writer. For those who don’t wish to wait—or can’t—you need to evaluate your minutes in each day and decide where they can be grouped for short sessions; especially while the kids are in school or napping. But probably the most important thing for a writer to do is: Just Do It.
No excuses.
Rebecca Ryals Russell writes MG and YA Dark Fantasy while living with her family in a Victorian house on five acres of North Florida countryside. She also runs a Vacation Rental Log House on the property: Florida Black Bear Cabin.
She is a fourth generation Floridian. She was born in Gainesville, grew up in Sunrise, lived in Orlando and Jacksonville before moving outside Lake City to care for ailing parents.
The daughter of an Elementary-school principal and secretary, for fourteen years she taught Middle Grades, preferring English and Creative Writing. She had several students’ works published in anthologies as well as her own poetry, photography and stories. Her main interests are her four teen/young adult children and Irish hubby of 35 years. She enjoys spending her time writing, drawing, going to movies, reading, discussing philosophy with her son.
Over the course of the next few years she has several books being published.
Be sure to check out the special interactive Middle Grade Reader website Tween Word Quest for tons of information about Stardust Warriors as well as the other projects Rebecca has in the works and Under the Hat for all of her other works.
Zarena, Stardust Warriors MG Series
14-year old Zarena spends time with a Holy Order of Clerics on their hidden world of Revrum Natura, while she receives training in Martial Arts, Herbology, Astronomy, Weaponry and Mind Control. Destined to become the leader of the Vigorios, child warriors, who will assist the Seraphym in the war against the demon-dragons of Dracwald, Zarena grows up in a hurry. Lonely and homesick, she meets a Mermaid who encourages her to talk about her training. Is this new friend too good to be true? Zarena learns a valuable lesson about trust and betrayal—a lesson that will serve her well as leader of the Vigorios.
Jeremiah, Stardust Warriors MG Series
For centuries upon centuries Reverend Jeremiah Holyfield guarded the Prophecy in a small village church at the base of the mountains wherein dwell Narciss and his Legio of evil demon-dragons. But now that the dragons burned the village and church to the ground, Jeremiah run and hide, taking the precious document with him. Accompanied by eleven-year-old protégé Abram, the two journey across Dracwald. In their search for a safe new home in the distant Solimon Mountains they encounter Majikals and monsters, natural disasters and discover new friends.
Prophecy, Seraphym Wars YA Series
For centuries the residents of Solsyl lived in peace and harmony with the planet. Then the dragon-demons arrived, causing the Great Shuddering. Majikals from everywhere scurried to find shelter from the evil while humans hid. Laud regretted his rash decision of exiling the demons on Solsyl and asked one of his advisors, a member of The Conscientia, to protect his people. Jeremiah Holyfield agreed to leave the peaceful world of Revrum Natura for a life of constant strife and fear on the newly renamed planet of Dracwald. But Narciss, ruler of Tartarus and King of the demons, desperately wants what Jeremiah has sworn to protect—a Prophecy predicting Narciss’s doom. And Narciss refuses to take no for an answer. But Jeremiah discovers allies along his path and even true love, which he never dreamed possible.
But forever is a long time to protect something without ever letting down one’s guard.
Odessa, Seraphym Wars YA Series
17-year-old Myrna is drawn into the middle of an epic battle between Seraphym and Demons. An average High School student from Florida, struggling with inner demons resulting from an attack when she was 15, she wakes one morning on the Steampunk planet of Dracwald, home of the demon-dragons responsible for her brother’s recent murder as well as many other atrocities in the news. She meets sweet and sensitive Michael, who explains that according to prophecy, Myrna must gather the remaining six Vigorios (teen warriors with special talents) then train with the Majikals on an enchanted island. He accompanies her on the quest, but harbors a secret past that ironically would destroy all the faith she has placed in him. A handsomely roguish Scientist with suspect motives haunts her dreams and makes sudden appearances in unlikely places, while a sensual dragon warrior defends her against her will.
Can love and lust, jealousy, greed, deceit and distrust break the delicate tie that binds these teen warriors called The Vigorios? Can a troupe of teens help the Seraphym finally defeat the massive empire of evil dominated for eons by the demon-dragons of Dracwald?
Thanks so much for sharing Rebecca!
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And if any of you are interested in making a guest appearance on my blog,
let me know.
Jean, thanks for allowing me to post on your lovely blog. Time management is something we all complain about and think about, but until I had to write about it I hadn't really considered how I managed to find the time to write.
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