Balance by Trisha Jackson

I started writing my first romantic suspense novel in 1991. Hiding away in a lonely house in the country to write without being disturbed was not an option. I have always had to hold down a full time job.

"Write every day", we are told. Also, to do one's best work one has to be "in the zone"—which is usually impossible if you are constantly being interrupted.  I had teenagers in the house, and my evenings were filled with cooking, homework, and all the other tasks mothers are faced with. When the chores were all done, I was too exhausted to even contemplate work on my novel. 

Mornings were my only option. I set my alarm for 5:30 and wrote for an hour before getting ready for work. It worked out well for me and I was able to get a lot of writing done while everyone else in my house slept.

The Internet had not yet been launched, and the big publishing houses controlled the industry. I sent queries to several publishers, and received several rejections.

After the introduction of the Internet, the publishing world changed exponentially. Then E-books arrived on the scene. The power had been taken away from the big corporations and placed squarely in the hands of the people.

Maybe it comes from years of practice, or maybe it is because I am so passionate about writing, but now, I am able to write anywhere at any time. I keep my computer on my lap in the evenings and write while my husband watches the TV. I keep my novels on a flash drive and write whenever I have a spare moment at work. I write when I babysit my grandchildren or take them to sporting events. Sometimes I write for five minutes, sometimes and hour or more. It doesn't matter—it all comes together eventually. 

My second novel, "Redneck P.I." was published by e-book publisher, Uncial Press, in March 2011. It's a combination of humor, suspense, and sizzling romance. I'm also excited to be re-working my first novel, about undying love, "Way Out of Line" for e-book release by Uncial Press in May 2012. Details available at www.trishjackson.com .

My advice to any aspiring writers is just to write whenever you can and whenever it works for you, and never give up.

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Trish Jackson grew up in Zimbabwe, Africa and relocated to the U.S. in 1990. She comes from a family of writers and artists, and is passionate about writing romantic suspense. She has always lived out of town and keeps a blog about country life.