Keeping it Together

As the whirlwind season for family get-togethers nears, I can’t help but sit back and dread—uh, I mean ponder—how I’m going to manage to keep up all my obligations, both for my writing career and for my family. The balancing act isn’t easy during the best of times, but the holidays…man, talk about Stress-Fest Extreme!

Writing is, for the most part, a solitary art. Yes, it takes an entire team to actually polish and publish a book, but the creative part, where stories are formed and crafted, is a single-person exercise in fruition and frustration. Mostly frustration. =) I’m lucky to have a spouse who supports me in my writing dream and who watches the kiddos so I can have time to go deep into my mind, to the place where stories hatch.

But just because he supports me, that doesn’t mean we don’t get into fights about it. Sometimes, I want more time to write on days that “aren’t” mine. Sometimes, he wants to go on a last-minute motorcycle cruise with his friends on one of “my” days. Still, we work through it…some situations more easily than other, lol.

Not all couples, however, are so lucky. In my November 4, release, J.D.’s Christmas Wish, Faith and Taylor McAden have let their careers and desire for advance in the workplace get in the way of their relationship. The one most affected…their son J.D. A marriage that was once rock-solid is running on its last gallon of gas and all because no one bothered to stop and refill the tank. Everyone loses.

Yes, I know these are fictional characters, but their story is an all-too familiar one these days, and as we barrel into the New Year, maybe we should all take the time to slow down and reevaluate what’s really important. Ya know…like winning free books!  =)

To kick things off this month, I’m giving away a copy ofJ.D.’s Christmas Wish. All you have to do is comment on THIS blog post by midnight tomorrow (Nov 3), and I’ll pick a winner to receive a release-day copy of my debut novella! In addition, at the end of the month, we’re going to give away a copy of Hanna’s debut novel Widdow’s Peak and Delilah Marvelle’s Lord of Pleasure. As always, to be entered, just make a comment on any of our November posts.

Good luck!

~Staci Culver

JD’S Christmas Wish
Staci Culver
Last Rose of Summer Miniature Rose
Release Date: 11-4-2009

JD McAaden is scared. His parents fight all the time. As JD writes his letter to Santa, he realizes that he’ll give up everything if only his family can be saved. With the heart-rending innocence of a child, JD pins his faith on elves and the spirit of Christmas.

A mysterious invitation to visit North Pole Village for the holidays is all that is keeping Faith and Taylor McAaden’s marriage together. Faith has promised to give her son one last special outing before she sues for divorce. But in the magic atmosphere of hope, Faith and Taylor learn that love lurks even in the darkest hours and that with JD’s Christmas Wish their family can be made whole again.