Simple Pleasures
By Sariah S. Wilson
As I’m preparing for my book to come out in the next couple of weeks, I’ve been coasting along at a high level of stress. There seems to be too much to do and not enough time to do it in. I worry about the success of the book, if I’ll sell enough copies to make my publisher happy. It’s sort of a scary thing being thrust out into the world and not knowing how you’ll be received. I can only work as hard as possible and then hope for the best.
So today I slowed things down a little bit and took some “me” time. With a baby on the way, I know I won’t have much chance of that in the future. I hadn’t realized that I had deliberately done this until I sat down to write this blog. Here is a list of some things I did today that made me happy:
I slept in. It’s a rare treat on weekends and the boys are big enough now that I don’t have to keep an eye on them at all times. So they get up when they want and I get a chance to sleep. It’s even nicer since I wake up so many times during the night and have a hard time falling back asleep. I think it’s nature’s way of getting me ready for the baby, but I am a big fan of sleep and so I do relish the chance to get an extra hour or so.
I took my boys to their grandmother’s house. My parents may be moving away from us soon, which makes me very sad. The reason we moved to Ohio was so that my children would know them and have a relationship with their aunts and uncles and someday cousins. I know my boys are old enough that they won’t forget them, but I do mourn the loss, and the chances I get to sit in their house and talk with them and spend time with them have become more precious to me. I love watching my children give my family hugs and kisses. I love that my oldest asked me if Grandma could just move in next door so that they could walk over to her house whenever they wanted. Now I have to figure out a way to make millions of dollars so that I can buy my parents the house next door and make it so they never have to worry about money again. ;)
Sitting in the car eating Ding-Dongs with my boys. We had to run an errand--my eldest had earned a reward for behaving so well at school. He has a behavioral chart at school that scores him on a 1 to 3 scale, and for the last ten days in a row he has earned all 3s. I’m thrilled at his progress, and it was fun to celebrate it on this freezing winter day eating something completely bad for you. I may have had two. Or three. (This is acceptable when you are pregnant.) And in another small joy I didn’t get a terrible aftertaste (as is typical for me these days) when I was done.
While on that errand, I bought myself the final book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. It felt much more “literary” to me, a little more heavy handed than the last few have been, but I had to stop myself from flipping through to the end to see what happened with Lena and Kostos. I write romance, and so you know that I was desperately wanting a happy ending for those two after all they’d been through. I loved curling up on my couch, putting a blanket around me and getting lost in that world. I loved my youngest cuddling next to me with a book of his own, holding him closely, feeling the softness of his hair against my cheek, loving the way his little body fits so comfortably within my arm.
The time goes by so quickly. I need to remind myself to take more time to slow down and appreciate everything around me.
As I’m preparing for my book to come out in the next couple of weeks, I’ve been coasting along at a high level of stress. There seems to be too much to do and not enough time to do it in. I worry about the success of the book, if I’ll sell enough copies to make my publisher happy. It’s sort of a scary thing being thrust out into the world and not knowing how you’ll be received. I can only work as hard as possible and then hope for the best.
So today I slowed things down a little bit and took some “me” time. With a baby on the way, I know I won’t have much chance of that in the future. I hadn’t realized that I had deliberately done this until I sat down to write this blog. Here is a list of some things I did today that made me happy:
I slept in. It’s a rare treat on weekends and the boys are big enough now that I don’t have to keep an eye on them at all times. So they get up when they want and I get a chance to sleep. It’s even nicer since I wake up so many times during the night and have a hard time falling back asleep. I think it’s nature’s way of getting me ready for the baby, but I am a big fan of sleep and so I do relish the chance to get an extra hour or so.
I took my boys to their grandmother’s house. My parents may be moving away from us soon, which makes me very sad. The reason we moved to Ohio was so that my children would know them and have a relationship with their aunts and uncles and someday cousins. I know my boys are old enough that they won’t forget them, but I do mourn the loss, and the chances I get to sit in their house and talk with them and spend time with them have become more precious to me. I love watching my children give my family hugs and kisses. I love that my oldest asked me if Grandma could just move in next door so that they could walk over to her house whenever they wanted. Now I have to figure out a way to make millions of dollars so that I can buy my parents the house next door and make it so they never have to worry about money again. ;)
Sitting in the car eating Ding-Dongs with my boys. We had to run an errand--my eldest had earned a reward for behaving so well at school. He has a behavioral chart at school that scores him on a 1 to 3 scale, and for the last ten days in a row he has earned all 3s. I’m thrilled at his progress, and it was fun to celebrate it on this freezing winter day eating something completely bad for you. I may have had two. Or three. (This is acceptable when you are pregnant.) And in another small joy I didn’t get a terrible aftertaste (as is typical for me these days) when I was done.
While on that errand, I bought myself the final book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. It felt much more “literary” to me, a little more heavy handed than the last few have been, but I had to stop myself from flipping through to the end to see what happened with Lena and Kostos. I write romance, and so you know that I was desperately wanting a happy ending for those two after all they’d been through. I loved curling up on my couch, putting a blanket around me and getting lost in that world. I loved my youngest cuddling next to me with a book of his own, holding him closely, feeling the softness of his hair against my cheek, loving the way his little body fits so comfortably within my arm.
The time goes by so quickly. I need to remind myself to take more time to slow down and appreciate everything around me.
Sariah Wilson — 2/03/2007 08:28:00 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
What a poignant post, Sariah! It's something we all need to be reminded of now and again. Thank you!
One bit of advice I was given, which I am so grateful for.
When you get your first author copies, take one out and write in the inside cover all the feelings you're having at that very moment. Write down the process of writing the story, the struggles you faced, the moments when everything came together. Then don't ever let anyone borrow that copy!
You think you're going to remember, but it tends to fade. I didn't start doing this until about my fourth book and I wish I'd started sooner. I beleive it was Shirley Bahlmann that gave me the advice, and it's been priceless!
Great idea, Josi!
Something I've done from the third book or so is to ask my editor -- and others who have been meaningful in the process -- to write an inscription in each book for me. (I send it from person to person if necessary.) Since no novel is a solitary accomplishment, it helps me remember and value anew the people who helped make my dream a reality.
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