Dear VIP Reader![]() The Rona coaster struggle continues. Day 74 since I tested positive and I’m clawing my way back. Relentless fatigue means I’ve dropped every single ball there was to drop, and I’m almost too tired to care, but My physiotherapist and pain specialist have been wonderful, and my heart palpitations are on the wane. Things are looking up! WHAT I AM CURRENTLY WORKING ON Brain fog means I can’t organize my thoughts well enough to write clearly. Sometimes my words come out mixed up – my kids are puzzled when I ask them to tie their ice cream (instead of shoelaces) and can’t find the simple words for everyday things like magnet, vitamins, and remote. So my poor neglected work in progress (book 3 of 6 in my new UF series) is still hibernating. I bite down on my frustration, thank god for my very understanding publisher, and work on other authors’ manuscripts to keep the wolf from the door. I’ll start writing again on Monday, I always tell myself. I’ll feel better then. It’s a strange life in 2021. What can you do except stroke the cats and be grateful for the ones you love? And look forward to Spring weather. Seeing the brand new growth never fails to cheer me up. UPCOMING RELEASES Roshina Ratnam is busy narrating EverDark, which will be available soon on Audible. I have been publishing my individual short stories on Amazon and in audio format through Findaway Voices where I get a nice number of library borrows through Bibliotheca. Thank you to everyone who is reading / listening to my stories and books, it really does get me through the harder times. It goes without saying that I sincerely hope I’ll have a NEW new release sooner rather than later. WRITING PROCESS / TIPS Chris Fox shared a video recently talking about how to harness your dopamine for greater productivity. If you’re getting your dopamine hits from social media, try to pivot instead to getting them from producing your own work. It’s a great tip from a hugely productive guy. WHAT I’M READING / WATCHING / LISTENING TO I’m reading “Million Dollar Outlines” which is great. The author, David Farland, says that fiction is more than escapism – it allows you to exercise your emotions (emotions you wouldn’t necessarily have in day-to-day life) which is important to our mental health. Well-written books with satisfying endings, especially, make for a richer emotional life. I’m watching Netflix’s Fantastic Fungi and can’t recommend it highly enough. Do yourself a favour! It’s wonderful. I’m listening to music – anything with happy vibes (from Candi Staton to Ed Sheeran) to get me out of bed in the mornings. Music has the magical ability to get me from “I can’t get up” to “Okay. I’m going to make this a good day.” I’ve paused the audiobook I was busy with – The Tattooist of Auschwitz – I was just finding it too bleak for my current state of mind. Ironic, I know, looking at some of the bleak stories I write! I will get back to it when I have more emotional bandwidth. My favourite podcasts at the moment are The Creative Penn, Making Sense (Sam Harris), The Prolific Creator, TED Talks Daily, and Sex with Emily which I discovered through MasterClass. FUTURE PLANS AND GOALS I’m still in survival mode, so my goals are simple. Keep the children and animals alive Keep self alive Keep garden alive Maybe I’ll have loftier goals next month. I’m optimistic. FUNNY THINGS MY CHILDREN SAY After running to school: Robin (7): “My legs are usually verified weapons, but now they feel like spaghetti.” BOOK SPOTLIGHT This month horror writer Marc Layton and I are mentioning each other’s books in our newsletters. I haven’t read this, but it has great reviews. If you’re looking for something creepy, this might fit the bill. Maybe reading something scary might make our current challenges seem easier to deal with. A labyrinthian cellar. A priceless wine collection. And a vengeful spirit who guards it for eternity. Get it here for only 99c >> https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/820a4b48-0b87-11ec-a79a-07f81941abf9 Wherever you are in the world, I wish you the best. Stay safe my fellow humans Hugs Janita |
• JT Lawrence • USA Today Bestselling Author www.jt-lawrence.com Short Story Collection – Psychological Suspense; Dark Humor Sticky Fingers: 12 Deliciously Twisted Short Stories Sticky Fingers 2 Sticky Fingers 3 Sticky Fingers 4 Sticky Fingers 5 Sticky Fingers 6 (Also available in large print) Sticky Fingers Box Set (books 1 – 3) Sticky Fingers Box Set (books 4 – 6) Best of Sticky Fingers MY BESTSELLER > Blood Magic – Urban Fantasy Action Adventure Series (complete) Blood Magic Box Set (complete 6-book series) When Tomorrow Calls – Futuristic Thriller Series (complete) The Sigma Surrogate (prequel novella) 1. Why You Were Taken 2. How We Found You 3. What Have We Done (final) When Tomorrow Calls Box Set (books 1 – 3) The Stepford Florist Standalone Novels Urban Fantasy / Magical Realism: Grey Magic Urban Fantasy: EverDark Psychological Thriller: The Memory of Water Anthologies Cyberpunk: 2054 Non-Fiction The Underachieving Ovary All available in ebook, paperback, and audio. PS. Want to make sure you never miss a release? Follow me on Amazon or BookBub. |