Hello,

Lately I have been battling with book number 15. Why you may ask? Well, because I actually started writing this particular book last year. (As in Fall of 2011.) I was working full time outside the home as a floral designer last year for about 6 months... so I was not able to devote all of my time to writing. Then just when I thought it was safe- the book had to be put aside to work on the tarot deck. I grumbled about it, but did what was necessary. I worked on book #15 off and on while the art from the deck trickled in... and then the book had to be put aside a second time for the mad-dash-to-the-finish writing marathon that happened when Mark turned the last of the art in mid-April 2012.

After that I promptly got a sinus infection and was sick for a while. Once I got over that I put my nose the grindstone and sent in a proposal for book #15. Then I was busy with author events for Seasons of Witchery and surprise! the Witches Tarot was released a month early. And all my plans of quietly writing in the early fall- went straight out the window.

So as I could, (in between writing several Llewellyn annual articles and teaching classes)  I kept chipping away at the newest magickal book over the past few months. Now, finally I am writing and working on it exclusively full time. And you know what? There have been days I feel like I am chipping away at concrete with a toothpick.

Apparently, my inner Muse is one pissed-off-cranky-bitch.

Seriously. She makes me work and sweat for every freaking page I manage to put on paper. I don't think I have ever worked so hard at getting back into the flow of a book in my life. And to be honest I have never had a book get derailed so many times either.

The good news is this book will be more magickally in depth than any I have written before. It is deeper and and has made me stretch and grow as a writer. It has become more than I thought it would be when I first outlined it. So that makes me happy. Even while I bust my ass.

Anyway, I am chipping away... the deadline is March of next year and I need to have it done by mid-February as I will be a guest speaker at Convocation 2013 in Detroit, February 21-24. So yeah, no pressure or anything. My husband just went to second shift at his job and now he is home during the day and puttering around and making noise while I battle this book.  Which is going to take some adjustment.... on my part.

Because honestly, if I can hear anybody breathe right now it's just annoying. So lately I have been playing my iPod and singing while I write. It drowns out background noise and helps me stay on point. Since the last thing I need is another distraction.

Yes, that's new for me. The loud music and belting out songs while I write. But it seems to be helping... So it's "Butt in chair-hands on keyboard time", as my author friend Jeanne Adams says.

Are you listening Muse? You and book #15 have my full and undivided attention. Lets rock and roll.

Blessed be, Ellen