I think March is my least-favorite month. In some ways, more so than ever this year. In others, well, it's not so bad. :)
Let's start with the not-bad parts. First, I am very excited to announce that Acceptable Risks, my most recent romantic adventure from Carina Press, has won the Romantic Suspense category in the 2013 EPIC eBook Awards! I had some very stiff competition, and I'm excited and humbled by my first ever win. Huge thanks to Elizabeth Bass, my editor at Carina, for helping me do the best job I could with that book and making it worthy. :)
I was also accepted into the Published Authors Network of Romance Writers of America. That only means something to you if you're an RWA member, and it's really not that big a deal. It's a milestone that has changed over the 13 years that I've been published, and I've *finally* succeeded in meeting the minimum requirements to qualify. It gives me some professional opportunities and is hopefully a harbinger of continued growth and success.
In the "not really my good news but I played a role in it, kind of" department, Number One has been accepted by 3 of the 4 colleges/universities she's applied to. One more to go. She got a significant scholarship from her first choice, so she's just hoping the last school (which supposedly won't send acceptances until APRIL, and that's killing me!) won't do better. Easier not to have a choice to make! :)
Okay, I think that's all the good stuff. March is bleh in so many other ways. First, there's the weather. Yes, the sun is gloriously shining through my window right this moment, but that masks the 35-degree temperature and frigid winds. My husband, who now works for a garden center, says it was 79 degrees a year ago tomorrow. We were supposed to get snow today. It flurried this morning, but with every forecast, the meteorologists are more wrong this month. I think Mother Nature is laughing at them.
TV was on hiatus for most of the month. My shows are coming back this week, and thank god. It's my primary stress relief! I know, you say the "free" time can be spent writing or reading, but I only watch TV when my brain won't work anymore, and I always have or make time to read. All of the above is necessary for a balanced Natalie. :)
There have been no events in March to look forward to. April starts the local PRO team's soccer season, May is my writer's retreat and all the good movies... March is just the grind, with an occasional high moment (see above).
I'm in limbo professionally, too, waiting for edits from my editors, working on whipping projects into shape, living vicariously through other people's releases. I'm trying hard to take advantage of the lull and get a lot done before deadlines are upon me again, but I have to admit, my creative brain seems just as de-energized by March as the rest of me. :(
How many of you feel the way I do about March? If you love the month, tell me why! It might help me change my attitude. :)
6 comments:
Congratulations again on your EPIC win! WOOT!
I love March, but I'm in a different climate. Everything is turning green and flowering, but there's still time to get to things you didn't do when it was cold, like getting the trees trimmed. It's cool, not hot, but mostly comfortable if you want to be outside. We usually start getting hella hot the end of April.
We have Spring Break, and a day off for Easter, and testing hasn't started yet, but tutoring is almost over.
Thanks, MJ!
Yeah, your March is usually our April, weather-wise. Our spring is often very short, jumping from 50 to 80 without passing Go. :) In recent years, we'd be lucky to get 2 weeks of 70s and sunny.
Spring break is a great reason to like March! :) *I* don't get any days off between New Year's Day and Memorial Day. The kids have a couple of scheduled days off each month, but this year almost all of them have been make-up days for snow/hurricane days, so they lost most of them.
Yay for tutoring being almost over! I know how draining that is for you.
I remember you saying that about no days off. That would make me INSANE(r). For us, spring IS 80, lol! I hope y'all get some good weather soon.
I'll be SO GLAD when testing is over, in just over a month.
It is insane-making! :) I remember when I first started working, and we had President's Day off, and Columbus Day...
Good luck getting through testing!
My birthday is in March. :) But I hear you. I think I have S.A.D., so March is not usually easy that way.
We are so ready for spring . . .
And a big congratulations to you!!
Birthday certainly elevates a month! :)
You have my complete empathy about SAD. I think a lot of people have it and don't realize it. I used to suffer more when I had a full-time day job and left in the dark and came home in the dark, and my office had little sun exposure. Now my day job is part-time in a room with huge windows and morning sun, I'm out driving and doing errands during the day, and it makes a huge difference.
Anyway, hang in there, days are getting longer! :)
And thank you! :)
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