This week in the life of a writer mom

Hi all. I see I'm blogging less regularly. The truth is, my hands are pretty full. The good news is, they are full of babies. Wow, I really lucked out, guys. I hesitate to write this because I don't want to brag but I HAVE THE BEST BABIES IN THE WORLD. If you're going to have two, get two like these. (But paws off mine--they're taken.) They sleep at the same time! They smile and coo! They are beautiful and healthy and smell like heaven!

We're all doing GREAT. Of course life is very differnet after having twins. Recently both babies were napping at the same time for two whole hours and I was with just my two older kids, and I was astonished at how free I was. What did I used to do with all my time? I remember thinking I was busy before, and now I laugh at my former self. Wimp! WIMP, I say! I guess no matter what our life circumstances are, we generally fill up every moment and so always feel busy. Kind of like no matter how much money we make, we could always use a little more. I don't like that last bit, and Dean and I always promise each other we will be content with what we have, and as much as our income has fluctuated over the years, somehow we always feel like we maintain the same standard of living.

As marvelous as life is with perfect baby twins, and as surprisingly calm I feel, I know I'm two steps from the crazy attic. People keep asking me how I am and I say, "I'm fine! No really, I'm great. The babies are so wonderful, it's been so much better than I thought it would be." And then someone will say something like "Have you gotten out your Christmas cards?" and I almost have a panic attack. Sanity is precarious at best. I am a very tall Jenga tower. Don't nudge me!

So maybe I don't do Christmas cards or have an organized house or make homemade neighbor gifts or bathe, but I am still writing. It's more of a disease than a pasttime, after all. I delivered midnight in austenland the day before my twins delivery. A couple weeks later I contacted my editor and told her if it wasn't too late, I really could work on it some more, and she agreed. I am so happy I had that time. I did two more drafts. Although I didn't change anying major, and if you read the two drafts a few months apart you might not even be able to tell the differences, it was important to me to trim it some more and put even more thought into diction. It's all about the diction, baby. Because of the extra time, we missed our window for 2011 publication. It takes about a year after final draft delivery to publish a book, so we're looking at early 2012. Which means I'll go two years without a new book out there. As the writer L.E. Modesitt told me years ago, your front list drives your back list. When a writer doesn't have anything new coming out, all book sales go down, sometimes significantly. As of right now, all my books are still in print though, which means even if your bookstore doesn't have them on the shelves, they can still be ordered. I don't know what my career will look like a year from now. Many authors go two years without a new book, but I never have before. This is okay with me. I really want to just stay home and snuggle my kiddos for awhile.

And now I'm working on Daisy Danger Brown again. I spent most of 2009 writing the first draft. It's a lot of stuff and a lot of work, so I imagine I'll be rewriting it for most of 2011, maybe beyond. Hm, maybe I'll have two books out in 2012!

Ps. For all those new moms out there who have colicky babies and are hating on me because I somehow got sleepy angels, just know that I'm still in maternity clothes. I'm not that magical.

Comments

[Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams]

Snuggle those kiddos, indeed. Merry Christmas to you and all your babies!

[andalucy]

I'm glad to hear everything is going so well with the twins. You sound really content in this post. Christmas cards, homemade gifts, showers, skinny clothes and the like are so overrated anyway. There will be other years for that. Do you have some good perfume, dear? That's all you need. ;-)

[andalucy]

Oh! Forgot to say, I hope you are enjoying Jane Austen's birthday! I've watched the pond scene from P&P several times today to celebrate.

[Amanda Norr]

I don't think you have to worry about book sales, I tell everyone about your books and although I have read them, I only own three of them. Have a great time writing and loving all those kids of yours.

[Maruc Aurelius]

DARN right you're working on DDB again, kid!

All-in-all, I love the Bayern books, and the Princess Academy reminded me so much of my own young days in the quarry, Austenland made me want to LARP like crazy (which is, incidentally, pretty much the *only* way one can LARP, I feel), The Actor and the Housewife wasn't really written for my demographic, so much (but I enjoyed it anyway), the two Rapunzel books made me crazy jealous and a tad regretful, and The Book of 10 to the 3rd Power Days is one of my top 100 books in the entire world, regardless of my friend having written it or not.

But when I originally heard you were writing you some Sci-Fi, my cold and bitter heart grew three sizes and I went straight out and did some charity and some junk, because I was THAT excited.

I still am. In Dean you have a Sci-Fi knowledge repository unparalleled, but if, say, heaven forbid, he should be mysteriously struck by a blue Honda Accord and rendered insensate for an hour or two (though I kinda doubt that'd do the job) and you find yourself needing someone to bounce a few sci-fi ideas off for a moment, I offer you my humble services.

I also think I owe Max $20, so I should probably swing by anyway.

Cheers!

[Jena]

Even in Maternity clothes and as tall as your Jenga tower is, you are still pretty magical to all of us!

Thanks for your example.

[Emily]

I'm working my way through the Bayern series right now and loving them! And my son (?) absconded with the audio book of Princess Academy before I even got to listen to it. He's five and loves audio books, and I love that I can let him listen to yours without worrying about him hearing icky stuff. :)

And the last line of this post? Perfect.

[Susan]

Bummer that the book will take longer now, but hey, you had twins. Glad to hear they are good babies.
About the Christmas cards...Some friends of ours didn't get to it before Christmas so they found an obscure holiday in January to send a card for. I think it was Penguin Awareness Day. So you can always go that route.
Best wishes!

[JoLee]

I just had laugh at the bathing comment because I am with you 100%. I have an 18 month old and a dissertation to finish, and I'm sure some people would be appalled at how often writing wins out over showering. Those extra minutes make a huge difference.
Merry Christmas.

[Q]

You make me laugh.

[Sara B. Larson]

I love the Jenga tower comparison. And btw, I don't believe the maternity clothes thing, I saw you at Ally's signing and you look AH-MAZE-ING. Lady, you just had TWINS. Wow. You are definitely magical and superpowered and blessed with good babies. And if it's any consolation when I was talking about how the print quality of our Christmas card pictures didn't turn out how I wanted, someone told me, "It doesn't matter, everyone just throws them away." Oh. Okay, then. So I say, don't worry about those expendable cards anyway. (Even though I didn't get that memo and actually do keep mine... hmm...)

Anyway, Merry Christmas and enjoy your wonderful family.

[Emily]

I quit doing Christmas cards and neighbor treats a few years ago. Guess what happened...Nothing. The sun kept on rising and no one (and I mean NO ONE) seemed to care. That's when I quit. It's very liberating.

I did the same thing with folding laundry. I don't fold my kids' laundry any more. They're on their own. And guess what? They ALSO don't care.

So don't worry about it!

[Anetta]

you misspelled different (2nd Paragraph) :)

[Emilie]

You know, I think I respect you more for not going crazy to get your book out in 2011. It will be hard to wait, but then, I vividly remember waiting for Harry Potter 5 when that author got married and had a baby. We all survived, and she got the time she needed with the new members of her family. So Merry Christmas and enjoy your kiddos!
(And Epiphany cards are great--we have friends who do them almost every year:)

[Christen]

Man, it looks like all the good things are coming out in 2012. Oh well. I've waited this long... I'll wait some more to read something as awesome as Midnight in Austenland! :D

[Carly]

Thank you Shannon, for all you do and write. I love you even more now that you are a cool mom like me (I really need to do laundry, but I'm reading Goose Girl again, it's better than laundry).

[Juliana Montgomery]

I was lucky to get really chill twins, too! Can you imagine if they were both colicky? Mine were a dream and still are. Twins are the most amazing blessing.

[Je Reve]

Congrats on perfect babies... my thoughts are with you in this time. I can really relate to the whole not-busy-in-retropsect thing, so good luck!

[Liz]

2012!?! That's too long. But I guess I'm just happy that Midnight will be published!

Also, thanks for the Maisie Dobbs thumbs up, I LOVE the books and just checked out #3 and #4 from the library today. Early Christmas for me!

[Katrina]

I just started following you and enjoy your writing. Our book club read Goose Girl this month and had a lot of fun with it. I only have two kids and no twins, but definitely understand looking back on my former self and remembering how "busy" I felt. Experience is the best teacher. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

[supra shoes]

I will always be concerned about, because you can learn some knowledge, thank you for sharing.

[gracie]

Merry Christmas Shannon! I hope you know that I will be a huge fan even if a new book is't out for a couple years.

[Erin]

i think we all prayed you'd have angel babies so you'd be able to keep writing :)

[Abby Minard]

Aw, you sound like you are doing good! I don't think I'd be able to even write with two new babies and 2 older children at home! It's hard enough with one 5 year old! You are truly amazing- and I can't wait until Midnight in Austenland comes out! We'll still be here, no matter when you next book comes out :)

[Alexandra Wood]

You are so funny and so great at writing!!!

[Mundie Moms]

Enjoy every moment with your sweet newborns and your children!!

[Robin]

What a great post. I have enjoyed both your books and your blog. I'll try and be patient- 2012 isn't so bad right, it get closer every day:)

So glad your twins are easy. I have 3 siblings with twins and I always watch them in awe (esp. the one with 7 other children)

[Raindrops]

I loved the pics of the twins. They're so cute! But u do have arms full. Don't u wish u could use more than one arm/hand? Like an octopuse at the same time u do stuff?:)
--Raindrops

[Bridget]

I don't think you have to worry about your books going out of print :) I'm a huge fan, and I'm still collecting them all. I see Goose Girl and Princess Academy regularly at Target, which always puts a smile on my face. Plus they're princess stories, which are huge right now (no matter what Disney says). The cover art is also so beautiful that it makes it impossible to buy them second hand. You HAVE to buy a brand new copy so that you can get that cover art in pristine condition :)

[Hillary]

I, too, had perfect baby twins about 7 weeks ago, and I, too, am guarding my jenga tower. On Sunday, my sister-in-law was stopping by for a visit, my husband was giving the Christmas message in sacrament meeting, my 7-year-old was giving a talk in primary, and I was substitute teaching in primary. I was doing just fine until my 5-year-old said as we were about to walk out the door, "Mommy, you're tummy is a little fat." My husband just looked at me and said, "Hillary." Jenga pieces ALL OVER THE FLOOR! I calmly walked into the bedroom, put on a girdle, and changed my skirt.

[Virginia]

You made me laugh so hard I woke up the baby! Bad, bad post. Funny, I keep looking for the 'like' button on some of these comments! Anyway, don't worry about your front and back lists because your front list is so different from the back. I give the Bayren books as Christmas presents and the Austenland book series doesn't really affect that. Also, if I could write the way you do, whether blogging or in prose, I would be a genius. I have six kids under ten and I write in the middle of the night because it's the only time I can finish a thought. :)

[Alexandra Wood]

Merry Christmas eve!!!! Enjoy it.

[Kaylie]

Wow, I'm amazed at all you do...I didn't know they made superhero capes in maternity sizes.

[taobao agent]

i love this post very well, thanks guys.

[Discount Air Jordan]

Aloha lovely!
Your blog is quite applaudable!
Here's cheers to you this festive season!
Keep up the brilliant posts......