Why the Next Book Isn’t Ready ♦ Julie Arduini

Please welcome author Juiie Arduini with a guest blog post that touched me right where I live!

Read on, Whisperers, and discover how you can get a free copy of her devotional FINDING FREEDOM FROM SURRENDER.

Thanks for being here and sharing this post today, Julie!

Why the Next Book Isn’t Ready  

by Julie Arduini +Julie Arduini 

As an indie author, I have the ability to set my own deadlines. I’ve learned I often give myself a goal without allowing reality, and last year I struggled to find success. This year I’ve embedded more time into my tasks, knowing life is just going to get in the way. With a husband that travels, a college aged son, and a teen daughter with medical issues to monitor, there’s rarely a dull moment.

Or time to write.

The wisdom in that played itself out immediately this year. I had to take an unexpected trip out of state and it was full of winter driving and heavy emotions. My husband was local, but unavailable as he was training clients from out of town. That left our eighteen-year-old son to fill in the gaps.

I gave him a modified schedule, writing down menu ideas, ingredients, medicine reminders for his sister, homework issues she had, and the pet agenda. I didn’t add laundry, housecleaning, or bill paying. While I was away, I received a text.

Now I know why your third book isn’t finished.

Tears fell as I realized he got it. There are so many times I get all the “stuff” done to sit down and write, only to look at the clock and realize it’s time to go to school and pick our daughter up. There is always something unplanned that pops up. A run to the bank. Praying for someone who texts an emergency. Cleaning up a pet mess. It all adds up.

Of course, I’m not perfect. I find myself on Facebook or looking up to see what someone else is watching on Hulu, and that’s valuable time, too. There’s also marketing the books already available. Creating a monthly newsletter. Engaging with readers through social media. As much as I try to write that in my iBloom planner, these things seem to take a little more time than I anticipated.

Last month I finally reached a place where I wasn’t traveling or going to doctor appointments when I felt like I was supposed to set ENGAGED aside and do something unique. I created a devotional called FINDING FREEDOM THROUGH SURRENDER and it utilizes the surrender themes I wrote about in my Surrendering Time series. What makes it very different than anything I’ve read or written is that the daily readings are written from the POV (point of view) of the characters from ENTRUSTED, ENTANGLED, and ENGAGED. They share their experiences of surrendering fear, loss, change, regret and the future without giving away the story. I’m formatting the 30 day edition for Amazon now, and the 14 day preview is available for readers at my website. It was sidetrack I wasn’t counting on, but already I’ve received reader feedback that the readings helped them with their surrender issues. That’s what I’m called to do, so I’m not frustrated that my ENGAGED deadlines need tweaking. Again.

ENGAGED: Coming Spring 2017

Trish Maxwell returns to her mountain hometown after a failed move to New York City with a lot of apologies to make. The Speculator Falls residents haven’t forgotten how she left, and want to know what’s next for her. Paramedic Wayne Peterson encourages Trish with her idea to market Adirondack store fronts to increase business traffic, but he also wonders if her love for city life will lure her away from their blossoming friendship. Can Trish find a “Plan B” that will satisfy her and gain back the trust of everyone in Speculator Falls?

Book Links:

ENTRUSTED: Surrendering the Present, Book 1

ENTANGLED: Surrendering the Past, Book 2

ENGAGED: Surrendering the Future, Book 3, Coming Soon!

While You Wait:

Julie Arduini has a FREE 14 Day devotional based on the characters from Entrusted, Entangled and Engaged. FINDING FREEDOM FROM SURRENDER features the surrender issues fear, loss, and change, including Julie’s own surrender experiences. Click link for your copy. FINDING FREEDOM THROUGH SURRENDER.

How about you? Do you keep strict deadlines? Are you able to meet them? What kind of things distract or get in the way for you? I’d love to hear from you.

Julie Arduini loves to encourage readers to surrender the good, the bad, and ---maybe one day---the chocolate. She’s the author of ENTRUSTED: Surrendering the Present, as well as ENTANGLED: Surrendering the Past. The last book in the series, ENGAGED: Surrendering the Future, is coming soon. She also shares her story in the infertility devotional, A WALK IN THE VALLEY. She blogs every other Wednesday for Christians Read. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children. Learn more by visiting her at http://juliearduini.com, where she invites readers to subscribe to her monthly newsletter full of resources and giveaway opportunities.

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