By Vicki Delany
I am often reminded of what my friend the author Jeffrey Siger
once said, “writing is a tough way to make a living but a great way to make a
life.”
Perhaps I’m paraphrasing, but you get the drift.
I was lucky enough to take early retirement many years ago
and pursue my dream of the writing life. I’d published two books and written a
third while working full time, but that’s (as many of you know) a tough gig.
I was also lucky enough to be able to sell my home close to
Toronto for $x.xx and buy another in a beautiful country location for half of
$x.xx and invest the other half to give me some small income.
I’ve since published about thirty-two books. (I lose track
sometimes). I live what I think of the
simple writers’ life out here in the countryside, but I do get away on
occasion.
Case in point: I’m just back from four weeks in
Mozambique. I was able to go there for
that amount of time because I have my writing work to do. The person I was visiting worked Monday to
Friday leaving me on my own, and sitting around her house (as pleasant as that
is) would have become boring quickly if I didn’t have my work. I wrote every morning and in the afternoons
went for a walk or out for a nice late lunch. I even treated myself to a spa
visit. Then on the weekends my friend and I did things. I got an enormous amount of writing done
because I had that time, but also because I didn’t have all the things one does
at home: appointments, shopping, friends, yoga classes.
On one of the legs of the looooooong flight home, I got out
my iPad and wrote. I managed 5,000 in a few hours. And that, even for me, is pretty good.
Something about a new environment, enforced isolation, etc etc proved to be
very productive.
Here are some pictures, of my writing environment and the
places we went in Mozambique. I hope you
enjoy them
View from my desk |
I get help |
Me! |
Beach time |
It's a tough life |
In other news, this is my last post for Type M for Murder. I’m
leaving the Typists to pursue another project that I’ll be announcing in a few
weeks. If you’d like to keep up with my books and my doings please follow me at
www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor
Twittter: @vickidelany www.vickidelany.com.
Drop me a line at vicki at vickidelany.com if you’d like to get my quarterly
newsletter or just keep in touch.
8 comments:
I've enjoyed your posts, Vicki! Great pix.
Sorry to see you go. I've enjoyed your posts. Keep writing, 'cause I'll keep reading what you write!
I'll certainly be following you, Vicki, whatever you do!
p.s. I promise I'm not a stalker...
Vicky, that is really sad news. I'll miss you.
Oh say it isn't so! You'll be sorely missed. Who knows? You may be back. You'll be most welcome.
Oh say it isn't so! You'll be sorely missed. Who knows? You may be back. You'll be most welcome.
Vicki has said goodbye before. She will always have a home here, especially since she's more or less the founder of Type M for Murder.
And, Vicki, you will be asked back as often as you are able to let us know what you're up to!
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