STARS: Surviving being shut in

This is slightly different from cabin fever in that you can still travel but not far. I am going to help you survive a potential quarantine as more and more places and institutions close and events are postponed and canceled. 

I tap into local businesses and those 24/7 places like QT and Waffle House. I am an avid supporter of both, the latter since I became a night shifter. 

Reconnect with friends and family during this time. Plan to visit each other if you are closely. I don't see my friends and family often and now is the perfect time to do so. 

I use my quiet time to catch up on movies and television shows and then stream anything else random. Netflix, Hulu, Disney and ESPN Plus. 

I also maintain my routine naps but this is also a good time to Spring clean. I will finally complete my man cave purge and project. If the weather cooperates, I will start the yearly maintenance of my yard. It's only March and I am ashamed of it right now. 

I will be fully rested and all of my incidental work will be complete once normal activities resume.

STARS: Writing a book

Many of you talk of doing this or that you should do this. I still receive questions about it as an author.  

Therefore I thought this would be a great topic of discussion. 

I wrote my table of contents first to outline what and how I was going to write "From Darkness to Sunshine." 

I then wrote a chapter a week, sometimes two, with a deadline of finishing in seven months.  

I would focus solely on that chapter for the week and would research and often isolate myself to get into the mindset of that chapter. I didn't worry so much about the editing, only the content. Editing would come upon successful completion of the chapter. 

I met my deadline, even finishing a week early. I already had my publishing company, Lulu, chosen, and knew what length I wanted to choose. I then submitted the content portion and allowed them to do the rest. I already had my cover guy in tact and even professional photos planned. 

The book released a few months later due to editorial and design concerns but I was still able to market the book well and plan book signings, pre orders and launches. 

I was glad at how From Darkness to Sunshine went and look forward to how Scared Eyes is going to fare. Life has gotten in the way of production of this book but I am returning to what made my production of the first book successful.