How do I do it all?
I’ve gone through every picture that was in the boxes in the guest room. Decades of pictures. Some made me sad like ones from my first marriage where it’s obvious I’m head over heels for my first husband, because I know how it ended, and I looked so happy. I also prove again and again that I had not yet discovered the right hair care products for my curls. *laughs* But I found one picture that I thought I’d lost, or rather didn’t know I had, at all.
People are always asking me, how do you do it? Write books, have a career, how did I write 35 novels and one short story collection, and have both my book series be best selling series, and hit #1 on a regular basis? How do I have a husband who loves me, and who I’m crazy about, and successful poly relationships, plus a daughter, and a writing career? How do I do it all? Well, I found a picture that sort of answers the question.
That’s me writing in my office, in the first house I ever owned. Yes, that’s a very tiny, Trinity laying across my arms, as I type. Why was I holding her like that? Because she cried if I put her down, and I needed to write. The rhythm of my arms and hands moving soothed her. That was how I wrote a lot of the the fourth Anita Blake novel, Lunatic Cafe, with my newborn balanced across my arms, lulled to sleep as I typed. At three months she went across the street for two hours and I wrote furiously while she was at daycare.
Something about writing the latest Merry Gentry book, A Shiver of Light, made me ready to go through all those old memories. I think it was Merry having her own babies, that made me want to go through all my own photos. There’s something about mile stones, even fictional ones apparently, that make you look back, as well as forward. You get to meet Merry’s newborns on June 4, 2014 when A Shiver of Light is published. You can see my only newborn in this picture. I’m so glad that Trinity wasn’t a multiple, one was hard enough. *laughs* Of course, Merry has many more fathers to help her than I did. One mother and one father seemed outnumbered by one newborn. 🙂
How have I succeeded at so many things? I think this picture says, how I’ve done it, better than almost any other I’ve found. How do you accomplish great things? Be driven, be as determined as the woman in this picture, because I was committed, dedicated to succeed. I was obsessed! Writing isn’t my job, it’s my calling.
30 thoughts on “How do I do it all?”
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That is awesome, you are one talented writer and a great momma!
Kudos to you, Laurell. Many times I wondered how in my own life I would accomplish any given task. Between work, my own kids, school, and trying to build a reputable photography business, I find at times that something goes unmet. Most of the time it is my own personal needs or wants that are sacrificed. I’ve yet to read the Merry series, but I’m a die hard Anita fan. I commend you for all your work, effort, and time you’ve taken to please so many with your literary works, not just Anita and Merry, but your continued words of wisdom, advice, and guidance.
If you love Anita, you will eat up Merry!! I am a diehard Anita fan and thought Merry just couldn’t be as good! I WAS DUMB! LKH wrote it, duh! lol
I had a three day wknd and had nothing planned so I thought I would try it..OMG! I read ALL of them and loved them!
Shes strong like Anita but really that’s it, she is her own character but you can’t help but fall for her and her men, its really an amazing series.
If you ever get a chance please pick it up!
Wonderfully written and illustrated. Thanks for sharing so much!
Tonight as my students filed into class, I was writing. Stealing just a couple of minutes to finish my thoughts. I wonder how I am going to finish what I am doing and then I saw this post. I read Lunatic Cafe when I was in college and I dreamed of writing but doubted myself. Now, I know I just have to do it. I need to do it. Thank you for affirming and encouraging me. I look forward to meeting Merry’s precious ones.
You are an amazing woman who found what she was great at and went with it!! I LOVE your books and can never wait till the next one.
I found your first “Anita Blake” book in a used book store and was in love from there on. I have all your books and even a signed copy that I will hold onto forever.
Question: Did you ever find what works the best on curly hair to tame it? Would love to know since I to have the same problem and can’t seem to find the right products.
Your Awesome!!!!! Have and awesome Mother’s Day
Thank you so much for your dedication to your craft,I read both series at least once a year I’ve cried and laughed with both Anita and Merry I always am impatient for the next adventure,Thank you also for the glimpse into your home and family.
How positively beautiful and inspiring! What a wonderful picture and memory! Thank you for sharing that!
You are AWESOME! I have tried writing so many times, only to get side-tracked or lose the train-of-thought. I have three stories up to 30 or 40 pages that I keep telling myself “I’ll get back to it” – but I don’t have that “Driving Force” that you do! THANK YOU for your Great stories and your Personal Involvement in all you do!
You are certainly amazing. And we fans are blessed to experience your creativity while you actually manage to have a life of your own – doing all of it so well 🙂
Thank you for what you do. And its a struggle everyday with the balance between children and finding my true calling. but taking my “mommy” time and picking up your books makes me HAPPY!
So happy you are a dedicated writer as I would be lost without your books yo look forward to.
What I’ve always appreciated most about you, Ms. Hamilton, is your you honesty and candor, even when you’re writing fiction.
She stole a baby! 🙂
I love your books, I am amazed at how you as well as my other favorite authors (ess) can balance writing which is really demanding of one’s time, Family, friends, with out being consumed. I am glad you can because I really enjoy all your novels.
Happy Mother’s Day! You are an amazing writer and when I read your books, I can never put them down. I usually stay up all night without realizing it. Your picture above tells the story of many moms trying to juggle all aspects of our lives as best we can. Thanks for sharing your life with us. I cannot wait for the next book about Merry!
Try Mane n Tail horse shampoo and conditioner for your curly hair. It always worked real well on my hair when I had perms years ago. I stopped because it would relax my perm and the perm would not last as long! I buy it at the grocery store or Wal-Mart.
What are the “right” hair products for your hair? It looks like we have the same kind…and I still haven’t found anything that I would call amazingly helpful yet. Bane of my existence~
LOVE the books. As a matter of fact Anita will not let me read anything else right now. In approximately 2 weeks have read Guilty Pleasures through Cerulean Sins. Am reading Incubus Dreams right now. Have to find my Merry books or get them on the Kindle a week from tomorrow.
Simply put you rock.
Thank you for sharing. It is a wonderful insight into your work and your success. Keep them coming I love your books.
I love it! Thank you for sharing the photo of you and Trinity. I worked from home quite a bit when both of my boys were babies. I still do whenever they are sick or need me. Force of will is pretty powerful!
That is entirely adorable. You are so dedicated and passionate about what you love, and it shows in your work. I hope that someday everyone finds their passion like you have.
It’s amazing how are dreams can quickly turn into reality after you make that leap. I too, was pregnant when I wrote my first book, and now the moon is very special to my daughter… Thank you for showing the picture to remind me who I am and what I’m trying to accomplish. I knew at age five years old that I wanted to be an entertainer, a song writer, screen writer, an artist, and finally, a novelist… However, my list goes on. What inspired me to become a creator is and was my mother and Stephen King.
Thank you for following your dreams and showing others how to follow theirs, or in my case my nightmares…
Your a inspiration to many. But to me your my favorite writer and hero. Thanx.
May I email u privately re doing it all and your amorous life.
Sure
I’m sooo glad Merry is making a return! It seems like I’ve waited forever!
Her story was the reason I first started to enjoy reading and found a love for books. Her world was the first world I was able to get lost into and open me up to many others.
Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful people.
This weekend I’ll turn 21, so the preorder will be a gift to myself and my mother! <3
wow, that’s really admirable!
It’s truly amazing how you do all that you do. I’ve waited what seems like forever for a new Merry G. book to come out. What do you think makes Anita more popular than Merry?