Recharged & Restocked
Wow. It’s been a hot minute since my last blog post!
The people-pleasing part of me is ashamed that I didn’t fine a way to divide my life into neat little quarters this summer. Between work, promoting Santa’s Summer Vacation in Michigan, preparing for our daughter’s senior year of high school (and our son’s freshman year), and moving, I had plenty on my plate.
The other part of me – the sane part – knew I could do it all, just not to the extent that I’d be satisfied with the results.
Because you heard that right: We were moving!
Our life to an unexpected, albeit pleasant, turn in June when my mom asked my husband and I if we’d consider buying her house sooner rather than later. And not just any house. The house I grew up in. The beautiful ranch on actual property, complete with a five-acre pond, where we’ve always dreamed of ending up.
So, we talked it over, weighed our options, and decided to take the leap.
Fast!
Thankfully, we only lived about seven minutes apart. But whether you’re packing up to move across town or across the country, it honestly doesn’t matter. Packing is still awful and time consuming.
And that’s what consumed our summer: packing and moving, renovating and restyling our new-to-us home. With a big school year ahead for both of our kids, my immediate focus was on getting their bedrooms set up to match their exact preferences – not on my personal success as an author.
After all, that’s what we do as parents.
Don’t get me wrong. I still made time for quite a few events:
A book signing and reading at The Bookman in Grand Haven in June.
A book signing at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give right before Father’s Day.
My debut along Author Alley at the Lakeshore Art Festival to close out the month.
Two Christmas in July events at Only You Boutique and Maggie’s Gourmet Gifts & Food.
And they were fantastic! I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in every single one.
But this summer, my family needed to come first.
The kids were invested in making this house their own, with each one of them choosing their paint colors and picking up a paintbrush to help. Most of the work happened before we moved in, just before the start of the school year.
We still have plenty to do, including building an addition just for my mom, but we made tremendous progress in a remarkably short amount of time. I’m super proud of our hustle!
These days, our house projects are more sporadic, squeezed in between volleyball tournaments and out-of-state travel hockey games. They’re still there, of course. Every unpainted room seems to stare at me when I walk by, reminding me of what’s left to do. But the projects no longer feel quite so urgent.
And that’s given me permission to start thinking about my next steps as an author.
A few weeks ago, I picked up a manuscript I hadn’t touched since January. This time, I’m venturing into a new genre: children’s chapter books. Unlike Santa’s Summer Vacation in Michigan, which tells its story through illustrations and rhyming text, this manuscript is designed for young readers who are ready to explore a story over multiple chapters.
Don’t worry. I’m not done with Santa’s adventures! I just felt a pull to tell this story first.
Maybe it’s because I get to see my mom every day now. Having her so close has brought a new appreciation for family and the little moments that make those relationships so special. I especially love watching her interact with my kids as they head out the door to school each morning.
This new manuscript is more personal, with a touch of faith woven into the storytelling but not in an overpowering, offensive way. It explores a different side of my writing, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.
I’ve set a deadline to finish the manuscript by Thanksgiving. It’s an ambitious goal because I’ve never written a chapter book, but it’s doable. Right now, the words are pouring out of me, and I’m enjoying every minute of it.
I’ve also alerted my team that something new is on the horizon. It’s exciting, and I’ll share more as this next adventure unfolds.
In the meantime, I’m back to another important part of being an author: restocking the shelves of my favorite local stores that carry Santa’s Summer Vacation in Michigan. There’s something special about seeing my book out in the world, finding its way into the hands of readers, and knowing that this story continues to make its own little mark.
This summer gave me the chance to recharge in ways I didn’t expect. I made a new house feel like home, prioritized my family, and found my way back to a story that was waiting for me.
Turns out, sometimes stepping away is exactly what we need to move forward.
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