Monday, June 08, 2009

Finished

Current work: finished the Modern Heat
Listening to: various
Reading: Faking it, Jennifer Crusie (enjoying so far – still think my faves by her are Anything But You and Bet Me. Any other recommendations appreciated)

Well – the Modern Heat is done and sent to my ed.

I’m tired now and have post-book blues. Cue grumpiness. I hate saying goodbye to my characters; I’m convinced that both my ed and agent will hate the book (even though I know this happens every time I deliver a book, the crows are still here), and my office is in post-book tip mode (have exceeded my mess tolerance level, so must sort that – except I could do with a nap and I have the school run in a minute anyway).

Weighed myself this morning and that’s made my bad mood much worse. I need to be clever with time management and factor some exercise into my day from now on, because putting on 7lbs per book written is just NOT GOOD.

That’s 7lbs for this book, not 7lbs for each one I’ve written this year (which would be a real disaster as that was my 3rd M&B for the year aka #40 overall).

But it’s still not good.

Why? Wasn’t clever with time management and ended up having to put the hours in over the last week, which means my brain thinks I’ve been working really hard (which I have, mentally) but physically I’ve been in the equivalent of near-catatonia (fingers moving at speed over keyboard does not burn many calories). The problem is not so much with my calorie intake, because I do eat sensibly (apart from the Lindors last week, which isn’t that typical. Usually we don’t have chocolate in the house because everyone knows I have no won’t power – I only buy biscuits I don’t like but everyone else does, for the same reason). The problem is that I don’t have enough physical output. Maybe I should try dictating the next book via Dragon while walking on the spot…

11 comments:

Nell Dixon said...

My fave Jenny Crusie is Manhunting, which makes me cry with laughter everytime I read it. Hugs on the weight gain, lack of exercise is my problem too esp since I had/have the hip problem. I'm trying really hard to do better this past month as i don't want to go to conference looking like a weeble.

Caroline said...

Blinky blimy Kate! 3 books so far this year and it's only early June! Just how long did it take to write the latest? I think I am in total AWE! So never mind the negative's (i.e the weight gain) I would be soooo proud if I could write one book in the time it has taken you to write three!! Now I'm feeling depressed - where's that choci bicci I squirrelled away for a rainy day? Take care. Caroline x

linda margaret said...

Kate;

I'm with you on the weight gain. I am still dealing with "baby weight" and more since and my babies are 19 and 13! I do try to eat right but I too fall down on the exercise side of things. Hugs and don't regret the Lindor's too much. Chocolate should be in a category of its own. Sometimes it is an absolute necessity!!

Congrats on sending in another completed manuscrit. Well done. I'm sure it is just great like your other ones.

Linda

Caroline said...

Me again! I picked up an interesting fact from Fiona Lowe's website (Australian HM&B Medical author) in which she says in her "Curios" section about the human body that "the brain uses more energy than any other organ in the body - using about a fifth of all food intake." Now if that's not an excuse for ALL authors to eat chocolate I don't know what is! Take care. Caroline x
p.s. Fiona's also got a facinating article (again in her "Curios" section on how a HM&B book is "made" - she's got piccis of when she went to the printers! Check it out!

Liz Fielding said...

Congrats on getting the book done!

Heavy work at the keyboard is so physically exhausting -- you really do think you've run a marathon. But exercise does make you feel better. But I've been slacking, too. Sore hips when step, but that's no excuse.

My fav JC's match yours, totally.

Kate Hardy said...

Nell - thanks, will look out for that one.

Hugs to you, too, re your hip. Am SURE you won't look like a Weeble!

Kate Hardy said...

Caroline - mm, actually, that is a bit OTT, isn't it? But if you write 1000 words a day, that's an M&B-sized book in 2 months. So it's really not quite as scary as it seems...

(OK, OK. So I'm living up to Kate W's nickname for me!)

Kate Hardy said...

Linda Margaret - it drives me crazy because I know the theory. It should be EASY.

Maybe I should go back to Weightwatchers again. Find a different class with a supportive leader who does phone you for a 2-min pep talk instead of sending a postcard saying "keep going" (that's why I gave it up last time - I'd rather spend that £5 a week on taking the kids to the cinema once a month).

Hugs on your own struggle!

Kate Hardy said...

Caroline - wow, that's amazing! I keep forgetting that my mate Fi is almost as nerdy as I am. (I think she's also taller and thinner, so that cancels it out, LOL.) That's a great statistic.

But there's no getting away from it. Exerise. And on a day like today that means the Wii...

Kate Hardy said...

Hugs, Liz, on the sore hip.

And you're so right about the marathon thing. (Remember when Snickers used to be called Marathon? ... nooo, bad Kate. Stop the chocolate stuff.)

Lacey Devlin said...

I say just don't weigh yourself! I got rid of my scales. They never told me anything I wanted to hear ;)