Summer vacation? Me? Bah.

Last month, my husband and I had a conversation regarding my recent workload. I'd just helped to launch the SPELLBOUND boxed set after five long months of intense effort.

"Think you're ready for a break?" he asked.

"Sure am!" was my immediate reply. And really, I was ready for a break. Any working writer--heck, any working anyone--will agree that all work and no play (no sleep/no rest) makes for a cranky kid.

So no one was more surprised than I was when I said..."Surprise! I'm not taking a break."

In fact, I'm taking the opposite of a break. I decided that it would be a good idea if I got back to work on releasing ANOTHER BOXED SET.

With a book I haven't written yet.

So...all the same work plus create a novel before mid-October.

Am I crazy? It's a possibility. But my crazy has always been what I like most about myself. My crazy brought about every other book I'd released. So, crazy isn't a bad thing, necessarily.

Am I driven? You bet! I've been percolating this story for YEARS. It's opening pages won a first place prize in a novel writing contest first in 2009, then again in 2012 (when it was judged by Hank Phillippi Ryan herself!) I pulled it out and got its bones lined up a few years ago at a Modern Baseball concert (because apparently I thought pop punk and writing went well together). I've loved this story for a long time. I can't wait to finally meet it!

Am I setting a lofty goal? Heck YES. This is, by far, the biggest challenge I've ever given myself. I usually spend a year or more on a book (which is why I usually have more than one project going at all times.) With this project, I have to put aside the novel I was working on as well as an accompanying shortish story, both in The Demon Whisperer series, to focus solely on TAKIN' IT BACK. I've never had a one-track mind.

Am I scared? A little, but in a good way. I can't fail. Contract signed. Twenty other authors counting on me to do my share, and a few who already know I can bust my hump to do my share well.

So, I guess a question...are you with me?

I hope you are. :) Send me your good thoughts and supportive karma because...vacation's over. The Summer Writing Challenge has begun.

PS Any writer who are interested in doing Twitter-based  writing sprints, hmu at @Ashkrafton. I remember the summer a group of us did #fastdraft and can really use the team support again!