Friday, February 7, 2014

Something Will Come To Me

by Judith Ashley

Something will come to me - I know it will. You may have to hang in there for it to come together.

The Genre-istas theme this month is "animal stories" and if you've been following along you've

already read about some great pets.

I shared in a comment on Paty Jager's post that I wasn't sure I'd have another pet and it is still a sad thought. The reality is that I will be living alone in a few more months and to have a dog (I'm not really a cat person much less a bird and don't get me started on amphibians and reptiles) would be company but also responsibility.

I've been responsible for someone else for over fifty years both within my family and in my professional life. I still have medical power-of-attorney for people which means I'm responsible for making their end-of-life decisions if they no longer have capacity.

What would life be like if the only person I had to take care of was myself? By this time next year I will have experienced it for three months because my "retirement" date from working as a contractor in Multnomah County Aging and Disability Service's After Hours Programs is 10/31/2014 (19 years and 1 month).

Feelings about being retired instead of semi-retired run the gamut from disbelief to ecstasy.

"They say" or "Studies show" that it is important to keep mentally and physically active when one retires in order to remain mentally and physically healthy. I'm not worried!

A week from today Love and Magick - Mystical Stories of Romance (an Anthology) will be released. I have two stories in it Sarah's Ankh and Grandmother Moon. The two other contributors are my Genre-ista cohorts Sarah Raplee and Diana McCollum.


In addition to Love and Magick, I'll have Lily Book One in The Sacred Women's Circle series available for pre-order because I'm holding off releasing it until March 4th. You can find out more about that story at www.JudithAshleyRomance.blogspot.com.

Final edits on Elizabeth and Diana (Books Two and Three) will be done in March. Ashley (Book Four) is half written. I'd like to publish Ashley and Hunter this year as well as two short stories for our Free Reads From The Genre-istas and perhaps a novella about how The Sacred Women's Circle came to be.      

As you can see I've a lot on my plate. Maybe by this time next year I will have a dog to read my final version out loud to. If this one is like 'the best dog ever AKA Duke', he'll think anything I do or say is just perfect.

Back to the title. "Something Will Come To Me" and it did. I sat down to write this post with that title in mind and this is the result. Something always does come to me and for that I am grateful.

6 comments:

Sarah Raplee said...

What an amazing year this is for us! Enjoy every minute!

Judith Ashley said...

It is amazing and I'm glad you and Diana are on this journey with me!

Terrel Hoffman said...

Ah, Judith. I wasn't a cat person either. But my ex-husband begggggged and pleeeaaaded for a cat. That was Midget, circa 1980. I've had cats (yes plural) ever since. Dogs need your attention. Cats just need you to be present. They really are easier to take care of.

Diana McCollum said...

I have to agree with you, Judith. Right now I don't want any pets. Only if someone will take care of them for me. My husband and I like to take day and week long trips. I don't want to worry about my pets. Plus, with my 88 year old Mom living with us, I don't want to worry about her tripping over a dog or cat. And hurray for us we will be published next Friday!!!!

Madelle Morgan said...

Congratulations, Judith!

You will be very busy doing promo for the new releases over the next while. Enjoy the next "chapter" in your life. :)))

Judith Ashley said...

Thanks, Madelle - I have been so busy I'm Waaayyy behind on responding to comments! Looking forward to things slowing down enough so I can enjoy this next chapter-lol.