Staycation

Last Sunday I sent my steampunk book "Verity Hart Vs. The Vampyres" to my agent. I wrote and edited this one in five months, a new record. And during that time I was also working on lining up publicity for "Mind Over Monsters," entertaining family members, doing NASCAR research, and trying to have a life (epic fail on that last one). So for five months I've been working six days a week, usually for ten hours a day. I'm not complaining, I love what I do, but tend to get lost in the work.

Hello, my name is Jennifer Harlow and I am a workaholic.

When I was a teenager I had this evil teacher who loaded us down with homework. The only time my parents worried about me as a teenager was that year because I locked myself in my room doing homework all the time because I COULD NOT LET THAT BASTARD WIN! (Sorry. PTSD flashback. Continuing.) I had to get an "A" come hell or high water. (I so did.) The same thing happens when I'm working on a book. Other people have to force me to stop working. So since I am a starving artist and went like seven places last year even Canada, I took a much needed few days off at home. All two of them for what will soon be obvious reasons.

My schedule was as follows:

8:30-Wake up, check e-mails

9:00-Tabatha's Take-Over Salon

10:00-drive to gym, find is closed for a week (Yipee!)

10:30-go home, change, check e-mails again

10:45-none. Now what? YouTube of course

12:00-okay, watched way too many cute cat videos. Never again.

12:15-check fridge, no food has materialized

12:30-flip through 600+ channels, nothing on

12:45-check online again, nothing new, realize I am very unpopular, reflect on that, realize don't care

1:00-more You Tube cats

1:15-no food materialized again, fall on couch and stare at ceiling. Lots of spiderwebs, realize don't care.

1:30-Netflix streaming, start and stop five movies because all boring

2:30-No new e-mails, hit head against wall for something to do

4:30-wake up from concussion, realize haven't eaten anything, go to McDonald's

5:30-Stuffing face while watching "The Town" for millionth time, OD on eye candy

7:00-shower

7:15-climb into bed as so tired from long day

7:30-start and stop three books that all "suck"

8:00-Law & Order, seen them all but nothing else on

10:00-Oh, thank God I can go to sleep without feeling like I'm

11:00-can't sleep, too bored

12:00-can't sleep, too bored. I hate vacation.

2:00-fall asleep

Repeat next day.

I am not meant to be idle.

Luckily in exactly a month from today my book, MIND OVER MONSTERS will be out(!!!!!) and I will be crazy busy with guest blog posts, radio interviews, and signings among other things. Still putting the schedule together so keep checking www.jenniferharlowbooks.com for updates. Also, the soundtrack to the book will soon be up.

What about y'all? Did you have a better vacation than me?

Jennifer Harlow