People have asked me and continue to ask me, ‘how do you do it?’

I’m a single mom to a two year girl, I attend college full time, and I write (books). That isn’t including the things around the house mind you and the errands. I just respond with a shrug and say ‘I dunno, I just do it.’

‘But when do you have time for yourself?’

Now this is the part where I’m dying laughing inside, thinking, what are you kidding me? Time to myself? That went out the window running. I calmly reply, ‘I simply don’t have time to myself.’

School will be starting soon and my daughter will be going to daycare for the first time. It was hard on me taking care of her while trying to get homework done as most of it had to be completed on computer; I spent way too much time on the computer than I wanted to. This time around I’m hoping that doesn’t happen. I guess I’ll find out.

It is pretty tough though, raising a child on my own, but I’m doing it. Not long ago I messed up my back, so I have the pain to deal with. Then a few months after I had my daughter I started working out and slipped a disk; more back pain. But I’m not trying to complain, I’ve actually come to realize that chronic back pain will forever be a part of my life.

When school semester finished this past May, I set two goals for myself. One, publish a children’s book and two, finish the young adult novel I’ve been writing. I’ve actually accomplished the first goal. My children’s book is in publication and will be on the market this winter. And as for the novel, well, I started working on it two years ago. I ended up putting it aside when my grandfather became ill, then passed away. It was several months before I picked it up again, only to put it aside for school. It wasn’t until two semesters had passed until I picked it up again. The words started to flow and soon there was a new character and a better plot. I finally surpassed 25,000 words and continued to keep writing. Though my manuscript is bare bones, I only wish to get the storyline out, then go back and fill in the rest later.

I have over a month left before fall semester begins. I feel proud of myself for having written as much as I have, though almost half of the novel was already written. So, have I accomplished that second goal? Not yet. Summer isn’t over. I have one month and one week. I’ve spent many nights staying up in the wee hours trying to finish the last bit of homework, I’m sure I can do the same to finish up the last bit of this novel.

JA