No, caring for my home and writing in my spare time (snickering at 'spare') is far, far easier than either and more rewarding, says I. I have it very good as per my occupation and can readily admit this. I have my very own sunny-faced fanclub (our four children) and my rather handsome editor/PR department/boss/hubby with which to incite intelligent conversation. Funnily enough, there were some among my set growing up whom thought married life and children to be something of a curse; 'career ending' and 'stifling' I believe were the words.

My argument to that, considering the last 12, wonderful years of married life and the joys of motherhood can be summed up in a single non-word: pfft...

Even more amusing is that said complainers are now yet single and awfully lonely. A few still keep in touch and tell me every once in awhile how good I have it. These are the moments I smile and nod and seem to be very sympathetic, when in reality I wish to stamp my foot and have an I-told-you-so moment. Privately, I relay the conversation to my loving man and we smile and shake our heads at the irony of it all; and, yes I used the word 'irony' correctly there: 'The difference between what is real and what is imagined.'

Cheers!

Meredith Greene
Belator Books
http://www.belatorbooks.com

My sequel novel done, my man and I are in process of editing it as well as working on his own knight-of-the-realm-honor-quest sequel. While I love my own book and every sentence in it being precious to me, some of it must go. It is odd seeing my work through another’s eye and being told it ‘must go’ or ‘doesn’t fit’. As sad as it is to hit the delete button, it is I admit necessary for the writing to be good… or, at least, better.

There is also the temptation, heavily with me, to add more. ‘It really could use another scene, another page, another chapter’… I think, as I read and edit. Sometimes I do not know when to quit. However, my husband is there to help me close my laptop and suggest we take the kids to the park. If he was not there, I am certain my eyes would be dreadfully tired and fall out onto the floor full of screen-induced tumors. He is the light at the end of my tunnel, the tackler of editing woes, my inspiration… my editor.

It’s not so bad, cutting and pasting, and cutting some more, if the one holding the scissors is wise and discerning, with a slightly playful streak. Where else can two work hard editing a book, write on another then chase children around the living room, pretending to be monsters? Life is good.

Meredith Greene
Belator Books
http://www.belatorbooks.com

Yes, there will be a month or two of editing, there will be issues to debate with my editor and the book cover to design but the writing is the actual hard part. While I heavily enjoy writing, seeing the book completed will be a relief as well as a joy. I am very pleased with the book thus far and have feedback to suggest it flows well with it's predecessor. (A good thing in a sequel, so I hear...) I hope to get it up and on my website for the worldwide public to purchase within a month.

I have been most surprised by the amount of foreign folk buying my book; it's based in New York City, mostly, and is in American/English prose as well as harboring the ideas and colloquialisms of those two cultures. While some English women have bought the book, there are large number of New Zealanders, Australians, women from India, Indonesia, Italy and France as well as from Canada. It is heartening for me to see so many people expanding their book intake to include authors from other countries. I read a vast deal and half of my library is foreign authors/authoresses; there is nothing quite like the desire for delving into literature. If I had my druthers, I'd take a book into The Park everyday, sit up in a tree with an apple and read the day away. But, then I'd have an idea and I'd have to climb down and get my notebook and write. So, tree, apple, book, notebook, pen... perhaps some water, as well... also my editor, as he is very fun to be with (husband), my children of course, a picnic basket, some cushions...

Well. the tree is packed by now, or fallen down. As nice the idea of solitary ventures into some mythical state of relaxation, I am more of the 'to thy haunts two kindred spirits flee..' genre. One must have company and that of a goodly nature. It is what my books are all about.

Meredith Greene
Belator Books
http://www.belatorbooks.com