A Pretty Cool Distraction + Good Behavior

Ay caramba! I totally missed last month's meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. You know how when you have something big coming up and everything you do is geared toward that big thing and you don't really think past it? Well, that's what happened.


At the end of July, I took off to Cusco, Peru to meet up with my daughter who'd spent the summer there. After enjoying a few days in Incan splendor, we took off to explore more corners of that wonderful country (you can see pictures of these other destinations in my latest author newsletter - I've left the free book download open until September 30, if you'd like to partake). I returned to the States on the August date of the IWSG...and proceeded to sleep for 14 hours straight.

I've been whining at IWSG about not making any progress on my writing, and that's because instead of plotting and researching my manuscript, I was consumed with plotting and researching this trip. I'm more than happy to take a break from writing for such a fun and amazing distraction, but now that my life is boring again, it's back to work!

Because of all this distraction, I'm delayed in giving a shout out to the fabulous Jennifer Lane and her re-release of WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR. With seven published novels under her belt, Jennifer ventured back into her debut novel and scrubbed and polished it so that it's better than ever. I enjoyed its first iteration, so I'm excited to read this new & improved version. Congrats, Jen!

Here's a short excerpt from WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR:
Sometimes Jerry and his fellow parole officers joked about starting their own dating service, matching up the hapless cons who crossed their doorsteps. When they were feeling feisty, they’d brainstorm potential names. Instead of Perfect Match, Jerry suggested Perfect CONnection. Al came up with a substitute for It’s Just Lunch, offering It’s Just Cuffs. And Sheila perverted match.com to myladyleftmewhenIwenttoprison.com.

 

In the midst of organized crime and dim hopes of redemption, can love persevere? For Sophie Taylor, a psychologist who lost everything when she violated an ethical boundary, and Grant Madsen, a naval officer who sacrificed himself to protect his uncle, finding that love seems unlikely.

As they start their lives over in Chicago, both fight family influences and run as fast as they can to escape the past. When their paths cross outside their parole officer’s door, attraction sparks. Too bad a hidden connection may not only shatter their fledgling love, but prove deadly to them both.

Tell me, what's your favorite distraction?

This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as Insecure Writer's Support Group, founded by the one and clonely Alex J. Cavanaugh. Click below to join the group!

Comments

Now that's a distraction! A fun one! Hmm, maybe you can work some of the trip details into a story or two? :)
L. Diane Wolfe said…
What a destination! I bet all the color was amazing.

Is that a llama behind you?
Cool Jennifer got to clean up her first book.
Now that's a cool place to explore.
Nick Wilford said…
That was definitely a great distraction! A trip like that can be great for getting us refreshed and ready to resume work, too, so it's definitely worthwhile.
Pat Garcia said…
Hi,

I too have to fight against my favourite distraction which is playing solitaire on my iPhone, or chess, or bridge.
I hope you enjoyed the time with your daughter.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia Everything Must Change
WOW, Peru!!! How fantastic. That's a wonderful break. I also polished and scrubbed my first novel just like Jennifer. We grow as writer's and sometimes it takes years to see our errors, and it feels so good to wipe them clean. Good Luck to Jennifer.
Misha Gerrick said…
Ooh that sounds like an amazing trip.

At the moment, my favorite distraction from my fiction is some poetry I've decided to work on.
Lela Markham said…
Depends on the time of year. We live in Alaska, so the summer's midnight sun is plenty distracting. Lots of hiking, canoeing, berry picking, family visits, etc.

In the dark and cold of winter, when I need a distraction, it's usually Netflix or a video game. Occasionally it's a trip. Processing firewood can easily take up a weekend.
Do I have to pick a favorite distraction? There are so many I love. Actually, sunshine is my favorite distraction and since it's getting cooler out, I'll be able to get more work done. Glad you have a break.
dolorah said…
Puzzles are my favorite distraction from writing. Lately I've gotten back into reading too.

I love traveling, but haven't been anywhere notable except in my day job lately. Use some of your traveling experiences in your writing and you can consider that trip "research" :)
My favorite distraction is YouTube; I follow several vloggers on things like their pets, cooking demonstrations, and even advice on hair and makeup. I think it's really cool how Millennials in particular (though there are older vloggers) are utilizing YouTube to express themselves, and some of them have developed a large enough following online to make a living at it.
Chris said…
My distractions aren't quite as exciting as Peru, they're mostly YouTube videos and sports. Hope you all had a great time there!

Jennifer's book sounds interesting. I'll have to check out her blog as well.

The Pedestrian Writer
Jennifer Lane said…
¡Ay, carumba! I too forgot IWSG, a month later than you. But thanks so much for spreading the word about my re-release. That was cool to see in the comments that Cathrina did the same thing (updated her first novel). I would love to visit Peru one day. My biggest distraction at the moment appears to be the day job! I agreed to write three book chapters this fall in addition to my clinical duties and that was not a bright move.
Blogoratti said…
What a lovely adventure and it sure must be so nice and lively out there. Nice of you to share and warm greetings!

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