Welcome to Stitch Read Cook's weekly feature!!
A Day in the Life of.....
Lily, since her earliest days, has found a friend in books. Raised an Army brat, her family moved often, and books were constant companions who always smoothed the transition to a new location and a new set of friends. When she was older, her studies focused on English and History…and, well, she just doesn’t even want to talk about the torturous math classes Texas A & M University inflicted on her. She can only say she is relieved they are in her past.
Now, Lily writes Regency-set romance novels, with a focus on authentic emotion and the electricity that happens between two people when they discover, that against all odds, love has found them and isn’t going to let go. Within the pages of her books, you’ll find humor entwined with deep emotion and a rather spicy level of sensuality she likes to tell her mother that her editor forced her to write.
Lily lives in Texas where she writes looking out over a garden tended by her handsome, big-hearted Tex-Czech husband. She suffers endless (fun and always welcome!) interruptions by her two children. And like many authors, she writes with a cat—or two—wrapped around her legs.
Lily loves cooking, baking, supervising the gardener, reading, imbibing all things caffeinated and being in the company of good friends.
Day in the Life – Lily Dalton
Hello, it’s me, Lily Dalton and I’m going to take you along on a day in the life of me. Are you ready? Take a deep breath, because here we go.
4:30-5:15 a.m.
Ouch. I wake up (very unhappily) to the sound of my alarm, and maybe hit snooze twice. But then I’m up!
5:15a.m. – 11:15p.m.
BLURRRRRR!!!
11:15pm-12:00am
I fall onto my pillow…zzzZZZZzzzzz!!!
Okay, okay. I realize I need to provide more details than that, but that’s what my days feel like. Let’s start over, and I’ll slow things down.
4:30-5:15 a.m.
Ouch, again. I wake up (still very unhappily) to the sound of my alarm. I shamble down the hallway, with two cats circling around my ankles, to my coffee pot. One of the nicest things my husband does for me, is to put my coffee on a timer every night before bed. If he isn’t mad at me. **wink**
4:45-6:45 a.m.
I have 1-2 hours to write, and I write like mad. Around 6:15 to 6:45, I pause for a moment to be certain I hear my 15 year old moving upstairs, getting ready for school.
6:45-7:00 a.m.
I make my kids’ lunches. My son flies past for a kiss and his lunch, and he’s out the door for school. My husband drives him. Have I mentioned my husband is awesome?
7:00-7:15 a.m.
I return e-mails, do a Tweet or two, or FB. Sometimes I write some more, or do a quick pass through a scene. I save whatever I’m working on to Dropbox and a flash drive, so I can access it during the day, if necessary.
7:15-7:55 a.m.
My cat, Tango, and I run upstairs and wake up my 11 year old daughter. Kiss kiss! (Lick lick! Meow!) Then I run downstairs and shower (with two cats sitting outside the glass, looking in). Dress. Makeup. Hair. Kiss Kiss to my husband, daughter and cats, and I’m out the door. Mr. Dalton drives the girl to school on his way to work!
7:55-8:30 a.m.
While driving into the city, I’ll eat a yogurt or a granola bar and brainstorm. I scribble notes into a notebook. I do this while keeping my eyes on the road, so my notes can sometimes be difficult to read. Once I arrive at work, I may check e-mails or Twitter on my phone for 5-10 minutes before going inside.
8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
I work as a legal assistant/office ninja for a national restaurant group. I don’t write at work, although I might sketch out a blog or answer interview questions between other tasks if my schedule permits. The best story ideas often blaze into my head when I’m involved in something else, so I’ll write those down to consider later.
12:00 – 12:45 p.m.
LUNCH! I either eat with my co-workers or duck out to spend some time in my “car office”, writing out a couple of pages or polishing a scene. About once a month, I go for a long, fun, chatty lunch with my writer friends! Fact: Texas has a very high population of romance authors.
12:45-4:30ish p.m. and sometimes beyond…
Day job, part deux. Work work work! At some point, I might check my numbers on Amazon and BN or respond to a writing-related e-mail. And sometimes if I’m lucky: EPIPHANY! That story problem I couldn’t work out in my head, suddenly resolves itself! More note scribbles!
4:30-5:15 p.m.
Work day over! I zoom home. Sometimes I make phone calls in the car, to my parents, or to make appointments. Whatever I haven’t had time to take care of during the day. If I swing by the grocery store or stop to mail out contest prizes, I get home 30-40 minutes later.
5:15-9:00 p.m.
The best part of the day! I talk to my kids about their day, and make dinner. I might post on FB, respond to emails or finish up a blog post. But yes -- I cook, because 1. We like to eat and 2. I think it is important for us to eat together as a family every night, like I did growing up. Afterward, I review and polish/expand the pages I wrote that morning. I’ll also help the kids with homework and get them off to bed.
9:00-11/12:00 p.m.
I have 2-3 more hours to write, and I write like mad. Although, “mad” at this time of the night is much slower than “mad” first thing in the morning. I think more clearly in the morning, after I’ve slept. If I’m on deadline…I stay up later and get up earlier. I’ve been known to buzz through a week on 3-4 hours of sleep a night, then crash at the end. Needless to say…I live for weekends!
11:15 p.m -12:00 a.m.
Pillow time! zzzzZZZZZzzzzzzZZZZZZ
A MARRIAGE BEYOND HOPE
The Duchess Sophia has long been estranged from her husband, His Grace, Vane Barwick, the Duke of Claxton, whose rumored list of amorous conquests includes almost every beautiful woman of the ton. Yet a shocking encounter with him in a crowded ballroom—and a single touch—are all it takes to reawaken her furious passion for him. But how can she trust the man who crushed her dreams and took away the one thing she wanted most?
A LOVE BEYOND REASON
Claxton has never forgiven himself for the youthful mistake that ruined his marriage to Sophia. Now, after nearly a year abroad, the reformed rogue vows to win back the only woman he’s ever truly loved. He’ll do whatever it takes to prove he can be the honorable husband she deserves—and the passionate lover she desires. As the snowdrifts deepen outside their ancestral home, can they rekindle the flame that burned so bright and find a new path to forever?
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Wow I thought my day was busy. I'll definitely be picking this up.
ReplyDeletePatricia, thank you for stopping by to read my post! :)
DeleteI'm exhausted just reading that!
ReplyDeleteDi, gosh me too! Lol! ;)
ReplyDelete