This time I wasn’t all consumed by my passion for writing. My technique changed. I no longer felt the urge to sit and write until my back and fingers grew numb. I made a schedule. A writing schedule. I started small. A page at first. Just two hundred and fifty words. Then I increased my output. Five hundred words. I worked my way up to two thousand words a day. I kept the pace. I grew strong. I was writing again.

After a slow, low-key birth, my next novel joined my collection of beautiful published blooms.

My struggle with Bipolar Disorder and Depression constantly draws energy from my soul. I’m able to function with continual adjustments to my medications and minor cycles of mania and depression.

However, there have been sacrifices made.

I no longer have the burning obsession to that spilled idea after idea from my soul. The all consuming flame is more like a bed of coals needing constant attending in fear that the fire might go out.

It took me four years to finish my most recent published novel. I had research, interviews, more research and lots of writing to get it done. I’ve changed direction now from writing novels. I created blogs to capture my thoughts. With all the writing knowledge I accumulated, I wanted to share it with others. So, I created a blog titled, Your Writing Coach where I provide writing tips and writing exercises.

Mental Health is very important in my life. I strive for balance and no stress. I keep track of my moods and watch for any triggers that may bring on a Bipolar episode.

I want to be an advocate for others with Mental Illness and provide as much information as possible. That’s why I created a blog called, My Balanced Life. I want to help remove the stigma connected to Mental Illness.

I also have a personal blog where I write about whatever comes to mind. It’s a great outlet.

I’m happy. I’m blessed. I have a wonderful husband who provides me with a tremendous amount of support. I have three grandchildren. Life has a way of working out.

I wouldn’t have exactly chosen the path I followed in my writing career, but it gave me experiences I wouldn’t otherwise encounter. And they wouldn’t have made me the person I am today.

I might not write another novel. Or I may. Who knows?

Currently, I’m working on a Bipolar memoir. I want to capture my moods, feelings, and experiences of various hospitalizations while having Bipolar episodes and the exhilaration I felt after completing a time in a long term facility, and the strength it took for me to agree to ECT treatments and the wonderful results afterward.

I’ll always be a writer.

Retirement? Not so much.