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| Silk & Scandal available HERE |
by Cassandra Dean
We live in a fast paced culture, one
fueled by coffee and adrenaline. We’re constantly on the move, rushing to get
to work, to a meeting, to the kids’ sporting events, to our parents’ place for
Sunday lunch. We’re doing housework, paying bills, cooking, gardening, doing a
million things and running around and around and around. We never seem to stand
still, and when we do, we feel that we should be doing something. Doesn’t the
car need to be cleaned? Doesn’t the budget need to be done? Those dishes are
looking mighty dirty...We’re our own worst enemies, with this constant need to move.
But, and this is the big question, why?
Why is it so bad to sit idle, to take time to just breathe and look about? Why
must we feel guilty for taking a moment, a minute, an hour, to ourselves?
It seems strange to me. Our bodies aren’t
designed for constant movement. We have to rest, or we’ll soon know
about it. Its the same with our brains. We have to switch them off, let them
rest and revitalise.
To apply such a thing to writing,
sometimes you must step away from your manuscript in order to fix the problem.
You could be going round and round in circles, ready to tear your hair out
because it just. Won’t. Work!!!
I’m pretty bad at the ‘rest’ thing. As a
writer, my brain constantly ticks over, always finding the next story or scene.
I find it extremely hard to silence my mind, to just be in a moment.
Even worse, I’ll finish a series of task and then be at a loss, convinced I
should be doing something.
However, sometimes, it’s okay to do
nothing. I find stepping away, doing something else, allowing my brain to tick
away in the background while I’m doing other things always does the trick. The
answer will come to me, and then I can sit before my computer and get the job
done.
This seems more productive than
traditional “sit and stare at the machine” doesn’t it? It might seem like I’m
piking, or being indolent-like, but in reality, I’ve saved myself time and
frustration. By stepping away for an hour or so, I’m giving my subconscious the
time it needs to work through the problem, to make the connections my conscious
mind is simply too fatigued to make. When I sit before my computer once more,
fresh and raring to go, I’m much more productive, and it’s all because I took
the time to have a break.
So, is being idle really that bad?
I’d love to know your thoughts, peeps. Do
you think stopping to smell the roses is a bad thing? How do you relax? Let me
know in the comments below.
Eight years ago…
Thomas Cartwright and Lady Nicola Fitzgibbons were friends. Over the wall separating their homes, Thomas and Nicola talked of all things – his studies to become a barrister, her frustrations with a lady’s limitations.
Thomas Cartwright and Lady Nicola Fitzgibbons were friends. Over the wall separating their homes, Thomas and Nicola talked of all things – his studies to become a barrister, her frustrations with a lady’s limitations.
All things end.
When her diplomat father gains a post in Hong Kong, Nicola must follow. Bored and alone, she falls into scandal. Mired in his studies of the law and aware of the need for circumspection, Thomas feels forced to sever their ties.
When her diplomat father gains a post in Hong Kong, Nicola must follow. Bored and alone, she falls into scandal. Mired in his studies of the law and aware of the need for circumspection, Thomas feels forced to sever their ties.
But
now Lady Nicola is back…and she won’t let him ignore her.
Available NOW
Cassandra grew up daydreaming,
inventing fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures. Once she learned to read
(First phrase – To the Beach. True story), she was never without a book,
reading of other people’s fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures.
Fairy tales, Famous Fives, fantasies and
fancies; horror stories, gumshoe detectives, science fiction; Cassandra read it
all. Then she discovered Romance and a true passion was born.
So, once upon a time, after making a
slight detour into the world of finance, Cassandra tried her hand at writing.
After a brief foray into horror, she couldn’t discount her true passion. She
started to write Romance and fell head over heels.
The love affair exists to this very day.
Cassandra lives in Adelaide, South Australia.
You
can find Cassandra at:
CassandraDean.com ~ Cassandra and Lucy ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Goodreads
~ Tumblr ~ Pintrest ~ Amazon.com
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