Tuesday, March 27, 2012

A Day in the Life of Kate

by Kate Richards
 
I start every day early, as most of us do, with the responsibilities that come with being a romance writer and wife. Because we work from home, and often don’t get dressed until the witching hour (half an hour before the husband pulls into the driveway), we are regarded as people with plenty of time on our hands. How many of us cringe when our friends—still prisoners to the evil “day job” say “Now that you don’t work anymore…”

So, for everyone who would like an insight into our glamorous lives, I thought I would share a little of my day. I am also an editor as well as doing a few other book related things, but it pretty much works the same for most of us.

Noon  Wake up and ring for my faithful attendant. Enjoy my coffee and freshly baked croissants. Plan my day. Perhaps I will work on my work-in-progress for a bit, maybe have a late lunch with my author friends, but I don’t want to call too early. The late night parties and galas we attend leave us exhausted and not everyone is an early riser like me.

NOOOOOOOOO, Okay here’s the reality. 

6:00 a.m. Stumble out of bed, head for coffee pot (prepared the night before) and hit Brew.
6:05 a.m. Take freshly brewed coffee to my home office/guest room and plant nether parts in chair. Write, edit, market, social media, etc.
Noon Stand up and stretch. Take advantage of standing to visit restroom, throw a load of laundry in washer, sweep kitchen floor, make sure pets all have water, feed parrot, take chicken or something out of the freezer to thaw, take out trash and dust something. Pour Diet Coke with ice.
12:15 p.m. Back in chair. Without Diet Coke. Head back to kitchen for soda and take advantage of standing up to move laundry to dryer, put away dishes, and wipe off countertop by toaster which contains crumbs invisible to everyone but me.
12:20 p.m.Butt in chair…you guessed it. Dash back to kitchen for beverage.
12:22 p.m.Butt in chair. Work.
3:00 p.m.Starving! Go to kitchen, make sandwich, refill beverage, and start dinner. Fold laundry.
3:15 p.m. Butt in chair.
4:30 p.m. Yet another break! This one to finish cooking dinner—or figure out to do with what has already burned up—and shower.
5:00 p.m. Eat dinner with husband, switch to laptop and join him while he watches crab fishing, pawn shop show, or some other guy reality show while I…work.
9:00 p.m. Husband goes off to bed, I gain control of the TV which makes an excellent backdrop to writing!
Midnight Wake up on the couch, laptop still on lap, and stumble off to join husband in nice, warm, cozy bed.

I think my day is pretty typical for an author who is lucky enough to make it her main job. Yet, laying it out doesn’t express the joy of the day. Every minute I am writing, I am flying through other worlds, leading the exciting lives of my characters as they meet, fall in love, and face the difficulties of any couple (or more) that love one another and want to be together. And I get to work with the fabulous authors of the 1Night Stand Series and The Edge, adding even more romance to my day!

Then, when that’s all done, I get to crawl into bed beside the man of MY dreams. I wouldn’t trade my life for anyone’s and it’s because of readers who are willing to buy my books and share my characters’ lives that this is possible. Glamour…heck no! But job satisfaction, yeah baby!

Leave a comment and tell us a little about your day. What makes it unique, special, dear to your heart. We will allow one lucky commenter to select an eBook from the 1Night Stand Series.

16 comments:

Margie Church said...

If you bought bon bons your life would be complete. I eat them while I write. It's always interesting when people meet me for the first time - lots of them have this look on their face like "aren't you supposed to be wearing a negligee? Boobs hanging out? 25 - ripe and ready?" Yeah, that's my dream, too. :-)

Hugs my friend. Now get your nether parts back in the chair.

Lacey Wolfe said...

My day....is similar to yours. I get the kids up and out the door. By 8am I am in front of the computer, writing, social media, etc. Typically about 11, I start my daily chores and by 1 I write for another hour before getting kids from school. Then I become mom who has evil plot bunnies who taunt me when they know I can't write. :)

laceywolfe (at) live (dot) com

Kate Richards said...

Bon bons! I believe you were carrying a case of them when we met in Vegas weren't you? In case you ran short on the road? LOL

And Lacey, it's fun fitting sexy stories around the mundane isn't it? Sometimes my husband comes up to me and I say something like, go away I'm writing a sex scene! So lucky he has a sense of humor,

Wicked Leanore said...

First of all, I dang well know your butt is not that big! Hee-he. There are those of us who are out there, counting on Kate Richards to be there. We need more talented professionals like you in the game. I am always honored whenever I even get the possible chance to work with you. So, while these days may be hard? Just remember what a difference you make with some of us.
You changed my writing world, and I've never looked back.

Kate Richards said...

I love you all! And I am so grateful for my weird work life. Every tine my husband talks about moving somewhere I think, no problem for me! Not that we've moved yet!

Anonymous said...

*waves frantically*
Hi Kate! The coke comment had me cracking up. You live in LA, so that in itself lends to a glamour lol

Jessica E. Subject said...

I can relate to Lacey, as I have kids (not all my own) thrown into the mix as well. Makes for a hectic day.

Far from glamorous, but very satisfying for me as well. :)

Debbie Gould said...

Up at 7:15a leave for work at 7:30a which happens to be 4 miles down the road. Work until between 4 or 5pm depending on how busy we are. Home, make dinner veg on the couch for a minute, write or IM with Laura, shower and bed. Now, that said. I do sneak some writing and social networking in at work, lol. Shhhhh. The major part of my writng comes on the weekends. Can't wait for the day I can quit the away from home job and write more often. Although, I WOULD probably wake at noon and go to bed at 3 or 4am. I tend to be a night hawk. LOVED the post, Kate!

VS Morgan said...

We love all that you do, Kate!

My day starts at 6 am. I get the family out the door to school and work (with lunches packed) before heading out to my day job. I like my job but look forward to getting home. Pick up kidlet from school, make dinner, help with homework. Then I get on the computer for writing, criting, online writing homework, and social media around writing. Rinse and repeat... ;)

bn100 said...

I get up early for work and work all day.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

skyla11377 said...

Great post Kate, I always love to hear about an authors writing habits and such. It really makes me appreciate what people go through to create their craft.

My day starts a 7AM when I get up to get my munchkins ready for school. then 3 days a week I watch my grandmother all day so my aunt can go to work. My grandmother has dementia and can't be left alone. Then when my aunt get home around 6PM I then spend time with my kids helping them finish their homework or just having play dates with them. Then from about 8PM til possible 2AM I have what I like to call me time until I go to bed and do it all again. The 2 days I don't watch my grandmother are spent either running errands, napping, reading, or writing book reviews for my blog. Not a very glamorous work week but I make it work because my munchkins deserve my best foot forward....^_^.

skyla11377(At)AOL(Dot)Com

Ashlynn Monroe said...

Rofl! I'm working part-time now instead of full time so insert rushes to day job in there for a few hours and we have eerily similar lives rofl! Oh--and for me there is hustles children to school bus lol!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow! You summed up my day exactly, except I have kids mixed up in mine. So school drop off and pick up etc etc etc.

And you are so right. I wouldn't swap my life for anyone else's either. We are blessed.

Tam :)

Jennifer Probst said...

Yay, Kate, you have my life! Glamorous, aint it? Up to get kids off to school, grab coffee, write, bathroom, feed dogs, write, pick up little one from school, get him lunch and settled, write, make more coffee, get little one new DVD, write, read books to little one, write, make more coffee and switch to alcohol at the witching hour of 5:00pm. Dinner, homework, pick other child up, baths, settle down and write some more!!! And people STILL say wow, must be nice to be home all day and do whatever you want. Ummm, yeah. Right.

D L Jackson said...

I envy you.
Up at 5. To work at six. Write on lunch hour. Come hone @ 5 or 6. Clean house, make supper, maybe get in laptop time. Last kid is graduating in June and off to the Army.

Cara Bristol said...

Your husband and mine watch the exact same shows!