Question about duty (time)

[Prefx]

Hello. Eagerly awaiting the (final?) installment.

My question pertains to the amount of time you spent writing each of the novels in your recent series. I'm curious because different authors pace themselves at variable rates. Mr. King, for example, is known to pump out novels like some do children. I'd also like to know how much time you spent pre-planning, but that may be out of your mind by now? (I frequented your website and loved the information posted about first drafts and such)

And - if it isn't too personal - what was the biggest roadblock along the way while writing the novels? Any week-long distractions?

[Teresa Edgerton]

For me, in recent years, the roadblocks have been health and family issues, which have at various sapped me of time, energy, and creativity -- for months not weeks.

Before that, there were mental and emotional blocks, from which I have suffered very badly in the past. Sometimes I don't trust the quality of my writing at all. We finally got most of that out of the way with a diagnosis of depression and appropriate treatment.

Right now, I am enthusiastic about the new book, and full of wonderful ideas, but my physical health has deteriorated during the last six months, so I'm only able to write in fits and starts.

I'm hoping that a treatment I'm supposed to start in a little over a week will make a big difference, but between then and now is a scary procedure that may uncover worse problems behind the problems that we already know about. So I'm stressing about that possibility.

This is probably more information than you wanted.

[Prefx]

Oh. I'm very sorry to hear that. Thank you for sharing! You'll be in my thoughts. And while I can see how any author might frantic about their writing, I must say I find your style very enjoyable and would rank it far above most books I've read.

[The Procrastinator]

Teresa very best of luck with it all. You'll be in my thoughts too, such as they are. Its difficult to be creative in a sustained fashion when you're having troubles like that. Hopefully it will be sorted soon and won't turn out to be too nasty.

Let me assure you that the quality of your writing is more than fine, or at least the part you let loose on readers is. I found A Dark Sacrifice unputdownable, and I'm fairly picky for a bear you know.