Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Scary Times...An Update

I've been debating whether to write this blog post for a while now. It's highly personal and not the most positive news, but I feel as if I owe my readers too much to leave everyone wondering why I've disappeared from my usual social spaces.

As those of you who follow me on Facebook probably know, I'm expecting my second child at the beginning of February, a beautiful little Valentine's sister for my Christmas daughter. My husband and I are ecstatic about our new arrival, especially after all the hardships we've been through over the past five years. But, of course, that also means I have a lot to finish before her arrival, not the least of which is the fourth book in the Ærenden series.  I've been working hard on it and though the deadline was tight, I'd been on track until recently.

In November, my husband received a phone call that changed our lives forever. Our baby had an anomaly on her scan. We were told it was probably nothing, but after a flurry of emergency appointments and a visit to Children's Hospital, we learned the heartbreaking truth. Our daughter will be born with an extremely rare disorder. I won't go into details about it; they're hers to share with whomever she pleases as she gets older, but it means she will not live the easiest of lives. From the start, she'll become well-acquainted with doctors, specialists and therapists. She'll learn the value of patience and she'll have to grit her teeth through the "wait and see" non-committal medical responses that accompany understudied diagnoses. Above all, she'll have to learn to be strong, despite some of life's most cruel adversities. And so will we.

Of course, this means we've been inundated with research as we try to get our daughter's doctors lined up, and we try to absorb and understand her rare condition before she has to face it. It also means I've had to set aside my writer duties for a while so that I can focus on my family ones.

I promise you, I haven't forgotten about my obligation to my readers and to the stories that mean so much to me. I'll still finish the book in 2015, as promised, just not before February.

In the meantime, please keep spreading the word if you enjoy the series. While I'll finish writing book four, despite this trial, finding time to market will be nearly impossible. Your continued word-of-mouth support will make a huge difference in bridging that gap.

Thanks again for reading and for understanding. I may not be online as much as I used to be, but I am around as often as possible, so please keep in touch.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and a joyous New Year.

Kristen