Sorry About Being MIA!

/ Marcia Meara

I know I haven’t been able to share as many of my favorite bloggers’ posts as I’d like over the last week or two, but I’m just in a drastic time crunch, here. Between finishing the END of my WIP, while simultaneously working with my editor on the beginning of it, and the plethora of doctor’s appointments and other commitments I have scheduled, I need at least 30 hours in a day to keep up. (I know many of you can identify with this.)

Lemon Shark recently shared a post called “Without Apologies,” wherein she addressed the guilt we heap on ourselves when we can’t keep up with our social media. Following her lead (almost, since I actually AM apologizing, here), I’ve been forced to empty my Inbox of the kajillion post alerts, and start fresh. I will try my best to read and share as much as possible, but please understand, I’m not quite on top of it all right now, as I usually strive to be.

The good news is, I’m almost at the finish line, and will be able to regroup then. I’m looking forward to catching  up with you guys, and resuming my goal of sharing your posts as far and wide as I can. It won’t be long now, honest!!

Thanks so much for not writing me off as a real slacker. 🙂 Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming. Oh, and have a great Freya’s Day.

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34 thoughts on “Sorry About Being MIA!”

  1. I’m in much the same place, Marcia. Thanks for reminding me about Lemon Shark’s post. I felt a huge sense of relief after reading it but the guilt at not keeping up is rising again. I have done no writing this week because of feeling compelled to read and comment on blogs. It’s good to remember I don’t have to comment on every single post!
    Good luck with the edits and catching up – you don’t even need to reply to this!

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    • Thanks, Mary. I do still try to respond to all posts/comments here, at least. Good luck with dropping the guilt. It doesn’t solve the problem, and it’s extra weight none of us needs to carry. (As guilt usually is.) 🙂

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  5. I’m right there with you, Marcia, unable to keep up too lately. We need to remember that we shouldn’t be plagued by guilt. We all have those times when we simply can’t juggle it all.
    Finish up what you need too and take care. The rest of us will still be here when you’re able to come up for air (and hopefully, I’ll be coming up for air too, LOL!)

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    • I’ve become rather fond of air in my old age, Mae. Let’s both try to reach a point where we have MORE of it at our disposal. 😀 😀 😀 (Someone asked me the other day why I nearly always use 3 of those laughing emoticons. I said, “Because, Ha. Ha. Ha.”)

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  7. My goodness, Marcia, if you knew the number of things I don’t do, but should do, or would do or maybe could do if I was a tad more efficient (actually, a whole lot more efficient time management wise,) you would be shocked. Seriously, lighten up. Do what you do; not what you think you must do.

    Regards from the very laid back west coast of Canada

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    • Oh, I know we all feel that way, but I do run a blog where I BEG folks to share everything, to help promote others, so I really want to be doing my part, too. I can’t ask others to do what I’m not, you know. However, once in a while, I just have to pull back, and I’ve done that for over two weeks now, sharing only a fraction of what I usually do. So I thought an explanation and apology might be in order. That’s all. I’m really not planning to throw myself off a bridge over it, honest. Just don’t want people wondering why I’ve slowed down so much.

      I’m THIS close to finishing up with this book, though, and then it will all get easier. Probably. Maybe. I hope! 🙂

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  9. Things sure don’t get any easier as you get older. Health issues often put up the biggest stop sign. As everyone agrees, we do the best we can. Let’s not suffer guilt on top of everything else…

    Marcia, you’re more of a dynamo than you give yourself credit for. Still, you’re only human, lady! 🙂

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    • VERY exciting, JP. I can’t wait to wrap this one up, take a couple of weeks off to catch up with some stuff, and then decide for sure what I want to do next. Series #1 is calling me for the next book, but I have an idea for a stand-alone I’m toying with. We’ll see. 🙂 And to be truthful, I really don’t slack off very often. I’m too aware of the clock ticking in the background to be comfortable wasting time. But I DO love to share, and feel badly that I’m not doing as much as usual right now. But it’s temporary. 🙂

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  11. Omg Marcia, we’re all victims of overwhelming at some point, especially when we’re editing and revising new books – or trying to be on holidays like me, but feel compelled to stay in touch. I loved Sarah’s post it is was so real – No Need to Apologize, we’ve all been there. I will be in and out through my month in Arizona, I’m going to try not to apologize, lol. Then of course, when I return, I will be overly swamped. Such is the cycle of our writing lives. 🙂 xoox

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    • All true, Deb. I just felt bad that I was asking folks here to share, and had fallen down drastically in doing so myself, over the last couple of weeks. I can’t expect others to share if I’m not doing my part, after all. But it’s only temporary, and I don’t feel guilty about it, exactly. I just want folks to know I’ll be back at it very soon.

      Life has been extra busy in several other ways, too, so I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. But I’ll get there.

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      • We all go through those stages Marsh, where we can’t keep up, that’s why everyone knows what it’s like, and none of us mind sharing because it’s all give and take, we do the same for each other when all of our turns come round and believe me they do. 🙂 Silly to think that cuz Marcia hasn’t been around we shouldn’t share her posts, lol. I know, because I used to think the same way. But based on my fantastic readers, even during my absence they pick up the slack for me as I would do for anyone. That’s what friends are for. That’s what happens when you establish yourself as a good sharer and people pay it forward. 🙂

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  12. Ha! 😀 I was *this* close to admonishing you for apologizing (after that NO APOLOGY post) then I saw that second paragraph. There’s nothing to forgive. Guilt-free emptying of your inbox. Carry on, lovely lady. See you on the other side. ❤ Also…I'm happy to hear about your book!

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    • “Guilt Free” is such a lovely phrase! Guilt is almost always wasted energy, so I’m happy to let it go. I’ll be caught up soon, and back to business as usual, and in the meantime, I’m letting go of this particular set of worries. And all thanks to your lovely post! 🙂

      Thanks for the kind comments on my pending release of That Darkest Place. Can’t wait to wrap this one up, take a few weeks to do some much needed things about the house and garden, and then get started on Novel #7. I’ll either be heading back to the mountains with a new Rabbit/Cole Family story (maybe addressing the mysterious Brownsville Lights?) OR, I might do a stand-alone book I’ve been thinking about for the last year. We’ll see, after I’ve had a wee bit of downtime. 🙂 Have a great day, Sarah! ❤

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