Why I haven't been around as much lately...

I don't know if any of you have noticed I haven't been as active on line recently, but I thought I'd share a quick update about me. I usually keep my private life pretty private, especially when things aren't going well, because I figure people don't really want to be subjected to endless negative and depressing Tweets or Facebook or Yahoo group posts. So I'm trying to keep what little interaction I have on line positive, but I haven't had time to be around as much, which kind of sucks because I had a book out a few weeks ago I should be promoting!

I have two elderly family members who live together who aren't doing well. My sister and I are their only family so have been trying to deal with one in hospital and the other now home alone and not really able to cope. It's been hospital visits, talking with nurses, doctors, OT's and home care. Right now I'm not sure that my aunt in the hospital will ever be able to come home and the other is in deep denial about this and about her own abilities. These are my two favourite aunts who did so much for me growing up and who I adore. It's really hard to see them like this. I can pretty much burst into tears just thinking about it all, but we're trying to deal with it as best we can.

Strangely enough, my writing is saving my sanity. I sometimes struggle to find time to write, with a full time day job and a family, and all the "business" of writing, and now it's even harder. But now when I do have time, I'm eager to jump into it. It's like I can leave behind the real world with all its problems and stressors, and immerse myself in my fictional world that I'm creating. Yes, my characters have problems, but I know that in the end things are going to be okay for them. After an hour living in that other world, I can come back to the real world feeling calmer and more energized and hopeful. So I've actually been quite productive in my writing despite all these other things going on and I really think it's keeping me from falling apart altogether.

Thanks to my writing friends for their support and understanding right now, it means a lot.