My Brand of Crazy

Dear awesome readers,

I feel I should apologize to you for the incredible lag on the next book in the YA Spellbound Series, MOONLIGHT MAYHEM, and the postponed release of my (steamy) adult novel, DISENCHANTED.

I struggled with myself about posting something so personal on my blog, but decided that my readers needed to know and understand why my next two novels were delayed. Last year, I’d taken my six-year-old daughter to numerous doctors that had all given me various misdiagnoses on her skin condition and nose. (Her nose had started to shift at an odd angle and it looked like it was broken.) When her hair started falling out, I decided to consult a specialist who immediately ordered a biopsy and an MIR. And the result of that visit in August has turned my world upside down…

The doctors explained the situation using words like incurable, progressive, untreatable. I think my brain shut down at that point. My heart jumped into my throat. My mind was just spinning with fear, worry, shock...

She was diagnosed with a rare and severe disease (rather not mention the name), which is a form of systemic Lupus, and from what I understand, less than 49,000 people have this disease in the US. There is no cure. 

This disease will leave my daughter horribly disfigured and scarred, with rheumatoid arthritis. It's an autoimmune disorder, which means that the body’s immune system turns against itself. But what my daughter has is a rarer form of the disease, which affects the skin, skull, and the brain. (Because it can affect the brain, seizures are sometimes associated with this aggressive disease.) Eventually, she will need to undergo several surgeries to correct the distortion that has already affected one side of her face and nose. And she'll battle the pain of arthritis for the rest of her life...among other aliments Fun disease, huh?

My first reaction was utter disbelief. All I wanted to do is crawl into bed and cry, but I couldn’t do that, even though I was scared and anxious. Honestly, I don't handle stress very well and I couldn't sleep. Also, I develop my own brand of crazy when I'm sleep deprived.

But I knew I had to be brave for my daughter and supportive. I had to put on my “happy face" and continue the book blog tour and promotions that I’d promised to book review sites. I had to schedule doctor’s appointments and pick up prescriptions. I still had deadlines from my publisher, and two more books to finish editing, if I was going to be able to pay for said doctor visits and prescriptions. Juggling all this as an out-of-work, single mom was tough. Looking back over the last few months, I realize now that most of us can find that hidden inner-strength within ourselves, strength we didn't know we possessed until tragedy strikes a loved one.  
 
The first three months we practically lived at the hospital while she underwent IV treatments. Now, she has to take several different medications every day and a form of chemo once a week in an effort to slow the progression of the disease, and hopefully within three to five years, it will become dormant…until puberty hits when it’s known to reappear with a vengeance.

 

Sometimes I ponder all the hopes and dreams I've had for my daughter since she was born, and all the wonderful things I've imagined her life would be. I pray she'll make smarter choices than I did. I hope she accomplishes all of her dreams. That she goes to college and will always love to read. But I never imagined her going through this…

So my life has been crazy busy the last seven months. But you know what? Despite having to go through this horrible ordeal, my daughter, who I try to encourage daily, has been encouraging me. She’s proud of my accomplishment, and she’s also my biggest promoter, even telling people waiting in line at the grocery store: “My mom wrote a book! It’s really good—you should read it.” Cute, eh?

My daughter inspires me every day, and even at this tender age, she knows that writing is like therapy for me, in other words, it keeps mommy sane. 

Although I admit, I didn't feel like writing anything the first four months. I wasn't in my happy place and I couldn't write in Shiloh's snarky, humorous voice because I wasn't feeling like my usual snarky or humorous self. *sigh* 

The sequel, MOONLIGHT MAYHEM   needs another revision by moi and then I will send it off to my editors, so they can rip it to shreds. LOL Than I'll do my final revision and clear up any lingering plot holes and tighten scenes. Anyhoo, I’m hoping to have it released sometime in June, followed by my adult paranormal by late Summer 2012.

Enough rambling, I just wanted to say thank you for your patience and continued support of my writing. You guys are the ones who have made my dream possible and I promise more fabulous books in the future. I should have at least three more chilling, epic tales published this year.

~Sherry