California here I come!

I’m off to California today. I’ve been invited to speak at a book fair in Los Angeles. I am one of those writers who enjoys speaking and has had the opportunity to travel quite a bit with my books. I’ve done book tours in Germany, the UK, parts of the United States and, of course, across Canada. I may actually have the chance to go to Australia in the spring! I look forward to all of these speaking opportunities.

What I don’t look forward to is the time that this always takes away from my writing. These invitations to speak are lovely when they arrive. I eagerly book myself into schools, libraries, book fairs, conferences – you name it. It all looks great when it’s a year away. It becomes overwhelming and incredibly time consuming when I’m in the middle of it.

Don’t get me wrong. I am longing for the warmth of the California sun, and as a bonus, I will be able to visit a close cousin of mine who lives in Los Angeles. I am grateful that people think of me when they are planning their events. I even make money at this – I’m not ashamed to say it!

But I also know that I can easily book myself into too many speaking engagements. I can convince myself that I’m working (and I am!!) when the real work – sitting at my computer and agonizing over a blank screen – is pushed to the background in favour of meeting, greeting, and speaking.

So, I am making this public resolution to go for balance in the New Year. I will still accept those speaking opportunities, though I will strive to do fewer of them – unless, of course, some exotic country comes calling. Then watch out. I’ll be there in a heartbeat.