The Hardest Thing I've Ever Written

 I've written poems.

I've tied for second place in a poetry contest (so yes, poems can earn decent money now and then).

I've written novellas.

I've collaboratively written (once).

I've written short novels.

I've written long novels.

I have even written book descriptions and book blurbs.

I've written much by hand.

I've written by thumbs on my phone and with full typing hands on my laptop, on typewriters, etc.

I've even (gasp-horror) played with AI writing, and always had to go back and change many details, sentences, words, and well, nearly the whole thing. 

But the hardest thing I have ever written is still not quite finished.

The hardest thing I have ever written is an obituary for my dad.

I've mentioned him on my blog before.

There's so much life to encapsulate into a short bit. And this is my fifth attempt. I've decided to just let it all gush out and hope that I'll be able to reign it in for a more formal sort of obituary as needed. 

I could start at the beginning: On April 16, 1938, Ronald Raymond Gillespie was born to Raymond Ralph Gillespie and Hazel Smith Gillespie, oldest of four children, including his sisters Beverly and Gail, brother to Richard Earl (RIP), as a descendent of some of the first settlers in Eugene, Oregon. 

He is survived by my mom, Kathleen Lois Schneider Gillespie, me - Tyrean Ann Gillespie Martinson, his son-in-law John Henry Martinson, Jr., two grand-daughters, Anna and Trisha, a grandson-in-law Austen, and a great-grandson August.

My dad born with disabilities. He underwent medical treatment, some of which was experimental, charitable (?), and horrific and ended only after he had one of his legs amputated below the knee. He didn't love disability jokes (Bob in the pool just made him shake his head and walk away from people who told it), but he didn't mind pranking people and scaring the pants off people by putting one of his old prosthetic legs out during Halloween. 

He had extended family members, aunts of a kind, who made sure he knew how to dance ballroom, swing, and any way he needed to because a gentleman doesn't leave a lady unattended at a dance. And he loved dancing, even winning a contest with my mom at a company Christmas party.

He never let his disabilities stop him from taking on the world of adventures. His first work included work at a saw mill and as a whistle punk for loggers. He went to trade school at Lane Community College and earned an ASS degree as an Aviation Maintenance Technician, and also earned  is CPC as an Aviation Private Pilot.

He worked hard as an airplane mechanic and foreman of inspection on small aircraft and on commercial planes with the bulk of his career at Alaska Airlines. 

And, when he wasn't at work, he was dancing, flying either a Cessna or a two-seater Erco Ercoupe and going to fly-ins, experimenting with car engines, downhill skiing, riding motorcycles, riding motor scooters with sidecars, canoeing up to 70 miles in the Canadian wilderness with my mom and I, kayaking in the San Juan Islands, and traveling to five countries (England, France, Canada, Mexico, Israel) alongside all fifty of the United States. According to at least two of my cousins, and me, he was a fine and competitive ping pong (table tennis) player. 

There are so many stories I could tell about his stories. So many my mom could tell. One thing I loved about his stories is that he shared them with people who would listen, he shared them when he was passionate about the topic, and he shared them with intention and a positive spin. 

For years, all I knew about his time in the hospital as a teen were the stories of pranks he pulled on other boys, the candy they shared, the "uncle" (a cousin of his parents) who visited. I didn't hear the other stories until much later, and discovered why he woke so many nights shouting. I heard about the exciting adventures he had with bicycles and early electric bikes/motorcycles, and how he drove with his dad to Disneyland the year it opened, and then returned with his little brother riding on the back of his motorcycle, sporting their Mickey Mouse ears to the delight and surprise of other drivers. 

My dad's faith came slow and intermittent. He would come to church when I was "doing something" like reading scripture, singing a duet or solo, giving the children's message or giving the message. He shared that he wasn't sure about Jesus with me on a car ride down to visit his dad in Eugene back in 2017, and so I started volunteering more and more at church, giving him as many reasons as I could to get him to come. But years of prayer, of intermittent attendance, and a promise he made to my mom about attending worship after he retired, and he gave his life to Christ at an RV rally he went to with my mom, and he shared that with me when they returned home. While an avid reader of novels and non-fiction stories, he struggled with God's word but he loved it when my mom read it out loud to him and requested that daily in the last few years of his life. When dear friends from church came to visit him in his last days and sang Amazing Grace, he didn't open his eyes all the way, but he smiled and mouthed the words. 

Do I know all about his life? No. Do I believe my dad was perfect. No. But was he one of the best people I have ever known? Yes. Am I glad he was my dad? Absolutely. 

"Well, let me tell you something..." (the opening line to many of his stories), "you wouldn't believe" (another opening line), and sometimes, "well, some people think/do that and they have their reasons." (That was his polite way of saying he disagreed but he tried to understand and knew everyone had choices to make.)

So much to say. So many stories to tell. So many adventures to have or imagine. 

I miss you, Dad. Thank you for all the chapters of your life I got to see, and thank you for that last chapter - you know the one I mean. 

In loving memory of Ronald Raymond Gillespie, April 14, 1938-September 5, 2026. 

And no, this isn't the final draft. Will there ever really be for this?

 

Happy Birthday, IWSG! A Tiny Update, and another Troll (but a nice one)

 

HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY, IWSG! 

YOU ROCK THE WRITING WORLD! 

The IWSG gave me reasons to write, encouragement when I needed it the most, and a place to hang out with like-minded authors for the last 15 years! 

Thank you, Captain Alex! 

Thank you to everyone who volunteers now and in the past. 

Thank you to our co-hosts this month: 

Kate Larkinsdale, SE White, JS Pailly, Olga Godim, and Natalie Aguirre!  

You rock the writing world and make it a better place to be!

Tiny Update 

• I almost didn't make it this month because of life stuff. I visited the ER twice in the last few weeks and will spending some quality time with doctors and tests starting again on Friday.
• And my dad is on hospice, having some bad episode days, and does not want to be anywhere but at home.
• I am spending a bit of time writing each day. Dark Blade Unchained has not been forgotten, but it has been slowed.

Another Troll (but a nice one)

My husband and I with Oscar

A side view with the bird boxes and a tiny bit of the crowd (most were in front)

Bird boxes on poles like this surround the park where Oscar the Bird King sits.

Not long after my husband and I visited Pia the Peacekeeper on Bainbridge Island, we went to see Oscar the Bird King on Vashon Island (both are in Washington state). We are being local tourists because it's a bit difficult to travel far right now, plus, I really like the Way of the Bird King recycled art statues I've seen so far by Thomas Dambo. If you haven't heard of him yet, look him up. There may be some recycled art he's created near you - his art is worldwide. But I feel like these trolls really fit the funky, fun vibe of Washington state. 

And I turned 55 a few days after we saw Oscar the Bird King, and that feels like a big deal to me (I like double digit birthdays). So, my Prime Directive for year 55 is health (possibly should be in all caps), seeking joy, and celebrating one wild and precious life. 

And the IWSG Celebration invitation mentioned links with books. 

As many of you might (or not) know, I have another website these days, but I post here for IWSG. Most of the links on the side are questionable and need some clean up. 

Here are a few:

Liftoff is on offer this month as a free ebook with a newsletter sign up here: FREE Sci-Fi and Fantasy

If you want to purchase books, here are some universal links:

To Speak https://buy.bookfunnel.com/fq37f9jehp 

Liftoff https://books2read.com/u/3y6NnZ

Nexus: https://books2read.com/u/3y6NkZ 

Champion in the Darkness https://books2read.com/u/bW8kJ0 

Champion in Flight https://books2read.com/u/4968qk

Champion’s Destiny https://books2read.com/u/bajwX6 

Dark Blade: Forged https://books2read.com/u/meLNaz 

A Pocket-Sized Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts https://books2read.com/u/b6lAqW 

25 Impossible Tales of Survivors, Flawed Heroes, and Annoyed Villains https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGT65CMF 

https://buy.bookfunnel.com/6jtv6nfins

A Troll and an Author Update

 Last weekend, we went looking for a troll for our 30th Anniversary.

Not an internet troll. A very large, much more charming, wooden one.

Pia the Peacekeeper by recycle artist Thomas Dambo.

We visited Pia the Peacekeeper, one of Thomas Dambo's Northwest Trolls, and along the way my husband unexpectedly pulled out a Professor Quirrell impersonation/callback that made the whole adventure even better. 

"Troll! There's a troll in the dungeon! I thought you ought to know."

It was exactly the kind of outing I love: a little walking, a little exploring, something unusual to discover, and plenty to laugh about.

And it turned out to be particularly good timing.

LIFE UPDATE

The days afterward became much more serious. My dad had a significant health decline, and our family has now brought in hospice care.

That's about all I want to say about that here, except that it means I'm giving myself a little more breathing room for the next couple of weeks.

I'm taking a brief break from my usual podcast schedule, and when Growing Our Gifts returns, I'm going to change the order of the next few episodes. I had planned to talk about nourishing our creativity next, but first I want to talk about support—the people who help us keep growing when we don't have the capacity to do everything ourselves.

Because something I've noticed over the past week is that my creativity hasn't disappeared.

I've walked.

I've journaled.

I've listened to podcasts.

I've rested.

I've spent time with people I love.

I've laughed at unexpected Professor Quirrell impersonations and visited giant trolls.

And, in the middle of several very difficult days, I found twenty minutes to sit down with my book again.

It wasn't a full writing day. It wasn't supposed to be.

It was just twenty minutes of revising, remembering the story, and finding my way back into that creative space.

Sometimes growing our gifts means putting in the hours.

Sometimes it means learning, practicing, revising, and stretching ourselves.

And sometimes, I think, it means keeping a tiny bit of space open for creativity while the rest of our lives need our attention.

The gift doesn't disappear because we're resting.

It doesn't disappear because we're grieving or caregiving or simply tired.

Sometimes it's still there, growing quietly.

And sometimes you find it again while walking through the woods looking for a troll.

Pia the Peacekeeper and me

IWSG Writing Regrets AND Rest is Part of the Trellis

 

Insecure Writer's Support Group

Many thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh, all of the IWSG, and this month's blog hop volunteers for August 2026.

The awesome co-hosts for the August 5 posting of the IWSG are Shannon Lawrence, Diedre Knight, Liza, and Pat Garcia! 

The IWSG has been a part of my writing journey for over a decade and I am thankful for all the encouragement and support I have received, but more importantly, I am thankful for the community.

This month's optional question is: As a writer/author what is something you regret? Or something that you wish you'd done differently in your writing process?

My biggest regret is giving into fear and doubt at various times in my writing life, following the "wrong for me" advice that I knew was "wrong" deep in my gut, and not pivoting at times when I knew a pivot was needed - again, not trusting my instincts.

Some of this is that I didn't know what I know now: my strengths (based on the Clifton Strengths test) are ideation, strategic thinking, connectedness, achiever, and learner. There are weaknesses alongside those, but honestly, I process and draw conclusions on data points and ideas that I've taken in from a variety of places without necessarily walking through the "A to Z" logic of it step by step.

Trusting my own "intuition" that isn't really intuition but a lot of ideas coming together has been a huge step forward for me, but I'm still learning how to do that, and learning how to take what I "know" and create systems that rely on those strengths. So, my doubt in my own process is what I think has held me back the most, and discovering how to play to my strengths is both helping me as an author and healing me as a person.

Perhaps that's one of the reasons I've been thinking so much lately about trellises, gardens, and growth.

On my podcast, The Truth About Storytelling, I've started a short series called Growing the Gifts We've Been Given. In the first episode, I talked about how our strengths need trellises like healthy structures and rhythms that support the gifts we've been given instead of leaving them tangled. This week, I've been wondering about something else.

What if rest isn't the opposite of growth?

What if it's part of the trellis?

The more I think about my own writing journey, the more I realize that growth hasn't come simply from writing more words or working harder. It's also come from learning to notice, to listen, to take long walks, to read widely, to pray, and to give myself enough space for ideas to connect.

In other words, I've been learning to trust both the way I grow and the One who grows me.

Rest is a Part of the Trellis

We often think growth comes from doing more.

Working harder.

Producing more.

Trying longer.

But gardens tell a different story.

Healthy growth includes seasons of rest, renewal, and quiet preparation.

This week, I found myself asking a simple question:

What if rest isn't the opposite of growth?

What if it's part of the support that helps us flourish?

Walking, reading, prayer, creativity, listening for birds, or simply sitting quietly for a few moments may not look productive, but they often refill the well we draw from every day.

As you go through your week, I'd encourage you to consider a few questions:

• What truly restores you?
• What helps you notice beauty?
• What leaves you with more hope than when you began?
• Where might God be inviting you to receive instead of striving?

Rest isn't stepping away from growth.

Rest is one of the ways we grow.

IWSG: Publishing and Joyful Reading

 

Thank you Alex J. Cavanaugh for this blog hop!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The Awesome co-hosts for

July 1 posting of the IWSG are Rebecca Douglass, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Cathrina Constantine, and Jacqui Murray!

Joyful Invitations to Read

This month's IWSG question asks:

Is there anything you'd like to see changed, added, and/or rearranged about the book publishing industry?

My answer is simple.

We Are the Publishing Industry

It's easy to think of "the publishing industry" as traditional publishers, but I don't think that's the whole picture.

Authors, indie publishers, booksellers, librarians, teachers, bloggers, reviewers, and readers all help shape the culture around books. We all have a role in inviting people to read.

A Reminder from Realm Makers

Last week I attended Realm Makers, a conference for Christian writers, where I spent several days talking with readers, writers, editors, publishers, and fellow creatives.

One thing stood out over and over again.

People still love stories.

Kids want adventures. Adults want books that leave them with hope, wonder, courage, and memorable characters. They aren't just looking for another product—they're looking for an experience.

My Hope

If I could change one thing, I'd love to see all of us help make reading joyful and invitational again.

Let's recommend books because they delighted us. Let's welcome new readers instead of assuming everyone already knows the language of publishing. Let's celebrate imagination as much as marketing.

As authors, we don't simply create books.

We invite people into stories.

That's something worth celebrating.

---

Now that I'm home, I'm back to revising Dark Blade Unchained, the third book in my Dark Blade Trilogy, and I'm sharing more writing thoughts on The Truth About Storytelling podcast. Thanks for following along on the journey!

What about you? What would you like to see changed in the publishing industry?

Dark Blade Unbroken Proof Copy Arrives

 I'm excited to share that the proof copy of Dark Blade Unbroken, Book Two of The Dark Blade Trilogy, has officially arrived.

After months of writing, editing, formatting, and production work, it's always a special moment to hold a new book in print for the first time. I'm especially pleased with how this edition turned out, from the hardcover presentation to the interior chapter artwork.

The next step is a final proofread and quality review to ensure everything is ready for publication. Once that process is complete, work will continue toward the release and fulfillment schedule for the trilogy.

At the same time, revisions on Dark Blade Unchained, the concluding volume of the trilogy, are underway.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this series and journey through Aramatir. More updates will be coming soon.

Dark Blade Unbroken

The Dark Blade Trilogy, Volume 2

New alliances. An unbroken blade. A battle drawing ever closer.

IWSG June: Ideas Everywhere

 

Thank you to Alex J. Cavanaugh and this month's round of volunteers who make this blog hop possible and fun! Victoria Marie Lees, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and C. Lee McKenzie!

This month’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group question asks whether story ideas tend to come from one place or from many different sources. For me, ideas seem to come from everywhere — dreams, reflections, conversations, music, walking, and simply noticing the world around me.

Sometimes a story idea begins with a single image while I’m out walking. Sometimes it begins with a question, a conversation, or a piece of music that sparks an emotion or atmosphere. Other times, an idea grows out of noticing acts of courage, or small moments of beauty in everyday life. I think that’s part of why I’m so drawn to storytelling in the first place: stories help us process the world around us while also imagining worlds beyond it.

Lately, I’ve been balancing podcasting, revisions, and ongoing work in the world of Aramatir.

I’m currently participating in a BookFunnel promotion featuring my sci-fi novel Lift Off, and I’ve released several recent episodes of The Truth About Storytelling, including conversations about film, mythic heroes, cozy storytelling, and why stories like The Mandalorian and Grogu resonate so strongly with audiences and families.

I’ve also continued reading chapters from Dark Blade Forged on the podcast.

Meanwhile, revisions continue steadily on Book 2 of the Dark Blade Trilogy. During the process, I realized I needed to make some major changes to several events in the story, but I feel it will be stronger for those changes.

Thank you for continuing to support my stories, podcast, and creative journey. I hope your own creative projects are growing in meaningful ways this season as well.

IWSG May: Inspiring Feedback

 

Many thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group for this long-running monthly blog hop!

 

The awesome co-hosts for the May 6 posting of the IWSG are Jenni Enzor, Jemima Pett, Jamie of Uniquely Maladjusted but Fun, and Kim Lajevardi!

Optional Question: What was the most inspiring feedback you’ve received from readers, agents, editors, or beta readers?

This is actually a hard question for me to answer, not because I haven’t received encouraging feedback, but because I’ve been blessed with more than I sometimes remember when sales feel slow.

A few moments stand out.

Several years ago, I received an unexpected email from Hannah Heath asking if she could interview me for her blog because she loved my books. I remember thinking, Who, me? Really? I had no idea how she found my work, but I was incredibly honored—and encouraged that my stories had reached someone in that way.

Last year, I had another unexpected moment. While traveling to Mongolia for my first mission trip—on my birthday, no less—I received an email from a reader who had picked up Dark Blade Forged at a car show I attended. She loved it so much that she asked not if, but when I would be coming to her city in California for another event. That kind of enthusiasm stayed with me. It reminded me that readers are out there, even when I can’t always see them.

And then there was a conversation with an agent last year about a book that isn’t published yet. He saw something in my sample pages—enough to ask for revisions and hand me his card. That moment meant a lot to me. It reminded me that I’m growing, and that there’s more ahead if I keep doing the work.

What encourages me most isn’t just praise, it’s the personal connection. When someone takes the time to reach out directly, it means the story mattered to them. And that’s why I keep writing.

Update:

I’m currently deep in the revision trenches, working on Book 2 of my trilogy. It’s slow, steady progress, but I can feel the story coming together. My goal is to finish revisions and order a proof copy in May, then move on to Book 3.

One step at a time and thankful for every reader along the way.

What inspiring feedback have you received?

From Kickstarter to Story: A Thank You (and a Free Adventure)

 The Dark Blade Trilogy Kickstarter has officially come to a close—and I’ve been sitting with a deep sense of gratitude.

Thank you.

Whether you backed the project, shared it, encouraged me along the way, or simply followed the journey—you’ve been part of something meaningful.

This campaign wasn’t just about funding a set of books. It was about rebuilding this trilogy well, strengthening the world of Aramatir, and taking a step forward in my writing life with intention.

And now, as I move into revisions, proof copies, and production, I wanted to offer something in return.

✨ A small thank you for the entire month of April.

If you enjoy fantasy, especially stories of courage, faith, and the struggle between light and darkness, I’ve joined a group of authors to offer a collection of free adventures.

You can explore them here:

Bookfunnel Link

As part of this, I’m also highlighting one of my own stories set in Aramatir:

⚔️ Champion in the Darkness - my first novel

This story stands within the same world as the Dark Blade Trilogy, but follows a different thread—one centered on a rising Champion, the weight of doubt, and the choice to stand in the light even when the path is unclear.

It’s a story of faith, struggle, and quiet strength.

If you’ve been curious about my work—or if you’ve just joined me through the Kickstarter—this is a great place to begin or continue the journey.

Thank you again for being here, for reading, and for supporting stories like these.

The First Easter

 The First Easter

Waking to find
the tomb empty,
spices scattered,
grave clothes left,
I fall on my knees,
blinded by tears,
I cry out…
and He answers
with my name.

He is Risen!
Christ is Risen!
Hallelujah!

Tyrean Martinson, April 9, 2023

Inspired by John 20:10-16

#Easter #Easterpoem
#christisrisen

IWSG April: Groove Music or Silence for Writing?

 

It’s that time for the monthly Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop, the longest running blog hop that I know of in the world. We meet to encourage, to share woes, and to wish each other well in our writing journeys.

This month, led by our intrepid leader Alex J. Cavanaugh and a team of regular volunteers, we are also joined by the monthly co-host volunteers: Melissa Maygrove, Cathrina Constantine, Kate Larkinsdale, and Rebecca Douglass!

Our optional April 1st question is: If you have a playlist (or could put one together) that either gets you in the groove to write or fits with one of your books, what is it? What type of music or what songs?

OR, as I have styled it: Groove Mood or Silence is Golden?

As a writer, I prefer natural sounds or “background house sounds” like the dishwasher running for my actual writing time. 

But, before that, I typically turn on my yearly playlist for a mixture of upbeat songs from pop, rock, instrumental, and sometimes full orchestra music. 

I tend toward anything upbeat and happy, but some years, I’ve added some moody, storytelling vibe music and even spoken poetry to my playlist. I create a different playlist for every year, although some songs move from playlist to playlist. 

A true mixture might include: Good Feeling by Austin French, Stronger by Kelly Clarkson, Tempest by guitarist Jesse Cook, Unwritten by Natasha Bedingford, New Creation by Mac Powell, Boots Don’t by Shania Twain and Breland, Watch Me Do by Meghan Trainor, Falling Inside the Black by Skillet, I Like You by Champagne Sunday, Set it All Free by Scarlett Johansen, The Cremation of Sam McGee performed by Johnny Cash, The Warrior by Patti Smyth, Where Did You Sleep Last Night? Performed by Nirvana, Come Undone by Duran Duran, and Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin. 

I prefer positive and upbeat music for getting ready to write, but I’ll listen to moodier music before certain writing sessions.

However, the music goes off when I’m writing. I tend to be an almost “silence is golden” type of writer. 

Music gets me ready. Silence lets me go into the story world.

Kickstarter Update 

Today is the last full day of my Kickstarter for The Dark Blade Trilogy! The Kickstarter met the main goal in less than 3 hours and I am so thankful for that!

From there, the campaign has continued to build, and I’m super grateful for all who have joined. The Kickstarter ends tomorrow at 8:30am PT (Pacific Time).

 If you would like to know more or join in, please feel free to click the link. 

Kickstarter Link

In the Final Days of the Dark Blade Trilogy Kickstarter

 

Im in the final 48 hours of the Dark Blade Trilogy Kickstarter, and I’ve been taking a few quiet moments to reflect on what this project has meant.

When I launched, I wasn’t sure what would happen. I hoped it would fund. I hoped readers would connect with the story. I hoped the world of Aramatir would continue to grow.

What I didn’t expect was how quickly it would come to life.

The campaign funded in just a few hours.

Over the coming months, I’ll be working through revisions, proof copies, and final production for Books 2 and 3. I’ve built in extra time to make sure everything is done with care—but my hope is always to deliver early if I can.

If you’ve been following along and considering joining in, we’re in the final window.

The campaign closes Thursday morning at 8:30 AM (PT).

Whether you back, share, or simply read these words—thank you for being part of this journey.

Kickstarter Link

IWSG and The Continuum of Book Launch Energy

The Continuum of Book Launch Energy

First, thank you to the co-hosts of this month’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) blog hop for organizing another encouraging space for writers. I always appreciate the thoughtful question and the chance to read the perspectives of others in this community.

This month’s IWSG question of the month made me think deeply about the ideal way to release a book.

And strangely enough, my answer begins with physics.

According to the first law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of conservation of energy, energy—like mass—can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.

That’s a very loose remembrance of the law, but since I live in a household with an electrical engineer and have a daughter who is an electrician, I’ve heard it quoted a few times.

So what does this have to do with book releases?

Quite a bit, actually.

A Continuum of Book Launch Energy

I think there’s a continuum of ways to release books. To simplify it, I’ll break it into three areas:

• High energy

• Middle energy

• Soft energy (instead of calling it low or quiet energy)

Originally, back in October 2025, I planned a high-energy launch for my Kickstarter campaign on March 3rd. I even scheduled that date into the Kickstarter platform.

My plan included:

• Applying to appear on podcasts

• Asking members of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and other writers to host me on blogs or newsletters

• Creating three months of tiered content leading up to the launch

• Sharing cover reveals

• Posting story snippets before and during the campaign

• Trying the “100 ways to talk about your Kickstarter” approach suggested for creators

• Creating 100 different social media posts across one to three platforms

• Possibly running paid ads on Facebook or Amazon

That would be a high-energy book release plan.

A middle-energy launch would include some of those ideas, but not all—basically cherry-picking the strategies that fit best with the time and energy available.

And then there’s what I’m doing right now:

A soft energy launch.

Why a Soft Launch?

The reason goes back to the law of thermodynamics.

Energy isn’t created or destroyed—it’s transferred.

Right now, a lot of my life energy is going into caregiving and self-care.

My husband had surgery yesterday.

My dad was hospitalized for a week in January and again for a week in February, followed by surgery. He’s having a difficult recovery. While he has some private caregivers and my mom is there, I’m also a significant part of the caregiving plan.

That same energy I would normally put toward a big Kickstarter launch has been redirected.

Honestly, the stress of caregiving, hospitalizations, and decision-making has also interrupted my sleep. It reminded me that I need to invest real energy into taking care of my own health, too.

For me, self-care doesn’t mean bubble baths (although those sound nice). It means things like:

• Taking longer walks

• Increasing my daily step goals

• Trying to eat healthier again after a comfort-food phase during the hospital weeks

• Planning meals with more vegetables and fewer carbs

• Pursuing a healthier rhythm of life overall

That’s where a lot of my energy is going right now.

So the Kickstarter campaign is getting a soft energy launch.

Community Kindness

Even with that softer approach, I’ve been incredibly encouraged.

Several writers have kindly offered to highlight my campaign on their blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, or newsletters. I’m deeply thankful for every one of you. I do plan to follow up—it just might be a little later than the perfect launch timing.

One person who made it especially easy for me was Diane Gardner, a local author friend who has run several successful Kickstarter campaigns. She messaged me on Facebook, asked permission to highlight my campaign in her update, and then simply did it.

I did nothing.

Honestly, that was exactly the level of help I could handle right now—and I’m so grateful.

In return, I’ve written a couple paragraphs for my own next update to highlight her current Kickstarter campaign, because when writers lift each other up, wonderful things happen.

Kindness multiplies.

A Surprise Success

Here’s the truly wild part.

Even with a soft launch, success is still possible.

I couldn’t change the launch date I had scheduled months ago, but I lowered my campaign goal to better match the season of life I’m in.

And yesterday, something amazing happened.

The Kickstarter campaign reached its funding goal in less than three hours.

I was completely blown away.

Now the campaign is moving forward with stretch goals, and I’m continuing the journey from there.

So yes—even a quiet launch can work.

Energy in Writing Life

That’s why I keep coming back to that idea from thermodynamics.

We all have a limited amount of energy.

We can do things to maintain it—rest, healthy habits, encouragement—but sometimes life redirects it. Family needs, health, caregiving, or other responsibilities take priority.

In those seasons, our writing may receive a softer share of energy than it would otherwise.

And that’s okay.

Because even when the launch is quiet, the writing—and the community around it—still matters.

And sometimes, even with a soft launch, something wonderful happens anyway.

Curious about Kickstarter?

If you're curious about what a soft-energy Kickstarter launch looks like in real life, you're welcome to take a peek at the campaign below. It actually funded in less than three hours and is now moving into stretch goals—which still amazes me.

The Dark Blade Trilogy  an epic fantasy trilogy about a cursed sword, unlikely allies, and the struggle between justice and darkness.

What energy do you have for book releases?

I'm curious, have you ever experienced a high-energy season of book releases or writing, and other times when life required a softer approach? How do you balance your writing energy with the rest of life?