Loss of Control

I'm on day three of shit sleep.

Why?

I had to increase the asthma meds.

I've been fantastic on just one puff of Pulmicort twice a day for something like the last six months. Perfect asthma control. Could not have been better.

Then we hit a heat wave and the ol' windbags did not like that.

Lots of air trapping. So I switched things up and it's better, sort of. The big downside is my body acts like one puff of Symbicort twice a day is the equivalent of 80mg of prednisone.

That means, not sleeping at night, I suddenly have restless leg syndrome in my right calf and my mind races like I took a whole bottle of caffeine pills.

And while things are better, I may need to up the dose again. The asthma is still not controlled. Not only was I up last night due to steroid side effects, I was hacking like an angry seal. Yesterday I was wheezing, but I'm hoping that's just because the temperature dropped by 50 degrees.

If money ever becomes no object, I should probably live somewhere with a stable climate. These temp swings are hard on me.

Anyway, today I slapped a spacer on the inhaler to, hopefully, tone down the systemic effects I'm having. I should have done that from the beginning, but I tend to forget all these little nuances of asthma management. I have to relearn the rules every time things change.

On the adrenal side...I'm mostly fine. I get a touch of adrenal weirdness now and then. Hard exercise can still be an issue so I mostly avoid it, although I've had a few workouts that were too much.

Okay, so here's the writing update. It's more fun than my body. If I could detach my brain from my defective flesh bag, I would totally do it.

-Still writing like crazy which means I now have carpal tunnel. Whee! In theory I'm going to take most of August off to rest my hands (this will probably not happen but I will try to let things heal as much as possible). I was doing great for several months and lifting 10lb free weights to condition my arms, but all of a sudden my hands just fell apart.

-I have releases lined up for the rest of the year and am actually ahead a bit, well except for the part where I was going to write a novel in another genre. That novel is not going so well. I'm behind on that, but otherwise on top of things. I've been trying to shift to a schedule where I'm working 3-6 months in advance for a while now, and it's a good feeling to know my releases are set through the end of the year. It's less stressful and gives me time to be sick.

-Asked a major name author to endorse one of my books. One of the advantages of knowing someone before they hit it big.

-I was approached by a publisher who asked me to write for them. You've heard of them. I turned them down. Not enough money and their marketing was sub par. I can make more money without them.

-Realized I really enjoy figuring out how to market books. I suggested some authors do a collaborative project and have been helping them pull it together. I expect it to hit the USA Today bestseller list at the very least (NY Times is a harder nut to crack). I just wish I could have an idea that would hit a list like that with my pseudonym on it, ha.  I'm also running various marketing experiments and coops with the writers I hang out with online. It's like a big puzzle and I find it fascinating (although in real life I hate doing anything more than a 24 piece puzzle).

-With regards to marketing I approached someone about a partnership for a reader marketing business.The goal is to build a revenue stream that is independent of me writing as well as create platforms that market my work. They accepted and we're in the process of hammering out the contract. Even though we're at the legal part, I am actually not sure if it's going to happen. If it does, it will be an interesting experience. I hope it is as profitable as I think it is.

-I'm sponsoring an art festival thingie that ties in with one of my books and finally came up with swag for the exhibitors. Phew. Almost did not pull that one off. Swag is tough when you're on a budget.

-My sales are in the toilet still and August will be worse. I won't panic though unless my fall releases tank.