Taking a huge leap off a very high cliff

I did it... I took that next big step into being an author and I left my full-time job!!!!!

I am now able to focus entirely on writing and other author related things.

I won't lie I am absolutely terrified...

I've worked in a clerical role both in the private and public sector for most of my working career. It wasn't really the route I expected my life to take but I did that silly thing a lot of teenagers do and I followed my friends to business school instead of following my dreams. My art teacher did everything she could to try and change my mind but alas I didn't listen (sorry Miss Wilson).

Then came the first long-term relationship, the mortgage, the bills and having to think about someone else instead of just myself. The dream slips by the wayside as you join the never ending cycle of the rat race. Working to live instead of living to work.

I've always been a creative person, I love writing, reading, drawing, all that good stuff and I never got much time to do the things I enjoy while working the 9-5 life in an office with no windows.

But things change. The long-term relationship became a marriage that I was pretty miserable in but didn't see it at the time. Then the baby who I totally love (most of the time - all the mums out there will understand what that means), but while that was going on the 'guy' suffered a mid-life crisis, got a wandering eye and by the time my son was 2 weeks old, it became just me and him.

It all worked out in the end - I was happier without that chain around my neck. That was hard too but we got through it. One of the best things about it was being able to spread out in the king-size bed, have two wardrobes all to myself and do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted and no one could stop me. The son is almost sixteen now and I've no idea how that happened. I'm flirting with the big 5-0, peri-menopause and am becoming dangerously dependent on my cat, but I'm happy and that is what matters.

Now I have a very messy spare bedroom to convert to an at home office, a schedule to try and stick to while being at home with the biggest of all distractions; the TV, the cats, and the doom scrolling. Discipline isn't my greatest strength but I've got to believe in myself and step away from Supernatural, Tik Tok clips of Jeff Arcuri (absolutely hilarious comic by the way) and my cat, who is currently sitting on my lap impeding my ability to type.

It's going to be a huge adjustment but one that I hope with be the start of something amazing. I'll be able to devote all of my time to writing instead of trying to do it between the hours of 9pm - 2am like I have been the last couple of years. My eyebags can attest to just how hideous that was.

There is no way that this is going to be easy. Writing is hard. I'm not going to bore anyone with all of the ins and outs of indie author life but I will say that now I have all this time to focus things are (hopefully) going to be a lot more organised with time set aside to do the fun stuff, like making graphics, designing book covers... Ah crap, no falling into that trap already. But one of my biggest goals is to make my IG grid less chaotic and focus a bit more on showing my face and what's going on in my world to a lesser degree than this blog - chances are I'll overshare.

I'm nervous and excited that people will read and interact with this, and I absolutely would love to start chatting to people in the comments, getting to know readers, hearing about what you want to read next, which leads me on to...

I have tons of ideas. I have characters trying to jump out of my head onto the page and so many series, old and new that I want to bring to life. Some of those you will already know are in progress;

Blackhawk Ink, Blackhawk Disciples MC, and Red Alert all have a few books to be written (that is an understatement with the Disciples). Devil's Chaos has a couple more books, including War's story and one more about another brother who I'll keep to myself for now. I've got spin off ideas for Red Alert, short stories for Devil's Chaos (like King and Rosa and Ballistic), and not forgetting my newest band, Reckless Soul. There is definitely going to be a second book there.

Weaving characters from one series into another is something I love do and one of these days I'll map it all out - I have time now I guess. There is a bodyguard series coming, I wrote a short story for a rockstar anthology a while back and that band, Velvet Echo is clawing at my brain. There are standalones and potential collaborations with other authors, all exciting things I can't wait to get my teeth into.

Again, I need to schedule and stick to it instead of going off on crazy timelines to all the different worlds I'm creating.

I am a total pantser when it comes to writing, which means I never plot anything out. If you think the twists and turns in my books are planned, nope. Half the time even I'm surprised by what happens The ending to Devil's Chaos and the resulting twist in Devil's Daughter was news to me. It works for me. I think if I tried to plot something I'd feel stifled and the writing would flow the same way because there would be too many rules I need to stick to.

I've got more signings coming up which are always fun and exciting and tiring and stressful but so worth it to meet all the wonderful people involved. Making new connections and friends and seeing people I've got to know online in real life is a fantastic feeling. The romance community is unbeatable. It's a world I cannot wait to fully dive into.

Anyway, this all starts officially on the 1st May when I finally walk out of that office with all my little cuddly animals that sat on my desk and kept me smiling, my paintings that decorated a miserable office, and my opportunity to actually see daylight while I work.

The 9-5 is gone and the 10-3 is beginning haha. There has to be some perks right?

Here's hoping this is successful and I don't fall on my ass with no one to rub it better for me right now... which is another thing I need to focus on. My romance and spice can't just keep coming from fictional men.

I genuinely would love to chat so please feel free to comment and get a conversation going. I'll ramble some more in a few weeks time when I should have some real full-time author shenanigans to talk about. And if I can figure out video's you might even get to hear my scouse accent!

Chat soon

Love Chris x