The other day, Lady Laura, Master Liam, and I were running late to a family gathering.
Being a militant for punctuality, I refused to WhatsApp the crew and let them know we would be 10 minutes behind. Why? Beyond being a man of my word, it means I'd have to accept defeat—conceding that the day had gotten away from me and I was its hapless victim.
Sure, that's an extreme view, and I don't expect that many Legionnaires share it.
It's simply "me."
I've always been ultra-keen to avoid defaulting on my word or coming off as a lazy schlub.
Anyway, back to the story:
I needed a shower. Badly. No amount of deodorant was going to mask the hours spent knocking up two fence panels, so I did the only sensible option available to me:
SET A TIMER.⏱️
After a moment of to-ing and fro-ing, Laura and I agreed on four minutes to go from naked to shoes-on-and-ready-to-go.
Quite the challenge, but one I readily accepted.
And let me tell you, the millisecond that sucker started ticking down, everything—and I mean everything—worked against me.
Shampoo bottles started "slipping" from my normally competent grip…
The boiler "suddenly" didn't want to send hot water upstairs…
Every item of clothing "hugged" my mostly-dried skin a bit too tightly, stalling my progress.
Yet against all odds…
I DID IT. 🥳
(Alright, technically I was 14 seconds late, but who's counting?)
We arrived at the family function on time, and all went well.
But this little experiment reinforced a couple of things for me:
- I don't enjoy high-pressure, high-stress situations.
- They present far more opportunities to stumble than pathways to succeed.
They are fine to endure every once in a while when you've got to get somewhere quickly, but as a diet for daily life, you're just asking for an injury.
Or, in the case of writing, burnout.
I have done the whole strict deadline thing and "write 5,000 words" per day killathon (even a brief, insane stint at 10,000 words a day) only to be left with slop for prose and the desire for a car to run me over.
That's why I never give hard deadlines anymore.
It's not that I CAN'T hit them—I just loathe the hypertension that comes with them.
I've had far more success giving ranges instead, like I've done with The Great Betrayal (Book #5 of The Divided Region).
I originally estimated April-May for the sequel's publication, and after a quick update from my proofreader, we are very much looking on track for May.
Exciting times indeed, Legionnaire.
What's more:
There is still time to catch up on the series before the fifth installment drops.
Because, unlike 98% of fantasy books proliferating the genre, my books can be read in 2-3 sittings (or just one if you're a true fiend). The genre is sorely lacking quick, fast-paced, bingeable reads, and if you agree, then you'll find good company in The Starter Bundle that includes the first four books of the series.
To learn more, go here:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/TDR-Bundle
DJJW