Eventually, I’ll get back to hawking my books. At the moment, I feel like a baseball player in a slump. Yes, I have been watching a lot of baseball and softball lately. Tis the season, don’cha know. Writers (and readers) get into slumps too. And just like with batting, the harder you try to hit the ball, the more often you strike out or hit a pop-up for an out. What was it Yogi Berra said? Oh, yeah.

Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical.

What Yogi was sayhing is that you have to be smart about the game. You have to think about it. But you can’t get all wrapped up in your head when things aren’t going your way. It’s the same with writing,.It’s 90% mental and other other half is sitting at the computer and spitting out words. To find my mojo again, I need to stop trying so hard. I need to take some deep breaths, step up to the plate, and take good cuts at the page full of words starting at me from the monitor. Once I get this last book fixed, I can get the business of it out of the way and then I can refocus on the creative side, which is the fun part when things are perking along.

Interestingly–and I’ve talked to a lot of authors about this–if I’m not reading, writing is harder for me. I NEED to read to write. And I’m not the only one. So it makes sense that if I’m in a reading slump, it’s likely I’ll be in a writing slump. And this is where it gets weird. If I’m reading a book that has grabbed my attention and I feel “the need for speed” to get to the end, I can use it as a carrot. Write or edit a chapter, get time with the good book on my Audible app. I know. I’m weird.

Like I mentioned above, though, I’m currently in a reading slump. I enjoyed the book I just finished but it was like taking a float trip on a lazy river. I felt no urgency though I liked the story and the voice. It took me 4 days. I NEVER take 4 days to get through a book, unless I’m in a slump. It also took a couple of days to decide on that particular book. I dilly-dallied over the current book I’m reading and while it is interesting and I like the characters, I’m not compelled to pick it up and listen. So what happens with this happens? It’s just like when I’m hungry but I don’t know what I’m hungry for so I go for comfort food.

Yes, I have comfort books–or chicken soup books. These are much loved and I know that I will get totally immersed in the world, with the characters, and hang on the words. I’m about to that point. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned on here before that my #1 chicken soup book is NAKED IN DEATH by JD Robb. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read or listened to that books since I first discovered it in the late nineties/early oughts. I can tell you that I’ve read/listened to it 13 times since I joined Goodreads and started keeping track. Am I desperate enough to pull it out? Maybe. There are other books/series that are almost as good, IMO. And since we’re talking comfort, I have a couple of snacks/foods that are my go-to when I’m in a slump. Cinnamon toast. Under the broiler, lots of butter on Texas toast. Blue Bell Moolenium Ice Cream. Out of the carton. Don’t judge. I’m the only one who eats it. Potato chips and Dean’s Onion Dip. And finally, tuna. Out of the can, with lemon juice and any sort of chip. Like I said, don’t judge!

What about y’all? What’s your go-too book/author/series? And what snack or food always hits the spot when you get hangry?