Feeling Brain Dead
It sounds like a gruesome title for a blog but for the past two days, that’s the way I feel. No energy and its hard to concentrate on writing. Worse, I’ve got to force myself to sit down at the keyboard. If this were the old days, I could write pick up a pen rather than keyboard, but this is the 21st Century and computers rule our lives.
So what do I mean by “brain dead.” Lethargic, unmotivated, tired, worn out are all words that describe the way I am feeling. It is the day after the clocks are turned back, so theoretically, I could blame it on the time change, but that would be inaccurate. I’ve felt this way for two days.
Am I sick in the medical sense? No, I don’t think so. Yeah, with tongue in cheek, you can say that of any writer. I mean, who in his right mind would spend hours at a keyboard putting characters in books in weird situations or creating weird characters or both?
Am I too old to do this? There are lots of authors my age churning out books, so I don’t think it is that.
Am I stressed out? But about what? Actually, now that I think about it, the reason is quite simple. I have too many books I want to write and am afraid I won’t get to create them all. After all, I’m 72 so, as they say, the end is in sight. No, I am not about to die, or at least I don’t think so, but in the end, Father Time wins out. You just never know when he does.
In the recesses of my brain, here’s why I say it’s just tired (overwhelmed?) because it is working through what has to be written. There are two more books in the Josh Haman series – Moscow Airlift and The Simushir Island Incident to get out. We’re in the editing process for Moscow Airlift and it should be available to readers by March 2018. Hopefully, The Simushir Island Incident will be published by the end of 2018.
Then there is the new Derek Almer series. One book (Flight of the Pawnee) is ready for a publisher, one needs another major edit (Manpads) and two more – Strawberry 9 and The Assam’ Draggin’ – have to be written and polished before you can read them. I’m still not done. Retribution, a stand alone novel is sitting in my hard drive waiting for its first major edit. Then, I want to write an anthology of stories from three generations of military aviators – my Dad, my son and me – called Gold and Silver Wings and Six Pointed Stars.
With all this to be done, it is no wonder my brain gets tired thinking about all the work. It’s working overtime!!! And, I thought I was retired. Writing is a labor of love and a passion so I’d better get back to work!
Marc Liebman
November 2017