Any writer, no matter their chosen genre, will tell you finding time to write is always a challenge unless you’re incredibly disciplined. The past month has been full of family obligations and seriously frustrating situations where writing has been impossible. Not just the holidays, but having to be present to deal with much needed home repairs has meant hair pulling and teeth gnashing at times.

Writing requires solitude and quiet, and when the sound of circular saws cutting through metal, glass shattering, cigar smoke blowing in open windows, well, you get the picture.

Loved ones poking their heads into my office to make sure I’m not lonely during the holidays, or showing me projects they’re working on is a problem only fellow writers can understand.

The fact my husband still lives after attempting to crawl under my desk for a dog bed during a stolen writing break is a testimony of love. And self restraint.

Soon enough everyone will be gone back to school, DH will be back at work, and it will be only me and the fur kids. Plenty of solitude and quiet peppered with yipping at feral cats outside, or hapless UPS drivers.

Time to rachet down the anxiety of not being able to work, and enjoy the holidays for what they’re meant to be: sharing precious time with loved ones no matter how pressing the deadline or desire to create.