Time Management and Writing by Melanie Hansen – Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Melanie Hansen will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In the writing world, I see a lot of questions about time management. Well, not only am I a pantser, I also have a full-time day job. That means I have to get very creative with my time! I get up at 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning, which gives me two-plus hours to write before the day gets going. I have an iPad Pro with an attached keyboard that’s loaded with the Microsoft Word app. That thing goes everywhere with me! I write in the car while waiting for my kid’s football practice to finish up. I write during my lunch hour, or in the doctor’s waiting room, any time I have a spare moment, even if it’s only five or ten minutes. I actually think writing this way helps me. Sometimes a simple change in scenery will kickstart my creativity, and I’m able to get past a block.

I work in a library, and since a lot of my time is spent on a computer at the customer service desk, I’m able to keep my personal email open. If an idea or snippet of dialogue pops into my head, I’ll jot it down in a draft email that’s then available to me later across all my devices. Sometimes I’m able to do research on my story by reading news articles, or searching the library database for books on the subject. I try to incorporate research into any downtime at work that I have.

Speaking of research, I love listening to podcasts related to my characters’ professions, if I can find them. For example, Navy SEALs. Luckily, I’ve found a variety of podcasts relating to the military or special operations community. Listening to them gives me a feel for the culture, and the terminology, which then helps me add authenticity to my books. I’ve found these podcasts to be amazingly helpful, not to mention fascinating!

It’s not always easy to fit writing into my daily life, especially a life with two teenage boys who always need to be somewhere, but so far I’ve managed it and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thanks so much for hosting me today!

Devon Lowe is a survivor.

A survivor of war. Of combat. And of a betrayal by men she considered her brothers-in-arms. But her trailblazing work as a Cultural Support Team member working alongside the Navy SEALs is too important for her to back down now.

Fresh off a painful break-up, Air Force pararescueman Rhys Halloran recognizes Devon’s trauma for what it is—something that’s left her isolated, but far from irreparably damaged.

With Devon’s trust still lying shattered back in Afghanistan, putting her faith in a man who’s nursing a broken heart isn’t easy. But she’s tired of people making her feel weak, and Rhys makes her feel anything but, sparking a heated attraction that was never part of the plan.

With all eyes on Devon to prove herself in a brutal man’s world, having it all will mean putting her heart on the line like never before. But when it comes to Rhys, it’s an uphill battle she’s ready to fight.

Publisher’s Note: Keeping a Warrior deals with topics some readers may find difficult, including past sexual assault.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The night before, for the first time since he could remember, Rhys had fallen asleep with another woman on his mind.

The same woman now sitting and staring pensively at the plane. After a moment’s hesitation, Rhys gathered his courage and approached her, not sure of his welcome.

“Mind some company?”

Devon glanced up with what looked like a genuine smile. “Not at all.”

Rhys lowered himself to sitting and drew his knees up, ankles crossed, loosely draping his arms around them. “You okay?
”
With a shrug, Devon mirrored his pose and nodded at the plane. “Just sitting here trying to analyze my feelings.”

“About going back?”

“Mmm.”

“I can imagine those are some pretty complicated feelings,” Rhys said gently.

“Yeah, well, I’m in a totally different place now, at least. Back then I was so idealistic, so trusting, so goddamn stupid.”

Rhys didn’t say anything, just let her talk.

“I thought that bad things couldn’t happen to me, or if they did, it’d be something heroic, you know? Not—” She shook her head. “And now all I want to do is reclaim that part of myself that someone else took from me.”

A lump rose into Rhys’s throat at the slight quaver in her voice.

“Well, this time around you have me,” he said fiercely. “You have the guys.” He nodded his head toward Matt and Shane, who were leaning against a nearby wall, arms crossed, each with one booted foot propped against it, heads close together.

Devon smiled when she saw them. “Think they worked everything out?”

Rhys was about to say he hoped so when Matt pushed off the wall. As he did, Shane snaked his hand behind him and gave his ass a firm pinch, followed by a discreet pat. Matt elbowed him, hard, but he was smiling while he sauntered away.

“Um, I think that’s a pretty safe bet.”

He and Devon snickered together, and she bumped him with her shoulder. “You’re right. It’s gonna be different this time, for lots of different reasons.”

About the Author: Melanie Hansen doesn’t get nearly enough sleep. She loves all things coffee-related, including collecting mugs from every place she’s visited. After spending eighteen years as a military spouse, Melanie definitely considers herself a moving expert. She has lived and worked all over the country, and hopes to bring these rich and varied life experiences to the love stories she gets up in the wee hours to write. On her off-time, you can find Melanie watching baseball, reading or spending time with her husband and two teenage sons.

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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