Navigating Life's Challenges: Balancing Blogging and Family Responsibilities

The Sunday Post, Issue #285

Table of Contents

• The Editorial
• On the Reading Block
• Fresh Off the Press
• Some Final Thoughts

The Sunday Post is a weekly event hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer.

The Editorial

Ah, my fellow readers, if you’ve been paying any attention at all—or perhaps if you merely wondered where my weekly musings disappeared to—you might have noticed that my Sunday Post has been on a rather prolonged hiatus. This absence stems from a multitude of reasons, though I’m not one for airing out all my dirty laundry. Let’s just say that cranking out 62 horror-related posts in a single month has left me feeling like a ghost whose candle has burned dim. Burnout, thy name is writer. Moral of the story: never again will I enter such a marathon.

So yes, the lack of posts last week was largely due to me needing a breather. I’m aiming to muster the energy to pre-schedule a few reviews, the Friday 56, and the Book Blogger Hop over the next 24 hours or so. My mother is facing surgery this Wednesday. We need to be at the hospital before the crack of dawn, with the docs wanting to run tests and draw blood before she has the procedure. I’m still in the dark about when the actual surgery will start or how long it might stretch out. I’ve heard whispers that it could be anything from an hour to four, depending on how the surgical gods decide to favor us. Will she come home that same day? Only time will tell; it all hinges on how the operation unfolds.

In preparation for this hospital expedition, I found myself on a quest: searching for a proper book bag. Yes, a book bag—those student-style slings that were once my constant companion. It’s been over twenty-five years since I last donned one! Finding the right bag in my neck of the woods was no small feat, and of course, it didn’t come cheap. Why the sudden need for a bag, you ask? Well, it’s all about practicality. My mom needs a few essentials, and I’ll be the one to cart them around. I’m packing my Kindle Fire—loaded with a few flicks, such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Blazing Saddles, and Holiday Inn—along with a couple of paperbacks and my trusty earbuds. Snacks? Nah, I’ll place my faith in the hospital’s vending machine or, if I’m lucky, their coffee machine. Heaven forbid I get lost on the way to a cafeteria—I'm not prepared to navigate a labyrinth when I should be channeling my inner calm.

On the Reading Block

Now, for the million-dollar question: "What’s on the reading block?" I’ve begun dipping my toes into the waters of Casey Cep’s introduction in Harper Lee’s The Land of Sweet Forever. It’s a collection of stories and essays, perfect for sneaking in bits of reading amid my other literary pursuits. Just recently, I received The Christmas Stranger by Richard Paul Evans, which has already nestled a bookmark inside, waiting for me to read it next. On the horizon, I have Jake Logan’s Blood Fever lined up for the upcoming Gunsmoke & Grit review.

In addition to that, I’m staring down the barrel of an ever-growing ARC pile that includes Empty Boxes by Robin Action, Sonora by Jenni L. Walsh, The Last King of Hollywood by Paul Fischer, What Boys Learn by Andromeda Romano-Lax, The Captive by Kit Burgoyne, The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller, and the massive tome Tom’s Crossing by Mark Z. Danielewski. And let’s not forget about the eBooks from NetGalley that are waiting patiently for my attention.

Fresh Off the Press

So far this month, I’ve managed to scrape together two reviews for Gunsmoke & Grit: These Men Chose Hell by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone, and Brothers of the Gun: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and a Reckoning in Tombstone by Mark Lee Gardner.

Some Final Thoughts

I find myself at a peculiar crossroads—no final thoughts bubbling up are worthy of sharing. In a world full of words, it seems I have momentarily run dry. But rest assured, I’ll be back, ink-stained and ready to spin some tales. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for what lurks in the shadows…

〜B.J. Burgess