Long Time no Write
Looking at my Substack for the first time in months, I realize two things:
I did a terrible job sharing details about my book launches at the beginning of this year.
I did an even worse job sharing details of last year’s cruising adventures in Spain on our boat, Kungaloosh!
Book Launches
Yes, I posted a few notifications about two of the three book releases and asked for some feedback on covers and blurbs, but any casual Substack reader wouldn't have any idea that I just published a trilogy of thrillers in the past few months: Death Wounds, Pyro Pastor and Lethal Bonds. Along with my sailing memoir, Losing Sight of the Shore: How to Live on a Boat Without Killing Your Family, that makes four books I now have on Amazon. The success of these books has been so exciting and I'm incredibly grateful for all the positive reviews and support, but you would never know that based on my posts here on Substack. This makes no sense since you are the wonderful folks who actually opted in to hearing from me. So, if you enjoy thrillers or sailing memoirs, consider this your official invitation to check out my books. You can find the sailing memoir here and the conspiracy thriller series here.
Cruising the Med
As for the second realization that comes from finally looking at this sorely neglected Substack, I am disappointed that I shared virtually nothing about the time we spent living on a catamaran in Spain last year. I did mention that we were considering buying the boat in a Substack post, but that’s where the story seemed to end.
In fact, that was just the beginning of our Med cruising story on this new (to us) boat which we named, Kungaloosh! While I admit that Spain trip wasn't exactly what we envisioned due to health scares and one very unhappy teen, we did have some great adventures. There would have certainly been plenty of fodder for at least a few Substack posts that my subscribers would have enjoyed.
Time to Start Writing
Now, as I sit here on the upper deck of Kungaloosh!, waiting out a “Meltemi” (really strong, seemingly neverending, winds) at a stunning anchorage in Milos, Greece with my beloved, two of our kids and our New Mexico best friends all sleeping in their cabins below me, I realize that unless I start writing soon, I will be on pace for an equally abysmal season of writing here on Substack.
I ask myself why the hesitation? Any attempt to use “we are so busy” as an excuse would be a total lie. Yes, we are busy, in all the best ways possible, but we were just as busy, or even more so, when I wrote and then rapid released that conspiracy thriller series, “Catalina’s Chronicles” in January, February and April. The truth is that I haven't written here because I have been focused on my fears instead of on trying to serve. I have been trying to craft the perfect post (there are at least a dozen in my “drafts” folder) instead of just allowing myself to write and share whatever I want to.
I would like to work on changing that, starting today with this post.
So, dear reader, consider this the first of many posts to come where I will share both my book publishing and family travel journeys and whatever else is on my heart. Thank you for being here for the ride. I am so grateful for your support.
Fair winds friends!
-Rosa Linda
Hi Rosa - I would love to read your book. We are also live aboard sailors - are there digital versions of your books available?
It’s validating to know that you, a successful, accomplished writer, still struggles. Thank you for being vulnerable and honest.
Sending you vibes for calm winds and seas.
Miss you!