News update :)

Morning all!

It is an overcast, windy day with quite a cool temperature here in the south of England. The laundry is on (and taking the longest last few minutes ever. That machine lies!!!), and I'm settling down for a 'to do' day.

Mostly it is blog stuff. I am feeling better, and I had a good appointment at the pain clinic. I'm remaining on my current medication (so the nausea will continue....not really much I can say to that because it is helping enough to be worth while. I'm getting used to it now).

On 20th May I'm trying a new treatment, an IV infusion of a local anesthetic. When people have chronic pain, they can get what is called central sensitization. This means that the body suffers from severe pain, but over time it starts to overreact to everything, and keeps the body in high alert all the time. The IV infusion, when it's successful, helps ease the pain, giving the body a break from it. The break tells the body to get a grip (my words), and that not all the pain is as bad as it thinks. That's not to say that the pain isn't severe. It is, but having it overreact all the time isn't good.

It might work, it might not. If it works, it really could make quite a difference for me. So I'm hoping for the best, and seeing how it goes.

Knowing all of that, I've been having a serious think the last few days on my priorities in life. I know I need to relax more and take things easier. I'm working on my pacing skills as best I can.

I've been brainstorming with a few friends, and have come up with a solution (which will shortly be announced on my other blog, I'm just figuring out how to say it all eloquently). I'll be putting up 3 full reviews a week (4 if you conclude the other blogs I review for). I will still read a lot, but I won't really be taking on any new authors/publishers. The books which don't get full reviews, will get 1 sentence and a rating once I've read them in the What are you reading memes on Monday.

The whole reason for this is that I want/should be putting my priority on writing, and at the moment reviewing has taken more of my time. I believe I can get published, and I want to follow my dreams. Therefore something has to change. By changing this way, I still get the best of both worlds. I love reading, and my review blog has come a long way. I'll be taking part in fewer blog tours (you wouldn't believe the number of requests I get. It's fun, but it is extra time for me sometimes). The only exceptions for new publishers/authors will be historicals, manga/graphic novels and school stories.

Now I've got to go and say that in a clear fashion :)