Writer's Block or Just Lazy?

SUMMER RIDING IN THE STEENS MOUNTAINS

Okay, so now I'm two months late on my blog duty. But, for my defense I can now say I do, at least, have a website. FINALLY. I did this website out of great duress from my publisher, but it's done! Check it out and give me any opinions or ideas. This is a new area for me, and I'm like blind me leading blind me.

www.jerejameswesternauthor.com I think I just put a link here. Hope it works.

Now, for the business at hand. I'm trying to decide if I have a writer's block or am just being lazy. I keep telling myself that I've put out three books in three years, so I deserve a break, and it's not like I won't have the book (High Country Killers) finished by late 2012 as promised...I hope, anyway.

So what is the real trouble here? Well, to tell you the truth, the new book is very different from the other three I've written. It's more complex, for one thing. There are multiple subplots, and it's also kind of a mystery. As a former mystery writer (under yet another name) I can tell you, mysteries aren't an easy genre for me. Suspense is a piece of cake - not so for mysteries. I even know "who-dun-it" in this new book, but putting it all together is taxing. Then I kind of have carte blanche on this book as far as language and sex go. I've decided to keep the language acceptable, but finally being able to add sex is causing me to hesitate. Although I will say, Apache, the second of my books is a bit risque.

But perhaps the biggest decision is, how much do I include Betsy in the new book? Or do I include her at all? She's been an integral part of the first three books. I was thinking I'd drop her so Jake could move on to other women, but I keep getting the feeling she needs to be in this book. I guess he could have other women, anyway, considering how Book III (Canyon of Death) ended. So, I'm taking a break.

In fact, I plan on taking a break almost all winter. You see, winter here in Arizona is better than summer in most places I've been. The only trouble is, I can't ride up in the high country where I really need to be to get my "research" and "feel" for the area because it does indeed snow up there. But, I can certainly hang out in the rest of the state and have a good time.

I'll be attending all of my publisher's book events this fall/winter. She's got some good ones lined up. I'm also going to show up in Mexico at her and her husband's timeshare for a few days while they're there. I haven't told her yet...it'll be a BIG surprise! Well, it worked out great last year! Senoritas, tequila, and deep sea fishing sound pretty good right now. By November they'll sound irresistible.

So, maybe I have a case of both writer's block and laziness. I just need a vacation to sort it all out, don't I? Maybe some place in Mexico?