Words Are Sunlight in a Dark Time

 Stephanie Hurt 

Covid-19 has taken a toll on so many all over the world. As an accountant I was deemed essential, which meant I stayed working but under different situations. This took a huge toll on my writing. I was working longer hours in my office, and with all the restrictions, PPP planning and keeping my clients up to date on everything, my time was limited.

As a writer, I use every precious minute of time to put words on paper. But now I was spending some of that time working my way through all the new legislation and rules for keeping my business open. And when I did get a minute to sit down, well, it took everything I had to get my mind focused.

The loss of focus and time affected my creativity for a time, but then I realized that during this time of uncertainty and chaos, somewhere, someone needed to hear my voice. I regained a new momentum and set mind blowing deadlines so that I could get my fans as much material out as possible. So many commented that they were trying to read to keep from going crazy.

With that new timeline, I got lost in the words that came flowing out of me. It helped me to get past the tired, cranky situation I was in. I found solace in the written word. And deep down I knew that I had to help others find that in the words that I wrote. So, with a schedule, several outlines and a determination to plow through, I managed to publish multiple books in the last six months.

As I sit back now, I know that I pushed myself and my editor way too hard. But it was necessary to get through this madness the virus has caused.

My advice to you is this –– do not let the outside world affect your writing. It is hard, I know, but you need to lose yourself in the words. That was my constant. If I would have let what was going on around me take away the thing that gives me peace, let’s just say, a piece of me would have disappeared.

Together as writers, we have a goal and that is to bring happiness to our readers. The only way to do that is to continue to put the words on the paper, into the computer, or ever how you write. We are some people’s lifeline and that is a huge thing. To some, our words are all they have holding them together. I know that in some of my darkest times, books have pulled me out and led me into the sunlight.

My prayers are with those affected by this virus. I pray that we soon see an end in sight and that 2021 will be a bright spot in this dismal place we are in.

Stephanie picked up her first romance novel in her early teens and fell in love. She began to pen stories in notebooks in her teens and throughout her twenties.

It was in 2012 when she decided to publish her work and let the world in on her version of romance. Now she has 50+ books published and many more in the works. 

A busy woman, she is an accountant, children's minister, wife, and mother. Her life may be busy, but when she sits down at her laptop the world slips away and she goes into another place. 

Sometimes it is a ranch full of horses, or back to the Civil War saving a heroine find her love, but as always, she will find romance even in the most remote places.

All her books are clean, wholesome romances, some even dubbed as Christian romances. Her books range from western, historical, time travel, Christian, and she might even dabble in a little paranormal from time to time. Visit her at  https://www.stephaniehurtauthor.com/