Forced Course Corrections

I started to announce what I'm currently working on in a short Facebook post. However, as I wrote, it quickly expanded into more, so here we are.

Book News

Firstly, what I initially was going to talk about on my author page was how I'm revisiting my first ever (and still my favorite) published series, For Always. Out of nowhere, while working on my current book, Fully Awake, which is about halfway finished, I got a sudden urge to publish the For Always series as a box set. Thinking this could be done rather quickly, and should've been done a long time ago, I soon realized I was very mistaken. 

When I went to open the files, which are from several years ago, I was surprised to see that they were all corrupt, and I wasn't able to open them. Because of this, I had to jump through hoops to download and convert PDFs, which messed up the formatting and left me having to fix it for each book, which is a feat in itself. As I started doing this yesterday, I thought, "Why not just revise them, too?" Since this was my first ever and most-loved book series, and I've learned a lot since then, why not breathe some new life into it? 

So, not only am I putting this series into a box set, but I'm revising them, too! I'm sure most of the storyline will remain the same because I don't have time (and don't want) to change it. Even so, it just might make former readers fall in love with Beau all over again... and find new readers to introduce him to.

Sidetracked or Forced Course Correction?

Getting 'sidetracked' like this has happened to me a lot recently. And while I was listening to a podcast the other day, I heard someone use the term forced course correction. As he described it, I was like... yes, that's happened to me! 

What it is, at least for me, is when an unexpected major life change redirects us toward our true path or purpose. What feels like a disruption is actually steering us away from a path that wasn't serving our highest good. I know something as simple as getting the urge to revise a book series and putting it into a box set isn't a major life change, but what if it leads to one?

Several months ago, I had a big forced course correction (FCC) when I injured my back. The odd part is that I didn't fall or have an accident; I was simply bending over, tending to my rocks (yes, I'm one of those people), and a terrible pain shot through my back. By the next morning, I was in the ER, unable to move. Thankfully, it's slowly getting better, but it caused me to take a step back from my life, literally, and refocus my attention on my life's purpose. 

Have You Had an FCC?

Sometimes, we get little signs. Feelings that tug at us. A deep knowing that we push to the side. We give ourselves excuses as to why we need to keep things the same. The main reason for this is that our ego, our minds, want to keep us safe. And change isn't safe, it's unknown. So, we ignore the signs. And that's when life sends us an FCC that we can't ignore.

So, on a small scale, stepping away from a book I'd planned on finishing this year and diving into something new, yet old, is risky regarding my publishing life. On a larger scale, having chronic spinal issues and stepping away from a job and people I care about to pursue something completely new and what some consider 'woo-woo' is crazy. Even so, I feel that both are the paths I need to take. With the books, I'm listening to the sign and tug before an FCC happens, like it did with my back. 

Is there something that has already happened or feels like it is in the process of sidetracking you? Throwing you off course? A sign... or maybe two? If so, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Is it simply a distraction? Or is it a correction that you're supposed to make happen? A new path you're supposed to take? 

Don't let the universe take you out just to get you going in the right direction.