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Suzy Duffy | Falling into Fall with Five kids, Nora Roberts & Newton Neighbors
October 5, 2013
Autumn is busy in this house. We’re scrambling to be up and out in time for the
morning bus. Fall sports have kicked off but the routines haven’t kicked into my
sun-bleached brain so it’s bedlam mixed with a fare dose of panic for now. This
year I have five school goers, ranging from pre-school to a senior in
High-school so you can imagine the diversity of interests. I cover everything
from finger-painting to Freud in a given day.
We used to call it ‘organized chaos.’ Lately we’ve dropped the ‘organized’ but
here’s the thing; we like chaos. Everything gets done, there’s never a dull
moment and with such a busy household there’s always somebody around to lend a
hand. When problems/jobs arise, I work a ‘stack & rack,’ system – with the most
pressing issue stacked on top. We keep going until everything is dealt with.
The only thing that trumps stack & rack is blood. Wet blood would mean a bad
cut and maybe a hospital visit. There’s dry blood too. That’s just a graze which
needs a kiss and a band-aid but most days are blood-free, thank God and so we
just stack & rack.
Added to the above is the release of my new book, Newton Neighbors and just
this week I was invited to Turn The Page Bookstore in Maryland to do a book
signing with Nora Roberts. This really thrilled me because I’m slightly in awe
of Nora. I can’t comprehend how she writes so prolifically and maintains such a
high standard of stories. That’s going to be my first question when I meet her.
Danielle Steel is a similar lady. She had nine kids (while I only have five)
and she writes up to four books a year (to my one.) When people ask me how I
write a book a year while being a full time mom I just think of Nora and
Danielle and know I’ve a way to go. Don’t get me wrong; there’ll be no more
babies in this house but I have a lot more stories inside me.
The truth is we’re all on our own journey – you, me, Danielle & Nora. Everybody
is trying to fit as much fun into life while balancing work and family. I guess
it doesn’t really matter if you have a dog or a dozen kids, if you’re
career-ambitious or not. What’s important is enjoying the ride and laughing at life. In magazines and television, the image of falling into fall is a gorgeous one.
With summer wrapping up, it’s lovely to think of wrapping ourselves in wool and
cashmere – preferably in autumnal hues. We’re all lighting big fires, curling
up with a new book and steaming mugs hot chocolate. Just like my writing heroes
however, it’s good to remember that this is a perception – something to aspire
too – if that’s what you want. I don’t think I even own a cashmere wrap, let
alone have it near at precisely the right time when the fire is ablaze. My
reality is the weekends are full of kids sports and catching up with the
housework. As it gets colder I like to cook a Sunday roast and my highest
weekend aspiration is a walk with the dog and anybody else who wants to come
along.
The truth is I don’t fall into fall. I get dragged backwards through a hedge
into it. There are a lot of bumps along the way and quite a few unforeseen
events but that’s what gives my life its excitement. A decade ago I thought I’d
finished writing, having babies and moving house. Since then I’ve had two more
children, become an Amazon bestseller and moved continents - and I like it. I
love our loud, unpredictable big Irish family – full of chaos. Maybe someday
I’ll get a cashmere wrap but until then I’m hurtling through life without a clue
where it’s going. I can’t wait to meet Nora Roberts next week and launch Newton Neighbours
thereafter. Then I’ll focus on my next book, Lincoln Ladies and if anybody gets
a bump or cut along the way, we’ll deal with it (and I must remember to get
armed for Halloween too.)
I’d love to hear if you’re more a cashmere wrap or a chaos kind of person.
Connect with me to let me know. It’s giving me an idea for my next book...
Comment to win an e-book copy of Wellesley Wives and Newton Neighbors.
Lots of love Suzy XX
Newton Neighbors is a romantic comedy about the colorful residents of Crystal
Lake where everyone’s chasing something. Maria’s chasing her lost youth and hot
Puerto Rican body. Cathi’s chasing the house of her dreams and Jessica’s chasing
her man! That’s not all – Noreen’s chasing her randy Bulldog, Ely’s chasing a
business empire and Ricky’s chasing the sitter. It’s a story that flows from
Boston, to London and back to Puerto Rico on a wave of Botox, Bollinger and
fist-fights. When the only thing worse than a weak dollar is a weak martini, you
know you’re living with the Newton Neighbors.
Comments
22 comments posted.
Re: Suzy Duffy | Falling into Fall with Five kids, Nora Roberts & Newton Neighbors
Most definitely chaos. Life is never dull around here. What a
fun read.
(Mary Preston 6:30am October 5, 2013)
Where would I be without CHAOS....LOL
I get up 1/2 hour before the minions and they still manage
to forget things or need to go potty at the bus stop...yep
missed the bus that day :)
Then add the normal day to day...reviews, laundry, dishes,
oh and they totally want to eat dinner too. Yep chaos is my
life :)
On another note.....
I think it's awesome to get to meet Nora Roberts! I loved
her Circle trilogy!!! I think Morgan's Cross was my very
first book of hers...after that one I started engrossing
myself in her other books. I hope you have so much fun at
your signing.
(Billie Gaskill 9:02am October 5, 2013)
Anyone with no kids and over 12,000 e-mails would be a chaos kind of person!! From the moment I wake up, I have 2 kittens who are more than happy to greet me!! I come downstairs, turn on the computer, to try and play catch-up, with a steaming cup of coffee, after the kittens are fed, and wait for my Husband to wake up. My day gets more chaotic from there. I admire you for having 5 children, since my Doctor would not allow me to have any children, due to health problems, and I have to substitute my fur babies for children in the interum. I'm really looking forward to reading your book, but will have to do so in print, since I don't own an e-reader. I don't know where you've been, but love your sense of humor!! I'll be checking out prior books, and will be watching for future books as well!!
(Peggy Roberson 9:52am October 5, 2013)
This book sounds like great fun! Thank you for the chance to win the giveaway.
(Vennie Martinisi 10:28am October 5, 2013)
Chaos, never a dull moment. Thanks for the chance to enter your giveaway.
(Gayle Pace 10:38am October 5, 2013)
Being Puerto Rican myself, love books that are funny as well. I work long hours and appreciate a good book in the evening.
(Melissa Taylor 11:20am October 5, 2013)
Wow, you are one busy lady!!! We are definitely a house of chaos. My 2
that live at home, one daughter out in the big world, are both adults but you
'do never know it, lol. Thought by now my life would be empty nested.
Nope. Not sure it'll ever happen, lol. Please let it happen. I long for the
cashmere wrap kinda life, lol. Congrats on the new book and on doing the
event with Nora Roberts. What an amazing honor!!!
(Vicki Hancock 11:54am October 5, 2013)
Definitely chaos. That is what makes life fun.
(Pam Howell 1:24pm October 5, 2013)
Sounds like a fun story.
(Rita Wray 2:56pm October 5, 2013)
Sounds loke a very fun filled book. I wonder what I would be chasing if I were in that book.
(Sue Farrell 3:28pm October 5, 2013)
This book sounds like a real fun read...I swear our life is full of chaos but so good.
(Bonnie Capuano 4:19pm October 5, 2013)
Is there anything other than chaos? LOL I've never seen it.
(Marcy Shuler 5:42pm October 5, 2013)
It sounds pretty busy! I think it would put some perspective into my world :)
(Darci Paice 6:19pm October 5, 2013)
It is so true about life. Like everything, it is a question of balancing everything. Can't have too much of one thing because it could cause havoc and much unhappiness.
(Kai Wong 6:34pm October 5, 2013)
Wow, Congrats on your new books: WELLESLEY WIVES and NEWTON
NEIGHBORS. The book cover is cute too! Well, now that we are
older and retired our lives are more Cashmere Wrap type
people but all of our working lives we were running around
like chickens with our heads cut off and Yes then we lived
the Chaos Kind of life. The majority of my life I feel like
I am in the Twilight Zone for sure. When, I first moved to
Austin, TX I was working 3 Jobs at one time and I was always
like the little donut man meeting myself at the door and
making more donuts all day and all night. Hee Hee. I was
lucky to get 2 or 3 hours of sleep per day so I know what
people live through these days in their Rat Race Lives.
Never a dull moment for sure. I would love to win and read
your new books this Fall. Hang in there and I hope you can
find some peace and quiet and cashmere moments too! Thank
You very much. Cecilia CECE
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 8:31pm October 5, 2013)
My days are like a roller coaster, alternating between chaos and calm.
(Mary C 10:11pm October 5, 2013)
Love this post! As the mother of three young children, it is definitely chaotic around our house. Our life is loud, crazy, messy, and busy, but it works for us. We enjoy every minute of it!! Enjoy your time with Nora Roberts and your book launch thereafter. Congratulations!
(Britney Adams 12:29pm October 6, 2013)
Such credit to those who write and have young children. I was a magazine reader because I could read a short article when I took a fast break and the books were read at night time. I had 5 kids in 6 1/2 years so school was getting the jackets, boots, etc ready the night before. Now I read at leisure. Never thought of dry and wet blood, makes sense.
(Leona Olson 8:43am October 6, 2013)
Great post! I am definitely a chaos kind of person. In fact, I haven't seen organized and orderly in years and years. Have fun in your busy life, enjoy every minute of it as it passes much too quickly!
(Melanie Backus 9:14am October 6, 2013)
Sounds like cute book. I'm so jealous you get to meet Nora Roberts.
Thanks for the contest and good luck til next summer!
(Susan Falkler 9:56am October 6, 2013)
I love the book cover! I prefer not chaos and try to plan ahead, get in things we will need and so on. Though life sneaks up on us all.
(Clare O'Beara 2:49pm October 6, 2013)
Chaos seems to follow me as I'm a creative person and can
usually find whatever I need. Organizing is something like a
foreign language to me.
(Alyson Widen 5:48pm October 31, 2013)
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