Random Ramblings…

I have returned to land after my last submarine deployment for three years! It feels amazing and I was so excited to see my wife and two children. They were both a little shy when they saw me, but warmed right up to my unfamiliar visage after I was around them for an hour or so. Sophia is talking a lot more, saying more words clearly and starting to speak complete sentences. Declan has grown so much, acquiring numerous teeth and is almost walking around on his own now.

After the kids had been put to sleep for the night, I checked up on my work. “One Last Delivery” had received another 5 star review on Barnes and Noble, but that was the extent to it. It’s hard to be excited about your passion when nobody is reading it, sadly. Nothing, no new downloads, no new reviews, or anything for “SPIAR”, which I was hoping would have a couple random paragraphs written about it somewhere. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, but I am still carrying on, “SPIAR 2” is in the works, and is currently at 17,000 words. I didn’t write as much as I thought I would while I was out to sea, but I plan on catching up with where I want to be very soon.

I am intending on joining “Self Publisher’s Showcase” today in order to increase my visibility and to garner some new writing and reading friends. I’m hoping to get some good feedback on my writing this way. I seem to be getting a nice and steady download count for “One Last Delivery” on Barnes and Noble, which I find strange in some way. It’s only a short story, but I guess people are liking it very much. I have a couple more ideas for a few more short stories that will be titled “One Last…” I think that I am going to keep a series of them starting with that in the title, I think it has a nice attachment to it. My main focus right now, though, is my first novel’s sequel, and it’s hard enough to find the time to continue on with that.

The kids don’t nap anymore, which means that my only real opportunity to write is during the night time hours. After playing with the kids all day, and feeding them and changing diapers, my motivation is down in the gutter once the day is through. I need to regain my focus and charge on with my career, or else I won’t have anyone else to blame but myself for my work’s publicity.

Being back and about to transfer to a different command has me a little worried, I must admit. After serving on the USS Rhode Island for five years, I think that adjusting to a new CO, XO, and CMC will be hard. I know how things are run on the boat, who to talk to, and give advice to. I’m about to enter a whole new world in a couple months, but I guess I am somewhat excited as well.

That’s all for now, Sophia wants “Pizza! Pizza!”

Easy days and blissful nights,

V. E. Bystry

As The Sickness Piles Upon Me…

After work this morning, I hastily got to my car and drove home, exhausted. There was a text message waiting for me on my phone from my wife. Apparently the kids thought it was the perfect time to not want to go to bed, and she had been up with them almost the whole time I was at work.

I played my heavy rock music blasting in the car as I made my way home, anxious to climb into bed. When I arrived, I closed the garage door as silently as the rail guides would allow, and quietly made my way into the house. Expecting to see my wife sitting in my recliner, our son in her arms, I looked around the corner of the kitchen bar, seeing nothing. I shrugged and proceeded to dress down from my uniform. I put my cover (hat) on the counter, placing all my little objects that I carry with me inside. Base badge, wallet, belt, pen, thinking pad, and boot straps. I slowly set my heavy boots down on the floor under a barstool, and I draped my uniform on a dining table chair behind me.

I didn’t want to wake up in the middle of the night, throat on fire, so I deftly poured two tablespoons of Tylenol medicine and downed them with haste. Once I accomplished the task, I practically sprinted to my bedroom and jumped in, my wife already being asleep surprisingly.

I was out. I didn’t move from that bed until 1 PM. I’m not used to getting eight hours of sleep, I usually get about five hours a night. Not only did I sleep so long, but when I awoke, my sore throat was back with reinforcements and its ally, Mr. Runny Nose. I feel absolutely horrible today, I can’t really do anything except sit in my chair and wish that this cold would quickly run its course. I’m surprised that I have been able to get this blog post written, and with that, I think that I am going to attempt to knock out some more of my manuscript!

Easy days and blissful nights,

V. E. Bystry

Getting Down With the Sickness

Woke up this morning with a sore throat, unfortunately. Took care of Declan as usual, hoping that my cold wouldn’t invade him as well. He is already teething, making him fussy and sweating constantly nowadays. Don’t want him to be sick on top of all that. I seem to be gathering a few blog followers every time I write a post, so thank you all! I am hoping to reach out to others and garner a fan base. I would greatly appreciate any feedback anyone can offer me.

I haven’t written anything in my manuscript for a couple days now, a new PS Vita game has stolen what little free time I have, Rainbow Moon. I realized today that I’m not writing enough. I need to overcome my video game obsession and write, write, write! That is the only way that SPIAR will be completed. I may write a few video game reviews in the near future, as I have a plethora of games to play and complete.

Starting tonight, I have to go into work at around 2300 to stand watch for my Navy brethren until 0530. After that span of time, I’ve been awake for about 24 hours. I want to write when I get home, but I don’t know if I’ll be tired as hell or not. Once I do that for three nights, I have three nights off, which is excellent. It is a good deal, and one that I fully intend on taking advantage of.

Easy days and blissful nights,

V. E. Bystry

A Family of Three becomes Four

Tomorrow I will he welcoming my second child, Declan Grant Bystry into the world. To say that I am excited is an understatement. Don’t get me wrong, I was extremely pumped for my daughter, Sophia’s birth as well. With her turning two this year, I thought it would be great for her to have a younger sibling to play with, to experience life together and learn its lessons. Sophia is going to be a great older sister and I am so happy to being sharing this with the love of my life, Julie. They are the reason that I keep living and continue to strive for my goals. Even though I know I have many sleepless nights ahead of me, I will be logging many great memories that may one day be great stories to tell.

Easy days and blissful nights,
V. E. Bystry