The Curse of Devils' Den

Never in my life has something plagued me like writing Devils' Den.  This book nearly did me in physically.  Over eleven years ago, when I first started the draft of this novel, my left calf was suddenly covered with sores that didn't go away until a medical doctor did a series of spot injections around the area.

Not satisfied with the first draft and with Predators of Darkness begging me to finish it, I placed Devils' Den in a box where it stayed eleven years.  During this time, I finished the first three books in the Darkness series and never thought about Devils' Den.  Then, earlier this summer, I dusted off the manuscript and began the rewriting process.  The following week, the sores returned on my left calf.  I've taken antibiotics, used all kinds of antibacterial/antifungal creams, and other meds.  The sores faded for a few days, and once I returned to writing, they itched and returned.

After a relentless spring of promoting the re-releases of my Darkness series in Kindle/Nook/Paperback to online book bloggers, I bought a nice laptop so I could sit in my recliner and write.  This was great until a few weeks ago.  While writing the finishing touches on Devils' Den, I suddenly found myself in complete vertigo.  The room spun endlessly even though I was seated.  Sudden nausea hit me and I staggered to the bathroom, tried to vomit, but nothing came up.  I was so dizzy that I had to crawl out of the bathroom and back to my chair.  I broke out in a drenching sweat.

Needless to say, I was terrified, as were my cats and dog.  They knew something wasn't right.  An hour later the dizziness faded, so I researched the symptoms online.  It turns out that the dizziness is common with people who spend excessive hours typing at a laptop or even a regular computer monitor.  So now I have to divide time from the recliner to the desk to put more distance between my eyes and the screen, which has worked because I've not experienced that again.  Thankfully.

After the dizziness, I honestly believed I would have to stop writing, if this vertigo became a common occurrence.  So far, so good.  I'm still writing, not dizzy, the sores have vanished, and I am obeying the muse's commands for book four in the Darkness series.

Curse or not?  You read and decide.

For blurb of Devils' Den, simply read the preceding blog.

Cheers!