I am so excited to have Ralene Burke with me today! Author of Bellanok: The Reluctant Savior, Ralene is a powerhouse, helping organize Realm Makers, volunteering at ACFW’s national conference, and leading her state chapter of ACFW.

How does she manage it all? I’m so glad you asked!

Here is a peek into a day in the life of Ralene Burke:

I’m an author. I’m also an editor and a social media manager. I also homeschool my three kids. And volunteer. And on rare occasions when there’s a blood moon, I enjoy reading or cooking or cuddling with my husband.

People often ask me how I do it all. I have a confession to make. I don’t. Ever.

Now, that’s not to say things don’t ever get done. Obviously, since I managed to self-publish an entire fantasy serial and then turn it into a whole book. And my kids can read. And do math. Most of the time.

I am one of those people who totally believes there’s no such thing as balance, something always falls to the wayside. But there is such thing as good time management when you make use of priorities.

I typically get up about 6:00 in the morning. I’ve tried to get up earlier than that in the past, but my body just refuses to believe that life can be sustained before 6:00. I try to kick off each day with some Bible study and quiet time. This often gives my mind time to wake up and focus, plus lets me fill my cup, so to speak. The days always seem to be easier if I start by giving it to God.

Then the family starts waking up, and we all get around to breakfast and morning chores.

School starts around 8:30. From then until about 3:00 p.m., it’s a mix of cleaning and school. We do a lot of reading and projects together. My kids have individualized programs for reading, spelling, and math; but the rest we do together. On different days, we also have homeschool co-op, therapy, gymnastics, and Tae Kwon Do.

If all goes well and we’re done by 3:00, then I have time to do some writing before dinner. I feel so much better when I get to write during this time, instead of feeling crunched later.

Dinner is often a family affair, including the making of and the cleaning up afterward. We can be so hurried throughout the day, whether to our various activities or just in homeschooling, it’s nice to sit down and catch up.

After dinner, I’m off to work. Granted “going to work” means my little office two feet from the kitchen, a room without a door. But still, it’s all mine. On good nights, I hide out in there until 10:00 at night. But sometimes I’m tired and it only lasts till 8:30 or 9:00. Here, I often jump between freelance editing and social media work. Then if there’s time, I add some words to my own WIP.

Then it’s reading time! I put on my PJs (assuming I changed out of them in the first place), snuggle up under the covers, and pull out a good book (okay, sometimes it’s a TV show instead). I try to keep my reading time to about 30 minutes with lights out around 11:00. Or 12:00. 1:00? Which is why 5:30 a.m. does not exist in my world.

Now, this is an ideal day. On any given day, I can wake up to any number of things that throws wrenches into my best laid plans. And I have to be okay with that. I have to be flexible and go with the flow, rearrange my expectations, adapt. In the end, I can only do my best and give the rest to God. He is the only one who is ever really in control.

On a side note, I am really excited about the release of Bellanok. This is the culmination of many years of work. You can find out more about Bellanok on my website, including the fabulous video Amy Brock McNew at Amaeris Designs Productions created, as well as the many amazing posts on the rest of this blog tour and my Rafflecopter giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much, Ralene!

Now, a little more about her delicious book, Bellanok.

A haven for myths and legends…until evil discovers a way in.

With evil darkening the mountains to the north, the fairy queen, Fauna, must journey from the island realm of Bellanok to the modern world to find the man the Creator appointed to save their kingdom. A man she has been dreaming of her whole life.

Brian is a down-on-his-luck pastor on the verge of giving up on God. He’s tired and frustrated–a failure. No sooner does he make a decision that jeopardizes his career than an unusual blonde woman shows up and tries to convince him he is some kind of savior.

Fauna must open Brian’s eyes to a different reality, and Brian needs to embrace the haven’s secrets. If neither of them succeeds, Bellanok will succumb to evil and the world will lose all trace of innocence.

Isn’t that cover beautiful? And I absolutely love the range of mythical creatures Ralene includes in her story world.

Check out the book trailer by Amaeris Designs Productions!

Isn’t that gorgeous?

Thank you so much for joining me today. I’m so excited about this new book!

In Him,

Michele

Whether she’s wielding a fantasy writer’s pen, a freelance editor’s sword, or a social media wand, Ralene Burke always has her head in some dreamer’s world. And her goal is to make it SHINE! She has worked for a variety of groups, including Realm Makers, The Christian PEN, Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, and as an editor for several freelance clients. Her first novel, Bellanok, is available on Amazon!

When her head’s not in the publishing world, she is wife to a veteran and homeschooling mama to their three kids. Her Pinterest board would have you believe she is a master chef, excellent seamstress, and all around crafty diva. If she only had the time…

You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, or her website.