Janet Roberts
As writers, we understand the power of revision. Like shifting tides, life fluctuates. With each movement comes change. A tweak. A slight edit. A major overhaul. A resulting calm stretch. An ensuing realization.
Have you lost a dream you still cling to, a dream you were driving hard toward achieving when something derailed it? Getting it back on track is a lot like manuscript revisions. Take it from someone who had to perform major edits just as my dream of publishing a new book came true.
The Dream Begins: Retirement
Finally, it was time to move full speed toward dreams that had carried me through years of 50-hour work weeks. I would write, travel, and pursue a healthier lifestyle. I signed a hybrid contract with a small independent publisher, confident that my marketing strategies would recoup my investment. For four months, I focused on launching my novel, What Lies We Keep, taking a trip to Europe, and visiting the gym more often. As my launch date of May 7, 2024 fast approached, life was good.
Life Revision #1
My youngest brother, Doug, is a diabetic—a disease that makes every medical situation more difficult. A severely infected sore on the bottom of his foot required a hospital stay, nursing home care, and subsequently, months of trips to a wound care clinic. For four months, our family shared taking him to appointments, picking up groceries and prescriptions, cleaning his house, and helping to take care of his dogs. I marketed my book—now available for pre-order—from my phone in waiting rooms.
Life Revision #2
The day my book launched, Doug’s toe was amputated. No Zoom book launch party. No cool Instagram ads made on Canva. I fielded the launch needs again from the hospital waiting room via my phone, hoping to reconnect with my original marketing plan after he completed rehab and returned to an independent life. But the next day, frightened and shaking, Doug told me something was wrong. His vision wasn’t normal, and he couldn’t move his fingers. He deteriorated daily for a month in a nursing home before he was sent to the ER, unable to swallow. Neurologists determined he had been infected with the West Nile Virus causing a condition called CIDP that temporarily paralyzed him from the neck down.
Life Revision #3
Soon after, my publisher sold the business to a young couple new to publishing. Support from an experienced team disappeared overnight. Marketing was fly-by-the-seat of your pants to achieve whatever was manageable. I decided the book would do as well or as poorly as fate determined. My focus remained on Doug and his challenging healthcare needs. The neurologists said Doug was the worst case of CIDP they had ever seen.
One Year Later: The Revised Me
Against the odds, Doug moved forward and improved, battling his body, government bureaucracy, and more. Despite all the challenges, What Lies We Keep won five awards, and in August 2025, I took back my rights and published it on my own. Sales have improved, and I’m much more relaxed about my new book, Wired For Magic, launching March 31st.
Rather than drive hard toward a dream, I focus on small, valuable moments like family, writing, faith, and community.
Life crashed around me like boulders tumbling down a mountain; yet, I’ve developed a better mindset because of it. Life, in all its revisions, is a gift.
Janet Roberts is a former global leader in cybersecurity education. Her books are set wholly or partially in Western PA, where her roots run deep. Her readers know to expect a female character who awakens to the discovery of her own inner strength while facing adversity. Wired For Magic (2026), her first fantasy thriller, combines a strong woman, magical realism, suspense, and elements of cybersecurity. She’s also the author of the award winning novel, What Lies We Keep (2024). A member of Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Sisters in Crime, she lives in Pittsburgh and loves traveling, wandering through bookstores, reading on her porch swing, and sharing a bottle of wine with friends. Learn more at https://www.booksbyjanetroberts.com/ or on Instagram @janetroberts77