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Today we have the fabulous Tanya Michaels joining us to share how she recovers from being on a deadline for one of her books! Take it away Tanya!

Obviously, authors can’t just sit down and write a book in a single day. (Some people even have carefully scheduled, methodical processes that involve plotting and outlining. Damn, I envy those people.) What you might not know is that recovering from writing a book is also not accomplished in a day.

I’ve heard writing a book compared to being pregnant, but, to me, writing is more like being transformed into a zombie. You start with the initial infection of an idea and soon you’re shambling through the house muttering, “Pages! Paaaaages.” By the time you’ve skipped enough sleep and showers to meet your deadline, friends and loved ones fear you. This process is not easily reversed.

Every writer is a little different, but I think there are five basic stages to recovering from the excruciatingly draining act of pouring your heart onto the page and trying to think of exactly the right word (anywhere from 55,000 to 110,000 times.)

1. The restorative coma. Sure, you told the family you’ve ignored for weeks that you would spend quality time with them the second your book was turned in. But as they listen to you snore from wherever you happened to collapse (bed, couch, driveway), they’ll realize: you lied. Authors schedule EVERYTHING for “just as soon as the book is turned in.” Laundry, dental cleanings, weddings. But none of that is going to get accomplished until you’ve regained consciousness. Sweet dreams.

2. The binge-watch. You’ve slept as long as you possibly can, but you’re not quite ready to be vertical. Or to speak words after the noisy months of fictional characters talking in your head. Meet your new best friend, Netflix. (Or Hulu or HBO Go or DVDs from your local library.) Television is a great learning source for character, pacing, dialogue and sexual tension. (Reading is my all-time favorite pastime, but after staring at words on the computer screen for days on end, I need a brief break before I can enjoy a book.) After a particularly difficult manuscript, I watched my first ever episode of Vampire Diariesand went through about four seasons in a week. You’re judging me, aren’t you? Look, Ian Somerhalder’s eyes are very compelling, okay? This year, my husband got me premium cable for Christmas. My reward for meeting a December deadline was eight episodes of Outlander in a row. I regret nothing.

If you’ve written something dark/deeply emotional and need some silly to regain your balance, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is perfect binge-watching. But my all-time favorite go-to for marathon episodes is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

3. Quality time. Okay, the book is done and you’ve recovered sufficiently to form coherent sentences. Use this time to reconnect with the people in your life. Your loved ones deserve some attention after being patiently ignored. (Plus, how can you write complex, believable relationships if you have no real life relationships?) Hug your kids. Invite your parents to dinner so that they can see yes, you are still alive, despite not having returned calls for a month. Kick your significant other’s ass at Scrabble. Have coffee with friends. Some of these activities may require Phase 4…

4. Real people clothes. Put down the stained sweatshirt from your college days. Step away from the pajama bottoms. It’s time to rejoin the world of the living—perhaps even with brushed hair and lipgloss. You’re no longer pale, brain-craving, grunt-y Nicholas Hoult from the movie Warm Bodies; you’re the articulate version with color in your cheeks and places to go. Congratulations!

But, wait, you say, if I’ve moved on to an actual wardrobe that Tim Gunn wouldn’t burn and I’ve managed to leave my house, aren’t I cured? Almost. You are so close to total recovery. But the only way to know when your brain has completely, 100% successfully reset from that last soul-draining book is that you get excited about a new idea.

5. The shiny new toy. You did it! You are no longer sick of the sight of your computer. You remember why you fell in love with storytelling in the first place. In fact, you can’t wait to get in your chair and start sharing these wonderful new characters with the world. Pages! Paaaaaages.

Tanya Michaels hears voices and has been known to burn dinner because she’s too busy watching Netflix on her phone; her family loves her anyway. Tanya is also a six-time RITA finalist and the award-winning author of more than forty books, including the October 2015 title If She Dares, a sexy Harlequin Blaze about two neighbors and their ongoing game of double-dare. Follow Tanya on Facebook, Twitter and TanyaMichaels.net for updates on her books, her smart aleck teenagers, and her latest TV obsessions.