WHAT'S A WRITER TO DO?

I really don't get it. How come I have to have a major clear-out every few months just so I can get into my study and write? I filled a huge black sack with unwanted rubbish a couple of evenings ago and produced a bin and a half full of shredded letters, receipts, circulars - all of which had mysteriously accumilated in my little sanctuary of creation without my knowledge. Having made it a safe and clear space again, my intention last night was to go in and write, write, write. So why did I spend the evening watching Tom Hanks in Castaway on BBC 3? Okay - so it just happens to be one of my favorite films and he just happens to be (in my humble opinion) one of the world's most talented and enduring character actors (and a personal favorite of mine I have to admit). But I have the DVD sitting up on the shelf, so why watch it on TV?. Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice.

I think it is actually because I am a little bit out on a limb just now. The third and final Yuck book is finished and with Sarah the Publisher and the second in the series is almost complete - I saw the cover art last week by Ashley the Illustrator and it all made it kind of real. It looks as if the second one will be published this autumn and the third one next year some time. All exciting stuff. But of course now the series is written, what do I do next? I don't have an actual project - just about a million and a half ideas. I went to the London Book Fair with Hubby on Tuesday in search of inspiration. I think I overdosed on it. I couldn't help it! There were new books and publishers' catalogues and publicists and fellow writers at every turn and I came away fired up - so fired up in fact that I am still smouldering with exhileration.

I guess now would be the right time to stand back and take stock of things really. I am still in my utterly thankless PA job - I never dreamt in January that I would still be looking for a new job come mid-April - with no sign of change even on the horizon. I still desperately need Time to go out and publicise the Yucketypoo series properly. On top of all that, another publisher has asked for the first three chapters of my historic novel - which I haven't even started yet ( I did not expect such a fast response from them when I emailed last week to ask if they would be interested in it) and there are slow uneasy rumblings within the company where I am working where words such as 'cut-backs' and 'redundancy' are making distant (but palpable) unhappy echos. I haven't mentioned this to Hubby yet as rumblings they still are, and I know he would only start to panic.

So what's a writer to do? At least I am no longer in the depths of despair. I am in turmoil for other reasons. So. Do I start the historic novel? Do I get back to my poetry (which is my real purpose of being)? Do I take the first job that comes along per chance the unhappy rumblings become reality?
Or do I just wait and see what transpires? Any ideas? Or commissions?

Answers on a postcard please...