Apologies...

Hey everybody,

So you might have noticed that I have been MIA for the last couple of weeks. My apologies, but a lot has been going on in my camp that isn’t writing related but has most definitely had an effect on it.

First off, on Monday, June 8^th, 2015 I quit the job I have had for the last three years as a corporate security specialist with a company contracted to amazon. I did it suddenly. I finished out my shift, called my supervisor and told him I wouldn’t be returning. I showed some pretty great restraint by not just walking off the job that morning. I have to tell you, even though it wasn’t my style to leave a job without doing the full two weeks’ notice, it was the best decision I could have made for myself given the circumstances. A huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

It was like leaving a three year long abusive relationship.

Now, that being said, I didn’t leave without a plan in place. Not a lot of people know, that for the last year, I’ve worked three jobs. My full time Monday through Friday security job, I’ve been a full time author and I also did part time weekend / seasonal work for another security company.

Well, when I left the aforementioned Monday through Friday gig, I immediately went to work for the second security company full time. The schedule was a hard shift from having to be awake at 06:00 to having to be at work at 06:00. Additionally, I went from doing corporate security to a much more attention intensive position as security at a cargo facility. Port security and Corporate security, while both security positions are two completely different animals. It’s like comparing a lion and a tiger. While both of them are cats… yeah.

So I’ve been at the new job a full week as of yesterday. I’ve already pulled at least one double shift and worked at least one of my days off, and I have to say. I am much, much happier here. I feel like I have purpose again. I am respected and appreciated by my supervisors and my coworkers. We take care of each other out here and it’s a beautiful thing… it’s just been requiring a lot more of my time until I settle into the new groove of things.

I know I owe three of you swag packs and I am hoping to get them out by Friday of this week (June 19, 2015) and I am so sorry for the long delay. I will begin picking up on making takeovers and more appearances both online and in person, likely starting in late July / early August, just to give myself plenty of breathing room.

I have several completed books that are working their ways through the editing process. Books that are set for release all the way up through January of 2016, so I have time to get back on track with planned writing projects soon and there won’t be any interruptions in publication. (Basically: Don’t worry, your entertainment reading crack supply from A.J. Downey will go uninterrupted.)

I miss you guys. I miss talking with you and interacting with you on a daily basis and I promise you, I am still here. If you need or want to message, I will still always answer. I just might take a little longer to reply.

That being said, I feel really excited, almost exhilarated about this new life change of mine. Changing jobs is sometimes a scary prospect, even more so when you do things like take a pay cut to do it, like I did. Still, in the long run, this will be much better for me, mentally, emotionally and by default from those two things alone, physically. I’m looking forward to the new adventures ahead with this new company and with my writing, so stay tuned. I may go quiet but I am, for sure, not going anywhere.

Much love,

XoXo

A.J.