Monthly Archives: August 2021

Short legs can jump big hurdles

6 Comments

It has been a long time since I have been in this space, this forum where I can talk about what I want, and when I want. Recently ‘when I want’ has been modified to be defined as when I can carve out a few minutes in this crazy time we call summer. The lodge has been abundantly busy, and I am now realizing I have not written here in almost a month!

The month of August has been fraught with long work weeks and not much time to write, but within the past twenty-seven days, I have managed to jump the hurdles Amazon had put in my path, and make it to the finish line, although it took a bit longer to reach that invisible line than anticipated.

Book number three in The Relative Series was meant to be available locally and online on August 21st, but Amazon required me to redesign my cover, so my publishing date was pushed back. Instead of conceding the race, I pumped my stunted legs and began the race again, vaulting myself over the freshly placed hurdles and I pushed myself, shoulders forward, to cross the altered, but hugely coveted, finish line.

Darkroom is now live on Amazon, and printed copies will soon be available in the local stores that have so graciously supported my race. I almost feel like creating a runner’s bib to wear when I deliver the paperbacks, signifying the tremendous effort that was required to re-enter the race, and finally claim my victory.

Soon enough, there will be more hours in the days ahead to rekindle the creative flow required to finish writing book four in the series called Root Cellar. The Beckett family secrets are bubbling in the cauldron of their twisted family concoction, and I cannot wait to see where this next segment of The Relative Series takes me. And throughout the moments I spend writing these books, I must remind myself, it’s not the destination I have to focus on. I must direct my attention to the journey on which my characters will take me to reach that final page.

Groundhog #4, and socks in July

Leave a comment

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” ~ John Lennon.

I find it hard to believe we are already halfway through the summer. The lodge has been full since the end of June, and time has marched by at an accelerated pace. In the blink of an eye, July has come and gone.

As I write this post, I am in my living room wearing clothes I would normally wear in the latter part of September, and, for the first time in ages, I am wearing socks in July. Writing those last six words has made me physically ill. I toyed with the idea of turning on my heat, but every nerve in my body convulsed as the thought was processed by my neural pathways. I made the choice to not give in to the temptation to rid the chill in the air by burning the dust in the baseboard heaters and, instead, I am facing the cooler temperature with a solid disposition of disdain.

If you follow my blog, you will know I unwittingly became a landlord to a family of groundhogs. Three of the furry creatures have been successfully rehomed, but the fourth rodent in the family has been quite successful at dodging my attempts to live-trap him, until today. By watching the activity on my lawn, I have surmised that this cute little intruder is the last of his generation to have taken refuge under my house. I can only hope I am correct.

Progressing into the month of August has given me a sense of renewal. The family of groundhogs will have been successfully relocated, and I am a few months away from having the time I need to get back to the writing schedule I truly miss. Book number three will be on the virtual, and local, shelves on August 21st, and I have every intention of getting back to my writing schedule in the fall so I can finish book number four and have it available in early 2022.

Life truly does happen while you are making other plans. I was eager to continue writing throughout the summer, but life succeeded in making those dreams remain dreams. Groundhog 4.0 will have found a new home by tomorrow. My July socks will be thrown into the laundry as soon as possible. And my writing will soon become the focus of the attention I have sorely misplaced.