Steward Setback Saturday: An Ed Calkins Spinoff? Apparently, Yes.

Saturday, June 29, 2019

An Ed Calkins Spinoff? Apparently, Yes.

A couple weeks ago, a BryonySeries fan suggested I write a prequel to the Ed Calkins Steward of Tara, Irish vampire character.

I felt only Ed himself should write it and told her so. Then I suggested the idea to Ed, who said he'd "think about it."

A few says ago, while checking personal email during my walk home from work, I received this "telegram" from the Steward himself.

Dear Momi,
 
I've started something I could finish but I don't want to go any further if I'm on the wrong track. This is a rough draft. At this point I only what to know if this is the first chapter, would you read the second.

Attached was the first chapter, which I read.

Then I went onto the second telegram:

Another rough draft maybe chapter two.

My question here is; do you care about Trudy and would you read chapter three?

I read chapter two and then replied, "Definitely!"

Here's what makes this remarkable, even if you're a first-time reader of this blog and have no idea (or even care) who Ed Calkins is.

Ed's been writing stories for over five decades and making up stories about himself for probably just as long. He's dyslexic and scatterbrained (his own admission). His computers have crashed and taken his stories with him.

All of which I incorporated into my books, using Ed's own words.

 “Have you stopped to consider what’s fair to me? Do you know what it’s like to have stories bursting inside of you, only to hand-deliver, since I was a lad, newspapers full of other people’s stories, and not be able to put the right words down on paper? I’m so dyslexic and scatterbrained, even spell-check doesn’t recognize my words.”
           
“I don’t care,” John-Peter began, but Ed continued as if he hadn’t spoken.

           
“So, I wind up changing the word to get past spell check, but when I keep writing that way, I kill the story. I keep trying, because I can’t stop writing, yet, on the other hand, I can’t finish anything. My life is full of half-begun novels. I couldn’t even finish one about Hannibal, my hero, foe of Rome! So, in high school, I switched to poetry, but it never sounded like any of the poetry I ever read.”


When I fictionalized him for the BryonySeries, I gave Ed space on my blog, starting back in 2010 when I started the blog. He's written nonsensical Irish humor based on my books ever since.

This includes my "Irish genealogy."

BTW, I am not Irish.

Two years ago, I took that collection of genealogical blogs and published a book for a Calkins Day celebration (there's a whole back story to this, too much for this post) at the Book and Bean Cafe in Joliet.

I didn't tell Ed. He was extremely touched. I didn't know his lifelong dream was to see something he'd written published.

I ordered 40 books. We sold all about 11 at that event. I cut him a royalty check and sent him on his way with the rest of the books.

For Calkins Day 2019, we held a limerick slam at the cafe. The following day when I talked to the cafe's owner, she suggested partnering with me to host Calkins Day 2020.

And she had some very particular ideas about the event.

Ed's work-in-progress, which is very well-written for a first draft, will fit very nicely with her plans.

Which means he needs to get it written, so I can edit it, publish it, and order copies before the end of January.

It is no small thing to help make someone's dream come true. That's the point of this post.

I'm humbled to be part of it. I'm grateful to the BryonySeries fan for suggesting it.

Most people don't have other people investing in their dreams. Their dreams live and die with them.

But how wonderful if we could change that!

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: I Spent Some Time In Munsonville After All

Monday, May 19, 2014

I Spent Some Time In Munsonville After All

Friday I hit the sack fairly early (for a Friday night) as I was the on-call editor for the weekend, and I also had two stories to cover.

Before running to the bank, I did some postings for one newspaper, edited next Monday's pet feature, wrote a nice draft for Friday's A&E feature, and then, that afternoon, covered a cook-off benefit for homeless and disabled veterans and had coffee with one really nice poet. I headed back to The Herald-News to write those stories, got back to the apartment about six-thirty, worked out in the fitness center with Daniel, and then grabbed some poor boy sandwiches with Daniel and Timothy. Rebekah was spending the weekend in Morris, so I had our room all to ourselves.

:)

At eight o'clock, I settled down at the computer for a lovely four and a half hours of working on the prequel, racking it up well after midnight for a shower, into bed oneish, and then up at seven to start my postings for two newspapers, church, a visit from Joshua and company, grocery shopping, etc. etc. et all.

One of the smartest things I have ever done, prequel-wise, was to print out all my chapter notes to this sixty-chapter tome and three-hole punch them into a binder. This allows me to carry the story around with me at all times, constantly reviewing the story every spare few minutes I have to keep the entire storyline fresh in my mind and jotting down ideas, dialogue, descriptions, phraseology etc., as they come to mind.

So,  yes, under this new regime, I am working on the novel every day(finally, as I can hear some of you say), and my extended time at the keyboard has become far, far more productive.

This week, with a three-day holiday at its end, The Herald-News has early deadlines. I plan to give the next five days the intensity it needs to ensure three days of no official work at the end of it. With the exception of church on Sunday (dedication at Joshua and Amber's church for Ezekiel and Jessica), I intend to spend those three days round or about the nineteenth century.

Cannot wait, cannot wait, cannot wait.

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: NaNoWriMo Day#6, Some Thoughts About the Prequel Thus Far, and Another "Bryony" Moment of the Day

Monday, November 7, 2011

NaNoWriMo Day#6, Some Thoughts About the Prequel Thus Far, and Another "Bryony" Moment of the Day

Prequel Chapters 4, 5, 6: Check!
Word Count: 1329
New Files Opened and Notes Made: General Research, New characters, New Places, Backstories

Alllll righty then! I'm back in the novel-writing saddle!

Despite the usual routine and two family emergencies, Bryony's prequel is on its way. I've done some terrific rough drafts on three chapters, delved into some of the history behind them (Praise God for the internet!), opened three new files of notes for further research that needs to be done, and added new info to the fourth.

Of, course, I did get behind in my "regular" work, so this morning requires some restructuring. Nevertheless, that is completely do-able (I hope).

Since the drafts of Bryony books two and three required far less historical background than the first, I'd forgotten how much fun I'd had recreating a past time. And, because this book ventures into all the back stories, there's a ton of new characters to name and enliven, all with THEIR back stories. It's an exhilarating process.

Another Bryony Moment of the Day. A book designer posted a video on my Facebook wall today. She said it reminded her of Bryony. Watch and see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bobskjQwWI

Jigsaw Puzzle Writing With Sprinkles of Contemplation

Many years ago when I was a young mother, I read a story about a woman who wrote a book about mothering while she was raising a large family.

When others expressed amazement at her accomplishment and asked how she managed it, this woman said she had learned to "use small modules of time." It's a phrase that has stuck with me and one I've implemented through my adventures in not only writing, but parenting and homeschooling.

And, for now at least, it's become my new normal, for two reasons.

One, I often don't have the luxury of large unscheduled bits of time, except (maybe) one day a week when I'm able to plan for it.

Two, I'm finding the final novel in my Before the Blood prequel challenging to write. Since it's the culmination of the trilogy as well as the prequel, it's not just another novel. The story arc, characters, plot, pace: all of these most have a more compelling tone and "feel." 

And it just ain't happening yet.

So here's what's emerging from the confusion. I focus on bits of the story and write that well and allow the rest to simmer in the back of my mind until it becomes clear and crisp, sort of like assembling a jigsaw puzzle while cooking soup.

They're two separate activities that somehow will fit together in the end. Each has its own time, rushing the process spoils both.

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Writing Goals for the New Year

Monday, January 2, 2012

Writing Goals for the New Year

I have not set any New Year's resolutions for a long time, perhaps, because I'm continually setting and refining goals all year long.

However, having survived twenty-four particularly challenging months, with no relief yet in sight, January 1 seemed an appropriate opportunity to refocus, refine, and construct a writing plan for the ensuing three hundred and sixty-six days.

*  Scrap the notion that "fun" composition should be reserved for when I have time. If the past two years have proved anything, it's that I will never have time, if I don't consciously schedule time. Sounds simple, but when you're facing multiple deadlines, looming household tasks, crushing financial obligations, and two teens still requiring schooling, seizing even that lone hour feels, in the moment, anyway, feels cheap and irresponsible.

*  Immerse myself in literature of past centuries to develop a writing voice reflecting different eras and cultures, which I feel is important for Bryony's prequel. Good excuse for checking out books I've deferred for when "there's time."

* Assume additional editing and assessment projects to help cultivate the composition talents of other writers, even as I seek out and learn from the critiques of more polished authors, reporters, essayists, and bloggers.

*  And, most importantly, have fun! Sometimes, I'm so lost wading through haystacks of details and ticking minutes, I forget to enjoy the process.

What resolutions have you set for 2012?

Writing Goals for the New Year

I have not set any New Year's resolutions for a long time, perhaps, because I'm continually setting and refining goals all year long.

However, having survived twenty-four particularly challenging months, with no relief yet in sight, January 1 seemed an appropriate opportunity to refocus, refine, and construct a writing plan for the ensuing three hundred and sixty-six days.

*  Scrap the notion that "fun" composition should be reserved for when I have time. If the past two years have proved anything, it's that I will never have time, if I don't consciously schedule time. Sounds simple, but when you're facing multiple deadlines, looming household tasks, crushing financial obligations, and two teens still requiring schooling, seizing even that lone hour feels, in the moment, anyway, feels cheap and irresponsible.

*  Immerse myself in literature of past centuries to develop a writing voice reflecting different eras and cultures, which I feel is important for Bryony's prequel. Good excuse for checking out books I've deferred for when "there's time."

* Assume additional editing and assessment projects to help cultivate the composition talents of other writers, even as I seek out and learn from the critiques of more polished authors, reporters, essayists, and bloggers.

*  And, most importantly, have fun! Sometimes, I'm so lost wading through haystacks of details and ticking minutes, I forget to enjoy the process.

What resolutions have you set for 2012?

NaNoWriMo Whatever Day It Is and Giving Thanks

Okay, since I've delayed the official Herald News story,  here's the incident that (sort of) kicked me out of the National Novel Writing Month.

I love antiques, and my house is full of them. One particularly heavy dresser, with heavy drawers that stick, belonged to my maternal grandmother. On November 9th at  8:15 p.m. exactly (I know because I had just looked at my computer clock and realized I was fifteen minutes later feeding the cats), I decided to grab some cozy flannels and set up for a shower while the kitties were eating.

As I was shoving the resisting drawer back into place, my calico, Faith, decided at that moment to leap across the room and grab onto the draw to peer inside. I slammed her paw flush into the drawer, leaving her dangling. I never heard an animal scream as she did. I quickly pulled on the drawer, and as I did, Faith, in pain and fright, sank her teeth into my thumb.

Owwww! PAIN!

The drawer popped; Faith dashed away; and I knew I was in trouble. I flew down the stairs and into the bathroom and started washing out the wound in hot, soapy water, forcing the pinholes to bleed. Faith stood at the top of the ladder crying, crying, crying. My thumb was already reddening and swelling, but it seemed impossible infection could be developing so soon. The redness, I told myself, was because I have chronic hives; the warmth I felt was due to the fact I was running my hand under hot water; the swelling and tenderness was trauma to the thumb bone.

I comforted Faith and then showered and climbed into bed, but the status of my thumb bothered me. I remembered the past cellulitis incidents of my children and how rapidly a soft tissue infection could spread. I recalled a neighbor who, after noting a slightly red hair follicule, took a short nap and awakened to a swollen face; he died en route to the hospital. I switched on the light and examined my hand. The thumb was definitely red and swollen. I turned the computer back on and typed in "cat bites."

I learned one could adopt a "wait and see" approach with some dog bites, depending on their severity, but cat bites must always be considered a medical emergency. The combination of their long, sharp fangs and the particular type of bacteria they carry in their mouths meant a bite from them literally injected that bacteria directly into soft tissue. I was already sleepy from the drowsy antihistamines I take at bedtime, so I needed a ride.

Ron had to be at the warehouse in three hours, so waking him up was the worst option. Timothy was already in bed and had to be at work at seven o'clock in the morning. Christopher had been dragging all day and was nearly asleep, but he works from home and had nothing pressing to do the next morning. Sooo, after enduring all of his "you're paranoid" and "this can wait until tomorrow" comments, we were off to the ER.

Confession time. I don't know if it's because I have allergies, chronic hives, and asthma (and have experienced the unpleasant consequences of those afflictions), but I have a medical phobia. I am not afraid of hospitals or needles, but of the substances I have to swallow--or have injected into me--in the name of healing. I fear nasty side effects and allergic reactions. I FEAR them. However, I feared worse what might happen to me should I not treat this a cat bite, so here I was in this unhappy predicament.

The ER trip was straightforward, as I feared it would be. One tetnus shot (My last one was in the summer of 1986) and my choice of two antibiotics. Because I'm allergic to penicllin (big surprise), the protocol is one antibiotic from each of two lists. The nurse rattled off two medicines I'd never had--doxycycline and clindamycin--which meant, if I became allergic to either one, I wouldn't know which one.

Sigh. Decisions.

Let's back up. Just two weeks ago, my daughter and web administrator Sarah Stegall had four wisdom teeth removed. Preoperatively and during the post-op period, she took low doses of prescribed clindamycin. On day nine of her treatment, she emailed me a photo of a pimply-looking rash over her shoulders and chest and asked me if it was subcutaneous emphysema. I called her.

"Subcutaneous emphysema? Do you know what that is?"

"No," she said, "but a friend had it after having wisdom teeth pulled."

"That's not Subcutaneous emphysema, but I am concerned about the rash."

Sarah was not. "It doesn't itch."

"Doesn't matter. Have you ever had a rash like this?"

"No. I woke up with it today."

"I'll call you back."

I researched clindamycin reactions and found it can, indeed, produce a distinct pustular rash. I emailed Sarah and told her to show her pharmacist. She agreed to do it later. I awakened the next morning to frantic texts from Sarah. She was in the ER, rash spreading, throat tightening, in pain with two dry sockets and waging war with the doc on call, who claimed it was impossible to have an allergic reaction to a major antibiotic. Abridged ending 9minus the unprintable comments I had about the doc): antibiotic stopped, new pain meds initiated, and an ER trip to the dentist for socket packing. Fast forward to cat bite.

"Can I take Bactrim?" I'd had drug for the first time last year for a leg abcess (another long story), and I had tolerated it "okay."

That eliminated the doxycycline, but the nurse insisted I still needed the clindamycin. I told her about Sarah's reaction and my phobia.

"Have you ever tried Flagyl? We could use that one instead."

I didn't like that option either because that was another unproven drug for me. SIGH! Yes, I know there's only one way to prove it.

"Well," I said slowly. Rebekah did well with clindamycin. I'll try it."

The nurse brought in the clindamcyin first and suggested I wait half an hour before taking the Bactrim. That way, if I had a negative reaction to the clindamycin, I'd have it in the ER.

Well, I did fine with the Clindamycin, and then the Bactrim, so I was sent home with the next morning's dose and told to expect the hand, which was now as swollen as the thumb, to get worse before it got better. I was also instructed to elevate the hand as much as possible, although typing was not prohibited. Just what a features writer on deadline wants to hear.

By next afternoon, I was running a low grade fever, and the infection was traveling up my arm. The plan was to now temporarily stop the Bactrim and initiate ER IV anitbioitic treatments with a powerful cephalosporin used to treat bacterial meningitis. In theory, so I wouldn't have to be stuck each night for the next five nights was to leave the port in my arm. However, I ended up blowing every vein, so the result was a painful arm by day and a new stick each night.

On Monday night, after the last treatment, and as I was stepping out of the shower, I noticed a familiar-looking rash over my chest and shoulders. It was Day Five of the clindamycin. I called the ER (It was 10:30 at night), rattled off my dilemna, and mentioned my next dose was due in an hour. I was to resume the Bactrim in the morning.The nurse consulted with a doc and told me to stop the antibiotic and see my primary tomorrow.

I did, hoping I had enough germ-busting drugs in my system to skip choice number two from list number two, but I wasn't that lucky. She wrote a one-week prescription for Flagyl. From the very does, swallowed at home in a flurry of anxiety, and, within ten minutes, I felt a tightening of my body from head to toe.
\
Now, let me explain that I experienced a similar reaction to an abundance of epinephrine when I had the pheochromocytoma (an adrenal gland tumor; again, another long story), so I dismissed (sort of) the reaction to my anxiety. I also had the same reaction to H2 agonists last year when a doc prescribed them as a secondary drug for the hives, but that drug also produced a rapid heartbeat, which did not happen with the Flagyl.

Do you see why I have a drug phobia?

Sooooo, since tachycardia was absent, I chalked up the reaction to nerves. The next morning, I hardly felt the squeezing, but the following night, it was back. The following morning's dose was fine and so on, until Friday night when, five minutes after I swallowed my Flagyl, I experienced a pressure so strong, I had difficulty swallowing and typing; my muscles painfully ached. That's when I realized my morning reaction might be milder because I was full of all the antihistamines from the previous night.

Shaking all over, I called my doctor, and she told me to stop the medicine and complete the Bactrim. As a precaution, she suggested I add Benadryl to my anithistamine cocktail, but since I take so many and with "off label" dosees, I decided to monitor my symptoms and go to the ER, if necessary. I was fine.

I did, noticing the Bactrim also caused the same symptoms, just milder, so it's definitely a drug I will use with caution in the future.

So what does this all have with National Writing Month? Well, these allergic reactions and infection treatments took a huge bite (so to speak) out of my already tight schedule, as I frantically rushed to complete the assignments already on deadline.

I did, however, establish a habit of working on the prequel for one hour a day. Basically, I go through every chapter, flesh out the outline in place (not quite to the first draft stage yet), and make lists of the topics needing further research. I have worked my way through nearly a third of the prequel so far and that is one-third farther along than I was October 31.

I also, for the first time, had no assignments bleeding into the four-day Thanksgiving weekend. This meant I made a nice dent into the beginning editing of Visage, of which I am highly pleased.

Finally, I found some wonderful support and understanding in the person of Tommy Connolly, Bryony's media researcher and developer, who recently appeared on Animal Planet's Extreme Animal Phobia series to treat his bat phobia.

Every day, he sent a nice Facebook, "How's the paw," message and encouraged me in my courageous facing of the medicines. While I'm not quite at the stage of saying, "Wow, I'm so glad this happened. Look at all the good that came from it," I'm certainly thankful and appreciative of those things, just the same.

And Faith? Well, she was a little shy the following morning, but we cuddled and made up. Seriously, if she would have slammed my hand in the drawer, I probably would've bitten her, too.

Harder.

NaNoWriMo Day #9 and Sneak Peek at "Bryony" Music

Bryony Prequel, Section One, Chapter 8: check!

Word Count: 818

It's James Onohan Wednesday!

The official Bryony CD, The Best-Loved Compostions of John Simons is released and available for purchase through James' website. Samples of all the tracks, including the Bryony theme song, are also on that site.

Even if you're not a lover of piano music, I think you will find James' music hauntingly beautiful. And if you do enjoy quality piano music, no further words are required. A recent reviewer of Bryony just emailed me and said the music sounds just like John. So while you're waiting for Bryony's release, check out this music and get a glimpse into the personality of Bryony's lead vampire.

To listen, visit http://jamesonohan.webs.com/My%20Life%20Bryony.html

NaNoWriMo Day #8 and How Soon Before "Bryony" is Available?

Bryony Prequel, Section One, Chapter 3: Check!

Word Count: 842

Very soon, I hope!

Now that the "red tape," has HOPEFULLY been resolved (and which details, I also hope, can be shared in another blog), I'm meeting with Bryony's book designer on Friday, and we're picking through my notes in the proof copy.

Again, hopefully, we shall finish that last bit of editing (a result of over-editing at this point, but that, too, is a long story), re-upload the manuscript to the printer, find that the red tape has been finally cleared, and order (another hopefully) what should be the last proof copy.

We're targeting a Thanksgiving Day release date. Please send up prayers, well-wishes, nice thoughts, etc., that we're a go this time.

In the meantime, there's been plenty to keep me busy: the usual and customary family drama (and a few additional mountains, too), the prequel to outline, the completion of the press kit (another photo shoot tomorrow), homeschooling, and the welcoming of my third grandson.

I've set aside the editing of Visage (for now) in favor of the prequel and helping to edit Tommy Connolly's (Bryony's media researcher and developer) upcoming book: Soul Parole: Making Peace with my Mind, God, and Myself.

In the book, which is based on his blog (www.tommyconnolly.blogspot.com) Tommy candidly details his journey from life as an addict to new life as a Christian, comedian, and actor. Tommy will donate a portion of the book's profits to  go to Chicago-area addiction, homeless, and mental health centers and programs.

I also have, in various stages of beginnings or completions, two press releases about two outstanding volunteers, a press release about a new hip procedure, a story about a family's fight against polycystic kidney disease, how a youth ministry internship changes a journalism student's life, and an American Idol-type competition.

Coming up this week is a local resident's first CD, a woman who designs fashion-conscious clothing for medical patients, An Extraordinary Life piece on a man who fabricated his original jewelry, and an empath. Also, thankfully, next week's schedule is also full. Plus, I'm on the look-out for a pet story for next Tuesday.

Wish me luck!

NaNoWriMo Day#6, Some Thoughts About the Prequel Thus Far, and Another "Bryony" Moment of the Day

Prequel Chapters 4, 5, 6: Check!
Word Count: 1329
New Files Opened and Notes Made: General Research, New characters, New Places, Backstories

Alllll righty then! I'm back in the novel-writing saddle!

Despite the usual routine and two family emergencies, Bryony's prequel is on its way. I've done some terrific rough drafts on three chapters, delved into some of the history behind them (Praise God for the internet!), opened three new files of notes for further research that needs to be done, and added new info to the fourth.

Of, course, I did get behind in my "regular" work, so this morning requires some restructuring. Nevertheless, that is completely do-able (I hope).

Since the drafts of Bryony books two and three required far less historical background than the first, I'd forgotten how much fun I'd had recreating a past time. And, because this book ventures into all the back stories, there's a ton of new characters to name and enliven, all with THEIR back stories. It's an exhilarating process.

Another Bryony Moment of the Day. A book designer posted a video on my Facebook wall today. She said it reminded her of Bryony. Watch and see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bobskjQwWI

NaNoWriMo Day #5 and "Bryony" Moment of the Day

Well, it's not even a week into National Novel Writing Month, and I've already slipped away from my best resolve.

Never mind the excuses (and they were good ones, too). I really could have given one hour to the deed had I structured the remaining hours of the day differently. Instead, the proof copy of Bryony beckoned me, which did needed to be scanned for errors since I'm meeting with my book designer on Friday, and, even though I knew I was lying to myself, I decided to quickly read through JUST ONE chapter of the book, then bang out my promised chapter of the prequel.

You can guess what happened.

Even more embarrassing, once I came back to the prequel today (with the equally good intention of writing TWO chapters, along with four writing assignments and the day's assorted fires that needed extinguishing), I spent more time typing in the research that needs to be done if I'm to chronicle the events in that chapter correctly.

In short, I really could've and should've written it yesterday, because it was hardly a brain-taxing task.

So now I'm behind and the only way to catch up tomorrow will be to write those two chapters...and the four writing assignments, sigh!. I did, however, finish the proof copy of Bryony, and that's leaving me feeling pretty darn satisfied.

On another note, did you know I belong to a fan club? It's one dedicated to the 1970's British comedy trio, The Goodies, and, although I haven't visted the site lately, there's an ongoing forum topic called, "Goodie Moment of the Day." That's where fans post random occurances with a Goodie "feel."

Recently, I've had several "Bryony Moments of the Day." Today, I'm posting a link to a story I wrote a few weeks back. It's about a family with a christening gown dating from the 1890's that has been passed down the generations. It's made, of all things, from Irish linen. When I met with two of the family members, they had brought the actual gown for me to see and touch. Wow!

Here's the link. Enjoy!

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/7674670-423/family-christening-gown-in-use-since-1894.html

NaNoWriMo Day #4 and "Markheim" by Robert Lewis Stephenson

Bryony Prequel, Section One, Chapter 3: check!
Word count:  1789

"Markheim," by Robert Lewis Stephenson, first published in 1884, opens on Christmas Day with the protagonist badgering a shop dealer for the perfect present. The gift, however, is a cover for the protagonist's real motive, which is murder, then theft.

As the protagonist moves about the shop, seeking money, fears of being detected and having the dead body exposed plague him, until a supernatural being warns him of impending visitors and offers to point him in the right direction.

Whenever I read this story with my teens, I always cover the last line and ask them to guess what happens. They are invariably wrong.

Read the full text at
www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/1851/

NaNoWriMo Day #3, Kitty Alarms, and Middle-of-the-Night Cleaning

Bryony Prequel, Section One, Chapter 2: check!
Word count: 1378.

Faith, my calico, woke me up at three a.m., and I am happy for that, but not for my kitty's original intention. I had overslept, but her stomach clock had "dinged" an hour early, so for the next sixty minutes, she, and all her relatives, mournfully followed me around the house while I drank coffee and swept floors, wondering why I wasn't feeding them yet.

Living in a house that never sleeps means I rarely need to set an alarm clock, for I can always count on a "meow" or a phone alarm (Timothy sets it to take his medicine) waking me up should I snooze past my customary rising time.

Luckily, sleeping late rarely cripples my writing schedule, but it does cut into my housework time. A messy, disorganized house seems to breed messy, disorganized minds, which are definite handicaps when you and your family work and school from home.

For some people, those midnight cleaning sprees are insomnia cures only, but for me, they are the most logical times to clean the bathroom, scrub the floors, and note the little projects that need attention (the coffee cart needs reinforcing, the little white bathroom table requires a coat of paint, and the aluminum can bag needs changing).

That's because I not only live in a small house with any number of people and cats moving about it all day long, my life revolves around deadlines, jumping from task to task all day long, and extinguishing fires. Three o'clock in the morning cleaning marathons afford me a long stretch of quiet time, perhaps accompanied by my mP3 player and ear plugs, to scrub, clean, and mentally write. This last is very important since it dramatically cuts down the amount of time I sit staring at a blank screen when I should be typing masterpieces.

And speaking of masterpieces, the computer clock says 6:37. Time to get cracking on that novel!

NaNoWriMo Day #2

Yesterday: First section, Chapter 1,  rough draft: Check!

Word Count: 1968

It's only Day two of National Novel Writing Month, and I'm already losing heart.

I overslept, so my already bursting at the seams "to do" list for today is shouting out for attention and doing a good job of squashing any fledgling good intentions of writing Chapter 2 today.

Luckily for me, yesterday, I tucked the outline I had previously written into the back of my head and allowed ideas to simmer there all afternoon and evening. At bedtime, I was still jotting ideas, so I'm not starting with am empty slate.

I'm going to do it. I'm going to write that prequel's first draft this month. Period.

The schedule is now face-down on my desk; my appointment book is closed. I'm ignoring all the frustrating red tape that's preventing the first and current Bryony book--already dressed in its glorious proof clothing--from hitting final publication. I'm posting this blog, turning off the objections, turning on the right mood music, and getting those half-germinated ideas into my computer where they belong.

Then, and only then, will I turn my attention to the rest of duties clamoring to be heard.

Nineteenth century Munsonville, here I come!

Christmas in Munsonville, 1893

Very early yesterday morning, way before dawn, when we were driving in the falling snow and throwing newsapers (I say newspaper carriers are modern shepherds), my mind stepped back in time to December 25, 1893, in make-believe Munsonville, Michigan.

The view spread before me certainly had much to do with it. We deliver a wooded area near the I & M Canal, where we do occasionally see mist rising off the water before the sun rises, so that, mixed with the snowfall, the colored lights adorning old-fashioned homes, and James Onohan's "John Simons sounding" piano music breaking the stillness stirred my imagination, and I savored it.

Because while Bryony absolutely contains scenes from Christmas Eve, Christmas DAY is still locked away in my mind, waiting its turn to become part of the story in Bryony's yet-to-be-written prequel.

Someday, others--one, five, ten-whoever has an interest--will read that prequel. Yesterday morning, however, the enchantment was all mine. Cool, cool, cool.