How can another month end so soon after it just began?
With the heat of summer finally at hand, I’ve been belatedly spreading pecan shell mulch around our shrubs to hold in moisture. Already the scattered tomato plants look a little happier; and working in early morning coolness has been pleasant exercise.
A friend warned that with pecan shells, I could expect flocks of crows to descend. It’s the wrong time of year for crows to flock (or do you say murder?), but the doves do happily peck around for pecan bits.
Year’s Goals
With the year half over, my goal—to have a complete draft of the Pawn Quest trilogy’s third volume by December 31st—is feeling ever more urgent.
Meanwhile, to get myself well grounded in story and characters, I’m reviewing the beginning chapters. It’s important with so many threads of plot and subplot, to provide the reader with a clear, defined narration, so I’m going over the first half with that in mind. This is contrary to the advice I’ve read that says keep going till the end. My characters have to come with me, after all!
With luck (not to mention necessity), I’ll build up a head of steam and keep charging forward . . .
Where has the time gone?
In recent months, I’ve twice been drawn into a different writing endeavor. It is important to follow one’s enthusiasms.
The verse & vignette novel I call Sky’s Daughter, is based on the The Goose Girl tale. My first beta reader will have a print-out of the entire draft on Thursday.
Two things in particular please me:
- It doesn’t have the plot slow-down problem of my other fairy tale retelling, The Hidden Tower, and
- Its message speaks across the years to contemporary concerns.
No blog last week—
Since it was an emergency room visit that curtailed the energy needed to upload a blog last week, I feel a need to mention it. I don’t recall (though my memory may be faulty) ever going to the ER for myself; Urgent Care, yes.
An ER visit has to be worst for the one in pain. However, once one’s partner’s pain has been relieved, the onus is on the attending companion to pay attention, and wait, and worry about the unfed, unwalked dog at home, and wait . . . Exhausting and stressful.
All seems resolved now, and so this blog shall re-appear.
Kate Harrington 