Back To Work

Following my forced hiatus to take care of the family emergency, things are getting back on track. And that means back to work for me. Whoever said retirement meant slowing down obviously has never been there. I'm working harder than ever, but for the most part, it's enjoyable work rather than the teeth-gnashing kind.

After all, one of my favorite places to plot my next scene or work through a knotty situation with my characters is while I'm floating in the salt water pool at my fitness center. It's a great stress reliever and helps me clear my mind of my daily problems and focus on my writing. If I go more than a few days without getting my swimsuit wet, I miss it.

It seems I'm not the only one getting my life back to normal. The golf course behind my house is back up and running after spending the summer recuperating from a bad fertilizer job. The temperature is coming down into the comfortable category and I'm looking forward to fall. As for my WIP, I'll figure out what Hawk's big conflict is (as if fighting the Revolutionary War isn't enough) and decide when to do the big reveal for Anjanette/Liberty (since admitting she made her money as a courtesan is not something you can just drop into a casual conversation). It may mean more visits to the pool, but I'm up for that.

Does this mean I can write off my fitness center membership as a business expense? Hmmm...

The Dark Moment

All of us who write romance know that a good novel has to have a dark moment. The hero and heroine might think things are going along swimmingly and they are in a happy place, but then the bottom drops out of their lives. They have to work hard, and fight for each other and their happiness in order to get to the happy ending. Here's the official definition:

The darkest moment in the book is when a character loses all hope - normally the protagonist. It's often towards the end of the book, because that's right before the inevitable happy ending (or not, if you're being cruel) will emerge from the dark.

My sister and her husband are in their dark moment right now. After months of searching for a place to live, they found a great house, and are scheduled to settle on their new home in a few weeks. Everything was moving along well until, as my sister calls it, what happened wasn't a bump in the road, but a sink hole. My brother-in-law developed serious, life-threatening medical issues, and is currently being treated in the hospital.

What will happen? Right now, it's all up in the air. I have my idea of what they should do next, my sister and hubby have a different idea, and her daughter and her husband have another solution. All I can say is however it plays out, and whatever happens, they will deserve the best, most elaborate  happy ever after ending.

Their story would make a great book. 

Kids Say The Darnedest Things

Mary and I are not accustomed to being around children, so having a visit from my great-niece and nephew has been an eye-opening experience. My brother-in-law had emergency surgery while staying with me and now his daughter, son-in-law and grandkids have come to spend a couple days with him and my sister. I am overrun with people of all ages. The little girl, Keira, especially, is full of questions about why I don't have any children of my own.

I won't detail all the embarrassing questions I had to answer tonight, but Art Linkletter knew what he was talking about when he said Kids Say the Darnedest Things. I've decided to enjoy this interlude in my life, immerse myself in being the grandmother I never had a chance to be and put writing on hold for a week or so.

Family Time

My month of August has been chaotic so far. My sister, her husband, and their two dogs, are between houses and are camping out at Chez Lower. Fortunately, the dogs are getting along fine. The people? It's been a challenge. Buying a house is a lot different than it was just a few years ago, and I've been helping get their paperwork in order for the mortgage company. That's as close as I've come to doing any creative writing.

Fortunately, I think the paperwork is finally coming to an end, and we'll just count down the days until settlement. At least I hope that will be the case. So maybe I can get back to work this week, writing the big battle scene from the Revolutionary War. Obviously, I need to be in the proper mindset for that. You can't just throw on a tricorn hat and be there.

So, while I do battle with the underwriter, and with the Battle of Machias, not to mention a printer upgrade no one told me about, I'll try to work in a massage and some pool time to keep my sanity. September seems a long way off.