Now that summer is almost gone, I’ve asked myself what I accomplished. Did I just languish during the dogdays that began in July and continue on? Summer was never so short when my younger self experienced these humid, lazy days. In recent years, this senior body rejects heat and humidity. All the better to stay inside and count my blessings as I color and read.
I once jotted in my notebook: Nothing ever stands still. A living thing either grows or dies. The old adage that we’re never too old to learn still applies if we don’t want to live a stagnant life. Hmmm. So, what of my summer activities? Did I learn anything?
Hubby and I have seen every townhome design in our price range, and remain waiting for the one to call our new home. Perfection is impossible, but we want the pros of a place to outnumber the cons. We’re hopefully looking as I compound patience to my learning curve.
Productivity is pretty much impossible without goals. In June I attended Wild Deadwood Reads book signing, and had a lovely time. I tried to follow that up with mind focus and preparation for brainstorming my next writing project. I enjoy searching my ideas file, and then like to take time to percolate story aspects for a couple weeks before I set down any planned prewriting for beginning that new project. I always aim to accomplish something writing related if I’m not embroiled in working on a particular project by the end of a designated month. That can be going through old paper or computer files and purging.
I spent volunteer hours in our church’s new library. We celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary by a visit to Beyond Van Gogh, an immersive experience. Along the way I signed a contract for a Christmas novella and took care of edits in July.
Never before have I had six books with my editors, three nonfiction and three stories in a series. With so many projects waiting for contracts, it’s difficult to get excited about brainstorming another. Anticlimactic, or what? The main idea rolls around in my mind. The research for historical data and decision for setting are still up in the imaginary idea balloon I picture above my cartoon head. The character forms and names/places are waiting. I have yet to create the goal grid and start pre-writing in preparation of racking up the word count a thousand at a time.
I look forward to the pleasure of brainstorming, as well as the fulfillment of living in a particular setting based on an imagined place or one I’ve experienced for real. The creative, honeymoon stage of a new story makes me kind of spacy in reality, especially when my story people take over what comes from my fingertips onto the screen. And then the euphoria of completing a first draft without editing can only be described as giddiness. I love looking at life through the eyes of my hero and heroine, while I continue an open and excited I-love-what-I’m-doing perspective. Those around me comment on my spacy mind and enthusiasm.
Yes, a new season is only a few short weeks away. In the meantime, I rest in the promises of familiar and loved Bible verses. Lifetime verses, such as Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. And Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
I once jotted in my notebook: Nothing ever stands still. A living thing either grows or dies. The old adage that we’re never too old to learn still applies if we don’t want to live a stagnant life. Hmmm. So, what of my summer activities? Did I learn anything?
Hubby and I have seen every townhome design in our price range, and remain waiting for the one to call our new home. Perfection is impossible, but we want the pros of a place to outnumber the cons. We’re hopefully looking as I compound patience to my learning curve.
Productivity is pretty much impossible without goals. In June I attended Wild Deadwood Reads book signing, and had a lovely time. I tried to follow that up with mind focus and preparation for brainstorming my next writing project. I enjoy searching my ideas file, and then like to take time to percolate story aspects for a couple weeks before I set down any planned prewriting for beginning that new project. I always aim to accomplish something writing related if I’m not embroiled in working on a particular project by the end of a designated month. That can be going through old paper or computer files and purging.
I spent volunteer hours in our church’s new library. We celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary by a visit to Beyond Van Gogh, an immersive experience. Along the way I signed a contract for a Christmas novella and took care of edits in July.
Never before have I had six books with my editors, three nonfiction and three stories in a series. With so many projects waiting for contracts, it’s difficult to get excited about brainstorming another. Anticlimactic, or what? The main idea rolls around in my mind. The research for historical data and decision for setting are still up in the imaginary idea balloon I picture above my cartoon head. The character forms and names/places are waiting. I have yet to create the goal grid and start pre-writing in preparation of racking up the word count a thousand at a time.
I look forward to the pleasure of brainstorming, as well as the fulfillment of living in a particular setting based on an imagined place or one I’ve experienced for real. The creative, honeymoon stage of a new story makes me kind of spacy in reality, especially when my story people take over what comes from my fingertips onto the screen. And then the euphoria of completing a first draft without editing can only be described as giddiness. I love looking at life through the eyes of my hero and heroine, while I continue an open and excited I-love-what-I’m-doing perspective. Those around me comment on my spacy mind and enthusiasm.
Yes, a new season is only a few short weeks away. In the meantime, I rest in the promises of familiar and loved Bible verses. Lifetime verses, such as Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. And Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
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