Recuperation Period

Yes, I survived. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to send me love and good wishes. Yes, I have a wonderful husband who is taking good care of me, but it's nice to know other people are out there, too. Someone once said they didn't feel they needed to check on me because The Big Guy was there, and he is, but does that mean he's the only one who cares about me? It's nice to hear from EVERYONE, to feel the love and support. Did I mention the basket of cookies I got? The perfect gift for a cookie monster.

A week out of surgery, I figured it was time to start thinking about the new story again. My head is clearing, I'm moving around again, I'm getting antsy.

I'd planned to get some serious writing done while I'm on leave, and while I'd made a couple of attempts at Chapter 1, I'm envisioning something different. The direction I've started isn't bad, but it's missing critical elements, like where is this story going? What are my characters' goals?

To get into the mood, I'm listening to a podcast my son recommended to me. It's sort of like listening to Mystery Theater, a radio show I listened to when I was a kid. I also read a book by Victoria Holt to get me into the mood, and I discovered I picked a lemon. I always knew I didn't like her Australia books, but this one was badly outdated and did NOT withstand the test of time. I wanted to slap both of the main characters for acting so poorly and playing mind games with one another. As I look at my TBR pile, I've been trying to decide if I make a dent in that or re-read a Susan Elizabeth Phillips that paid homage to the Gothic authors we grew up with. I still have a hankering to write something like that, but as I've learned, the stories will be what they will be. All of this amounts to ways to kill time rather than put words on the page, and I'm anxious to write!

In case I don't make it out alive...

By the time you read this, I'll have survived (or not) my second hip replacement surgery. The risk is low, and I had no qualms the first time. The first time, while they told me all the things I'd never be able to do again, I weighed it against all the things I couldn't do "now." Three years later, I have my life back! I am doing many of the things I couldn't do before that surgery, even if it means I can't run or play tennis or ski ever again. I don't feel 100 years old. I can actually move, ambulate, walk -- all without pain. "Before," people would talk about how they didn't feel their age, how it was just a number, and didn't I feel that way? With the hip in the condition it was in, I felt every bit my age, and older. I no longer feel that way, thanks to the miracles of science. So why am I worried about Hip #2?

When I had children, the first child was a miracle from start to finish. Every moment of pregnancy a wonder. I was looking forward to the delivery, even if I knew it was going to be scary and painful and whatever. It was a new experience to be savored. And then I got pregnant the second time. While it was every bit the same miracle, I began to worry about what could go wrong. Why? Beats me! Everything had gone well the first time - for the most part. I had no reason to think the second pregnancy would be any different, but there were differences (every pregnancy is different, just like every child is different). In the end, the labor and delivery was actually easier, but for whatever reason, I was much more worried the second time around. Shouldn't experience make you less worried? Maybe because the novelty is gone you don't look at the "wows," you look at the "what ifs."

I'm in that same boat now. They're doing the surgery differently this time around. It's supposed to be easier, recovery is supposed to be faster. Less painful. Fewer restrictions. So why am I worried? If it was harder last time and I came out like a champ, shouldn't I be excited that it will be easier this time? Maybe I'm hearing my father's voice saying "she could die!" Maybe I read too many articles presurgery about how there's a risk of nicking the femoral artery. My doctor is a pro. He's done this a million times. He's well respected. He knows what he's doing. So even though I'm writing this before the fact, I'm confident I'll be back to blog for you in another week.

Probably.

Post Script: I survived.

Charming Chimneys

This past weekend I took a tour of one of President Roosevelt's "New Deal" towns. Back in the 1930's when the "boys" were returning from war, the United States wanted to ease their transition by giving them affordable housing to come home to, along with jobs. Enter Eleanor Roosevelt and her three "Green" towns, one of which was in Wisconsin.

Essentially, the returning vets could apply for housing in these towns based on their income and rent the houses from the government. The government also provided a base of stores and services to get things rolling, and within two years, the vets were able to buy the houses and take over the businesses.

The town I toured still resembles the town it once was, and the people who grew up there stayed. The town is close to a big city, close to an airport, and yet it is insulated from the rest of the world.

There's a statue of Norman Rockwell, painting on the village square. A fountain dedicated to Eleanor Roosevelt, and other statues/monuments throughout this family-centric town.

Because the original housing is now 80 years old, there is some maintenance that needs to be done, although the construction was designed to last - and it has. With changing times, some modifications were necessary. For instance, most homes are no longer fueled by coal. Chimneys are no longer used, which causes moisture to creep in and decay the structure. Enter one of the townspeople, a mason, who not only repaired the chimneys, he wanted to hide the "knot" his repairs caused with an artistic touch so he covered the knot with artwork. These chimney decorations add to the charm of the town.

Hooray for... Arrowood?

Luck of the Irish

As you wander the streets - and they're all connected with walking paths, many of the roads don't go through to minimize the through traffic - if you look up, you'll see examples of what makes this town unique. It is holding on to its history, while maintaining its civic pride. Here are just a few.

Berry Ct.

The hand of God

Police - represent!

...And the firemen

Getting to Know You - Characterization

While I've made a running start on the new book, I haven't laid any groundwork ahead of time. My process is not always the most efficient way to dive into a project.

Many times when I start a new book, I have the basic premise, an idea of who the main players are, and a general direction to start out. Like driving to the next state without a road map until I hit the unfamiliar roads. I've traveled that direction before, so I know how to get there. Sort of. Some times you can fake your way, and sometimes you need directions. I'm not afraid to stop and ask where I am.

Sometimes it takes several chapters before I know my characters, so this method of starting out without the map isn't always a bad thing. It gives me "driving time" with them so I get to know them first, but eventually, I have to stop for a cup of coffee at the diner along the way to find out what makes them tick. Before we go any further, I need a road map. Goals. Motivation. Conflict. Why they act the way they do. Who they are deep down? Why are they on this journey? Where are we headed? Me? I'm just the Uber driver.

Because my writing time has been restricted so far this year, I only have the basics down. I know what drives my main character, I know her inner conflict. I have a basic grasp of the story. I have some peripheral characters, but I need to know more. Who is the antagonist? What are they going to do to get in her way? What is her journey in this story? I've reached the coffee shop on our trip and it's time to sit down with her and find out about her family and friends, about what her destination is and why she's going there. Then I need to spot the roadblocks along the way that she isn't expecting (that's my job as the driver). I also need to chat with the other characters to find out what role they'll be playing in our journey. Like the antagonist. What is he/she after and why does he/she think my main character is in the way? And then there's the whole concept of theme and genre. Is this going to be romantic suspense? Women's fiction? Mystery? I'm working to expand my brand with this one, and potentially lay the groundwork for a new series.

So I'm going to take a few minutes, sit down over a cup of coffee and talk to my character. Find out more about her. Get to know her. She's my pivot point, and she'll tell me where I need to drive. That's the exciting part about being a virtual Uber driver. Each passenger takes you to different places, and half the fun is getting to know them.

Slow Release

Slow release is a new-to-me term with the arrival of a multi-cooker in my house. Reference: InstantPot or a Ninja Foodi.

R2D2

The final day job deadline was yesterday, and after three months in the pressure cooker, we are now on "slow release." Essentially, instead of people peppering us with work and unreasonable demands, now we go into a steady stream of work, but my team is now running for the hills, taking time off. Decompressing. The work is still there, so those who aren't running immediately will still have to deal with lots to do and less people to do it. Slow release.

With the end of deadline season and fewer very long days, I'm hoping to reclaim some of those hours for myself and my writing. Yes, I have time off scheduled (recuperative, in more ways than one) for 4-6 weeks where I can dedicate myself solely to making up stories once again.

To my team at work - way to go handling very intense deadlines this year. To my readers - I've got some new stuff coming, including a "sweet" holiday romance that I'm shopping.

While I'm redirecting my focus, I'd love to hear from you. What would you like to read more of? In this world we live in, are you finding yourself looking for a different kind of story? Tropes you like better than others? Things you used to like that suddenly feel off? I'd love to hear from you!