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Well, well, well. We’ve entered a season of vague updates. Very good news indeed!
Updates will get vague because I’m working hard on my next book/deadline. As is typically the case for non-self-published authors, many of this project’s details are not mine to share. Even if I could share, I come from the Stephen King school of draft with the door closed, edit with the door open. That messy first draft is a private affair.
What I can and will share: process, process, process.
Last week I traveled to the Jersey Shore for the first of two research trips this month. The main character in the new book unexpectedly inherits a beach bungalow with lots of emotional history. While my family did not provide the initial inspiration for this story, we do have a beach bungalow that’s been passed down and enjoyed by several generations. I stayed there for a few days taking notes about the setting and getting back into the drafting headspace. I also met up with my aunt to chat about settling estates, what it means to inherit a property like this, and why many people choose — or feel compelled — to sell it and split the proceeds.
Oh, and I did a bunch of writing! It feels really good to get momentum going on a draft again. By the time I left on Monday morning, I didn’t want to put this book down. I spent the train ride up doing Duolingo lessons, reading, and refreshing social media. I spent almost the entire train ride home writing.
The difference a few days can make!
Also, if you’ve never been to the beach in October, I highly recommend it. The sun is still warm and it feels like Golden Hour all day (that is, unless it’s cold and stormy — but such is life on the coast). Maybe not prime sunbathing weather, but still perfect for taking long walks, reading a book in a hammock or beach chair, catching some surf, and checking out lots of migrating birds.
This time we got an extra special treat: the aurora borealis! First we walked to the beach after dinner to look around, but we saw nothing. I tried to take some pictures of the moonlit ocean to send to a friend, but couldn’t get a clean one — did I really get my thumb over the lens every time? I have a visual arts degree!
No, I did not get my thumb over the lens. The visual effect I saw was actually the aurora’s magenta hues. An hour later our neighbors knocked on the door and told us we had to come out. I still didn’t see much of anything, but they said, “Use your phone!”
I held up my phone and magic appeared on the screen. Very cool. Not quite as cool as seeing this much color with the naked eye, to be sure, but I’m very glad I didn’t miss this experience.
As if all that wasn’t enough, I’m headed back to Jersey at the end of next week. I hope to clock some more writing hours, interview a local realtor, and maybe even hike through the nature preserve — for setting research, of course.
Hope you’re enjoying this beautiful October so far!
xoxo,
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