North Carolina

My husband and I have just completed a 900-mile road trek from western New York to southern North Carolina, and I'd hoped to post a photo taken early on the second day of the trip: sunrise in the Blue Ridge Mountains - all deep blues and lavenders and rose. But I've not yet been able to transfer the photo from phone to computer.  Maybe tomorrow.

Meanwhile, these two photos reflect what I'll be doing here:

No, not photography (though I'll continue to take photos), and no, not self-reflection (though that is ongoing, as well) . . .

I'm focussing on the new work-in-progress (not the one to be published in September - that one is finished), this new one that is three-fourths complete. What is it really about? What is IN there? I can almost see it.  Almost.  It came from me, but it isn't me. What is it?

I usually have to ask my editor that question when I submit it:  "What exactly is this, anyway?"

If you know, please let me know, mm?

A North Carolina Day

It's one of those North Carolina blue sky spring days and the wind is blowing and the birds are winging and singing and the pollen is making it all a fuzzy sort of day.

Those new buds on the tree opened up overnight, and that's how a new story is arriving, too: with each morning a new revelation, like something opening up in a burst. I tried to stop it–I'm not ready–wait–but it won't be stopped.

Outside, the dogs are losing their hair (and horses, too, I've learned from Lori Skoog), and even the trees seem to be shedding. Don't you love birch trees?

The tall pines are whipping their heads around, shaking pollen from their hair . . .

And me, I am outside, looking around . . .are you?

January Beach Day

For those of you who are snowbound, I almost hate to show you this photo, taken today on the beach in North Carolina. Sixty degrees. Not too hot, not too cold. Just right.

Walking on the beach is one of the best ways to solve problems, either in 'real' life or in stories-in-progress. On such a walk last January, a solution to an awkward bit in the new book arrived, unbidden.

You reach down to pick up a broken shell and instead you pick up a gem of a character.

Ahhh.