Regular readers of my blog know that it usually is occupied by talk about my fiction writing, or the science behind the issues behind my writing. OK, yes, my beagle gets regular play. All right, and my grand niece Charlie. Occasionally, so do things I have turned up that are weird or notable.
This week I was intending to tell you a little about the Japanese efforts to scoop dust off a fast moving asteroid—and they may have succeeded! You may have missed it. I was going to tell you about it. Until this:
Life truly IS what happens while we’re making other plans, as Lennon noted. That’s Lennon, not Lenin, please. Monday night a fifty-foot Maple tree blew down in my backyard, clipping the main roof of my 120 year-old house, the roof of its summer kitchen and the railing of my back porch before crushing a portion of the lower deck under what I’m guessing to be a few tons of hard wood.
Now I have a custom squirrel playground where my backyard used to be. They seem to be quite delighted. I seem to be less so.
Instead of moving the production on my audiobook into Chapter 32 (of 41), as I had hoped, I have spent time this week with some terrific people from the power, tree removal and insurance industries (NOT sarcastic–we’ve been treated very well by all, at least so far). Tomorrow I’ll be calling for some cost estimates as this new hobby of mine enters phase two.
Kudos to Holyoke Gas and Electric, though, from the women on the phones to the men in the bucket trucks. First rate and considerate customer service, and from a utility no less— which we have come to know is SOP with this company.
Meanwhile, plot lines for my second book have been percolating madly. There is a thought among some writers and coaches that you can spur your creativity if you tell your brain you are NOT going to write today. Your subconscious will beg to differ. Oh yeah, smart guy watch this!
So I’m getting to know my new characters better in my head and scribbling things down like a bookie on amphetamines, all the while working the problem in the backyard. This is starting to feel like work. Something I thought I swore off four years ago.
In the meantime, if you’d like to sample the audiobook, here’s
Chapter One – Esther
Read Sample Chapters of HIGH GROUND
Richard Authier Lee 