What I'm Reading (and a tribute)

In the past year I’ve had a lot of time to read, and it’s been heaven. I kept a list—the totals are running into the hundreds now,--but the books I enjoyed the most were Ariana Franklin’s Mistress of the Art of Death series. The first was Mistress of the Art of Death, introducing Adelia, a twelfth century version of today’s CSI and her lover Rowley, and, my favorite part, the family she creates for herself in England, far away from her home in Salerno (where she grew up and attended medical school—in the twelfth century! Yes!).

When I’d finished Mistress I immediately went to B&N.com to see if there were other books, and there were (The Serpent’s Tale, Grave Goods and A Murderous Procession), so I quick-like-a-bunny-rabbit reserved them at the library and read them like a woman rescued from the desert gulps down water.

I had to wrench myself away from the fourth book to scoot up to Flagler Beach to have lunch with my Noodler friend Merrillee, but as soon as I got home I sat down to enjoy the (cliff-hanger) ending. Wonderful!!! I noted that Franklin’s website was listed on the flyleaf of the book, and, curious about when the fifth book in the series would come out, I pulled out my trusty Netbook and looked her up.

Much to my surprise—and horror, if you must know—I discovered that my new favorite author had passed away in January of this year.

I couldn’t even look at a book for the next four days. I felt as if I’d lost a friend—or friends, if you will, because I had come to love all the characters in the Mistress of the Art of Death series.

And not a word, anywhere, about the future of the series.

A little piece of me hopes that someone, perhaps one of Franklin’s daughters, will complete the series and give Adelia and Rowley their happy ending. A larger piece of me will always remember Franklin as one of the most accomplished writers I’ve ever read.

I’ll miss you, Ariana.

Of Stories and Things

The muse is really on my case this morning. I want to write, I need to write. My brain is working on a story problem, specifically how to get the heroine of my WIP into the guest room bed of my bachelor hero’s bachelor pad...

Question: Would a bachelor who lives in a bachelor “pad” have a guest room?

...in a way that is not too rushed, not too obvious and not too coincidental (see Harlequin? I really do pay attention).

Answer: Yes, especially if he’s a big-shot Denver developer whose apartment takes up one-half of a floor of a big-shot Denver condo building that not only has a media room but also a sauna right there in the apartment! Rich people. Ya gotta love ‘em.

I think I’ve got it—the pacing I mean. I just need to sit down at a computer that’s not hooked up to the Internet, and not on the back porch near any form of wildlife or plants that need to be mulched. Or weeds that need to be pulled. I need either to go in the house and lock myself in the study where I can’t see the hummingbird feeder which seems to have dead ants inside the sugar-water container or just cry uncle and call the day a waste.

But nooooo.

I started out the day with a goal, I really did. It was to get the vacuum cleaner downstairs by 11:00 a.m. That was it. You see, I’ve just been through four days of having the flooring replaced on the ground floor of my townhouse—a job that should have taken one day, two at the most—but anyway, it took four days because of a moisture problem. For two of those days I stayed cooped up in the house with the air conditioner on (that moisture thing again) and I hate to be in the house with the air conditioner on. I’ll get enough of that when summer rolls around.

In order to reach my goal for the day I turned off the computer at 10:37 and went in search of the vacuum. Along the way found the laundry that didn’t get done because of the flooring project. I sat in the new chair in my study. I watered the plant in my bedroom. I dragged the vac and the laundry downstairs. I vacuumed the porch and put on a load of clothes in the washer. I sat down at the computer again to have this nice chat with you. I feel much better now. More organized, more efficient, less like the not-a-multitasker I really am.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to clean out that hummingbird feeder and think some more about my book. But I promise I'll only do one thing at a time.

Later…

Back And Better Than Ever

Apparently miracles do occur. After nearly nine months of being unable to access this blog, I'm back in--and so glad to be here.

Retirement continues to be a wonder.

I've lived in my home for almost 23 years and this is the first spring I actually noticed that the whirly-birds on the maple tree in the back yard come out a deep red before they turn brown and fall to the ground. Then I have to rake them up, but oddly, I don't mind.

I had no idea how many projects I could get into in such a short time. I painted inside the house--a wonderful color called Brown Rice, that turns a peachy color at dusk. I love the color, but even better I love the fact that I notice it.

My muse was kind enough to sit quietly until I could get to her during the heavy-duty project period, never screaming "What about me?" but gently reminding me "We haven't written yet today. Let's go do that now."

I instituted the "Sunday Review" rule, where I make myself sit down on Sunday afternoon (or evening--I'm flexible) and go over what I've accomplished for the week. I'm noting word count on each project and preening over my progress.

My goal for 2011--shout it out, sister--is to have all my current projects finished by November 1st so that I can participate in NaNoWriMo.

Guess I'd better get to it. My RWA chapter challenge for the year is 250 words per day and I'm determined to participate. WalMart calls, though. I need another can of spray paint to finish a poster frame painting project.

And the beat goes on...

New Day, New Start

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning. Ivy Baker Priest

After 25 straight years of working 9:00 to 5:00 (with only a few days between jobs for the 10 years before that!) I've finally retired and realized my dream of writing full time. I took a few days off to rest, regroup and read some of the treasures in by TBR pile, and now here I am, trying to figure out what it means to write full time.

First I realized that full time at home, where my time is my own, does not mean sitting in front of the computer all day, every day, creating worlds where every heroine finds her perfect hero (although that, of course is the goal). Eventually the bathroom has to be cleaned and the carpets vacuumed. Food has to be cooked and consumed. Impatient birds demand seeds in the feeders. Family requires attention.

Then there is my muse, who has her own agenda. I call her Dorothy. I picture her as sort of cranky TinkerBell. She may or may not lead me to fantastical places like OZ, but she definitely has plans for me. She's more than a little dismayed that the cowboy books, so long on my flash drive, are not finished and on an editor's desk. She wonders if the coming of age story that takes place in my beloved Kentucky, will ever see the light of day.

I answer, of course, yes. Those stories, and others, will be finished, published and lauded.

But when? Dorothy whines.

Soon, I say. Just let me sweep the kitchen floor, and I'll get right on it.

Karen

P.S.

I'll be posting on a Monday/Wednesday/ Friday schedule. I'm hoping to have some writer friends contribute guest postings, sharing their wisdom and tips for staying at the keyboard even while life intrudes.

P.P.S

Do yourself a favor and bookmark this blog. No need to exhaust yourself typing out that loooooong title!