No, I haven’t
fallen off the grid—okay, I might have slipped the grid a little, but I’ve not
done so in my usual winter slump. I’d like to think it’s because after years of
practice, I’ve learned how to survive winter a little better. No, full-spectrum
lighting is not part of my W.S.K, (and as soon as I post this—just because I
have posted this—I may very well fall into a deep dark place), and I haven’t
returned to medication (aside from an occasional glass of wine in front of my
keyboard). And in spite of the brutal cold outside that started in November and
is now stretching into March (many mornings, like as this morning, it has been
well below zero), this winter has flown by for me. My secret? I’ve been
completing my first draft of my next novel, formerly known as Blind Sight.
Now that the
first draft is complete, a more appropriate title has emerged, BLIND STITCHES It fits much better
since one of the main POV characters is a seamstress, and the other is vicariously
‘blind’—that is, his delusional mother believes he is blind.
Having said that—about not falling into my usual winter slump—I must add a disclaimer about
the way winter may have affected my writing. BLIND STITCHES is a little on the darker side, psychologically speaking. Then again, it’s
difficult for me to be objective about my novels, especially when it comes to gauging
how dark, or twisted, or disturbing my readers might consider them. I will admit to a
sensitive constitution—I don’t like horror stories, and while I enjoy the
occasional thriller, it takes my nervous system days to recover. So, what I
consider dark may seem merely ‘dim’ to someone else.
I don’t have a
projected date of publication for BLIND STITCHES, but I anticipate
having it out there within the next six months. I need time away from it while
it’s out with my beta readers, and I will use that time to read some Russian
literature and to work on the cover layout.
Meanwhile, Portrait of a Girl Running has received some nice reviews and mentions—check these out if you
are inclined:
- A nice review at Digesting the Words
- The Bookscape Report—another good review!
- This is a review for Portrait of a Protege, and it's only 3 stars, but I really like it—an honest, gut reaction!
- Caught Within the Pages (this isn't a review--the blogger simply drives home for me the importance of an eye-catching cover, and her remarks made me smile!)
And I would
especially like to thank a loyal reader whom I shall refer to as Mr. Left8,
from over on the WoodenBoat Forum, who started a really nice post about mybooks. (For my long-time readers, you may recall that when I wrote Uncharted: Story for a Shipwright, I
spent a fair amount of time researching over at the WoodenBoat Forum, and it
was grand fun!) That thread, and those who contributed to it, were a huge perk
that helped me stay out of the doldrums!
