I Want To Be a Planter

Sia had a lovely guest scheduled for today who unfortunately had to reschedule. So today I'm filling in instead. ~ Kat Sheridan

I’m going to try to be a Planter.


I'm thinking this is a Pumpkin Spice Latte

OK, I know how weird that sounds. But hey, it made you look, right? Let me explain.

NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month, begins on November 1^st. For those unfamiliar with the insanity, the goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. That’s 1,667 words every day. For the first few days it’s not bad. You might even skip a few, seeing the month stretch endlessly out before you. “I’ll just write twice as much tomorrow,” you tell yourself. If you’re not careful, that quickly becomes “OMG, even if I write 20 hours a day for the next three days, I’ll never catch up!”

Not that that’s ever happened to me. Ahem. Anyhoo.

The idea of NaNo is to turn off your inner editor and just write. Get all free spirited and new-agey and unleash the Kraken and stuff. For someone who’s a pantser—one who writes by the seat of their pants—this is a wonderful thing. I’m a die-hard pantser. The novel I just pubbed, Echoes in Stone, began its life as a NaNoWriMo project. My very first writing project. Ever. Pretty much on a dare, I sat down at the keyboard and just typed like a fiend for 30 days, with no idea where I was going or what I was doing. Side note: that only got me halfway through the novel—it took another three months to finish it, at least ten rounds of editing and revising, and five years to get the courage to publish it.

Anyway. So that’s a pantser. On the other side of the NaNo field are the Plotters. These are the folks who started back in August with charts and outlines and spreadsheets and research and 3 x 5 index cards in multiple colors and use software like Scrivner and have read “Save the Cat” and have 35 chapters of three scenes each all mapped out and likely already have the synopsis written and the cover in the planning stages. I know people like this. I admire them greatly. I am not one of them.

For the most part, pantsers and plotters respect one another, in spite of the fact that we baffle one another.

But this year for NaNo, I’m trying something new. I’m going to be a planter, a combination of plotter and pantser. I’m going to be working on a project that I’ve been tinkering with for awhile, and which currently resembles hash. Or maybe a ball of yarn the cat got into. Or something you scrape off the bottom of your boot. In other words, it needs to be untangled before I go any further. So before November rolls around, and I unleash the NaNo Kraken, I’m going to do a little plotting. I’m going to at least have a proper list of character names because this manuscript is a beast of a thing with lots of moving parts. I’m not going to go crazy with making a note for each little scene, but perhaps a loose sort of plot outline might not come amiss.

I don’t know. It feels weird. But I’m trying it. If I know myself (and I do), I’m wagering that somewhere ten or fifteen days into it there will come a bourbon-and-Mozart-fueled night of writing frenzy and all my lovely attempts at plotting will go out the window.

I don’t know that I’ll ever be a plotter. But I can try to at least be a planter!

Tell me: Do you ever make elaborate plans for something and then find yourself doing something else entirely? How did that work out for you?

                                                                                                                                                                                          

  

Kat Sheridan is a former project manager and business analyst whose very serious exterior hides a secret romantic. She is fond of books, bourbon, big words, coffee, and shiny things. Kat splits her time between the Midwest in the summer and the South in the winter, sharing her home with the love of her life and an exceedingly dignified Shih Tzu. No matter where her body is, though, Kat’s imagination can most often be found on some storm-wracked coast, plotting historical romances that include forbidding castles, menacing villains, and heartthrob heroes. She loves to hear from readers, and can be contacted at www.KatSheridan.com, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

MONDAY MUSINGS—FOLLOWING THE SUNLIGHT

My way of dealing less having less light as fall and winter months and stress is to take advantage of morning light. I've been having my first cup of coffee out on the porch with my pride of cats. My porch faces the southeast. The air is fresh and now that we’re in October, a bit brisk. I’m like a flower soaking up the rays. It sets my mood for the rest of my day. I’m not out long, maybe thirty or forty minutes, but the infusion of bright light and warm rays make me feel good.

One of the reasons is sunlight stimulates the production of serotonin which is a neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates our moods. The morning sunlight raises the levels of serotonin high enough to set a more positive mood and allows quiet reflection and mental focus. I've been under enormous stress lately, which is a negative, and it does affect my mood and my body. I look for simple and natural ways to offset the negatives. The sunlight also helps my body and mind with the release of endorphins—a natural, built in antidepressant. The sunlight bathing the skin with light also dilates the small blood vessels in the skin providing more oxygen and nutrients to the cells and is a positive way to calm my heart and blood pressure—not that I have hypertension, but stress and pain can increase blood pressure. Stress equals negative chain reactions in our bodies. Sunlight counters that. Vitamin D is absorbed from sunlight and it boosts your immune system, and sunlight encourages the growth of white blood cells that fight infections and other ills. Sunlight can help lower your blood sugars and pushes your body to store the glucose rather than release them to feed the whole fight or flight feeling.  

Being in the early morning sunlight is a positive for me. It’s a quiet time. I can put my thoughts in order to handle my day more effectively. Being with my animals, stroking the soft fur and being loved on also helps. They also make me smile and laugh with their antics. I walk out to greet my dogs and horses and it gives me time to breathe in the fresh air and appreciate the splashes of color still blooming in my yard or notice the trees that are starting put forth color in their leaves. Or catching the sparkle of dew on a spider web or the trail of cat prints in the grass. All good things that make me feel at peace regardless of what is going on in my life.

Throughout the day I take my breaks outside in the sunshine. I love late afternoon sunlight as well and especially after a long day at my computer. I try to take about fifteen minutes to sit and watch the golden sunlight bathe the back pastures and the surrounding hills. It gives me a few minutes to relax and reset my mind before having to start dinner deal with the night. I sleep better, too.

I’m like the sunflower following the path of the sunlight soaking in the peace and giving good things to my mind, body, and spirit. 

How do you handle the stress in your life? 

FINDING THE TIME AS A PARENT AND WRITER

I honestly believe that if you want something enough, you’ll make the time for it. It all comes down to choice.

My guest, Paul Anthony Shortt, is an Irish storyteller and urban fantasy author.

Paul's topic is one we hear from many writers today—finding time to do all the things we love to do. Especially writing. It's not an easy juggling act for most of us and yet, somehow we have to find the time to release all the players and worlds in our head to printed page. But, I'll let Paul tell you about his struggle to find time. 

Like many authors, I’m a proud parent. Our twin girls were born on December 13th, last year, and we got a surprise a few months ago when we learned that we’re going to have another little one arriving in January.

As many people know, the twins were actually our second and third children. We lost our first, Conor, when he was three days old.

I believe having Conor prepared us for being parents to twins. His brief life showed us how loved we are by friends and family, and left us stronger for the decisions we were forced to make at the time. It also made us more determined than ever to be the best parents possible.

As you can imagine, twins are a drain on your time and energy. Their needs have to come first, and when you have a pregnant wife with mobility issues due to disability, you have to make some tough decisions when it comes to your free time.

I learned to prioritise very quickly. Writing became relegated to my lunch hour in work, or after the girls were asleep in the evenings, and it had to stop if one of them needed to be fed or changed. I became more selfish, I feel, with my time. Where before I would have been happy to lose an evening to lazing on the couch watching random television, I started only wanting to watch something if I was specifically interested in it. Or else, I’d leave my wife to channel-hop (she loves finding random things to watch) while I would sit on the couch with a netbook getting some extra work done.

Once any activity stopped being fulfilling, I set it aside and moved on to something else. Whether it was gaming, or a book, or even a particular meal, if I was no longer enjoying it, I stopped. It required developing a bit of a ruthless streak, but I now had too many responsibilities to give time to things that weren’t truly rewarding.

I decided early on that my two highest priorities had to be my children and my writing. The first was a given, but the second, while being a very personal choice and geared towards my own goals and success, would also help provide a better life for my children. Once I had the time set aside for both those things, I decided, then I could look at other activities. And, as it happens, I’ve managed to deal with the workload quite well. I’m seeing my friends regularly, and still gaming every week, even though I have taken a step back from running games while getting ready for Silent Oath to come out.

I often see people comment about not having enough time to write. I agree, making the time is hard. But it has to be done. I honestly believe that if you want something enough, you’ll make the time for it. It all comes down to choice. Maybe taking care of your children or putting in overtime at work leaves you exhausted and you don’t want to be near a computer in the evening. That’s okay. The thing is, you have to accept that its your choice to spend what free time you have the way you like. There’s nothing wrong with choosing to unwind instead of write, I do it myself, but we must always make our decisions in the knowledge that prioritising one thing means letting another fall to the side. We choose for ourselves what things have priority, and what things to let go of.

For some, that means letting go of writing, if only temporarily. For others, it means cutting back on work, or getting up an hour early at weekends to play with your kids, or giving up your lunch break to write. All choices in life come down to priorities like these. Make sure you pick the ones that are right for you, and you will lead a happy, fulfilling life, whatever you do.

• HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME TO DO THE THINGS YOU LOVE? 

• IF YOU'RE A WRITER WHAT DO YOU DO TO CARVE OUT WRITING IN A BUSY WORLD?

BUY: AMAZON

SILENT OATH  (#2 in the Locked Within Trilogy)

Hope has returned to New York City. Nathan Shepherd leads a small band of dedicated fighters against the Council of Chains and the city's supernatural masters. But it's not enough. Because from the shadows of Nathan's former lives comes an old enemy, one who knows terrible secrets that Nathan has not yet remembered, secrets that could undo everything he has fought for.

Nathan's only chance to uncover the memories of his previous existence, and to conquer these new forces of evil, lies in Elena DeSantis. A woman he has fought beside in past lifetimes. A woman he has loved.

Together, Nathan and Elena are the only future the city has. Excerpt (First Chapter Amazon)

                                                                                                                                                   

A child at heart who turned to writing and roleplaying games when there simply weren't enough action figures to play out the stories he wanted, Paul Anthony Shortt has been writing all his life. Growing up surrounded by music, film and theatre gave him a deep love of all forms of storytelling, each teaching him something new he could use. When not playing with the people in his head, he enjoys cooking and regular meet-ups with his gaming group.

Paul lives in Ireland with his wife Jen and their dogs, Pepper and Jasper. Their first child, Conor William Henry Shortt, was born on July 11th, 2011. He passed away three days later, but brought love and joy into their lives and those of their friends. The following year, Jen gave birth to twins, Amy and Erica, and is now expecting their fourth child.

Paul's first novel, Locked Within, was released on November 6th, 2012, by WiDo Publishing. Silent Oath is the second book in this urban fantasy trilogy.

Links: Website, Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

LOVE AMONG THE RUINS

I'm happy to welcome a favorite paranormal romance author to my blog, Dani Harper. 

Dani says, "Quite simply, I adore the paranormal."  Her stories show her love of the genre and are fresh and well written and I like her twist on shifters--Changlings.

Her topic is writing life, deadlines, dustbunnies, environmental hazards, and love. Not necessarily in that order. J

It isn't easy living with a writer who’s working to a deadline. Impending deadlines cause vacuuming to fall by the wayside, and roving herds of dustbunnies to collect along the baseboards. (The ones under the bed may be close to achieving sentience.) The linen closet holds all the items I swept off the coffee table when unexpected company pulled into the driveway last week. Clean towels are currently kept in the dryer (assuming they made it that far), and may or may not be dry. The pots are in the oven? Don’t ask, don’t tell.

The kitchen table does double duty as my desk. I have a desk, but I can’t get to it for all the stuff that’s been thrown into my office in hopes of being organized later. I may have to find a third option soon since the table is almost completely buried in papers, books, notes, and oh look – there’s the mail from yesterday. Or maybe last Friday. Eating, of course, takes place in the living room or over the kitchen sink.

And those are just the environmental hazards of living with a writer on deadline….

Nutritional hazards abound as well. Don’t get me wrong, there is food in the house – honest, decent food. The problem is that I've forgotten what to do with it because I literally can’t write to deadline and chew gum at the same time. Take a brain already preoccupied with characters and plot, add the pressure of a ticking countdown, and suddenly I can’t rely on it to do anything else. Of course I still try to force my brain into preparing meals – and that’s when the smoke alarm goes off, or Splenda gets poured into the coffeemaker, or the brussel sprouts go bouncing amongst the dust bunnies, or I forget something important. Like turning on the oven two hours ago for the chicken. We won’t talk about what happened to the food processor during my last deadline…

Emotional hazards are rampant and unpredictable for a writer on deadline. Turning green (“HULK SMASH!”) when I can’t get a scene to work is not unusual. So is feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by the pressure, accompanied by considerable weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. The neighbors have all heard “I’LL NEVER GET THIS DONE!” through the open windows dozens of times. They’ve also heard such favorites as “I CAN’T THINK OF AN IDEA!”, “MY WHOLE STORY SUCKS!” and “WHY CAN’T MY CHARACTERS DO WHAT THEY’RE TOLD FOR ONCE?”  Most of the neighbors just ignore it now as normal background noise, right up there with lawnmowers and cicadas, but a couple did stop in the street to look when I ranted “HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO GET THESE PEOPLE TO HAVE SEX?”

We’re so not going to talk about the visual hazards of me still at the computer in my pajamas at 2 in the afternoon …

So there you have the ruins. And that’s where the love comes in. My Alaskan mountain-man husband is already my hero in every possible way, but even more so when I’m writing to a deadline. Hugs or coffee or help – he’s generous with all three, and never complains. He’s used to waking up to an empty bed in the middle of the night because I've gotten an idea on how to fix a scene. He’s patient when I’m cranky as a crocodile with a toothache because I’m stressed. He holds my hand and says I look perfect even I've been too busy to shower and my hair looks like a raccoon was electrocuted on my head. He empties the dishwasher, rescues the towels from the dryer and does battle with the dustbunnies. Cheers me on, calms me and consoles me, and would still be button-popping proud of me if I never sold a single book.

And he even reads my stories. Every. Last. Word.

It’s not easy living with a writer on deadline, but my husband does it well. My real-life hero may never know how much he inspires the heroes in my books simply by being who he is. He definitely inspires ME to keep trying, keep working, keep writing. Without his unfailing support and his belief in me, there are days that the pressure would simply flatten me and I would hide under my desk (if I could find it) and suck my thumb.

• YOUR TURN – Who or what inspires you to get back in the ring and keep swinging?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

BUY: AMAZON, B&N, CHAPTERS INDIGO

FIRST BITE, Book 1 of the Dark Wolf Series

Geneva “Neva” Ross doesn't want to die. But now that she’s been turned into a werewolf against her will, she’ll do anything to protect her family and friends…even if that means taking her own life.

After witnessing Neva’s leap from a high ledge, Travis Williamson—a Changeling with a dark past—uses his powers to save her life. He feels a connection to the strong-willed woman whose eyes flash that familiar Changeling green. While Neva is hospitalized, Travis risks everything to kidnap her, knowing the approaching full moon will put everyone in jeopardy.

Bickering constantly to hide their growing attraction, Travis and Neva run from the authorities…and from Neva’s sinister sire, Meredith de la Ronde. Meredith delights in creating new shape-shifters and compelling them to do her dark bidding; now Neva must join Meredith’s murderous wolf pack…or die. Excerpt

~A Night Owl Top Pick ~

                                                                                                                                                                                     

Dani Harper is a newspaper editor turned paranormal author. There isn't anything she likes better than exploring the supernatural - unless it's writing sizzling and suspenseful romance. Of course, all of her stories have at least one foot in the netherworld!

Website - http://www.daniharper.com (where you’ll find lots more ways to connect with Dani)

Facebook Fan Page - https://www.facebook.com/Dani.Harper.Fan.Page

Twitter -  @Dani_Harper or https://twitter.com/Dani_Harper

Haunting Houses, Haunted Hearts

My guest is historical romance author, Kat Sheridan. She is addicted to historical Gothic novels and feels the best romance novels include storms, castles, bat-shit-crazy villains, and a high body count. Oh yes, and larger than life heroes and heroines. Today she talks about a character present in all Gothic romances that we often forget.

With the coming of autumn we all tend to draw closer to the hearth. The weather is cooler, the sunny days fewer, and the rain and winds are the harbinger of the coming of winter. The days are darker, and night comes early. Now is the time of year I love to curl up in front of the fire with a hot beverage and a good book. And my favorite choice for this time of year is the old school gothic romance.

What’s a gothic romance? There are certain classic tropes that are usually included—an intrepid heroine, a dark, alpha hero, mysterious goings-on, and danger. But there is always one other character, the thing from which the genre actually gets its name: a house.

The term “gothic” originated from the Gothic architecture of the pseudo-medieval structures that were the setting of early gothics. It might be a mansion, an abbey, a manor, a hall, or a hotel, but it becomes a key “character” in the story. It’s more than just a setting, a framework for events. It takes on a life of its own. Consider these descriptions of the residences in some classic gothics:

“There was Manderley, our Manderley, secretive and silent as it had always been, the gray stone shining in the moonlight of my dream, the mullioned windows reflecting the green lawns and terrace.” ~ from Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.

“It was three stories high, of proportions not vast, though considerable: a gentleman's manor-house, not a nobleman's seat: battlements round the top gave it a picturesque look.” ~ description of Thornfield Hall from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

“Halfway down a by-street of one of our New England towns stands a rusty wooden house, with seven acutely peaked gables, facing towards various points of the compass, and a huge, clustered chimney in the midst.” ~ House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

These haunting—and possibly haunted—houses are representatives of larger themes in the stories. When Manderley or Thornfield burn down, it’s a representation of finally destroying the past to make way for the future. Even the name “Thornfield” is thought to represent the “field of thorns” Jane has to overcome in order to find her happiness.

And so it is with Tremayne Hall, the mansion in my debut Victorian Gothic romance, Echoes in Stone. When Jessa first arrives, on a suitably stormy night, it’s described thusly: “The immense stone mansion loomed over her, perched on the edge of the cliff like a bird of prey. Three stories rose above her, stretching out to both sides from the central portion. Rounded towers punctuated stone wings at either end, topped with crenelations biting like giant’s teeth into the night sky. A light glimmered in a window, high in the eastern tower. An additional glow shone through the colored glass panes framing the massive Gothic arch of the front door. Otherwise, the house stood shrouded in darkness.”

I deliberately described the house as a living thing—a bird of prey—because it plays such a key role. As the story progresses, Tremayne Hall reflects the lives of the inhabitants. In the beginning, Jessa’s explorations reveal this: “But everywhere, there were signs of neglect. Paving stones had shifted, making the walkways treacherous. The dry fountain overflowed with leaves. Weeds all but choked out any blooming plants. It was if the lack of love and care in Dash and Lily’s relationship had spread itself over the house, cloaking everything in a miasma of decay.”

Does it get better? Does Tremayne Hall succumb to the ashes like Manderley or Thornfield, or can it, like the hero, Dash Tremayne, be transformed? Not to be a tease, but there’s only one way to find out!

• So tell me. Do you have a favorite dark and stormy tale, or do you prefer to keep your reading on the sunny side?

                                                                                                                                                                                             

Echoes In Stone~

A Victorian Gothic Romance – Available October 1, 2013

BUY: Amazon, B&N, Kobo

A letter from the grave… 

Lily is dead. But a mysterious letter launches her half-sister, Jessa Palmer, on a harrowing journey into the wilds of Cornwall to rescue Lily’s daughter from a tyrant of a father, a man who confessed to murder. Jessa follows in Lily’s footsteps to a forbidding castle on the cliffs, but discovers the past will not stay dead at Tremayne Hall. Someone—or something—wants to ensure Jessa is no more successful at escaping than was Lily.

A heart locked in stone…

Bitter, brooding, and tragically scarred, Viscount Dashiell Tremayne believes Jessa is just like her manipulative, unfaithful half-sister. He’s not about to let another treacherous woman into his home or into his heart. Particularly not a woman who’s come to steal his daughter. Only one can win in the battle for a child’s life. Then the accidents begin.

A passion that threatens to consume them…

Jessa wants only to take her niece and escape the grim manor. But Dash, fiercely protective of those he loves, gives up nothing that belongs to him. As the danger escalates, so does the heat between Jessa and Dash. Soon she’ll have to make a choice: surrender the child to a man she cannot trust or surrender her heart to the same fires of passion that destroyed Lily. Excerpt

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Kat Sheridan is a former project manager and business analyst whose very serious exterior hides a secret romantic. She is fond of books, bourbon, big words, coffee, and shiny things. Kat splits her time between the Midwest in the summer and the South in the winter, sharing her home with the love of her life and an exceedingly dignified Shih Tzu. No matter where her body is, though, Kat’s imagination can most often be found on some storm-wracked coast, plotting historical romances that include forbidding castles, menacing villains, and heartthrob heroes. She loves to hear from readers, and can be contacted at www.KatSheridan.com, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

IWSG: SPARE WHAT??

There is no such thing as spare time in my life. It's probably the same for many writers. I have to make the time to do what I want including time for my writing.

I've been trying to figure out a writing schedule that takes into account my work schedule, family needs, and down time I need to be healthy. Burning the candle at both ends is not an option in my life any longer--yeah, I have that last part firmly in mind now and it was a hard lesson for me to learn.

To successfully write a 90k book I know I need a good writing schedule and a word count goal. 

I already know that for me to get any writing done I have to set a weekly writing goal. When I'm in a groove the words just flow and sometimes I blow right by that goal. But, when I'm not in a groove it takes work and the goal helps me stay on track.

Early morning is my best writing time. It's quiet and I'm fresh in mind--after a cup of coffee and some fresh early morning air. That means for me to meet my goals I have to come to the computer ready to work. No internet at all. I open the word document and work a solid couple of hours. 

All of this good. Five gold stars for figuring out what works the best for a writing schedule. But, then comes the juggling of everything else I need to do, sigh...

I also have to figure out time to read and comment on my blog list, answer important emails, and a daily check of my work site for emails and work related tasks. I have a daily work schedule as well and like many there is the family and house/ranch stuff that also needs scheduling. Darn it, some of my gold stars are disappearing.



I'm experimenting with my morning schedule. Trying to get up a little

earlier. Maybe scheduling Tuesday and Thursday for my morning writing and then starting work by 11. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have blog guests. Some how I have to figure out a way to write, then check in and read/comment on part of my blog list, deal with my work site issues, and anything else and go to work. Sometimes I can keep a window open to comment on my bloglist in between work calls but forget it on busy days. If I go straight to the bloglist, there goes my writing for the morning. Nights rarely work out for creative writing because I'm either too tired or I'm working the phones until 9:00. I can do about anything non-fiction after 9 and I do visit some blogs but, creative just doesn't do well.

I'm leaning toward maybe making M,W, F an hour of morning writing and two hours on each Tuesday and Thursday. That would give me time to blog and then go to work. All I know is that so far I'm not doing well on juggling writing time and blogging time and that bothers me and is discouraging. Nothing is worse than having a story I want to write and not being able to do it justice with quality writing time. 



Don't know what the answer is yet but I'm still working on it. 

Anyone got some cheese to go with my whine?  

MONDAY MUSING— SEASONS CHANGE

I was sitting outside on the patio yesterday reading and it still felt and looked like summer. The yard is still blooming with flowers and I can still hear the buzz of insects and the crescendos of a few cicadas. My Mimosa tree is still bravely putting out a few pink puffs. 

Seasons are changing but the signs are not yet obvious. It’s something you sense rather than see. I look at the surrounding hills and there is very little color yet. But, there is a feel to the air—it’s a bit crisper in the early mornings and the evenings. I was thinking yesterday, as I watched the bees busy harvesting nectar from my flowers, it’s like everything is at the moment of pause. You can feel it on the cusp of change; nature is sucking up the last of the sunshine and food and preparing for the winter.

It may still feel like summer, I may still have to turn on the air conditioner in the afternoons (which will continue to operate off and on until November), but when I look across my road to our smaller pasture…ah, now there I see the evidence of the beginning fall. The scarlet leaves of the Sumac, a touch of yellow in the Walnut trees, the red leaves here and there on the white Ash, a hint of yellow and orange in the Sassafras and Dogwoods.

I do miss my morning sunshine. The angle of the sun has changed and of course, mornings come later now. I used to take a walk between 8-8:30 every evening to unwind from my day and still have the last rays of sunlight. Now, that’s gone and it’s almost dark by 7:30. Pretty soon it will be dark by 5:00. Not looking forward to the loss of light.

 

I’m a bit ambiguous about the changes. On one hand I want to hold on to summer and on the other I’m looking forward to snuggling up to fall and winter. I have a lot of energy in the fall—much like the trees as they change. I think the energy is a way of preparing for winter. I do have to move hay bales up closer to the house, clean out the dog houses and lay in fresh hay for bedding, fill in the summer holes that have been burrowed by the dogs to find cool beds in the earth, and make sure all the watering troughs are ready to go. The barn still needs a final clean up and fresh hay laid down in the area the horses take refuge from the fall rains and winter winds. The cats come in and out but most of them prefer to curl up in sleeping boxes filled with hay or in the west bay of the garage, which was designed to house a tractor and it’s where I load up the extra hay. Makes it easier to feed the horses once the ice and snow starts and it’s a lot easier to walk fifty feet to the garage than a quarter of a mile down to the barn to feed. Then there is the fall washing of all the windows and cleaning of the carpets for the times when the house is tightly closed off for winter. Still a lot to do so the energy comes in handy. J

I’m fortunate that when winter sets in I don’t have to travel to go to work. I work from home; my commute is from the coffee pot to my office. I have windows that look out on the property to the east and south. It also affords me a great view of the falling snow when it comes. I love writing when the snowfalls. My imagination flows with the autumn rains and the smell of wood smoke in the air and winter snow. I’m working on a new writing schedule that allows for my work schedule. I do my best creative writing in the early morning but my non-fiction writing is best in the evenings. So I’m trying to schedule that and start my paying job a bit later in the morning. I’m still playing with time slots, but it’s coming together.

Seasons change. We change with the seasons. It’s the way of nature.

• What  changes do the seasons bring to you?