A Hectic Period

I opened the fist draft of "The Countess and the Privateers" after letting it sit for almost six weeks and was immediately struck by an anomally that would be immediately apparent to any professional seafarer with a Merchant Marine background, a poor beginning for my return to writing general fiction. It set the tone for my reading the story again, because it required most of the first chapter to be re-written.

I'm still largely satisfied with the story, but acknowledge the need for a major re-write to straighten out elements of the plotting because the story developed as I wrote it, going off in unanticipated directions at least once, and, at ninety thousand words, some of the changes affects what went before.

I'm glad now that life has been so hectic with family matters since the beginning of October. We've seen relatives not met for many years, others for the first time, farewelled others for the last time, changed cars and plans for the future, taken on projects for the New Year outside our normal life, and generally had one of those disturbing intervals that change lives and outlooks.

I managed some writing and sent off two further submissions, completing projects rather than beginning them, which means a return to "The Countess and the Privateers" with a clear horizon--unless one of the submissions bear fruit. (Two have passed the seven months mark and are scheduled for reconsideration in the New Year)

I wish you all an enjoyable festive season.

Amy