Late Morning, May 16, 2024, Madison, New Hampshire
“If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” ― Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ode to the West Wind
Hi, everyone. It is a cool and gray-shrouded spring day here in my nook of Carroll County, New Hampshire. Currently, the temperature is 64°F (18°C) under cloudy conditions. With humidity at 74% and the wind blowing from the northeast at 4 MPH (7 Km/H), the feels-like temperature is 72°F (22°C). Today’s forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies and a high of 69°F (21°C). Tonight, the skies should be mostly clear. The low will be 48°F (9°C). There’s also a 33% chance of rain, so….
On Writing & Storytelling: No New Material, But My Beta Reader Enjoyed Chapter 16
Although I hoped to get Chapter 17 started with at least one scene (I would have settled for one decent sentence, to be honest), yesterday was another frustrating day regarding progress with Reunion: Coda. I did everything possible to be ready, I took my midday break at noon, tried my best to relax for two hours, and was sitting at my desk no later than 2:10 PM. I did all that…and in the end, I did not write any new copy to begin Chapter 17.
I don’t know why I get stuck in these “between chapter” doldrums. Is it my mood? Is it my physical environment? Am I physically and mentally tired? Or is it that this seems to be my first successful attempt at writing a novel?
Whatever the issue is, I didn’t accomplish much yesterday. Oh, well, maybe today will be a more productive day. I took my midday break at noon, tried my best to relax for two hours, and was sitting at my desk no later than 2:10 PM. Yet, aside from making a few last-minute edits suggested by someone else, I accomplished almost nothing.
Seriously, this is very sensuous. It’s sweet and so frigging romantic. You bring in the date night, high school, and the future. Very nice.
Denise Longrie, Beta Reader
On the “Good News” front, Beta Reader Denise Longrie read “The Breathless Hush of Evening” and, to my relief, gave the chapter a positive appraisal. She only suggested a couple of minor edits, and she had this to say about the steamiest bit of Reunion: Coda so far:
Seriously, this is very sensuous. It’s sweet and so frigging romantic. You bring in the date night, high school, and the future. Very nice.
Well, one thing we can be sure of is that Chapter 16 got a thumbs-up from my Beta Reader. That, for someone who’s writing their first novel, is reassuring.
I can’t thank Denise enough for agreeing to be my Beta Reader and helping me improve Reunion: Coda. She has been a wonderful source of feedback, encouragement, and inspiration for me, and I’m truly grateful for her time and expertise. She has also become a dear friend, and I look forward to our chats and exchanges.
Speaking of exchanges, I’m eager to get Chapter 17 underway and send it to her as soon as possible. I have some ideas brewing in my mind, and I can’t wait to share them with you, my loyal readers. (The trick, of course, is putting those ideas down on paper, or in a Microsoft Word file!) I hope you’re enjoying this journey with me, and I appreciate your comments and support. Have a good Thursday, everyone!
A Certain Point of View, Too 
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