Late Morning, Sunday, September 22, 2024, Madison, New Hampshire
“It was one of those autumn mornings which are devoid of melancholy, when the weather seems to be cleaning its house. A broom of wind sent the clouds above flying briskly and kept the fallen leaves scudding along the pavements, the trees looked as if they were being stripped to let the rains get at them better.” ― Rebecca West, The Saga of the Century Trilogy: The Fountain Overflows, This Real Night, and Cousin Rosamund
It’s a cold and cloudy autumn morning in my corner of Carroll County, New Hampshire. As I write this, the temperature is 61°F (15°C) under mostly cloudy conditions. Today’s forecast calls for more of the same, and the high will only reach 69°F (18°C) this afternoon. Not the best of forecasts, but it’s an improvement over yesterday; Saturday was a bit cloudier and grayer, and for most of the afternoon it looked like we would get some rain. (When I went out for a walk late in the afternoon, I felt a bit of momentary drizzling, but it was so insignificant that it hardly qualifies as “light rain.”)
Speaking of Saturday….
Weekend Update, Part the First: “Even writers need rest…”
As promised, I haven’t touched Reunion: Coda. My original plan was to dive in and perhaps even finish it before October, but a sudden move back to Miami threw that timeline off course. Given my meticulous nature and attention to detail, rushing the project just wasn’t an option. So now I’m setting my sights on a Christmas 2024 release. Still, there’s a part of me that’s driven to complete as many of the final chapters as possible before what I’ve dubbed “M-Day” on October 17.
Despite the strong urge, I held firm. By Friday evening, I had completed editing and revising Chapter 19 of my novel, leaving my mind in a post-writing haze. People who aren’t writers or avid readers often find it surprising, but crafting stories is both physically and mentally taxing, even under ideal conditions. It’s especially challenging amidst stressful events like enduring second out-of-state move within a year, and without any friends to assist with packing this time. After finishing a scene or chapter, I usually need a break lasting between seven to ten days. Even during this recovery period, I don’t completely disconnect from my manuscript – there’s always editing, revising, or integrating the new section into the Kindle Create app file, which will eventually be uploaded to Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon.
So, somewhat reluctantly, I ignored the siren call of Reunion: Coda and took Saturday off. And I’m taking it easy today, too.
Even writers need rest, you know?
A Certain Point of View, Too 
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