Late Morning, Tuesday, October 29, 2024, Miami, Florida

Hi, everyone. It’s a warm, humid, and somewhat cloudy day in the subtropical zone. As I write these words, the temperature is 81°F (27°C) under mostly cloudy conditions. With the wind blowing from the east-northeast at 12 MPH (19 Km/H) and humidity at 64%, the heat index is 84°F (28°C). Today’s forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies, stiff breezes, and a high of 85°F (29°C).

A Contrast in Weather

This is quite different from the place I called home for 10 months. In Madison, New Hampshire, it’s 39°F (4°C) under cloudy skies, and as time progresses, the days will be shorter, colder, and darker. I was getting used to it, and I can’t deny that the scenery is beautiful, especially in the mornings, when I’d sit down at the dining room table with my copy of Time magazine – or a book – and read while having my morning coffee. Now and then I’d glance through the window and see the trees in the backyard, their branches swaying as the wind stirred the leaves – which, as I was leaving 12 days ago, were beginning to take on their fall colors.

Adapting to a New Environment

Adjusting to my new living arrangement is going well, vastly different from the one I left behind. Thankfully, this transition has been easier than my Tampa-to-Madison leg of the journey back in 2015, as I find myself on familiar turf. Before venturing to Hillsborough County in April 2016, South Florida was my home for most of my life, including a remarkable 38 years in the same house nestled in Fountainbleau Park.

Now, I reside in a refreshing no-smoking abode, which is perfect for me since I’m not fond of cigarettes or their lingering scent.

An added delight is that everyone here votes Democratic, a stark contrast to my previous housemate up north, who was an ardent Trump supporter. Although we never clashed over politics, I certainly won’t miss his overly simplistic – and frankly foolish – remarks like “Trump was a great President because he ran this country like a business.”

Daily Routine and Writing

Since March 2023, my routine for writing my novel has been:

• Wake up between 6 and 7 AM
• Breakfast, chores, and grooming
• Write a blog post
• Lunch break
• Work on the novel for four hours
• Dinner, TV, socializing
• Gaming or reading
• Sleeping

I should, at some point, add “Go out for walks,” but even though I’m in Miami-Dade County, I’m in a new-to-me neighborhood, and – believe it or not, I’m still weary from the long road trip from New Hampshire.

The Novel Writing Process

Speaking of the novel….

Yesterday, I returned to the world of Reunion: Coda. No new words found their way to the page, though. Nearly a month has passed since I penned Scene One for Chapter 20, and I’m not quite ready to plunge into Scene Two. My mind is still sifting through the echoes of my road trip, weighed down by the cost of the journey – a burden made heavier by the early cessation of GoFundMe donations before I even left Madison on October 17. With only enough funds raised to rent our trusty Budget truck, I’m hesitant to close the campaign just yet.

Physical and Mental Fatigue

Physically, I’m aching from the marathon 10-day ride in that truck, but it’s my mental fatigue that troubles me most. The leap from my reality in Miami to Jim Garraty’s fictional realm feels insurmountable, like trying to bridge two worlds with a fraying rope. The weariness drapes over my thoughts, making it hard to find the narrative thread and weave Jim’s tale forward.

Reviewing the Manuscript

Although I didn’t add any new words to the manuscript, I meticulously reviewed it using Word’s “Read Aloud” feature. This tool has proven far superior to simply re-reading my own text. The computer faithfully narrates what’s on the page, and if it stumbles or sounds awkward, that’s my cue that I’ve made a significant error while writing—especially when it comes to describing characters, crafting action scenes, and creating dialogue. Dialogue in particular is tricky. While I consider myself competent enough to write an engaging story, my confidence wanes when scripting conversations between characters, especially if one is a woman. Therefore, hearing my words read back aloud allows me to judge whether the spoken lines sound authentic and reflect the characters’ personalities, education levels, and social statuses.

Updating the Creative Writing App

I finally tackled the task of adding Chapter 20—or at least its opening scene—to my creative writing app WriteItNow, something I usually do right after finishing a new scene in Reunion: Coda. However, I overlooked this during my hectic move to Miami. Since it had been ages since I’d last done this, I faced some hiccups while trying to incorporate Aftermath and Reflection into my backup manuscript on WriteItNow. It took three attempts before I managed to seamlessly integrate the scene into the Reunion: Coda file on the app—but perseverance paid off, and I triumphed in the end.

Action This Day: Resuming the Story

If all goes according to plan, I’ll dive into the second scene of Chapter 20 this afternoon. Imagine this: it’s only my second day of rekindling my old writing habits in a brand-new setting. Balancing life’s myriad responsibilities—both familiar and fresh—is no easy feat, especially when trying to immerse myself in a world of fiction I’ve woven.

Naturally, I’m eager to craft fresh material for the novel. As a storyteller at heart, pushing the narrative forward brings me one step closer to completing this journey. Post-noon break, I’ll roll up my sleeves and give it my all. Realistically speaking, penning an entire new scene today might be a stretch; I’m not quite firing on all cylinders physically or mentally. So, if I can merely lay down the first few lines before my “novel writing shift” wraps up around 6 PM, I’ll consider it a small victory.

Reflecting on the whirlwind of recent events and the ongoing challenges of my writing journey, I remain committed to moving forward with Reunion: Coda. The physical and mental fatigue from my cross-country move has been a significant hurdle, but meticulous manuscript reviews and updates to my creative writing app have kept me grounded. As I gear up to dive back into Scene Two of Chapter 20, I take heart in small victories and the gradual rekindling of my writing habits.

For those who are new to Jim Garraty’s story, the first book in the duology, Reunion: A Story, is available on Amazon in both print and Kindle editions. This novella introduces readers to the narrator and protagonist Jim Garraty, his best friend Mark, and the girl he loved but never told. It sets the stage for the ongoing tale in Reunion: Coda.

Thank you for following my journey. I wish you a wonderful day, wherever you may be.