Foggy Fridays and Novel Triumphs: A New Year’s Blogging Adventure

Late Morning, Friday, January 3, 2025, Miami, Florida

Hi, everyone.

First, I’m a bit surprised that it’s Friday already. Oh, I knew intellectually that the weekend was imminent because I always date my blog posts when I write them, but “knowing” something is different from “perceiving” it. Since New Year fell on Wednesday (and New Year’s Eve on Tuesday), today feels like a Tuesday instead of a Friday—at least to me.

Second, I’m still not feeling all that well thanks to an annoying, persistent cold. I feel slightly better than yesterday, but I’m still tired, achy, and irritable. That being the case, I want to focus my reserves of energy (both physical and creative) on my novel, so I’ll keep this blog post brief.

My Novelist’s Journey: Progress Update on Reunion: Coda

I finished the first draft of Chapter 22 on December 19, but it was only truly complete yesterday after receiving feedback from my Beta Reader, Denise Longrie. She is an online friend and writer who reviews my chapters and provides honest appraisals. She liked the short chapter—it’s only one scene long—and said it was strong, but she still recommended a few adjustments to add more of a human dimension to the adult version of Mark Prieto, Jim Garraty’s best friend.

Even through the mental fog of a bad cold, I managed to revise the section of Chapter 22 that needed tweaking. With that chore done, I added the new chapter to the Master File of Reunion: Coda in my Kindle Create app and declared “Mission: Accomplished.”

Here’s where I stand, statistically, with my novel on this first Friday of 2025:

• Chapters Completed: 22, including the prologue
• Number of Pages:  481 (including the title page)
• Number of Words: 118,618

While eager to dive into the next chapter, I must be realistic about my current energy levels and this persistent cold. Additionally, today is my laundry day, so my writing time will be further limited. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful and determined to press on with my work.

In the meantime, I wish you all a fantastic weekend filled with joy and relaxation. Remember, even if it feels like a Tuesday, let’s embrace the beauty of Friday and make the most of it! Stay well and take care.