On Writing and Storytelling: When the Weather Moves Faster Than the Workflow

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 — Orlando, Florida

A Sunny Day, a Slow Queue, and a Stubbornly Hopeful Writer

Hello, my wonderfully patient reader.

Today, Central Florida is showing off. The sun is bright, the air is gentle, and winter feels like it’s quietly packing its bags. My window thermometer reads a pleasant 71°F (22°C) under a crystal‑clear sky—a far cry from yesterday’s gray clouds and rebellious gusts. The forecast promises a high of 76°F (24°C) with enough sunshine to make me consider SPF for my optimism.

Presidents’ Day may have thrown a wrench into the ACX review gears, but as of this morning, Reunion: Coda’s audiobook is still waiting its turn in the quality‑assurance queue. Three tests remain between me and Audible glory: metadata, audio files, and that elusive final stamp of approval. The cover art I created on Canva Pro cleared last week (a small but satisfying victory), yet ACX’s human‑and‑machine hybrid reviewers only work during the business week. I submitted the project last Wednesday, and even the cover—the “easy” part—didn’t pass until Friday.

I had hoped Step 2, the metadata review, would be wrapped up by now. But hope, dear reader, is apparently not part of ACX’s workflow.

Picture a stadium full of authors waving their manuscripts like foam fingers—that’s what ACX’s backlog must look like. No wonder it takes a full ten days for a project to crawl through the QA labyrinth. Still, I woke up this morning like a kid on Christmas, only to find Reunion: Coda stubbornly stuck on Step 1.

Disappointment: 1.
Me: 0.

But the sun hasn’t set yet. Maybe—just maybe—I’ll see an update before the day is done. Until then, I’ll tinker with the Kindle Create file for The Jim Garraty Chronicles and nudge the omnibus edition a little closer to the finish line. Hope springs eternal—and stubborn—in this writer’s heart.

Before signing off, I invite you to explore all three stories featuring Jim Garraty: Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, and Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen. Each one explores a different facet of Jim’s journey and offers character‑driven fiction with emotional depth.

So, until tomorrow, stay safe, stay healthy, and I’ll catch you on the sunny side of things.