Thoughts Upon a Hot, Humid Spring Day in Central Florida (April 2026)

Monday, April 6, 2026, Orlando, Florida

It’s a muggy, cloud-thick spring afternoon here in Central Florida, the kind that feels more like early summer than April. We’ve already reached today’s forecast high of 82°F (28°C), but with humidity hovering at 63% and a lazy southwesterly breeze drifting through at 5 MPH (9 km/h), the air feels closer to 90°F (32°C). In short: it’s one of those days when even the clouds seem to sweat.

News is light. Kindle Direct Publishing reports that one hardcover copy of Reunion: Coda was sold and shipped over the weekend, which translates to an estimated $4.34 in royalties. Hardly a life-changing sum—especially with the cost of living climbing in the shadow of the President’s undeclared (and possibly unconstitutional) conflict with Iran—but income is income. I’ll take the win and add it to the slow, steady march toward becoming the author I want to be.

After my afternoon break, I’ll return to my ongoing duel with Kindle Create as I try to wrangle its stubborn handling of subheads and chapter titles in the Reunion: Coda section of The Jim Garraty Chronicles. I’ve written enough about this particular design flaw to fill the Library of Alexandria twice over, so I’ll spare you another rant. Let’s just say my enthusiasm for today’s editing session is roughly on par with how I used to feel walking into a college final.

Still, progress is progress. I expect to finish this round of formatting cleanup before summer, and then I’ll shift my attention to the sections covering Comings and Goings and The Summer of Two Movies. The novelette about Jim’s first time with a girl has already been combed through multiple times since last June, and the flash fiction piece about his 1977 moviegoing adventures remains mercifully error-free. It’s the novel—with its many moving parts—that continues to demand the most patience.

If only Kindle Create would simply honor Word’s styles and formatting. Indie authors everywhere would sleep better.

And with that, I’m stepping away for a much‑needed break. The manuscript—and the humidity—will still be here when I get back.