Two-Thirds of Halfway There

Saturday, October 31, 2026 – Orlando, Florida

I’m happy to report that, despite a few literary wrong turns and occasional visits from my inner critic, who never seems to take a day off, I’ve completed two-thirds of the first half of And the Horse You Rode in On, a Jim Garraty story set in the mid-1970s. It’s progress, even if describing it requires a little arithmetic.

After that midcourse correction to the novella’s opening chapter, I feel I have a firmer grip on the story. I know where Jim and Mark are headed and how And the Horse You Rode in On ends. That’s one benefit of building on a bit of backstory I introduced in Reunion: Coda: I already have the dots. Now comes the work of connecting them with concrete details, a strong narrative, and believable dialogue, as Professor David Schroeder taught us in his Creative Writing course nearly 40 years ago. Apparently, those lessons don’t come with an expiration date.

I’m sticking to my No Working on Weekends schedule. My inner critic is welcome to grumble, but it isn’t in charge of the calendar. Still, I’m looking forward to Monday and seeing what Jim and Mark get up to next!

And speaking of Monday…

Here’s a little something for your reading list: from Monday, November 2, through Friday, November 6, the Kindle edition of The Jim Garraty Chronicles: A Life Told in Four Movements will be available for $0.00. Yes, free, my favorite kind of budget-friendly!

If you haven’t read Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen, or The Summer of Two Movies, I’d love for you to meet Jim through all four stories in one convenient volume.

One important timing note: the promotion begins and ends on Pacific Time, not necessarily your local time. Please account for that difference before ordering, and make sure the Kindle purchase price shows $0.00 before you click Buy. The stories can wait a moment; an accidental charge is a less welcome plot twist.

Of course, Kindle+ subscribers can also read my books as part of their membership.