Home Again

Have you ever come home from vacation and felt like you couldn't get back into your old routine? That's how I've felt since returning home after five weeks with my Arizona family. First, spending all day traveling--spending most of it waiting in airports for flights--was so tiring. Getting home after 11 pm (local time, but only 9 on AZ time) meant we should go to bed but stayed up to watch a couple of episodes of Murdoch Mysteries (aka The Artful Detective). Getting this old body used to local time isn't as easy as it used to be. Even though I tried to keep up with blogs, etc. while away from home, it seemed extra hard to get back into routine.

That being said . . . If you're a member of my Facebook Readers Group, then you know I finished the rough draft of THE CASE OF THE MEDDLING MAMA (aka the story that took way too long to complete). If you're a regular reader of this blog, then you know I'm a combo pantser and plotter, heavy on the pantser part. Usually. With this book, I knew the beginning, the dark moment, and the end. I'd even worked out many of the scenes in my mind. So why did it take so long to write? I felt like I knew the whole story. Most readers would say, "Duh. You're the writer. Of course, you know the story."

Not usually.

As a pantser (one who writes by the seat of her/his pants), I don't know the story. I let it unfold as I write. A plotter, on the other hand, knows exactly what's going to happen and when. That takes the fun out of writing, for me. I'll have a vague idea for the story. As I write, I let my characters take the lead. Inspiration takes over. Not so with Meddling Mama. But now it's done and on to revising, editing, and proofing before it goes off  to my fabulous editor.

Also, if you're a member of my Readers Group or read yesterday's Weekend Writing Warrior post, you've seen the cover, If not, here it is.

When my amazing cover artist, Florence Price, and I talked about the cover for the first Alex O'Hara book, we decided to have the covers follow the seasons (since the stories would). As you can see by the tulips in the planters in front of Alex's building and people on the beach but not in the water, it's Spring.

Now it's back-to-work time. Revising, editing, proofing. Again and again.

Have a great week.