The toughest part of being a writer is when I have two story ideas and have to figure out how to link them in a way that flows. That’s the problem with my outlining style. I have a rough idea of where I want the story to begin and where it should end up, but the middle gets a little murky.

Right now I have found myself staring at one of those imagination chasms. I won’t go full Gandalf and Balrog, but I’m trying to write my way across that bridge.

Atom is being pulled in two different directions.

On top of that, tragedy has struck Margo down. Right now, I feel like Atom has way more of a deadline than I do. In real life, I keep sending out review requests to book blogs around the world. I’m waiting on the next round of edits. And to top things off I’m continuing to document Atom and Margo’s adventures.

I guess I’m a little like Atom. I’m being pulled between the creative process and helping my kids with remote learning.

Every ten minutes or so, I have the joy of making the rounds of my three children, making sure they are on task and don’t have any questions. First, fourth, and seventh grade provide quite the challenge to my thirty-plus year removal from my own schooling.

It also offers an interesting insight into what our children are being taught.

Back to the topic of the literary process, I held my first live-stream author event on Friday. Three people showed up to hear a reading from Trinity and discuss my writing process. I had hoped for a couple more, but three is better than zero. I do plan on making that a semi-regular occurrence. Perhaps I’ll even break out a couple short stories to read to you guys.

Well, the leaves are turning and falling, the weather is finally feeling like it’s not quite summer anymore, and there is a pile of firewood that needs to be stacked and covered. So, I’ll leave you with the usual iteration.

Keep on reading, keep on conversing, and keep on flying the black.