I don’t know if it’s the same where you are, but today my granddaughters went back to school. Yup, book bags and new shoes and everything. Of course, I expect fall cold fronts and falling leaves, but we are having heat indices of over 100. Still as a mom, I understand the logic of having the kids back in school. First and foremost, it’s too hot for them to play outside and so they just hang around inside saying they’re bored. As a former teacher, I understand the school system’s desire to want to finish the semester before the Christmas holidays. With semester exams coming about three weeks after the vacation ends, I spent the entire time reviewing what would be on the tests, not teaching new material because everybody knows that you absolutely cannot be bothered with studying during the holidays and when it comes to testing, you have complete amnesia. Maybe in another ten or twenty years, we’ll get used to school starting the first week of August but for now, it really seems too soon.

I think I might actually have a book here. Just finished the first three chapters, and I’m pretty happy with the beginning. Usually, once I get through three chapters the rest comes much more easily.

Well, I posted something, but it never showed up. I guess it’s back to the drawing board.

I am making progress on the book. I guess being stuck inside because it’s too hot to go outside is a good thing. You can only be lazy for so long before you get tired of being lazy. I have started on the third chapter and I’m beginning to think that there is a story there.

Just a reminder that WHAT A DAY! the collection of short stories by me and ten of my writer friends is still available in both print and electronic versions at many online bookstores. Unfortunately, it isn’t available in brick-and-mortar bookstores. One nice thing about short story collections is that you don’t have to invest days in reading. You can relax in the sun and read a short story and then take a nap in the shade in your hammock.

It’s hot. I don’t know why that surprises me, but it does. I live in Alabama, after all. I think it’s because for the last few summers, it has been unusually cool and rainy. Now suddenly, after having been spoiled by cooler weather, even if it has been gray, the sun is shining, and it is HOT. Anyway, I’ve been having a hard time getting motivated to write.

I have been writing, but I’ve been deleting as many pages as I write, so my page count isn’t changing much. It really discouraging. Sigh. I have a story in my head, but I don’t seem to be able to get it going. Once I get past this stumbling point, I hope I’ll start making progress.

Fingers crossed.

Oops. It was a holiday weekend, so I almost forgot what day it is. However, I’m ready to report. Nothing. The most excitement I’ve had is an ongoing battle with a marauding armadillo. Funny, how when I was growing up, armadillos were supposedly native to the southwest. However, in my lifetime they have managed to traverse most of the country, including figuring out how to use bridges across the Mississippi in order to find their way to my backyard in northern Alabama. I’ve had to replant things in my pollinator garden almost every other day because the critters find it easier to dig in my soft and mulched flower beds and not the hard soil in the lawn. Oh well, I guess I’m getting plenty of exercise.

Not much writing going on with holiday preps and armadillo repairs, but I hope to get back on track tomorrow.

Happy Independence Day. Okay, so it’s a few days early, but you know what I mean. I have always loved this holiday. Yes, it means fireworks and hot dogs and sometimes parades, but it is the only truly American holiday we have.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be in Ketchikan, Alaska and was privileged to be attend their annual Fourth of July Parade. It was exactly what I have imagined the celebrations had been decades ago. Along with the veterans of every war squeezed proudly into their old uniforms marching ahead of the Boy Scouts of America, the high school bands, and cheerleaders proudly twirling batons, The floats were homemade, and so was the pride in our country.

I would love to see more of this kind of American pride and spirit.

Happy Independence.

Coming close to an idea for the next book. I think I will call it. Home is Where Your Heart is.

I started to work on it today, and my computer crashed, so I guess tomorrow is another day.

I have to confess that after being in promotion mode and not in writing mode, I’ve been a little lazy. I have been brainstorming ideas with myself and have nearly come up with an idea for the next book. However, lazy that I am, I probably won’t start writing until next week. I have several important appointments this week that will keep me busy. Excuses, excuses.

I’m a little late posting today because I’ve just returned from a quick trip to Oxford, ALABAMA for writers’ meet and greet at the Oxford Public Library. Had wonderful time meeting other writers and getting an opportunity to promote both WHAT A DAY! and the new book, HANNAH’S HERO. It’s so wonderful to be able to get out and be with other writers after having been stuck at home for such a long time.

On another note, those of us who are included in WHAT A DAY! can now claim to be best-sellers. The company that published the book announced that our book’s sales for April landed us in the top ten best sellers for that company. Yay us!

HANNAH’S HERO is live today on Amazon.

First time in a long time I’ve had two books out at the same time.

Next week I’m going to Oxford, Alabama to an author meet and greet at the Oxford Public Library, Should be fun.