Those pesky characters

I wrapped up book 8 of my proposed 9 book series and am taking a break by writing another mystery.

I've been toying with the Beauty/Beast idea for a long time, and I finally got it percolated to the point I had the makings of a plot. I had my Beast (a woman injured that left her disfigured) and a hero. My original hero was her boyfriend from long ago who left her after the attack for reasons that made sense to me.

I started working on the backstory, most of which appears in snippets throughout the entire book, sprinkled here and there. But I like to get the backstory down so I have a good idea of who these characters are.

No matter what I did, I just couldn't make that guy into my hero. I could see how he would be the hero, but somehow it just didn't feel right. As soon as I cast him as the not-hero, or the maybe-hero, it felt right. Enter another guy who could really be the hero. Now *he* made sense to me. I could hear him and her talking in my head, I saw him interacting with the old man in the story, I visualized him working alongside the heroine.

Okay. So now I've got 2 guys in her life. When I'm thinking about my books, I either go for a drive or take a walk. I did both in this case: drove to a nearby town and went on the Parade of Homes (none of which will ever figure in a book I write because who the hell lives in those showplaces, I'd like to know. White carpeting? Seriously?)

But I got in a lot of walking and driving and by the time I came home, I knew who was who, who would be the bad guy, who would be the good guy, and what defined each as that.

Sometimes those characters just won't shape themselves into the mold we want. That's when it's time to step back and rethink and realize that maybe, subconsciously, we truly do know what's right.

Back to #amwriting!

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

The tedious side of #amwriting

I wrote "The End" to my latest manuscript a week or two ago. I finished "a month early", according to my internal deadline.

Now I'm on the tedious part of writing -- editing. I'm not ready to do a content read-through yet. I need to wait until the story is at least somewhat out of my head. But I did do my Abused Word Search. You know the ones, the overused words that get tossed in when you do that first draft.

I have about 100 words that I search for, one at a time, throughout all 109,500 words of the manuscript. Along the way I rewrite, search my thesaurus, and re-read bits and pieces to see what can be changed. It's mind-blowingly tedious.

Along with that, I'm setting up a new wiki to keep track of details in my book. I was able to migrate all the pages from my old wiki (which is folding in September). Now I have to go through and set up a new wiki, which means learning a new scripting language, new programming parameters, and ... well, figure I'm setting up a new website from scratch.

Yes, June will be one fun month of programming and editing. Sigh. But you know what -- it's also useful, because I have a story idea percolating in the back of my mind and this tedious stuff lets me play with ideas while I'm doing mind-numbing things. So I guess it's win after all ... if I can just get through it without my head exploding ...

J L
jayellwilson.com

#amnotwriting: The End

I finished my current manuscript about a month ahead of schedule. Pretty good, especially because I took 3-4 weeks off for hip replacement surgery.

Lest I sound like I'm bragging, I wrote 21 chapters instead of the usual 23 or 24. This book didn't need that many chapters and I realized it when I got to about chapter 15. (Is it obvious I don't plot my books in advance?)

I always feel a mix of emotions when I finish a manuscript:

• relief: Yay! those characters are finally quiet. Except they aren't. This is a 9-book series and I will hear these characters in my head until I finish the series, with Book 9, next year. Even then, I wonder if I will ever lose them? I've had them with me so long.
• tiredness: the last few chapters are always a marathon for me. I tend to write, write, write until it's done.
• boredom: now what do I do? Writing occupies a big chunk of my free time. What's the next project going to be?
• dread: I need to review and edit. Not immediately. I'll wait a week or so, then I'll dig in on that. I will also go back, read the first 7 books in the series, and make sure this book is cohesive.
• anticipation: related to "boredom": what book will I write next?

I probably won't be leaping into a new manuscript right away. I need to do some web site work, some promo, look at a few issues that came up (some kind of privacy thing with newsletters: GDPR: cue head explosion), get caught up on #cockygate, and you know, get caught up on life.

So there you have it: the on/off button for a writer. #amwriting and #aminbetweenwriting. I'll give myself a month or so then I'll be #amwriting again.

What a difference a day makes

We had a snowstorm yesterday. 10" or so of snow, the wet, heavy stuff that happens in late winter. Whiteout conditions--the whole thing. I sat inside with an afghan on my lap and wrote most of the day. I am This Close >< to being back on schedule with my writing, but it's still a struggle some of the time.

But yesterday's weather has vanished and today: sun shining, roads are clear, snow on the ground (but it's melting like crazy). I drove to my sister's house today and counted 26 cars in the ditch on the 40-mile drive. Also 3 semi-trucks, one ass-over-teakettle and looking like a beetle that was upended with its legs waving in the air. Here in Iowa, we have some damn steep ditches on the side of the road, and one car was teetering on the brink of a huge drop (as in, 'you won't survive this one, kiddo; trust me'). I'll bet that driver exited the vehicle extremely cautiously.

Weather like this is a good reminder that there is a new day lurking around the corner. No matter what is thrown at us today, tomorrow might be better. It might be worse, too, but it might be better. Gray might be replaced by blue, writer's block might be replaced by productivity (see how I snuck that bit in there about writing?), and spring might be around the corner (I can see it--it's hiding, but I think it's there).

So hang in there -- you never know what might happen in 24 hours, give or take a few.

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

#amwritinginbetween I hope

I am not a full-time writer. I have a full-time job, I volunteer (a lot), and Life occurs, so I don't consider myself a full-time writer. But I am a professional writer, both in my Day Job and in my fiction job. I'm a business person and I am a professional in that I know my craft and I do my job and I think I do it well.

I have to #writeinbetween everything else that goes on in life. This is true for most authors unless you're like Nora or others who can block out their day to write and have minions handle the rest of life. It really doesn't matter if you work a day job like I do. That sucks up 50 hours of my week, but other writers have other activities that suck up their lives, too.

This month was a lesson for me in #writinginbetween, because I had to write in between pain. I had a hip replaced and that's a Big Surgery. I was mostly inert for 2 days, used a walker for 4 days, a cane for a few days, then a week after surgery, I was up and moving pretty much okay, albeit slowly.

I'm a naturally active person. I normally score 10K-15K steps a day, no problem. But this recovery has sure make 10K steps a goal, not a reality. I'm getting 6-8K a day and I strive for 500 steps an hour. If I sit for long periods, I get stiff, so that's a good goal.

I found that probably through a combination of drugs and pain, I didn't do any writing, which was expected. But it's been surprisingly hard to sit down again and focus on writing now that I'm really in recovery with no drugs and pain that's manageable. I'm working on a book that I want to finish my mid-year, so I need to write a chapter a week. I'm reviewing the 10 chapters I wrote before I was sidetracked and I'm ready to launch into new work.

I need to find that rhythm again for writing, get back into that headset of "let's sit down and get some work done. Forget about the pain and the stiffness, let's do this." The words are coming, but boy, is it slow.

So here's to all of us who have lives that get in the way. Keep chugging away at it, a word at a time. We'll get there; it's a marathon and we're in it for the long haul. Take plenty of breaks and know that you can do it.

#amwriting and #amwritinginbetween

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

there are stories everywhere

As I write this, I am recovering from major surgery (hip replacement). I've had one other major surgery in my life, but I didn't stay overnight in a hospital for that one.

The thing I found fascinating about this event was the reliance on computer technology. Everything was barcoded -- me, my drugs, my IV fluids. All my pills came in wee tiny plastic bags with bar codes and they were scanned before being given to me. Whatever was injected into the IV line was wanded. Somewhere (and I'm sure I'll see it sometime soon) is an itemized list of what all those things cost.

Everything went fine and I'm working on the Recovery phase now. I hope to get back to writing in a day or two. For now, though, I'm taking advantage of the Invalid Phase and am lolling around the house and relaxing. I've jotted down some notes about my hospital visit to use in an upcoming book and am making notes about these crazy drugs I'm supposed to take. I can see a way to make that bar code thing work for me in a plot...

J L
jayellwilson.com

Trying to find #amwriting during times of churn

When life hands you lemons ...

... make a bourbon sling? That's the only thing I can think of at times like this.

I have some challenges coming up, medically speaking. Hopefully, it's all routine and no big deal, but I am, for the first time, dealing with The Medical Establishment.

O.M.G.

The paperwork, the tests, the bills, the insurance, the calls here and there, the insurance, the paperwork, the tests. Who handles this? Where do I find that? Should I worry about that? Is that normal? How long will this take? Where do I go for that and how long will it take?

Thankfully, there have been no emergencies, this is all regularly scheduled and relatively calm. I mean, most of the stuff I need to do has been scheduled for me, so I just have to show up and act somewhat intelligent.

I can only imagine if someone (1) has little or no grasp of technology or (2) has trouble managing mounds of paperwork or (3) is physically challenged and having trouble getting around.

So, when life hands you lemons, look on the bright side. It could always be so much worse. I'm one of the lucky ones. And by the next time I have a post here, this will all be behind me and I will be enjoying that bourbon sling, with my laptop open and I will be #amwriting again.

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

#releaseday then, Release Day now

I've been published for about 10 years now. My first 5 books came out in 2007, and book #30 comes out next week.

Oh, I remember those first few releases. OMG, I was all over the Internet, talking about my book(s). It wasn't so much "buy me, buy me" but "I HAVE A PUBLISHED BOOK PEOPLE!" I posted excerpts, I did interviews, I was everywhere I could find a spot to talk about my books.

Back then, books came out in e-format then came out in print later. Most people (back then) pooh-poohed ebooks. "When does the real book come out?" I'd be asked. I had an ebook reader long before the Kindle came out (anybody remember the Rocket Ebook Reader?) I knew that ebooks were the wave of the future. I adored being in electronic as well as "real" print, no matter what people say.

Today -- it's a different story. I do some online interviews, I do post excerpts here and there, and mainly I announce, "Hey, guys: another great book by me." It's not that I've lost the sense of wonder that I HAVE A PUBLISHED BOOK. That wonder never goes away. But I'm aware that there are a lot of people out there shouting about their books, and this is a marathon, not a sprint. I'll be talking about this book for a long time to come, so I can save the shouting.

Okay, here's a bit of shouting: BOOK #30 comes out NEXT WEEK! You can read all about it on my book page right here. This is another Remembered Classics book, in which I take a tale you well remember (Peter Pan, in this case) and I rework the characters. This book stars Wendy, T. K. Bell, and, of course, Peter.

Yeah, it's still fun to shout  ☺

What does #amwriting mean for some of us? by J L Wilson

I'm sure you've seen the #amwriting hashtag here and there. It's meant to show that hey, authors are making progress on whatever writing project we're doing.

I always find myself reluctant to start a big writing project, simply because I know it means that my brain will no longer be my own for months. Seriously. I will have voices in my head, I'll fall asleep and wake up thinking "what would she say to him at this point?" and I will be working feverishly to meet a deadline I've imposed on myself.

I will think, eat, drink, and sleep these characters and this plot for at least 6 months (4 months for some of my smaller books). My life will, in essence, not be my own. It will be shared with them for every waking moment. I will no longer have time for "relaxation" like just watching TV (without thinking how I can use a scene in one of my books), going to movies (ditto), shopping (wondering how my main character would act if she saw shoes like that), and so on.

Does it sound like a grind? It feels like it sometimes. The series I'm working on is somewhat soul-consuming in the sense I've been with these characters for years and I've really put them through hell and back. I've got 2 books to go to finish this series, although I suspect I'll end up doing a bunch of rewrites before I actually get around to publishing it.

For me, #amwriting means I'm in the zone. I'm mostly somewhere else most of the time, not quite here and mostly there, living in my head and at my keyboard, working out plot points and figuring how to get my characters from point A to point B. Don't get me wrong: it's what I do. I love doing it and wouldn't change it for the world. I'm just a little preoccupied for the next 6 months or so. You may need to knock loudly for me to hear you.

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

NaNo Wrap-up

I had a successful NaNo, I think. I made a good start at getting some business stuff done and I've mapped out what I want to do for next year. Of course, I actually have to do it, but at least it's down in writing about "work on this in 2018".

I also started a new book. My goal, perhaps foolish, is to finish it by Dec. 31. I think that's doable, but we'll see. It's one of my Remembered Classics and I have the basics all blocked out -- characters, location, and a few key scenes and high/low points. I just need to sit down and write it.

I had some distractions: emergency surgery for the Spousal Unit. He came through with flying colors, but that was still a drain of time and energy. Then I had an emergency up come (vision problem that had me pretty freaked out for a time). That appears to be under control now, so I should be able to focus on the writing.

This is my last post for the year (I don't participate in the story party in December). So here's wishing you a happy holiday season, a happy new year, and here's to 2018 --full steam ahead!

J L Wilson
(jayellwilson.com)

Elbow deep in NaNo

As I think I mentioned earlier, I'm using NaNoWriMo as my chance to get caught up on publishing business stuff. I don't really need motivation to sit down and write -- I write a 65,000 word novel in 3 months, usually, and bigger ones in 6 months (my 110,000 word ones). Nope, writing is covered.

Business, though -- that's another story. I'm using this month to look at what I have self-published and seeing how to market it in a different way. I'll be asking for rights back to a few books to self-publish those, so I want to learn the whole formatting business for that. I'm also working on setting up a literary estate (an LLC) to handle writing-related business things.

NaNo came around at just the right time -- I finished one manuscript and will be doing reviews in December prior to starting another book in January. So the timing is perfect. And I'm enthused after attending a conference for indy-published authors, where I picked up some intriguing ideas.

I'll report back in at the end of the month on how things went. I don't participate in the holiday story, so that'll be my last post for the year. I'm sure by then I'll be itching to get back to writing. So wish me luck -- I need to plow through a bunch of Stuff before I get to do what I love!

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

Preparing for NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month is coming (November). I normally don't participate. I tend to write a book in 3 months or less, so I don't need the motivation (which reminds me: I finished my latest manuscript, 3 months to the day. Go, me!)

I'm going to use NaNoWriMo this year to examine my promotions, my web site, my online presence, and all the other Stuff Around Publishing. I'm going to look at my Amazon dashboard, my Goodreads page, and all that jazz.

I figure it's a good month to do that. In December, I'll start reviewing my previous manuscripts in my series, in preparation for starting Book 8 in January; I'm currently reviewing a new manuscript to submit for consideration, and that will be done by November 1. And I'm taking another trip soon, so that will take up some time as well.

In short: it seems like a good idea. I'm kinda looking forward to it, just a concentrated time when I can focus on all the other stuff that I normally don't care much about. A time to clear my brain and get ready for What's Next.

Wish me luck!

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

The happiest words an author can write

The End

I just finished my latest manuscript. It went pretty fast -- three months, 72,000 words. I did a bit of world-building for it (this is an angels and demons book and I create some rules for how things are run).

I incorporated some of the recent political shenanigans into the book, as well as some of our tragedies (shootings). I find that this kind of writing helps me cope with what's happening to America today. I'm still reeling from the right-turn our country has taken and the news every day shakes my faith in humanity. But writing is my Sane Place, where I can create scenarios that turn out okay in the end.

It seems like every time I start a book, I go flat-out for the first third; I somewhat stall at the middle third; then I got hellbent for leather on the final third. I think I see the finish line 😉This book was no exception. I've learned to expect it when I write, but I still wonder during that middle third if I can move it along.

I have to do editing now, and go through and make sure it all hangs together. But that can wait. For now...

The End. Sweet music to my ears.

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

I think I saw the future

The Spousal Unit and I recently took a long road trip (11 hours of driving, which I did, but that's another story) to get to Pennsylvania for a family event.

Normally we wouldn't make the effort. This was the SU's niece's wedding and everyone would have understood if we didn't get there -- long trip, expensive, etc. But some other family members wouldn't be there and we thought the fam would be under-represented, so we made the journey. And I'm glad we did.

The Bride is white; the Groom is black. The audience was a mix of all races and creeds, as was the wedding party. The Father of the Bride (FOB) and Mother of the Bride (MOB) are divorced (and that's another story for another time), and not amiably. The MOB had her boyfriend there, which peeved the FOB to no end. Not to be outdone, the FOG (Father of the Groom) and MOG are divorced. The FOG's new wife was there as was the MOG's boyfriend.

Our family is very J C Penney; the Groom's family is very haute couture. I saw women wearing jewels, sheath gowns, high-heeled shoes that defied imagination. And I saw folks in black pants, a pretty blouse and flats (me) with costume jewelry purchased at Target for the occasion.

And you know what? We all got along. There were a few bumps: people didn't adhere to the seating chart for the reception, but we just gently reminded folks that there was assigned seats and no, you can't sit there. We were all forced to mingle and get acquainted, and we did. The Bride and Groom were so obviously happy that it spilled over onto everyone else. I chatted with folks from the deep South who were truly curious about the Midwest and I gave advice to someone seeking publication who was so amazed to meet me -- a published author!

People danced together and forgave small faux pas and were gracious to each other. I think at first we did so because we wanted Their Day to be special, but by the time the dancing got started, we were all truly on the same page. We really aren't that different when you sit down and look at it.

So let's raise a glass to diversity and civility -- it can exist in our world as long as we're willing to reach across the aisle and shake hands.

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

Let's all be prepared

Some people reading this are picking up after disasters -- wildfires which have devastated the north and west, floods in Texas, disaster in Florida.

I've experienced the aftereffects of forest fires, flooding, and tornadoes, so I can sympathize. These things happen and whether it's Father Weather, Mother Nature, climate change, or whatever, it's still unsettling.

I remember the first time I had to evacuate after a fire. We had 15 minutes to get into our residence, get our cats and anything valuable, and leave. 15 minutes of fighting through smoke and water to try to find what we needed. The cats were easy -- they just about leapt into their cages, ready to get the hell out. The rest ... not so easy.

Since then I've always had an emergency bug-out kit. It sits in the basement in an interior closet where it's relatively safe from flood or winds. I have clothing, some food, a portable power source, radio, a First Aid kit, copies of important papers (which are at the bank), cans of cat food, and other assorted emergency stuff. We have a 100-gallon tank in the lower level full of water for flushing, we have a filtered 3-gallon tank upstairs plus I keep gallons of fresh water stored in the garage in jugs. I do electronic (i.e., writing) backups to cloud storage. I don't have to worry about grabbing my computer. It's all backed up.

I remember what it was like to go to an emergency shelter with the clothes on my back, my pets, a few "important papers" and that was about it. Never again. If I have to bug out, I want to feel I at least thought about it all ahead of time and didn't fly around like the proverbial headless chicken.

Take a minute and think about your preparedness. It really doesn't take long to pack a duffel bag and stuff it away somewhere. Bob Mayer has written some excellent books about it, others have, too. Just stop and think: if I had 15 minutes to get the hell out, what would I take?

It never hurts to be prepared ...

JL
(jayellwilson.com)

Readers Rule (Part 2)

As Brenda said, we're attending the same conference this fall -- and I can't put my hands right now on the clever image they made for me (argh!)

It's been a couple of years since I've been to a conference and like Brenda, I'm somewhat ... I don't know, anxious or hesitant about it. I am *not* a dress-up person so the idea of a gala is foreign to me. I don't do costumes -- okay, I used to do costumes, and if they ever have a Back to the Fifties, I'm in. Medieval? Um, no. Of course, some of my clothing is old, so maybe that counts? I'll be there to support Brenda as we wait, with bated breath, for contest results. Send a few positive vibes our way, okay?

I'm looking forward, though, to connecting with other authors and readers, of course. I enjoy chatting with readers about what they like, don't like, in books and trends and buying. They don't know the ins and outs of publishing like authors do, so they come at it from a different perspective and it's always good to be reminded of that.

And a bonus for this trip is that I'll see not only Brenda and Rolynn, but other writer friends as well in Phoenix and in California, as well as family out in California. So it's a big Win Win for me.

Before then, though, I have another trip to endure, er, enjoy. Road trip, a long one, out East to see the in-laws at a wedding. I'll do all the driving, and really, it should be fun. As my father used to say, any time you get out of your zip code it's an adventure, right?

Right?

I'm not going to think that far ahead right now. For now, it's all about Labor Day weekend coming up and a chance to kick back and relax.

And maybe go through my closet and see if any of those party clothes still fit ...

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

Old habits die hard, I guess

I am continuing my writing "experiment" by writing dialog then going back and filling in action and description. So that's new for me, in some ways.

But I've reverted to having my chapters be X number of words (approximately). I am so much more comfortable having an arc for each chapter and that usually ends up taking just about the same amount of words for each one.

As always, my characters are taking on a new life than that I planned on, which is always intriguing. I have even found a way to allude to my other time travel series with these characters, and have these characters reference some of the characters from my mysteries. Funny how that works out, isn't it?

I took a break this past weekend for some travel but I always get a lot of dictation done in the car as I drive, so I think I'll be able to zip through several more chapters  soon. Summer is winding down and so is my gardening, so I should be able to devote some time to writing -- fingers, don't fail me now!

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

Yep. Elbow deep

I'm 3 chapters in to a new manuscript and having a lot of fun.

As you might remember, I took a week off from writing earlier in the month. Shocking, I know. While I was in "time off" I did some research for the new idea rattling around in my brain so when I started to write, I could get going immediately.

This is a new method for me. Normally I have an overall plot/idea for the book and each chapter is X number of words long with a good idea going into the chapter what it will entail.

Not so with this book. I'm going back to one of my earlier methods: I'm writing almost entirely dialog then going back at the end of the chapter and filling in the details. Each chapter will be as long as it needs to be, and I have an idea for the ending of the book, several major scenes, and that's about it.

My main characters are outside the human realm, I guess you could say, and they're commenting on what the humans are doing to the world (heh heh). I'm having a lot of fun with that. There's a major plot twist at the end that should produce a very satisfying ending.

This may prove to be a book I publish myself, or I may submit it someday for publication. I have 4 or 5 other manuscripts to submit to my editor, so I'll do those first, probably. Plus I have another book that was returned to me (rights-reversion) and I need to think about what to do with that.

But for now -- just writing. If things go smoothly, I think I might be done with this one early. The last time I wrote a book in this fashion, it took me 6 weeks from start to finish. I doubt if this will be that fast, but who knows?

I'll report in on progress -- so far, so fun!

JL
(jayellwilson.com)

So this is how other people live?

I have not been writing.

This is very odd for me. I am almost always working on a new story. But I've taken these first few days of July to decompress, get caught up on some reading, and put my brain in neutral.

The first thing I've noticed is time: when you're not working on a book, there's a lot of free time. I work full-time, so that's 40-50 hours out of my week that's taken. I normally spend 2-3 hours a day working on writing, and an hour or two thinking about writing. When I free up 3-5 hours of Brain Time, that's a lot of free time.

How am I using it? Doing some reading -- I read outside my genre, so I'm reading historical fiction and other books. That's hard, though. I nitpick them and find all the errors, mentally critique them, and end up skimming a lot. I'm just not much of a reader anymore, sadly. I'm a writer, first and foremost.

I'm also getting caught up on organization -- cleaning out files, re-doing some bookcases, etc. I'm also doing a bit of charity sewing (but it's too hot to do much of this).

All of this adds up to: I'm getting antsy to get started on writing again. I'm just not set up for passive entertainment (TV, books, movies). I need active entertainment (the kind I write and generate for myself).

I expect that by the next time I post (on the 26th) I'll be elbow-deep into a new manuscript. Let's see, if that comes to pass, I will have taken 10 days off from writing.

Sounds about right ...

J L
(jayellwilson.com)

Who hit her deadline?

Oh, yeah. This chick, that's who.

I wrote 20,000 words in 3 days, and yes, I hit my deadline. I wrote "The End" on June 13.

I spent a week doing my tedious "over-used words" edit and pared off 3,000 words, so I'm now at 124,000 words. I started in late January, finished mid-June and in there I had a few weeks where I really couldn't get much writing done. I'll pare off another 1-2 words when I do my real edit later this year. I'll let it sit for at least 3-5 months before I go back and re-read it.

Now I'm picking up all the stuff I postponed while I was writing: promo, figuring out conference plans, considering what to do with a book whose rights were returned to me. I'm also doing a bit of reading. I normally don't read any fiction while I'm writing, so this is my chance to sneak in a few books. I usually read outside my genre, so I'll read a Regency book, maybe a thriller. I've discovered the joy of downloading library books to my tablet and reading them that way. So easy!

And I'm working, tentatively, on a new story. It came to me totally out of the blue, but I think it has potential. Quite unlike anything I've done so it's all very tentative right now. I'll decide in a day or two if it has enough to merit a full-time effort. I usually write a mystery in the July-November timeframe, so it's time for me to pick out my next victim (so to speak).

For the next few days, though, it's kick back and relax a bit and work my way through the To-Do list. It's a luxurious feeling to have so much free time ... but that story is percolating in the back of my mind and I may need to do something about it.

J L
(jayellwilson.com)