Several Things

​I’ve been involved in several things lately.
 

1. I’ve gotten closer to clarifying my “why” of the new novel. Using World War II as the background is making it difficult – there are so many things that happen to people involved in war that the war is overshadowing any single point that I have to make.
2. I’ve given the manuscript to my first reader. Within the first four pages, I’m being cited for lack of authenticity in one of my major plot points. To me, it’s minor fiction; to him, it’s a lack of credibility.
3. I leave for Europe in a week, so I’m rereading guidebooks on London and on Normandy, plus some of the history books on World War II. I made the plane and hotel reservations last March, when it was cheap. Now is a good time to go, except that there are storms in the North Atlantic that are affecting flight schedules; there’s a Category 4 hurricane that’s pointed up the center of the Atlantic, which will affect weather in England; there are possible strikes in both London and France, which affects services; I hear that Paris is more congested than usual, which affects me getting from one train station to another by taxi; my initial flight from Albuquerque to Los Angeles (on the way to Salt Lake City, where I board my international flight) was changed and I’ve only got 41 minutes from the time the first plane lands on the runway to when the second one takes off, so I’m nervous about that; I bought a legal-sized carry-on to take on the trip and it looks like I’ll have only one set of clothes for the whole trip: I’ll have to wear them in the shower if I want to wash them and hope that my hotel rooms have irons. Or a hair dryer. And don’t forget the converter – England’s electric plugs are 240v.
4. I’m wondering how my experience in Normandy will integrate into my story. In addition to more authentic descriptions of the landscape, people, and events during war, I’ve left some hooks for emotional episodes that will add meat to the characters and intrigue to the plot. I also have a list of about thirty technical questions that are specific to the story; hopefully, the museums can help out.
5. One of my objectives with the story is to honor my father and other veterans who participated in the war in Europe. How to do it meaningfully, I have yet to decide.
6. Two of my Mogi Franklin Mystery books have been selected as finalists in the Juvenile book category of the New Mexico/Arizona Book Contest, so that’s good. They’ll announce the category winners in November.
7. I attended my 50th High School Reunion last weekend. For placemats on the dining tables, they reprinted the 1969 panoramic picture of the high school class – 300+ students. It was a good reunion and I enjoyed it, but I stared at the faces on the placemat until it occurred to me that wouldn’t it be a good mystery if someone sent the police a placemat that had all the deceased members x-ed out, plus five more who are still alive. Then the five start showing up murdered. No wonder I didn’t have many friends in high school.
8. I attended an Apple Festival at Los Luceros in the Rio Grande Valley on Saturday. The location is where the Spanish Conquistador Juan Onate established his permanent camp in 1598. That’s more than 400 years ago. The highlight of the festival is touring the ancient hacienda on the property. It’s beginnings only go back three hundred years. It’s had several owners, including Mary Cabot Wheelwright in 1923, a wealthy east coast woman and major Southwest anthropologist who eventually was responsible for giving the city of Santa Fe the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. I’ve wanted to visit for a long time and I was not disappointed.
9. I bought a Verizon plan to make my phone international. It charges me $10 a day for any day on which the phone makes or receives a phone call or text, but then you can phone or text all you want on that day. I had hoped to not use my phone much, but I’ve really gotten used to it.

 
Regardless of all that is going on, I will try to relax and have fun, plus take a lot of pictures.

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