Updates

Got back from Europe to a flurry of activity. My paintings are now on display at the Calgary Stampede, and I was invited to Stir’Up, a reception for the artists, which was very classy! Now, I have 2 weeks to revise my novel before submitting it to my critique group. That’s 2 chapters a day, which is do-able. Except I am already behind.

“Strangers Among Us” has received 15 submissions so far and I have completed my edit notes on 5 of them. Hope to have a few more finished before I leave for home in a week.

Today, riding from Ft. William to Edinburgh, I dictated the last 5 scenes of the novel. It didn’t end just exactly the way I thought it was going to–nice surprise at the end. Once I transcribe these last 5 scenes, I can start on revision–and this novel will need lots because about 60% of it was dictated, so there are gaps in the story, changes in character backstory, place-holder names, etc. that I would normally have changed with ongoing revisions as I wrote, but are now still raw. I have a month to get it in shape for my beta readers.

Scotland, like Ireland, is varried, but the highlands in the north west are, again, wild, windy and beautiful, but in a much different way because they are mountainous. Also, riding the ferry to get here–the rise and fall of the sea. I am signing up for sailing lessons this summer. You can research all you like through books or the internet, but there’s nothing like being here.

Ireland has amazing scenery, especially the west coast, south of Galway–The Burren. Wild, windy and beautiful. We stayed in a 200-year-old cottage and drove past several that still had thatched roofs. Also went to the Ulster American Folk Museum, an open-air museum with ancient stone cottages, women in costume cooking bread on the turf fire, and so forth. This will give me incredible grounding for my fantasy series.