In June I joined Novel90, a challenge put out by AutoCrit. The objective is to outline a novel in June, draft it in July, and edit in August. The closer we get to August, the more frantic my pace has become. The outlining process went fast, but I have a confession here. I outline from a draft 0. This means I write the story done without worrying about grammar, chapters, even point of view. The objective is to get the…
The annual fourth of July barbecue spiraled into its typical chaos. Water balloons splattered across the deck as cousins soaked each other. Uncles battled flames from the grill. Aunties sought refuge from the suffocating heat under the maple tree, fanning themselves with paper plates. After dark, sticky children settled down with adults. An occasional slap echoed as people swatted mosquitoes. Humidity hung heavy in the air as the first firework burst into an array of patriotic colors. Someone lit a…