Ned bumped the champagne bottle with his elbow as he hurried past the drinks table. The air was thick with perfume and cologne, making it difficult to breathe. Someone shouted when a glass broke and drinks spilled. The noise was too much. Desperate to escape, he pushed his way through the crowd, the exit sign glowing like a beacon. Outside, he leaned against the brick wall, gasping as he tried to calm himself. When his heartbeat returned to normal, he…
It’s been a wild week in the mountains. Filled with medical appointments, storms, head colds, and a broken dishwasher. Sometimes, life is messy, and the best you can do may not feel like quite enough. The instinct to fight against the tide leads to burnout and succumbing to the inevitable — but in a much grumpier frame of mind. None of us are immune; however, I’m learning to lean into the need for rest while my body battles the unexpected…
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…
When John started hiding his current location beneath the stamps, Mary thought it was a lark. A bit of fun that slipped right under the government’s noses. What harm could it cause? That was before Mrs. Collier discovered her German boarder, Albert, was a spy. He often sat alone in the parlor, nursing a broken ankle, while Mary dashed from one chore to the next. In her ease with him, she’d become careless, leaving the letters strewn about. Even carrying…