Writing, The Profession for Shut-Ins

Since I've arrived in Atlanta, I've had a wrecking service masquerade as our movers, a wasp infestation, several giant scary horrific roaches, two serious crises with the air conditioner in our new apartment while it was over 80 and 100 degrees, and a husband absorbed in his new job. I sympathize with the people at his job who want my husband to be there 24 hours a day (I love him that much, too), but if only we didn't need this job so badly, I would march over there and tell them that I did not marry him so I could spend a precious hour with him before he fell over asleep from pure exhaustion each night.

In spite of these inconveniences -- and, maybe because of the one of them -- I've been keeping up with my writing schedule. I'm finished with a first draft of Chapter 17 of The Seven Noble Knights of Lara and have sketched out the basic moves in the remaining planned chapters, of which there are currently 21. Dare I hope that the first draft of this project, which has been as epic in its writing as it is in its story, could be done by December? Yes, I think I dare! Setting tangible goals with a solid deadlines has been the single most helpful change I've made to my writing in the past two years.

So, unlike constructive criticism, in which you're supposed to sandwich a negative in between two positives, I'm going to sandwich the great news about my writing between two not-so-great ideas. All of these things I've mentioned so far have led to an inability so far to get out and explore Atlanta. I've been busy with a bunch of projects I'll announce later, but they involve my previous contacts from Tucson. And when I say busy, I mean, I've been working nonstop! All from home. I don't know what the people are really like here beyond the waiters in restaurants and I don't know the architecture or atmosphere beyond the road to the grocery store and the movie theatre.

This is temporary. I've been putting out slow tendrils to get to know other writers here, etc., and eventually my husband and I will have a clear weekend in which we can visit the aquarium, Stone Mountain, and any number of other recommended Atlanta activities. But for now, I'm really glad I'm a writer and a publisher. There aren't too many other professions that can be practiced in a completely virtual environment.