Only three thousand hard words this week. That’s what happens when I start a new project. Until I know where I’m going, get the feel for my people, it’s not easy. My protagonist narrates, and he’s uniquely voiced. The world he lives in is layered, subtle, odd. The idea that drives him and the series is, of course, infinitely huge. But the rest of the characters, as I introduce them in subsequent chapters, they have be real too. Voices all their own. Of course I started a notebook on this, keeping all my many new details in order. I’d be crazy not to have a notebook on this. I am wondering how long my chapters should be. Ten to twelve double spaced pages, using 12 point Times New Roman, isn’t bad. The overall pace of the story lends itself to chapters this long, or short, depending. The main thing is I’m having fun, writing what everybody wants and needs for the foreseeable future.

I canned more beans, but ran out of lids before I could get the tomatoes done. I now have more lids. My big watermelon is almost ready, too. I’ll have a photo of that in my arms (with its weight) for my next post. I have an e-mail to write to my book manufacturer before the next day is out, and my very first grant proposal was turned down. I wasn’t surprised. See you next week.