And Then Stuff Happens...

I'm at that middle place in the new book. You know that place where you've got a solid beginning and you know how the story will end, but now, you have to keep your characters occupied and build tension for about thirty thousand words. 

It's my least favorite part of writing, although this book feels a little more arduous than the others I've written. I'm thinking it may be because I'm still in River's Edge, but I'm not writing about the Flaherty brothers or the winery. Instead, I'm creating a whole new family and entirely different situations. But my mind is still at the winery. So early this week, I reread all that I had written so far, focused on the Flahertys as secondary characters and that really seemed to help me dig into these new brothers. 

The main thing is, although these brothers are close and have each others' backs, they aren't as forthcoming and intimate as the Flaherty boys, mainly because they weren't raised by Donal and Maggie--they have a ne'er-do-well for a dad and mom who has just been trying to keep food on the table and a roof over her boys' heads for years and years. So, a lot of exploration of family dynamics in this new series--way less than in the Four Irish Brothers Winery series. I think that's a good thing though, don't you? It's how we grow as writers and as people, maybe. 

And these are the kinds of things Liz and I talk about mornings on G-chat and when we have our writing days together. A writer's life is always interesting, except when they're not and always fun, even when they aren't and rarely arduous, unless they're trying to get words down on the page. 😏

Stay safe and stay well, mes amies, but most especially, stay grateful!