Plotting

Life is kicking my ass. That happens sometimes. This will come in handy later when I torture my characters. I'll draw on life experience to add depth and reality to their scenes.

In the meantime, I'm plotting what lies beyond this gate...

Contemplating

Spring is here. The weather is lovely, plants are growing, sprouting, blooming. I'm still contemplating all the information I gathered on my research trip to North Carolina. I have to figure out some backstory as it's essential to the why of the plot. I'm piecing together some information and looking at how certain trees thrive in multiple and diverse climates. Once that's done, I plan to sit down and write until the words dry up. Or for a minimum of two hours every day.

In the meantime, here's Brynja's home in Carrboro, North Carolina.

What does it tell you about her personality?

Research

I was away for two weeks then sick when I came home. My head is awhirl with ideas,not only for the book I went to research but also a few that reached up and grabbed me.

Two weeks ago, I did this

That was my first time ever kayaking. Odd, considering Alex, my last hero, did that for a living. Post-book research. I'm ahead (or behind) of my time.

Last week, I did this

I drove the route to work that my heroine will ride on her bicycle. There were street signs indicating the best way to do that but sadly, I did not have a bike handy. Still, it was beautiful and I'm so glad I was able fill up an SD card with pictures of Brynja's home, work, restaurants and hang-outs. I found the perfect neighbourhood for her as well as a nice clump of ferns in which Bracken can hide his charges.

Nothing beats the experience of walking the terrain your characters inhabit.

Next year, Iceland!