Saturday Night Message: Week of March 9 - 15
Days Till Novel Launch: 231
Sunday, March 9, 2025
8:41 p.m.
A moment ago , wrapped up grading and new week prep for my class. Feels good to have it in the rear-view mirror, but I’m more than a little tired.
Last night, I sent out notices and pulled "Angelique" from consideration at the other journals still considering it. Felt good knowing she now has a home. Next up: applying the edits to the piece.
A nap isn’t a bad idea, either. We “sprang forward” in the middle of the night last night. The extra daylight in the spring and summer makes for much-needed outside productivity. Getting up on time in the morning will be…interesting.
Monday, March 10, 2025
Lunch Hour
Worked on "Angelique" edits about an hour last night. I’m learning a lot in the process. Gonna touch the manuscript in a moment in the spirit of progress. The title may change. I wrote this under the mentorship of writer Roy Hoffman. He liked the story but not the title. In the current markups, the editor had a comment by the title that made me think she’s not “getting it” either. So, I may change it. It needs to have a French connection, but I’m not sure what…at the moment.
A couple of lunchtime chores, with ZERO help from my trusty steed.
Spring break time in the local school district. Eryn is spending her last spring break of her high school career sick. Yesterday, she had a temp of 103.oh.God. This morning, she’s down to a human 99.something. I’ll take it. The miracle of drugs.
Jumping forward an hour this weekend was not my friend. :(
Lunch Hour:49 a.m.
Did a tiny bit of editing to the manuscript in between air-fried bites of lunch. Finally read and shared the latest Substack post from Receipt from the Bookshop. Each Friday, the bookshop lady releases a fresh post. Enjoyable read. I was only able to read about ten percent of it on Friday. Check it out if you like small British bookshops that are operated by mother/daughter teams. :)
Same Day, 11:07 p.m.
Be thankful that you only have to see this photo and NOT listen to the sound effects. :( I know she ate a premium rotisserie chicken this evening for dinner. She’s had more to eat than I have! Spoiled rotten, little guilt-tripper!!
Graded some papers, and now I’m working on edits to the short story. Oh yeah, everyone in the place except me has the full-on flu this week. Everyone is home from work and school: coughing and snorting and sneezing and… I don’t have time to be sick this week. Ugh. :-(
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
9:02 p.m.
It’s Tuesday, and that means that it’s time for everyone’s favorite literary program, The Laydown Diaries, at Parnassus Books. Lots of new books and events announced today. Check it out.
Everyone continues to be sick: coughing and moaning, as if it’s a competition. This include me, by the way.
There will be screams from the other room soon, but that will involve the Nashville Preds hockey game. I’m settling in for a couple hours of cleaning up my short story for publication. And with that, gotta go…
Wednesday, 3/12
8:39 p.m.
Somehow, it’s Wednesday night. Arrived faster than anticipated. Knee deep in short story edits, but I am enjoying them a great deal.
While lunching on back deck with trusty steed, reading and worshipping the sun, the below announcement came across social media. Last week, Tennessee State Representative Justin Jones held his first annual Literary Day on the Hill, calling attention to the rise in book bans in the state. Wish I could have been there. It was during the workday when I had to…well, work. Click the following link to read an article on the event:
Ann Patchett, literary activists push back on book bans at Literary Day on the Hill
Okay, back to work editing my story.
10:03 p.m.
Took a break to discover ole spot-stealer Freckles! ;-)
My better half is saturated in the flu this week. She had “her spot” perfectly designed, down to the heating pad. She rose for a moment and lost that seat! So, she gave up and went to bed. The moment she left, spot stealer came into the office. Ole Tier One took a hit tonight. :)
Thursday, March 13
Lunchtime
Had a good evening of editing last night, but much more left to do. So goes the lunch hour. Wanted to share the below video on reading. Saw it a few days ago, but I didn’t have a chance to share.
Friday, March 14
Mid-Workday
Even though I got up at the crack of crazy today, this is a rare “off day.” Took PTO so I could take Eryn’s car to the KIA dealership for three recalls. Two they did. One, a part is ordered. I get to return…at some point. ;-(
I almost logged back in to the day job, but I already submitted my time sheet for the period, and HR paperwork drives me nuts. So, I’ll stay off the clock and work on short story edits.
Oh, Parnassus Books has a video each Friday called, “If you haven’t read it, it’s new to you.” They always promote great books, usually older. Here’s today’s video.
Same Day, 9:55 p.m.
After noodling on the story for a while, I figured out what was missing, things to create in reaction to editor’s comments. It’s either going to be a much better story, or I’m about to mess the entire thing up.
Oh, I’m already dreaming about how much I am going to sleep in the morning. I can’t wait.
Saturday night, 8:59 p.m.
Been working on story since 10:00 a.m. Break for dinner and back at it. It does have a new—greatly improved—name. I will have it cleaned up and delivered by midnight, at which time I plan on falling down…hard.
In other news…
Preds playing; people screaming. Dog stealing spots. Some people sick; others well.
Until next week, RLB
P.S. Here’s Freckles’s latest…
