Procrastination

I have scene cards laid out on the floor for two novels. And it is October first. I'm supposed to write seven pages today so that I can meet my self-determined goal of a first draft by Oct. 31. And while I'm working on that, I'm supposed to be filling in the gaps on the outline for the other novel, which I already wrote a first draft for two years ago and am now scrapping in favor of a new first draft.

But I digress. Because fear is the blank page and procrastination and diversions can delay the terrifying, the overwhelming, the vastness of the unwritten manuscript.

So let me tell you about my wife and her excellent skills as a boy mom. Not only is she capable and willing to provide advice on any number of subjects, but she is also darned useful. When we were moving our oldest into the dorm a week ago, not only did she remember to bring a dolly (aka.a hand truck) to stack his worldly goods on, and her handy blue straps for securing said worldly goods, including a computer printer.  She was also right there when his room mate's girlfriend's stepfather (this is how he was introduced) was in need of a cutting implement.

She just whipped out her purple Leatherman and before it had even fully appeared, he's seen her reach and asked, "You have a Leatherman?" with obvious envy. They oohed and aahed over the tool before cutting or tweezering or whatever the Leatherman was perfect for. She definitely gets boy mom points for that. We also lent the room mate and his girlfriend's stepfather the dolly, furthering securing better relations for the roomies. He seems a nice enough chap.

But before I force myself to face the empty page I also have to mention that Nancy Werlin has a new book out, Extraordinary. Her other fantasy, Impossible, based on the song Scarborough Fair, was incredible, and I was reminded, as I listened to Extraordinary on Audible, what a difference a really good writer makes when telling a tale. This is story for girls who like faery stories and women who remember being girls who like faery stories.  Really good.

And now for that blank page...