I am coming up to the end of the first draft of Danger in Edinburgh and I realize it is just the framework on which I must design a story. Still, it is the most difficult for me and it is quite a relief to see the end in view. Once it is finished, I will begin at the first chapter and give myself the freedom to choose words with precision, pay attention to character development, watch for areas where conflict might improve the story. That part of writing, I love. I wanted to have my protagonist and her group eat in the Cannonball Restaurant in Edinburgh. I couldn’t look at the menu because it was closed for Covid. I wrote them and they generously provided me with a menu and asked me to let them know when the book was out. They were delighted to welcome my fictional guests.

Crime in Cornwall is on track for release in October. It’s going to be interesting to launch with Covid restrictions on gatherings. My local library is working on it. We have the date: Dec 5^th 2 pm. I don’t know what it is going to look like yet, but it will be different. I know I will read for fifteen minutes and we will have a Question and Answer section for participants. I expect I’ll put out a “How to Link Up” communication closer to the event. The downside of virtual launches and tours is that I love to travel and that isn’t happening. I sympathize with thousands of others who also expected to travel. If patience is a virtue that gets better with practice, I’m getting the practice. I should expect the virtue soon.

The weather suits me now. It is not so hot. We have warm, sunny days and cool nights. My tomatoes are producing for the benefit of the local rats. I have never seen them before but now they visit my ripe tomatoes nightly. My dog, a Schnauzer, who is bred to go after rats, sleeps through the visitations.

The ocean is still warm enough for swimming, even for me, who won’t go in until I don’t gasp in shock. Outrigger paddling is definitely on hold at least for the fall, if not for another year. I broke down and bought a kayak. It isn’t the same but it gets me out on the water with others in their kayaks and it provides exercise for parts of me other than my keyboard fingers.

For those caught in the hurricane, I hope you managed to get through it all right. It looked fearsome. May everyone escape the Covid virus and hope for better health for the world next year.