At last, now that we're more or less done traveling for the summer (and probably for the year, as all my vacation days at work are G-O-N-E), I can get back on track with my schedule. I've gotta have a schedule to get any writing done, and that inevitable means getting up early.

4:30 a.m. early. Ouch.

I almost didn't make it today, almost hit Snooze on my alarm, but I'd reread all my notes on the new novel last night before bed (along with the Graham Joyce novel I'd picked up at the remaindered book shop, Smoking Poppy, which has totally sucked me in), and I was pumped up to get to work. That always helps, especially when working on about 6 hours' sleep...

So I got most of chapter one finished up, really finessing the opening scene and adding some nice sensory details (see my updated excerpt page if you're really curious). I really like the Billie Holiday songs playing in the background, as well as the growing summer heat in the tin-roofed store.

And I even wrote some new stuff. It's all coming together, I hope. I'm still in that unsteady phase where I feel like maybe this would be better off as a short story or novellette. Must get over that!

And as an extra added bonus, I even went jogging this morning when I was done writing. Must continue that! Later...