Middle of the Book

Friday, Aug 10

Well, I’ve had a great writing week. As I’ve been telling you, hell’s a-poppin’ in good ole Stone Creek. I can’t hardly wait to get there, but I’m taking the weekend off to veg around out at the lake. It’s my reward for working hard all week.

When I first bought the lake house, the plan was to work there. Problem is, I don’t work. I take one look at the water, and all the stress drains out of me, and I take a nap! I read, I journal, or play with the dogs, or work with polymer clay. Everything but writing! So now, at least for the duration of this book, it will be a reward and a refuge.

As of today, I’ll have 200 manuscript pages. Half the book. I do plan to print them out and read through them at the lake, just to make sure I’m keeping everything straight. For me, writing a new book is rather like a train climbing a mountain. At first, it’s a pretty steep haul up the grade, but when I reach the peak, it’s all down hill. With the second half of a book, it’s hard to keep up. I write at breakneck speed and have to be very careful to tie up all the loose ends. Fortunately, Joan Marlow-Golan, my super-editor, catches what I miss.

Although I’m always glad to wrap up a book, since mentally I already have one foot in the next one, it’s a little sad, too. It’s like sending a beloved child off to college, hoping they’ll do well in the world.

More on Monday, unless I’m just bursting with things to tell you over the weekend.

Make it a good one.

About Linda

The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West.

Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a horse property outside Spokane.

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