The ancient Celts celebrated Samhain as a weeklong holiday, when ghosts walked and no one made war. I figure I’m just outside the orb of Samhain now—late harvest, time to cull the herds, though around here we only get the occasional mouse.
Potato, who as we see is practicing to trick-or-treat as Queen of the Fey, is looking through my costume supplies to see which fairy wings suit her best. Although she’s not above gnawing on the wings either.
As for me, I did my reading (of The Deer Stalker, in Seattle), and attracted a small crowd, and people bought books, and that was good!
Now I’m trying to figure out the next book. I’m sort of ruminating on or rolling around in research about ancient Sumer (again)—sort of like Potato and her wings.
Today on my apple tree I noticed a blossom, completely out of season—apple trees bloom in May. The tree’s trying to make up for bears eating all the apples early.
It seems like we have a lot of bears this year. The bears themselves are out of their usual place, perhaps, pushed by a couple of fire seasons destroying habitat east of me. (I’m crossing my fingers that there’ll be no fires this year.)
The world is off-balance now, to say the least. I’m coming into writing book three, which will have a future thread in it. In some ways, it’s been the easiest book yet to start—I have some settings and characters established. In others, it’s been the hardest, because I’m facing the future. Our future, our human future, and the future of the planet.
Not everyone feels this way, but I still have hope.
For Seattle-area folks, a reminder: There’s a Deer Stalker book-signing party September 14. Check my Facebook page for details!
This overcast August day, it feels like early fall. I’ve been taking a break in my backyard. Behind the toolshed, it looks very Northwest, with Doug fir and here a baby cedar.
I’ve been relatively quiet lately. It’s been a hard time, a time of reorganization, separating things out as my ex-partner moves on. We’re still friendly, even in a way still partners. He’s still my emergency contact. And yet, as lovers we’re done.