After the Ides of March

How can it almost be spring?! There's still five feet of snow in my yard. Sigh.

My current life is:

Drafting book 3

Copyediting book 2

Publicity for Virgin's Daughter

Watching The Musketeers season 2

Reading . . . lots of stuff, like always :) My problem is that I binge re-read Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles during all the blizzards and both Dunnett herself and Francis Crawford tend to ruin me for other historical worlds (and, let's face it, fictional men.)

So I decided now was a good time to finally pick up a book that's been on my TBR shelf for years: THE SUNNE IN SPLENDOUR by Sharan Kay Penman. Penman is by far my favorite living writer of historical fiction, and very nearly as good, in my opinion, as Dorothy Dunnett. Next to The Lymond Chronicles, my favorite historical novel is HERE BE DRAGONS, about Llewellyn the Great of Wales and his English wife, Joanna.

THE SUNNE IN SPLENDOUR is the story of Edward IV, Richard III, and the last twenty years of the Wars of the Roses. With the mortal remains of King Richard being laid to rest this next week in Leicester, what better time to immerse myself in his story? Especially in the hands of a writer I trust.

And always, of course, My Family. Oldest son immersed in studying physics at the University of Washington and writing/performing beautiful music. Second son finishing his freshman year in public health/pre-med--and waiting to see where he will spend the next two years as a missionary for our church. Daughter studying hard  (AP U.S. history this year), learning to drive, and fending off friends who have decided they are in love with her. Youngest son registering for high school (eeeek!) and working hard on the perfect swoop of his hair across one eye.

I learned to write seriously when these kids were between the ages of ten and two. Writing with half of them at college and two teenagers at home should be simpler, right? In some ways. But, just like everything else in life, there are always benefits and drawbacks. Am I ever going to be able to write 9000 words in one day, like Sarah J. Maas? Not for the foreseeable future. But guess what I can do? I can write in fits and starts. My beginning trained me to write in journals, to write in school hallways, doctor's offices, late at night, in fifteen-minute increments between making dinner or giving baths or cleaning up disasters. There are times when longer periods of focus are required, but for the most part I can work however I have to.

That doesn't mean I won't appreciate it when my days belong more wholly to myself. Days (and nights) when my husband and I can do what we like without recognizing school hours or vacation weeks or having to shut doors :)

I may celebrate then by seeing how many hours straight I can write. Or, more likely, how many hours straight I can read. Either way, life will be good then.

How do I know that? Because life is good now.