The Righter!

I’m a citer
I’m a fighter
I’m a midday righter
Tryin’ to find balance before the day is done…

*A parody of “The Joker," a song by the Steve Miller Band from their 1973 album, The Joker.

An Indie author, I know I’m not alone in navigating life’s choppy waters while trying to further my writing endeavors. Due to unforeseen hairpin turns and detours, it had taken me approximately 8 years to finish and publish my second novel in the genre of Contemporary, 'An Enlightening Quiche' (eBook – 370 pages).

In January 2018, I began my third Contemporary, 'Aida’s Fishing Ground,' progressing at my own unhurried pace where I left off two weeks ago. That’s right! I haven’t advanced a single word in drafting chapter 6. And, it’s not because I’ve gone fishing!

Indies who are primary caregivers or liaisons know the drill. You drop everything to meet up with your loved one at the ER. You become a citer, fighter, and righter to assure that the patient’s best medical and psychological interests are met. Being an advocate is exhausting and stressful. But, because our heart is in the right place, we prioritize, and everything else goes to hell in a hand basket—as it should.

Yet, during my driving spurts, Keith Lawrence and Obie Smith—two of my characters, made their presence known by channeling dialogue. As I’m a pantser, I store this information for subsequent retrieval when it’s time to summon. I’m not there by a long shot, but it will keep without my writing it down prior to that point. It’s how I roll. If you’ve read my multi-award winning 'An Enlightening Quiche,' I think you’ll concur that I did a damn good job differentiating my fully-fleshed characters, and plotting its twists and turns.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Meanwhile, the week ends on a positive note for health care management. I’ll soon transition to “the midnight writer” and plod/plot my way along Aida’s journey in my office—my fishing ground for reeling in the words to tell my story.