"I'm getting a sort of banging in my head." "Yeah, I think that's Hitler in the cupboard." "That's not helping."

 A lot of people are in denial, but summer is fast coming to an end. (I know, it technically doesn't end till the calender says so, but I always go by months. June, July, and August are summer, and once August has passed, it is fall as far as I'm concerned.) Actually, it has been raining here almost every afternoon, so it feels like fall already.

 I find it easier to write in the fall and winter. Without the sun out, the warmth, and the lure of green grass and rivers to pull me outside, it is easy to snuggle up under blankets with my space heater and Josh Groban's CDs and spend hours working on my books. The rainy weather has already got me itching for hot tea and fuzzy socks.
 BUT, I refuse to pull out my blankets and writing gloves until summer is officially over.

 I've set out a list of things I want to do during this final month, and I thought it might be fun to share with all of you, and all of you to share with me and each other what things you wish to do before summer says good bye. Then, we can compare notes and see if we've accomplished it all. (I know, this sounds like setting goals, but summer is for tossing goals in the lake. These are just fun things you'd all like to do.)

 For example, I've three books I'm in the middle of reading. I'm determined to finish all three, two will be very easy since I am half way through them at the moment, but one will take a little more time. I'm going to not start anymore until I have all three done.
 They are:
 Courage, Book Two in the Makilien series
 A Hero for WondLa, Book Two in the WondLa series. (YES!!! I own it!!! It is all MINE!!! {And if I've mentioned this before it deserves to be mentioned more than once.} I've waited months for this book and now I won my very own copy!!!!! MAWHAHAHAHAHAHA!)
 The Invaders, Book to in The Brotherband Chronicles. (I really like all the books I've read by this author, but they take me a long time to get through for some reason.)

 I also have some hiking trips planned with a friend of mine, and I'd like to go swimming at least once. It is shocking how little I've gone swimming this summer. I've also been hired to help John find his missing cookies. *Whistles innocently.*

 I'm also going to continue work on The Broken Blade, but will be starting in earnest the end of the month. I've run into a few troubles with it, actually, which I kind of hope to get worked out before I sit down to complete it.

 Book one has always lacked that one something to fill in the middle of the plot, and I've reached that place where I need that missing something. (The fourth or third book - depending on how the story goes - has the same problem.)

 I never really know what to do with these problems. With the Haphazardly Implausible series the biggest issue I had was having too much plot and not enough books. In fact, this is my biggest writing issue. I try and fit too much into too little of a book or series, and have to remove unneeded things or add more books. But how does one solve the opposite problem? How does one fill in the missing bits in the first book to get to the completed plots of the other books?

 I think the hardest part is that book one, at the beginning, doesn't have the bang of action I am so used to starting with. I believe it has enough mystery and interest to keep the reader from getting board and giving up, but there is no base being bombed, there is no prince needing saved, there is really nothing. And I don't know how to start a book without throwing everyone right into the middle of the action.

 I am kind of regretting starting it this way now. I wanted to do something along the lines of The Lord of the Rings. I wanted the reader to see the characters before the danger and battles, while they were still boys living their carefree lives. Unlike with Peter and the Loyalty characters, the reader would get the chance to see some of their day to day life actives.
 I came up with all kinds of things that I thought would be enough to keep the plot moving till I got to the action. School life, work, chores, pranks, I even created a bully. And yet, none of that filled in the missing thing. And this is what I am looking all over for.

 Actually, maybe some of you writers out there would have suggestions? Have you ever started a book out with a lead up to the action rather than right in the middle? What did you do to keep it interesting? Have you read books which don't start in the middle of things? What did you like or dislike about them?

 But enough of that for now. I've other news as well. I've added some more things to my site - including a list of recommended books. You can find the link on my side bar.
 Also, I now feel ready to help with editing, formatting, and other publishing dangers new authors are facing. You can find out more on the Services page which is on the top bar.

 I should end this now, it has got a bit long and I am hoping to get more read before I go to bed.

 I would love to hear about all of your last minute summer schemes! Do you hope to accomplish anything fun before fall appears and you must pull out your blankets and hot chocolate?

 (Also, for all your Whovains out there. What do you think of 12? Personally, I'm just so happy he's a he that I could hug him. I'm rather excited to see him with Clara, since he is older it looks like their relationship will continue more along the lines of father/ daughter which I think will be fun to see since they've done almost every other kind of relationship since the series reboot.)

 Now I am going for real.

 The quote, because we needed a Doctor Who quote after the announcement.

 Allons-y!