The office doesn’t look quite like this anymore. But we are in the dog days of summer (already)!
I’m somewhat pleased with my productivity over the past week. Not only have I finished The Cost of Power but I’ve been contemplating what the trilogy might look like and I’m just about ready to start spending some quality time with the easel, paper roll, and so on to do serious brainstorm work, not just for that story but for the Goddess’s Vision trilogy. I keep going back and forth about whether I want to use Philip Martiniere’s POV because…I don’t know, I think the perspective might be useful. At the very least, I plan to write some more drabbles about Philip to help me figure this universe’s version out. I kinda have an idea but I’m not definite on it yet. One of the burdens that this version of Philip carries is that there are so many universes where he is a destructive force–and he knows it now. But due to his relationship with his younger brother Gerry, and a few other differences, he’s not that destructive person in this universe. And…this version of Philip deeply loved Gabe’s mother Angelica, regretted losing her to his twin Saul, and was absolutely torn up the first time he saw Gabe as a baby because he couldn’t claim him–yet.
Anyway, I also managed to get many small things done this week, in spite of the heat and the traveling. I’ve also started journaling again–I think that is a key for stirring up my brain and it’s telling when I don’t do it. Another factor that seems to be helping my productivity is getting a new pair of computer/reading glasses with a blue blocker and a slightly longer focal distance. One thing I’ve appreciated about working with this optometry office has been that they listen. When I say that I don’t want my reading distance at 18 inches but closer to 24 inches, welp, they write the prescription that way instead of what they think it should be. And…it’s a lot easier on my arms and shoulders, too. I prefer books and computers at a reasonable distance, thank you very much. In any case, my eyes feel a lot better and I’m less fatigued. Win-win, all around! We’ll see what happens when my distance glasses show up next week–I have single focus reading/computer glasses and single focus distance vision glasses–just works better for me than any form of bifocal or transitional lenses, and contacts are right out for various reasons.
Looking at what didn’t get done this past week, I also don’t feel too bad because I did a lot of the preliminary tasks that needed to be completed before I tackle the stuff that didn’t get done. Plus, just catching my breath after completing two books that were pretty much being written simultaneously over the past six-seven months. I’m going to have more of that happening soon, but this week I think is the time to do a bunch of foundational stuff. One thing I want to start getting in order is an online store to sell some of the hard copy books I have lying around the house. One set is for a series that has been recovered and reissued, another is for a series that is due to be recovered and reissued next year. I think I’ll also make some bags to go with the books as swag. In any case, I need to work toward getting that set up and ready to roll for the fall and Christmas season if I’m gonna do it this year.
And if I feel the urge to write something…well, there’s all those noodlings that need to be done regarding Philip’s character in the world of The Cost of Power. I’m going to make that the title of the series, and I kinda have a title for the just-completed work: The Cost of Power: Exile’s Return. Because in part the focus of this series is the reconciliation of father and son to fight against a toxic variant of the father. And other stuff.
Meanwhile, the easel is calling me. Or, at least, notes to scribble as I think about where I’m going with this series.
