Clarity

 

Overwhelmed? Yes. But this is a day, a week in which I know what it is I need to do and will know when it is done. One doesn’t always have that kind of clarity of obligation or potential satisfaction of accomplishment.

Now flow the slack waters that come before the current builds and cataracts loom in April and May. Slack, indeed, not even leaving the house for a handful of patients twice a week, that chapter if not ended, trailing off toward nothing. And I am not driven to go back to it if I can fill my days with this work I at last see clearly that I must do, that I am able to do.

I’m encouraged to find a potential publisher–a long shot as they all are–a top tier recipient of this manuscript in process that wants 20 pages and will give notice in 8-10 weeks. I can invest those pages and those weeks to this hope. And then…

Once packaged for export, I’ll be looking at other choices down the list–choices I don’t have in mind just now. May be I’ll have to spend some hours in Writers Digest to learn how to do the dipping and cooing courtship dance particular to each suitor in a half-dozen publishing bowers. I’d prefer my first choice simply open the door when I appear ardent and sincere with flowers.

Now your part: if you’ve read this far, you are probably one of a few good men–or ladies–the Fragments Marines. You might have been along during the year of similar gestation for Slow Road Home, even be one of the 40 or so editing contributors to that work that was one time where this next book is now.

I don’t think I’ll post this widely just yet, but If you’d be interested in seeing a little of how “Bridging the Nature Gap” (current working title) is coming along, just leave a comment–if I know how to find you, or email me (fred1st over on Google’s mail) and I’ll send you the link where the dozen pages open in a nice page-turning display over at issuu.com.

I’d be pleased to have your comments, critiques and corrections as I approach my deadline of next Tuesday for sending this package off. Mostly, I’d just be comforted to know you’re out there riding the currents with me toward whatever delta we’re heading toward this time.