The Gift Legacy Archives - Page 3 of 3

So much for best intentions: sometimes, that’s not enough.

I had hoped to finish writing the fourth book of The Gift Legacy before I left for vacation in Ontario…and I was this close!

But I didn’t make it.

During my race to meet the deadline, I put in eight- to ten-hour days for days on end and neglected the usual victims (weeds, husband, chores) and some new ones (this blog). In the end, I just couldn’t do it and the plane was leaving with or without me.

View of a cottage on the Manitouwabing River — Vacationing on the Manitouwabing

You wouldn’t think it would be so difficult to complete, after all, the last chapter is outlined and half-written. But it’s critical that I tuck in the loose ends and pay attention to detail. I want the readers on the edge of their seats during those all-important closing scenes and I don’t seem to be able to do that type of writing in a hurry.

So it’s going to take a few more weeks. I’ll start by clearing the deck of neglected chores, including a post about my trip, and then I’ll pour myself into the ending the book deserves. I’m excited to get started.

And speaking of excited, I think I have a title. What do you think of The Gift: Penance?

Here’s a peek at the book’s blurb:

In Book IV, the gift has been exposed and Emelynn must pay the penalty for her role in baring the secret. But before her and her new handler, Detective Sam Jordan, can establish a safety net, Emelynn stumbles into the middle of a drug smuggling investigation that has already resulted in two murders. Unable to extricate herself, she and the detective join the investigation and embark on a dangerous mission to find the criminals who hide in polite society.

What is Emelynn’s gift? Find out right now . . . you can buy book I, Secret Sky with one simple click here. And if ebooks or Amazon aren’t your preference, click on the Bookstore Tab for more purchasing options.

My office may be tiny, but there’s a great view!

A few weeks ago, I attended a workshop about income tax and the self-employed. It was perhaps a bit premature; after all, you need an income to write expenses off against, but I’m nothing if not optimistic. In attendance were a diverse group of islanders with small businesses ranging from jewelry making to gardening.

The “Use of Home” subject came up raising all kinds of questions about how to properly measure and report the space we use for conducting our business. Some artists use their entire home to store, display and create their art. Gardeners and potters use outdoor space. Some have dedicated offices and others use multi-purpose areas, like kitchen counters and spare bedrooms.

The spaces I use to write

It made me think about the space I use to write. We have an office at the back of the house. It has a wrap-around desk, a comfortable chair, a large desk-top computer, a printer, and every other “office” supply ready at hand.

I never use it. I feel isolated there. Stymied.

Instead, I’ve commandeered a corner of the dining room. I use my grandmother’s old sewing machine cabinet as a table and on dark days I turn on an old lamp of hers to light my little nook. I set my bevies on the cabinet by the dictionary, put my feet up on the ottoman and pull my computer into my lap.

Each day’s view is different. Some days it’s so bright I have to roll out of the glare. On other days, the fog creeps right up to the edge of the deck, obliterating everything. On stormy days, the windows are spattered with salt spray and tree debris from the incredible winds. Is it any wonder the beach and the storms find their way onto the pages of my books?

As I write this post, it’s sunny and I’m smiling to myself as two thoughts occur to me. 1. This tiny office with the great view is far too small to warrant the paperwork necessary to “claim” it on my taxes. And 2. How did I ever get so lucky?