On the Crossbar by Liz Flaherty #RomanceGems

I have spent the evening doing what I often do--thinking about what I should be doing. It's not that I'm lazy. Exactly. It's that my concentration is...lacking. It's not my fault if the sunset is glorious, is it? And that there's a utility pole standing at attention there. It's one of those wooden ones with a crossbar and a row of glass conductors on the bar and it looks as if the whole row is staring mesmerized at the pinkish-orangey-purply western horizon. So, can you blame me? If even a light pole can't look away, how can I?

Like every other time of year, this is my favorite. The colors have been spectacular here in the Midwest this fall, and they've hung on much longer than usual. It's like Mother Nature is patting us and saying, "There, there," because 2020's been so difficult and beauty makes everything more bearable. 

It's been a hard writing year for me. A year of maybes and outright rejections, of career corners that I can't seem to find my way around, of winding down before I'm sure I'm ready. I haven't completed a full-length book, although I'm close. And I may never write another one. That thought doesn't hurt as much as it used to, although there's still some sting to it.

But in this season of...not discontent, exactly...more like autumn itself, such lovely things have happened. My story, Something New, was part of Last Chance Beach: Summer's End and my novella, Wisdom of the Heart, is in Christmas Comes to Dickens. As a writer, there's not much that's better than being nestled in among talented friends. Writing these short stories and having all the feels while doing so have made the colors last so much longer and brighter and better than they might have. 

Stories always have beginnings, middles, and ends. Sometimes the middle sags, but sometimes you want it to go on for a really long time because even if the end is wonderful, you don't want the story to be over yet. That's where I am in my writing life. There on the crossbar watching the sunset. And hoping it lingers a while.

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Speaking of Facebook--weren't we?--we hope you join us tomorrow for a Facebook party. There will be lots of conversation, fun, and maybe a giveaway or two. https://www.facebook.com/groups/christmasindickens/

You can dance... by Liz Flaherty #RomanceGems

My husband is a musician. He sings and plays guitar with a group named (by me) Three Old Guys, because...you know, they're three old guys. Music is to Duane what writing is to me. I used to say our house was cluttered with books--because it was--but now it's just furnished...with books and guitars. I'm good with that.

The music, like writing, has been an integral part of our life together. If he goes a day without playing, I'm afraid he's ill. If I'm not in my office, he wonders why not.

Something Duane often does, because he feels every song he sings (side note, if you want emotion from a guy, put a guitar in his hands), is look up the story behind the song. One of his favorites is "Save the Last Dance for Me." When I first heard the legend of Last Chance Beach the lyrics of the song began their dance through my head. Go ahead and look them up--I'll wait.

It's such a romantic song, isn't it? And such a romantic story. And...Last Chance Beach. It's going to be romantic, too. I just know it is.

Keep an eye out...

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Don't forget the giveaway!