Harvesting News

It seems too soon in the season, but my tomatoes are slowing down. Cool nights cause the plants to stop producing flowers and ripening fruits. This doesn't mean my work is ending. The changing weather shifts me into a different gardening gear.

In the same way, finishing a book doesn't mean I'm done writing. My focus adjusts to different tasks.

I received my author copies of a book I wrote for Annie's Publishing. It was a departure from my usual cozy murder mysteries, making it a challenge. And a whole lot of fun. I am grateful for my daughter's assistance with this book. Her input was invaluable.

The inside cover blurb reads: When Amy Brackstone and her friend Valerie join a tour group and head into the Utah wilderness, they get much more adventure than they bargained for. A series of near-perilous events puts Amy on high alert and forces her to relive painful memories. The only saving grace is Jonah Stedman, their tour guide, who is strong, capable, and hell-bent on keeping everyone alive - Amy most of all.

Drawing on my family's experiences hiking in Utah, and our encounters with the mazes of canyons, potentially dangerous wildlife, and unpredictable weather, I hope Rapid Fear is an exciting read. 

This novel is completed. I can do some promotion, making sure people are aware of the series and my installment in it. But there's no more revising. The project is done.

I've shifted my focus to the YA I'm assisting my daughter to polish. I'm outlining book four in my Rose Creek series. And I have short stories, plus two potential new series, to think about. 

Just like my writing projects are always in process, the garden is never truly done. Certainly the beds, pots, and containers may soon be sleeping under a blanket of snow for a few months. But even then, there will be tasks to be done.

This weekend, I trimmed yellowing leaves and branches from my tomato plants, cleared out green bean vines that were done producing, and harvested and dried mint and principe borghese tomatoes. In a bit of optimism, I pulled zucchini plants from a growbox and planted lettuce seeds.

It's too soon to talk about winter. We haven't even reached fall yet. There are three more weeks of summer. Let's not rush through these last precious days.
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