Yo back at ya.  Been away.  I have been writing book 2.  Ignored the blog for a bit.  So far, it is not good writing but mostly just a-grinding it out kinda-thing.  Exercise.  Writing 101, the second semester. I’ve ground out 15000 words so far….don’t know about it, yet……

I must admit that this draft is a lot of what I wanted say the first time but, after reading it, I don’t think it is all that great. Venting a bit.  A smidge of ranting, I think.   Basically, philosophy.  Kinda dull.

Therein lies the problem: I just think I need to do this.  I need to purge the OTG genie from my soul, fulfill the basic OTG message and generally speaking, finish what I intended with the first book.  The next real book should be different.  I am not limited to OTG.  I can write romance.  I can write poetry.  I can write cheap B screenplays.  I can even write more OTG, I think.  But, I don’t think I finished the first attempt.  Feels a bit undone….

The part I am rambling on about now is partly in answer to the How-To criticism, partly because I am inclined to lecture and patronize and partly because I don’t find much of OTG funny at this point.  I love it, of course. But I am not martyring myself much these days and, it seems, if it bleeds it reads funny.  People like banana skins and errant pratfalls.  I am being careful, ergo: dull.

Anyway, I jumped back here today to invite anyone to read the first 15000 words.  I’ll send the draft if requested.  It is not a story.  It is not a book.  It is a dull headache.  Don’t ask for it unless you read it all and swear by your mother’s grave that you will write back at least 100 words of harsh but constructive feedback.  “Burn it!”  is NOT constructive.

Forgive me if your mom is still with us.

As for those of you sane enough to pass on this opportunity, you have my respect and admiration.  You are the healthy ones.

Sal worked the Post Office yesterday.  That was nice.  She plunged through the sea in the pouring deluge in her little shoe-box of a boat and did her thing for the community, got some mail for us and said hello to a few people while steaming somewhat dry in front of the stove for four hours.  Then, arriving like a large walking dishrag, she came home in the near-dark to make me dinner.

What a sweetie!  I might have starved.

I, for one, really appreciate the postmen’s creed of persevering through rain and hail and all that…………..

For those of you still dreaming of going off-grid some day, there is a new site, http://solarhomestead.com you might like.  One of the better ones, I think.  Jody seems to know solar, that is for sure.  I think.  I dunno….I am impressed anyway but I still think electricity is a form of magic so I am easily impressed on that score.