A Discombobulated Writer
I’ve been silent lately in all the online places I usually show up and visit—no blog posts about archaeology and books, no newsletter, no Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Moving from Arizona to California took all my focus and energy. We had lived in our house for many years. Sorting and packing took Herculean efforts. Some dear and energetic friends helped me survive it all. The several weeks that preceded the actual move turned out to be devoted not to packing us up but to painting the new house and countless other jobs. That grew into way more work than either my husband or I anticipated. That meant preparing for the actual “moving” part of this move became condensed into a short span.
A House with a Floor
Nonetheless, our furniture and stuff arrived safely and without any major mishaps. We still have some significant renovations on the kitchen and a bathroom that will take place over the next few months with the help of my architect brother (thank goodness).
But the good news is that this week the hardwood guys are laying our floors. It does mean chaos reigns. However, the floors are beautiful (when they don’t have blue painter tape spread across them). I’m thrilled that soon I can unpack the rest of our possessions and actually settle in. Until the floors are finished, there is a transient quality to our life that isn’t conducive to a writer’s life—I’ll just say that! We still need to build all the bookshelves, so it’s more accurate to say I can now unpack everything except my books, which in my case is a large exception. I do find myself wanting to reach for this or that book. But all these disruptions are part of making a beautiful, comfortable home, and I am intensely aware of how lucky we are.
2021 HNS Conference
I’m planning on getting some actual writing done next week. That will be delightful. I did focus this past week on preparing my panel and workshop for the Historical Novel Society Conference coming up June 24 through 27. This year, as with so many events, it will be virtual—everyone can register. The HNS conference organizers have been very clever about creating social interaction opportunities, so we won’t miss out on what is my favorite part of this conference, much as I love listening to and learning from the formal talks and panels. I’ll be hosting a Fantasy/Alternate History conversation room, for example. If you enjoy historical fiction, whether as a writer or reader, do sign up. You’ll have fun.
For a brief post about the last HNS conference I attended.