Chapter 39: Progress Report

It’s been too long since my last blog posting. Too long in the sense that I’ve missed the opportunity to write with sadness about the passing of James “Scotty” Doohan, the actor known for playing Mr. Scott on Star Trek. Too long to discuss my initial thoughts at my new job, which is going well. Too long to comment on the abysmal weather, hotter than I like it and dripping with humidity. Almost too long to comment on what’s been going on with my novel.

So I’ll start there. My brother and his wife have begun to read it, and they gave me some feedback. I’m starting to consider fictionalizing the second town in my book. I’m still setting it in Hoboken, but I was using a few too many real references in a second town, and they’re not really necessary. The Hoboken references are almost entirely defunct, out of business places – in fact, that’s the point. One of the messages of the book is to cherish the present, but time will pass, often with harrowing experiences that we must surmount.

Perhaps because they were family, what could have been a harrowing experience – the initial critique of my first novel -- wasn’t. My family members were equally adept at criticizing fairly and with encouragement to continue. I was going to continue anyway, but he was really good about it. I am looking forward to the thoughts of others as well, but the book is not yet ready to be consumed by the general populace. It needs more time in the oven.

I hope to be more frequent with my postings from now on. I need them even if no one else does.