A Writer's Week #33: What We Did On Our Holiday

This was a very relaxing week. As I mentioned in last week's post, I was on vacation this week. It was great not having to think about work, The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel, writing, or even--dare I say it?--this blog. Once again a big thank you to Marissa for guest hosting this week!

The family poses for a group shot in Maine

So, like I said, I had a great time kicking back with the family up in New Hampshire and Maine for a few days. We sat on the beach, took day trips to Maine, shopped, swam, ate, saw the sights--typical tourist stuff.

This year, I tried not to eat so much, and I was reasonably successful there. I also made it a point to exercise at least once a day, as I'd lost 7 pounds going into vacation and wanted to at least hold steady. Stephanie is a big runner, and Abigail is always up for a run, so we walked up and down the boardwalk every morning, and threw in some sprints (about 4 sets) in between. I made it out every day but one, so mission accomplished there.

I haven't weighted myself yet (chicken!), but plan to tomorrow morning. I'm guessing I gained one or two pounds, but my clothes still feel loose, so I think I'm okay.

Abby on the beach in New Hampshire

We had great weather the whole time we were there. The only dodgy day was Saturday, which was the day we arrived. I've got a great shot of Abby among the dunes on our evening beach crawl.

The sea is so relaxing. I just love to sit on a rock and watch the waves come in. So now I'm back, relaxed and refreshed. While I successfully forgot about work and marketing The Deliverers, I was less successful when it came to forgetting about The Deliverers 2. While I really did not write anything this week (which is the way I planned it), I could not stop thinking about the book--most specifically about the problem that arose last week.

Abby & Dad working while playing

So, contrary to my plan, I went to CVS and bought a notebook (I didn't bring my laptop or any paper on the trip--no paper, no write). I wrote out my dilemma, and wrote down some alternatives. Once I got every possibility down on paper, it did not take long to choose what I think was the proper path.

From there, I outlined the story through to its conclusion. I think I know how the rest will all play out, although I still have my doubts about a couple minor points. I all makes sense now, and everyone who needs to be present at the climax will be.

After that, it was back into vacation mode. I didn't think about the book again until I got home last night. Then I sat down and made all the necessary changes while saving the climactic scene for later. It may not play out like I originally wrote it, but there are a lot of elements there that I want to retain.

So, my actual writing output this week was actually -300 words or so. I'm down to 40, 700 as I cut a scene or two and rewrote a couple of chapters. I'm planning on moving forward again in the coming week, and hope to hit my goal of 2,000 words. I'll let you know how I make out in a week. For now, I'll leave you with a few "holiday snaps."

Morning swim in New Hampshire

Marginal Way, Ogunquit, Maine