Authors Electric

In 2015 I did NaNoWriMo, the writing challenge that encourages you to complete a 50,000 word first draft within the month of November. I needed a bit of motivation for my new science fiction novel, and I believed that the 1700 words (approximately) required per day would not be beyond me, since I often write (or used to write – see below) around 1500-2000 words a day anyway. NaNo seemed like a good way of making sure I kept to that, while enabling me to finish my first draft just in time to start my Christmas shopping. It proved to be a lot harder than I’d expected. What I’d forgotten was that, although I often wrote as much as 2000 words a day, I generally allowed myself at least one day off a week – sometimes two. I’d even give myself an extra day or so if I was travelling, babysitting, or feeling under the weather. NaNo permits no such luxuries. Or rather, it does, but you have to catch up on any time lost and the whole thing soon gets away from you. It was a tough month a...

Imagine: you need a certain something that's become a missing link for you. Now, yours could be most anything: an entry in a series you're reading...a special product you use on your hair...a part for something you adore. The two things I needed this weekend were: a refill packet for my thick-barreled Dr. Grip pen and what I'll call a jibbergiver. Or let's shorten that to a JG: a secret ingredient I needed for a promotion I'm planning. I began at the downtown Office Depot, where I'd bought the pen two months ago. This time I saw Store Closing signs. And, sure enough, at Clearance prices the shelves had been pretty much emptied. I tried Target and several drug stores--but they did not carry the refill or pen. Bummed out, I moved on to the JG. I figured Hallmark would be my best bet and went to the downtown location. Permanently closed. Again I tried Target and drug stores. No luck. I began to see a pattern here based on facts of life: Office Dep...