Monday, July 25, 2022

That moment when

July 25, 2022

There is a moment in the writing of each story when everything snaps into place. The chapters leading up to and including the ending materialize and the muse is in a rush to get to those two magic words - The End.  

The moment can't be forced but the muse doesn't care about such things. She'll ride me until I forsake my spouse, my dog, and my chores in favor of finishing the story. But experience has proven that the story will be ruined if I allow her to rush me forward. 

If you're a regular here at Between the Keys, you know I finally retired at the end of May. I'm almost two months into it, and it has been fairly consistent with my expectations. It has taken me a bit longer to get up to speed with getting some structure into my days so I can write, but it's beginning to gel. I'm beginning to establish a groove similar to the one I had while working the day job but during the day instead of the evening. I suspect those hours will shift with the waning daylight and that's just fine. I expect to make those seasonal adjustments. 

I'd worried over one of the story elements in Riding Against the Wind, so much so it impeded progress. I've settled that in my mind and the words are flowing. Not only that, but I have hopes of finishing a Rayne Forrest story I started quite a while back.

Time is both friend and enemy. It's up to me to use both sides of the equation to my benefit.

Stay tuned because coming soon - Riding Against the Wind, the sequel to Ride Your Luck.


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Social media links:
Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com
My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com
Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys



KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay cowboy romance, m/m romance, Rayne Forrest, Ride Your Luck, LGBTQ+, Kindle, time management, retirement, writers on writing, writer's blog, country living, rural lifestyle

Thursday, July 7, 2022

What's the next step when you lose the plot?

 

July 7, 2022

You would think that as long as I've been writing romances that I'd have a really good handle on how to keep the plot on track, wouldn't you? Apparently, that is not the case. The plot in the current WIP, the one I'm trying to finish, has taken an unexpected turn. So what does the author do when it goes south?

Why am I displeased with the plot at this point? I took it towards a "current events" situation, that's why. I don't like to do that. Not. At. All. Current events date a book, often badly. 

Okay, so this current event isn't political, so perhaps it can be salvaged. It's simply something that has been in the mainstream media of late. It's an ugly reality. It happens. I can wrap up the story threads and have it all work out, but the story will still have that slice of ugly in there and that bugs me. 

I think I need to cram my writer's hat very firmly on my head, square my aching shoulders, flex my tired fingers, and just get on with it. Hopefully, I'll surprise myself by the time I reach The End.

Let us hope so.

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Social media links:
Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com
My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com
Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys




KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance, writers on writing, m/m romance, plot issues, LGBTQ+ romance, Kindle books, ebooks, current events, social media, mainstream media


Monday, July 4, 2022

Independence Day 2022


July 4, 2022

Every year, as we approach Independence Day, I wonder what I should say to acknowledge the day. Yes, it's a day to celebrate, and a day to remember the sacrifices made to form and protect our nation, the United States of America. 

You may think the fellow draped in the flag is nothing more than eye candy, but he's more than that to me. He represents every man who stood his ground to protect hearth and home. Yes, I like the male body. Men should be celebrated equally with women. 

Recently, our Supreme Court, that entity set forth in Article III of our Constitution, has made a decision that has people up in arms.  Up in arms. No pun intended, but there it is. 

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

SCOTUS upheld our Second Amendment, an action I approve of. Why should criminals be the only people who are armed? Because, as you can plainly read, the Second Amendment doesn't allow for the exclusion of those with criminal minds when it comes to the right to bear arms. As a licensed and legal gun owner in the State of Maryland, I don't mind following Maryland law when I arm myself. I am the Militia, after all. 

Our nation is great because our Constitution allows us to debate those things which are important while giving us guidelines that protect us within the debate. 

Yet these days, rational debate doesn't seem to exist. The screamers among us, those perpetual children, seem to care more about their side winning and getting their own way and to hell with what the other side may consider more appropriate. It's all me! me! me! I'm right and you are WRONG!!!

It's time to grow the hell up and be grateful for our way of life. Your opinion is of no more consequence than mine, so get over yourself. 

We need to get along. We need each other. 

This Independence Day, it's time to calm down and reflect on what is really important. To me, what's important is health, safety, and prosperity, not the cult of personality, and not our soulless social media. 

I guess I don't have anything else to say. Enjoy your day.

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Social media links:
Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com
My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com
Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys