Summer Solstice...

Happy Summer Solstice to all.... one of my happiest days and one of my saddest.  I know, how can that be, but it's true.  It's a happy time because we have all summer in front of us -- beach days, trips, cookouts, days in Oyster Point :-)  and baseball games.  But on the sad side, the days will be getting shorter.  Well the days are always twenty-four hours long, but you know what I mean, the amount of daylight starts to wane.  I love the long sun filled warm days and the tropical feeling nights... a little humidity on a coolish breeze.   But those days seem to pass quickly... when I was younger, summers seemed endless.  

But this time of year is also very special for a different reason.  Today, I was working on the sequel to She's Not You in my office and had the window open behind me.  There was a nice cool breeze blowing in.  All of a sudden, I heard this gorgeous warbling.  What a serenade ... my pair of house wrens were back.  AND, they had built their nest right outside my window once again.  One of them came and sat right on the window and sang.  If you haven't heard them, they are small birds with large voices and many beautiful songs.  Made me smile while I wrote.  I actually turned my radio off because their songs were much more inspiring than what I was hearing on the radio.  But that's not always true... I was out running some errands, roof open, radio up and heard a song called "Crying" by the Lettermen.  I search out these groups  because their songs make me think of circumstances that I can incorporate into my stories... try it.  A wonderful love song like "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" or "The Way You Look Tonight" transports you back to a time and place when maybe you had a first love or a lost love - listen to the words and feel...

Enjoy these priceless days because soon the cool winds will be blowing... remember days at the beach with your guy, long walks in the sand as the moon rose, sweet kisses parked by the water as a teenager... remember all these very special moments, but remember to make new ones... I certainly will be.

I'm awaiting the new contract from my next novel... it's done and we should start the development of the cover, the editing, and the joy of seeing the final product with my name on it.  It is so exciting!

Keep writing and work on digging deep to make the readers feel your joy or sadness.
Till.
Judi