Golden Gryphon Update

It's good! It's SO GOOD! (Doing the happy dance in my chair.)

I was really feeling stuck yesterday trying to figure out where the plot of my novel was going and thinking I'd have to go back to chapter one and rewrite from the beginning, which was the kiss of death for "Tea by the Sea." Well, it's not dead exactly, but just lying untouched in its crystal coffin, like Snow White.

I believe I am over 20,000 words now. This is the farthest I've ever gotten without being struck by writer's block.

The scribblings of my heart include these (hopefully) eternal words:

"Do not be surprised that the desire for great deeds resides in the hearts of women as well as men. Many things pass unnoticed and unrecognized where women toil quietly day by day.”

Don't get me wrong, I'm no raving feminist, but part of the purpose of this project is to tell an adventure story from the women's point of view. I love Tolkein's work fiercely and wish I could meet him in person (not possible this side of the grave) but he did leave the ladies on their pedestals for most of The Lord of the Rings. Eowyn is my hero, though I doubt I would have done as she did. I probably would have been back in Helm's Deep trying to figure out how to make enough porridge for all those refugees.

That is the wonderful thing about fiction though... you don't have to LIVE it, you just have to WRITE it. Which is exhausting enough, if you ask me.