November? Already? This year is nearly over. Where did it go?
Well, we still have over a month to go. Then what?
Who knows?
One thing, though, is that I think we all need to relax. There’s a lot of stress in our lives because of the pandemic, its health and economic results, politics lately, and more.
So how to handle it?
Well, when I first started trying to come up with a topic for my post this time, I wanted to use a theme of fun in writing but relaxation, if possible. So what did I come up with?
Crossword puzzles!
Oh, they’re not for everyone. But they’re definitely for me. I like to do at least two daily, the first online, and the next after dinner while watching TV–print versions, often in various newspapers.
I feel like they keep my mind active in similar but different ways from my writing. Love to keep up with, and increase, my vocabulary! And of course anything I learn in a crossword might be usable in a story somehow. Plus, yes, I find them relaxing.
I also enjoy doing other kinds of word puzzles, particularly acrostics. They’re crosswords in a way, using definitions, but you then plug parts into a grid and come up with a saying or message. Fun!
So, okay. I don’t really have anything else to say about crosswords right now, but I’d be delighted to hear your opinion. And me? Time for me to do my next online crossword!
~Linda
Some of Linda’s books
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Linda O. Johnston enjoys writing, romance, puzzles, and dogs. A former lawyer, Linda is now a full-time writer and has published 57 books—so far.
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Linda O. Johnston enjoys writing, romance, puzzles, and dogs. A former lawyer, Linda is now a full-time writer and has published 57 books—so far.
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What does a writer do between drafts of a story? Well, that depends.
I finished a first draft of my upcoming fourth story in my Shelter of Secrets series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. It still needs some work, but it’s currently in the hands of my excellent beta reader.
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I’ve had a fun few weeks–including my usual writing. Plus, I heard that the Dog Writers Association of America, of which I’m a member, was looking for humorous articles for their upcoming issue of RUFF DRAFTS, their publication, so I of course had to submit a short article about how my puppy keeps me from concentrating on my writing by insisting that I play fetch with her while I’m sitting at the computer. Humorous?
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I recently got word that my next Alaska Untamed Mystery, CRY WOLF, number two in the series, is now scheduled for publication on November 7. I love the cover! And the series is the first in which I’ve taken a pseudonym: Lark O. Jensen.
It’s not my only remaining book this year. I was already aware that my Coltons of New York book for Harlequin Romantic Suspense is also a November release. CSI COLTON AND THE WITNESS is officially out on November 27.
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