Life has changed. For everyone. At least for now.
Covid-19, the Corona virus, is out there. Hopefully none of you reading this has caught the virus, and neither have your family members or friends. But even so, it has affected you.
For one thing, I’m in California, where we’ve been directed to stay at home except for important outings such as buying food. Most states have given the same directive to their residents. As a writer, I’m used to staying home. But it still feels different when I don’t have an option, even for good reason.
So, no visits to exercise classes. My dogs are happy enough about that since my husband and I are taking them on more walks. Everyone else in my neighborhood seems to be doing the same thing, dogs or not, so we cross the street often to stay away from one another.
And writing? Well, I’m in the middle of an important edit, and that’s what I’m concentrating on. I’ve more writing to come, too. But I’m wondering how I’ll refer to the pandemic in future stories, when hopefully this is all behind us. Will I mention it? Will I ignore it? Will I take on writing a fiction story that is based on what is currently happening?
Not sure.
Even my reading now has been affected. When I read about a major gathering in a story, for example, my mind leaps out of the book and I scold all those people for getting together till I realize where I am and what I’m doing. Or even as I’m editing, I think about whether the people in my story need to be together at their workplaces, then slough that off as being today’s reality, not the fiction I’m writing.
So how long will this last? The experts vary in their estimates but in any case it’ll still be going on tomorrow and the next day and most likely several weeks, or months. It feels weird. It feels scary. And as a fiction writer having to deal with reality—it’s definitely difficult.
So… hang in there. I will.
Linda
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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.
