Posted by Two chapters away!
I only have two to go before I’ll be wrapping up Draft #4 of Sanctum, my fifth novel. I’ve really been hitting it hard, trying to get it done before Thanksgiving. Yes, another self-imposed deadline, but if I don’t, it would be sometime in 2024 before I got around to finishing it. Lol.
Once I finish, I plan to set it aside for about two weeks before going back in for Draft #5. That particular round will go more quickly as I’ll be readying the manuscript for the Beta Readers. The plan is to send it to them sometime in mid-December and ask them to return their comments by February 1st.
So, Sanctum is still on track for a 2023 release. My BEST guess would be June? I’ll be going over it three more times after I receive commentary. You’d be amazed at how many things you DON’T catch, even after combing through it numerous times.
So, that’s mostly what I’ve been doing. I was in a race (Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis) a week ago and somehow nabbed 2nd place in my age group. I was SHOCKED. I am NOT a fast runner by any means. Geese walk by me at a faster clip. I normally do about a 13+ minute mile on our treadmill (same when I run outside). How THIS happened is anyone’s guess, but it was my first running medal EVER, so, hey, I’ll take it! 🙂
I also went to my first event at ARC (Activity and Rec Center for 55+). I didn’t expect to move much of anything, to be honest. BUT, dang! I sold and sold well! Even the bags and mugs were moving. It was great! Plus, I was able to talk to folks that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. (I go to ARC for select events, so I don’t “know” many of the regulars) It was a very positive experience and I’m looking forward to doing it again next year.
December 3rd is the next happening:
It’s actually from 2pm to 4pm. (not sure who designed the graphic…it looks like noon, doesn’t it?) Anyway, if you are in the Peoria, Illinois area, come on by. I know LOTS of authors who will be there. It’ll be a perfect venue to stock up on holiday gifts (and reading material for yourself, too!) Many genres will be represented.
Okay…whew! What have we been watching?
Cabinet of Curiosities (2022) – Eight episodes from Guillermo del Toro. Scary? Eh, creepy in places. As per usual with shows like this, there were some stand outs while others were more forgettable. My favorites? Pickman’s Model and The Autopsy. My least favorites? Graveyard Rats (zzzzzz) and Dreams in The Witch House. All the episodes “play” like a kicked up Tales from the Darkside. Recommend, but no need to rush through them.
Inside Man – (2022) – The Tuch! (Stanley Tucci) LOL. He is one HECK of an actor. From Google search: “A prisoner on death row in the U.S. and a woman trapped in a cellar under an English vicarage cross paths in an unexpected way.” It’s a four part mini-series that twists and turns and comes out in some wild places. There are plot holes aplenty and times I felt like I had missed something because all of a sudden “this person” was “here” and “that person” couldn’t possibly have “known that”. BUT, all in all, Tucci and David Tennant (Broadchurch – another great mystery series) carry this show to its finale. Ignore the confusion and just enjoy the acting.
Alaska Daily (2022) – “Recently disgraced reporter Eileen Fitzgerald leaves her high-profile New York life behind to join a daily metro newspaper in Anchorage, Alaska, on a journey to find both personal and professional redemption.” Another current series, this one featuring Hilary Swank, plays like an updated version of Lou Grant (70s show). It’s entertaining, but I wouldn’t call it “hard hitting”. It tackles important issues (missing and murdered indigenous women), has some comic relief, and so far (5 episodes in), has a budding romance angle or two. It will be interesting to see where it goes. Recommend if you like drama television with a message.
Retaliation (2017) – “A man struggles to come to terms with his childhood sexual abuse at the hands of a trusted priest when he is hired to demolish the church where it all took place.” (Google) Pained anguish. That’s how I’ll sum this film up…and, rightly so. Child abuse, whether at the hands of a trusted priest or any other person, is the worst of the worst. This story conveys that message throughout its run time, but doesn’t go much beyond that. It’s slow and there’s a considerable amount of time watching Orlando Bloom deal with inner torment and feelings of guilt and misguided anger. I think I ended up giving it a 6.8 (out of 10). I wanted “more” at the end, but I understood where they went, and why.
Okay, that’s a wrap. Have a VERY groovy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Sue
Sue Rovens 