I left L.A. as it was heating up. Actually, there was a notice of a heat alert for the day. No worry of that here. The plane went through a thick layer of clouds as it was preparing to land in Chicago. It cold and windy when I walked outside the airport. As the weather man said on the news last night winter is back. There is even talk it might snow on Friday.
It's just research for me since I'm working on the fourth Writer for Hire book. There is nothing like seeing what you want to describe. When I went to the grocery store, I spent the walk checking yards to see what was what. After a super green yard with pansies blooming and blossoms on my tomato plant, it was a surprise to see how winter bare the trees look. I found some grass on its way back to green and lots and lots of violets popping up in the middle of the awakening grass. A row of jonquils with their yellow blooms stood in a line along an apartment building. The lilac bushes had bursting buds but no hint of flowers yet.
The people I passed were all in winter coats and jacket, though I did see a man in shorts and a winter jacket.
It was a good day for being inside. I got my groceries, pulled them home in the folding cart that is probably 30 years old, and then up to the third floor, glad to be home. As I was walking and looking at the houses and apartment buildings, I realized what a big deal stairs are here and the ability to deal with them. It seemed that a lot of the houses had third floors and the apartment buildings all did. No elevators except for the one I wrote into a house described in the book I'm working on. The house is based on a real one, but the elevator is all fiction. Though with this personal size ones i see advertised, someone could add one.
I'm afraid I don't go rushing up the stairs the way I used to, but when I was got the groceries up the stairs and put away, I did have a feeling of well being. So there is a reward for the effort.
I wondered if I would keep up with my new habits here. I awoke at 8:00. It's really funny, but I wake up around 8:00 local time wherever I am. And then like magic, I went right into my new routine. It was a big day for the manuscript as I was writing the murder scene. I am still not sure who the killer is, though I have a bunch of suspects. They all have secrets and connections to the victim. So for now it's a mystery for me too.
Now I'm going to make myself dinner and enjoy the peace of knowing that I did the work I was supposed to today. By the time I go home, I hope to have a lot of pages racked up.
7 comments:
It is fortunate that you have that escape spot to do a lot of writing !!
Lots of miles wracked up traveling, but well worth it. Is Casey all ready to come to my mailbox in November ? I rely on Amazon to keep me up to date.
Linda, Casey will come out in November, but I still have to write the book. I have a deadline of May 31 for the Writer for Hire book I''m working on now. Then it's time for Casey, though I am already working on the plot.
Wow, that will be a fast Casey !! Good thing you have your Chicago hideout. I think you are right to make some notes as ideas come to mind
about Casey and Molly.
By the way, I am rarely asked if I am a robot anymore !!
Linda, I guess blogger knows you now. My new plan of action has really helped me to work better (and faster).
I was surprised to hear that your don't know who the murderer is yet. That's how I feel when I read your books. I have a list of suspects as I go and I pay attention to the connections that are given until the answer is revealed. I love learning how authors work. I'm also not asked to prove I'm not a robot anymore.
Chkntza, I usually know who the murderer is, but this time there are a number of suspects who all have such good motives. But I think I have settled on one. It's interesting working on it in Veronica's apartment. I have my laptop set up on the dining room table the writing group meets at. I get the prove you are not a robot box, but never mark it and my comments go through too.
How great that you get into the routine of the time zone and whatever else as you travel, Betty. And it's a good thing that you can navigate stairs well while carrying packages--and that you can manipulate the place, time and setting in what you write!
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