I am almost finished with the edits for SCONED TO DEATH. I always go through the whole manuscript and make more changes than the editor even suggested. I will finish over the weekend and send it back. My editor still has to come up with the cover. A copy editor will go through the manuscript and make their comments and I will have another chance to go through it.
Even though I set aside the next Yarn Retreat book while I work on SCONED TO DEATH, things for the book still pop into my mind. Like I noticed travel writers being referred to as travel journalist. When I got my copy of the AAA magazine, Westways, I realized how broad travel writing really is. I think I mentioned that I took a short summer class in travel writing years ago at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival. I took classes there for a couple of summers and it was almost more about going to Iowa City than the actual classes.
I always stayed in the student union and got a room with a view of the river. It was walking distance into the main part of town. Along with a Prarie Lights, a fabulous independent book store, there was a surprising selection of restaurants and I had my first ever Ethiopian meal there. One of my favorite memories is walking through a grassy field back to the student union. It was June in the midst of a long twilight and there were lightening bugs everywhere. I felt surrounded by magic as they tiny lights went on and off..
I may have orange trees in my backyard and have everything greening up when back east things are dying off and turning brown, but we don't have fireflies or as they're also called lightening bugs.
Annie Sara discovers them SCONED TO DEATH. Since she's a California girl through and through, she has never experienced them until she is in rural Indiana and is entranced by them. Who wouldn't be caught up in wonder at the little spots of light flickering on and off. It hardly matters than they are really plain looking beetles and the bioluminescence is all about finding a mate.
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