A new challenge.

Kym with baby Navar.

A new challenge awaits me, should I choose to accept it. In my last blog, I spoke about finding my long-lost grandson. Nevar doesn't remember his father. I guess his mother wanted to remove any harmful information from her toddler, when my son Kym died. I don't blame her one little bit. Kym had already left her and was not a good influence. But I don't want to talk about his life choices. I'd rather concentrate on the child I raised, who was loving and kind. I recently shared his letter's to me with Nevar, starting from 21 years until his death seven years later in which he expressed his love for little Navar and explained his point of view.

The challenge would be to write about the boy I knew. Before it's too late and time wipes away those memories, which are so fresh and bright over twenty years later. The challenge would be to show his son what a wonderful man his father was.

Other tasks pull at me. I'm working with my Solstice Publishing editor at the moment on Still Rock Water, which should be released in a couple of weeks. Apart from that, I'm not quite finished my current novel. Because it's about a coming apocalypse, all sorts of constrictions are plaguing me. Other novels need deep editing as well. How does one stretch time?

And yet, I consider a family record to be the most important job in my life.

The best news a grandmother could have.

This is the best news ever. I've found my long-lost grandson. Facebook achieved the miracle. I wasn't looking for him. I'd given up about twelve years ago. I might have the year wrong. It's been so long. On the side of the page I clicked on a funny cartoon-type picture of a name I recognized. I'd already tried to find Navar this way. But I thought it wouldn't hurt to take a look. Bingo! The right man, now grown up.

I decided to visit Australia from England one last time while I still had the strength in the year 2001. I knew I wouldn't see my parents again. I'd worked hard in catering and had saved enough money to travel business class, which would give my long, stiff legs the room they needed on the long flight. After that trip I lost four loved ones. My father, my mother, my brother-in-law, and my daughter died one after another. All expected although heart-rending. During that trip, my sister helped me arrange a meeting with Navar and his mother Sheryl. Somehow, addresses got lost when they moved and before I knew it, they were gone too.

But, thanks to the magic of ciberspace, we're reconnected. And here he is in all his glory with his girlfriend Rebecca. I didn't pray for this miracle. It just happened. But I know God is in his heaven directing events.

The best way to write a review.

 Since I've started using Kindle, I'm reading more. Amazon.com makes this easy by offering free books and suggesting that each reader write a review for the novel. I'm more than happy to do this, finding the process makes me think about the basic story premise, the style of writing and the characters.

There are many ways to write a review. Most advice is to develop your own style and stick with the same format, which makes your approach easier. Let's face it, writing a review is a hard slog. You want to show future readers why you liked, or the reverse, the book. You don't want to criticize the writing flaws although you can point them out.

Every book I've read so far has editing glitches, which seem to come with the process, although why publishing editors don't spot them, I'm not certain.

As a writer, I know why the author doesn't see their own mistakes. I read the words so often I know what I meant to say without concentrating on what I actually said. I've discovered the use of read-out-loud to counteract that.

How do you balance the way you write a review?                                               picture bythinkstock

How to stay organized.

I'm wondering how other people keep facts straight in their head when all around them are losing the plot.

I'm working on far too many things at the moment. Thank goodness, now I'm finished the task, I can lay aside the novels I've been editing. But next, I face two immediate tasks.

The first is to work through critiques for Seaweed Ribbons, which is already finished but needs a good polish. I submit a chapter a week to my friends at The Internet Writing Workshop. Often I change the ongoing plot, which requires further work on the novel.

The second thing I need to do is complete Golden Strongbox, which is ¾ of the way through and has reached the climax of the story.

Even if you're not a writer, you must have similar dilemmas--things to organize, places to go and facts to remember when you meet a friend while you maintain a normal schedule in your daily life.

I tend to rely on lists. My husband and I write shopping lists and a weekly menu to stick to a budget.

But, in my writing, I rely on a chapter rundown, where I list all the things that happen, highlighting the passing days and any other pertinent information. During April, I didn't have time. In order to continue writing, I jumped in and wrote a scene each time I found a moment to spare. Looking back, I've got many facts wrong.

Okay. Back to the list-making.

How about you? Which way do you juggle facts?                          FreeImages.co.uk