What I'm Writing:
Rescued in Time (middle grade time travel to 1902 Ocean City, Maryland)
I've drawn the line on research for Rescued in Time, and am deep in writing mode. I'm about halfway done with the text.
It's funny how books decide to turn in their own directions. I had expected this to be a fairly light-hearted time travel book (hey, 1902 was a pretty idyllic "Main Street USA" time in history!) but as I got deeper into the research I learned that Jim Crow laws were alive and, unfortunately, quite well on Maryland's Eastern Shore. In fact, African Americans weren't allowed on Ocean City's boardwalk or beach (except for a few days a year) until well into the 20th century. So I've ended up with some deeper themes in this book, and I'm walking the tightrope of being entertaining and educational without preaching or getting too heavy.
Our Four Mothers (YA sci-fi)
In the meantime, while doing the research for Rescued in Time I came up against the Female Suffragists, who were busily campaigning for the vote in 1902. This gave me an idea: why not write a sci-fi reimagining of the lives of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony? I haven't even started writing this one (tentatively titled Our Four Mothers) yet, but I've done a lot of research and already it's turning its own direction: away from biography and toward dystopia.
The premise will be something along the lines of, "What if a group of patriarchal theonomists creates a separatist colony on another planet, and cuts off all 'evil influence' from earth?" Women will be honored and generally well treated, but will have no voting rights and will be expected to be submissive in everything. Old Testament law will rule, and executions for offenses such as homosexuality, while rare, will occasionally happen. It will be sort of a futuristic Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony, but without the influence of other groups of immigrants. (And no, it’s not The Handmaid’s Tale Redux.)
My main character, Cady, will be a teenage girl living many generations after the colony's creation. Her parents will have arranged her betrothal to Riley, a close friend from childhood. She'll become aware that he's gay. She'll also become aware somehow (perhaps through diaries she's found from a first-generation woman) that women on earth have more freedom and options than she's ever thought possible. Now she and Riley must decide: hide what they believe/feel and continue living the way they've always known; begin an underground rebellion/suffragist movement (risking severe consequences); or run.
I'm thinking of putting Rescued in Time on hold for the month of November so that I can take advantage of the energy and resources of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) to get a good start on Our Four Mothers.
Mirror of Souls (YA time travel to alternate-reality 1526 France)
Mirror of Souls is on the back burner until I find out the fate of Spinning Coins (time travel to alternate-reality 1526 Denmark).
What I'm Reading:
The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2 is Jane Poynter's fascinating account of the creation of the hermetically sealed 3-acre "greenhouse" in Arizona, and her two years locked inside with seven other Biospherians. I'm reading this as research for Our Four Mothers, which will take place on a planet not previously habitable by humans. Next on the reading list: Beekeeping for Dummies (because they'll have to pollinate their plants somehow!) Previously on the reading list: The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood's horrifying vision of a theocratic patriarchal society in America's near future. I've also been doing a lot of research about Christian Reconstructionism and Federal Vision theology, as I envision the society in Our Four Mothers to be based on a combination of the ideals of those two movements.
What I'm knitting
I'm still working on Doug's Fibonacci Cube college afghan, slowly but surely. He didn't get it in time to move in to the dorms (not that he needed a wool afghan in an un-airconditioned dorm room in August!), but I'm hoping to get it done in time for Christmas.
My main character, Cady, will be a teenage girl living many generations after the colony's creation. Her parents will have arranged her betrothal to Riley, a close friend from childhood. She'll become aware that he's gay. She'll also become aware somehow (perhaps through diaries she's found from a first-generation woman) that women on earth have more freedom and options than she's ever thought possible. Now she and Riley must decide: hide what they believe/feel and continue living the way they've always known; begin an underground rebellion/suffragist movement (risking severe consequences); or run.
I'm thinking of putting Rescued in Time on hold for the month of November so that I can take advantage of the energy and resources of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) to get a good start on Our Four Mothers.
Mirror of Souls (YA time travel to alternate-reality 1526 France)
Mirror of Souls is on the back burner until I find out the fate of Spinning Coins (time travel to alternate-reality 1526 Denmark).
What I'm Reading:
The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2 is Jane Poynter's fascinating account of the creation of the hermetically sealed 3-acre "greenhouse" in Arizona, and her two years locked inside with seven other Biospherians. I'm reading this as research for Our Four Mothers, which will take place on a planet not previously habitable by humans. Next on the reading list: Beekeeping for Dummies (because they'll have to pollinate their plants somehow!) Previously on the reading list: The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood's horrifying vision of a theocratic patriarchal society in America's near future. I've also been doing a lot of research about Christian Reconstructionism and Federal Vision theology, as I envision the society in Our Four Mothers to be based on a combination of the ideals of those two movements.
What I'm knitting
I'm still working on Doug's Fibonacci Cube college afghan, slowly but surely. He didn't get it in time to move in to the dorms (not that he needed a wool afghan in an un-airconditioned dorm room in August!), but I'm hoping to get it done in time for Christmas.
In addition to the "cube," which I work on at home, I've finished knitting squares of the individual letters that make up the word "MARYLAND," which will be part of the border.
How I'm feeling
The Hopkins cardiologist I spoke to about PFO (small hole in the heart) closure wasn't impressed by previous studies that had been done about the relationship between PFOs and migraines, and didn't recommend it in my case although he said he would do it if I insisted.
So I applied for the PREMIUM PFO trial, in which I would have had a 50/50 chance of having my PFO closed. I had hoped to be included not only for the chance at closure but also so that I could contribute to the scientific knowledge about the relation between PFOs and migraines. Unfortunately, I was rejected from the study because I have -- get this -- too many migraines.
I've decided to go ahead and pursue the closure at Hopkins, and am currently waiting for a phone call from them about what will happen next. (ETA: He still says no, and my neurologist now agrees with him.)
In the meantime, Meh. Nothing's changed. I still have a migraine most days, although I do have a few "low migraine days" here and there. David has seriously stepped up to the plate, and is doing far more than his share around the house. And Carrie has her driver's license now, just in time for Doug to leave her his car. (He doesn't need it on campus.) She can drive herself to her community college classes, she drives Amy to her activities, and she does most of the grocery shopping. Amy is very independent, and gets herself up and ready in the mornings. (I do get up to spend a little time with her in the morning and make sure she gets on the bus, but usually end up back in bed for a while after that.)
I've been following David Buchholz' migraine diet, and have seen some results, especially from eliminating aspartame. I've also stopped taking pain meds (Imitrex and Excedrin Migraine) except when I need to do something outside the house and I'm feeling especially bad. We've had some nice (medicated!) days this fall, apple picking and hiking, and Amy has asked a few friends to go hiking with us for her 10th birthday party this weekend. Doug has been home most weekends. I'm so glad he chose to go to an in-state school!
How I'm feeling
The Hopkins cardiologist I spoke to about PFO (small hole in the heart) closure wasn't impressed by previous studies that had been done about the relationship between PFOs and migraines, and didn't recommend it in my case although he said he would do it if I insisted.
So I applied for the PREMIUM PFO trial, in which I would have had a 50/50 chance of having my PFO closed. I had hoped to be included not only for the chance at closure but also so that I could contribute to the scientific knowledge about the relation between PFOs and migraines. Unfortunately, I was rejected from the study because I have -- get this -- too many migraines.
I've decided to go ahead and pursue the closure at Hopkins, and am currently waiting for a phone call from them about what will happen next. (ETA: He still says no, and my neurologist now agrees with him.)
In the meantime, Meh. Nothing's changed. I still have a migraine most days, although I do have a few "low migraine days" here and there. David has seriously stepped up to the plate, and is doing far more than his share around the house. And Carrie has her driver's license now, just in time for Doug to leave her his car. (He doesn't need it on campus.) She can drive herself to her community college classes, she drives Amy to her activities, and she does most of the grocery shopping. Amy is very independent, and gets herself up and ready in the mornings. (I do get up to spend a little time with her in the morning and make sure she gets on the bus, but usually end up back in bed for a while after that.)
I've been following David Buchholz' migraine diet, and have seen some results, especially from eliminating aspartame. I've also stopped taking pain meds (Imitrex and Excedrin Migraine) except when I need to do something outside the house and I'm feeling especially bad. We've had some nice (medicated!) days this fall, apple picking and hiking, and Amy has asked a few friends to go hiking with us for her 10th birthday party this weekend. Doug has been home most weekends. I'm so glad he chose to go to an in-state school!
