Still Writing

 

This Nanowrimo thing is working out well. I’m committed to writing at least 500 words of book two every day for the month of November–and I hope beyond. It’s so liberating to just write, without censoring or editing. That will come later. Boy, will it ever. But for now, I’m getting the story out, which is the first step.

By setting the somewhat paltry goal of 500 words, I’ve managed to not skip a single day, even when I was at the She Writes Press retreat and in Los Angeles. The purpose of the trip to LA was to see my ultra-talented niece Andra Monte Warren in a production of Johnny Got His Gun. Originally written by Dalton Trumbo and adapted for the stage, this powerful anti-war drama was directed by Tim Robbins. Seeing Andrea onstage was a thrill.

The next day we walked around the Silver Lake neighborhood, climbed the Mattachine Steps to work off a huge brunch, and stopped at one of my favorite plant stores, Potted, before heading back to the Bay Area.

Sadly, smoke clouded the skies the entire length of the trip, a grim reminder of the tragic fires burning in the north and south.