My winter project is a new work-in-progress heavily influenced by some of my favorite places, genres, and international authors, with a healthy dose of LGBTQ+ added because I like creating those kinds of stories.
Lately, I have been reading stories about dealing with families. Families of origin and families of choice. Throughout all of these stories, there are two things in common: strong relationships and growth. Sometimes, it is growth within a community, be it small or large. Sometimes, it is family growth through multiple generations; more often than not, it includes a hefty dose of individual development.
I hope to create something that crosses the boundaries of family saga and cozy mystery. I don’t know; maybe that’s just another way of saying I want to build solid, engaging characters with interwoven, complex backstories. At the same time, I want to be sure my connectedness makes for better reading than a family genealogy (cue a chuckle).
It’s been a while since I’ve made significant progress on a new story, and this winter has re-engaged my writing habits and inspired me to create. I’ve dealt with setbacks, namely software issues, which are the worst because they drain time and energy while being frustrating and totally off the creative track. I lost a solid two weeks of work and upfront development, but I ended up with a better outline, characters, and story. I also learned NEVER to trust a particular piece of software again and to make backups and saves in multiple file formats.
My word count is not where I want it, but I still have a few weeks at my home away from home in Manila. I’m counting on an effortless Minnesota spring starting around March 1st. My home office in Makati, Metro Manila, is one of my favorite places to write. It is bright and sunny while being the perfect temperature. I’m not into listening to music while I write, but I love the sounds of motorbikes, jeepneys, and chickens crowing all day here. Manila is a vibrant city with, of course, its fair share of problems, but it does feel like a second home to me.
