Weeks like this are a challenge: warm weather, cloudless skies, cherry trees in bloom and my city alive with wild Olympic energy. It’s extremely hard to remain disciplined, stay indoors and work. The only way I can manage it is by bribing myself with a tea latte at the Corner Cup Cafe and the promise of an afternoon walk on the beach with Cassandra.
The 2010 Winter Olympics begin in two days in Vancouver. It’s impossible to ignore them if you live here. See, for example, the enormous beacon of light over our downtown skyline. No, we’re not trying to call Batman (and yes, I’ve heard that joke from every person who’s seen this photo). That’s Vectorial Elevation, an interactive artwork. Go to the webpage, design your own light sculpture and you can watch it come to life in the sky.
I’ve spent hours thinking about the first draft I wrote and how to turn it into something beautiful. I’ve written a synopsis. I’ve drawn maps. I’ve outlined all my scenes. I’ve deleted 35,000 words and now I’m staring at half a novel. There’s nothing left to do but start writing again.
Writing is always scary for me, but now I’m terrified in a new way, because now it’s for real. I’m using half my family’s productive work time to write this novel. Time that could be spent bringing in actual income so we can keep this lovely roof over our heads.
I don’t want to waste my family’s time.