My research is progressing, and has taken on a life of its own. I have a flash drive for Web pages I’ll read more in-depth, taking notes, keeping my computer clear of trash. I’m researching the 1850s. The gold rush era, Oregon Trail tales, how the city life was, and wasn’t. I’ll be picking up the Ken Burns documentary soon, because nobody does it better than Ken Burns. Some of the stories are amazing. The little old man who put everything he owned in a wheel barrel, and walked the whole way. He made it, too. There was an elegance to their simplistic words, not being subject to mass-media overload. I like the past. Our golden age is now, to be sure, having leisure time, opportunities to explore our vast world, instant everything, but there is something to be said for years past. Imagine facing the unknown, contemplating the dangers involved. I want you to believe I was there, in the 1850s, living my everyday life.

My writing is taking on new life. I’m almost done with my crime thriller Earth Improvement Day. I’m still working on Love’s Gift: urban fantasy that doesn’t include vampires, werewolves, or other paranormal elements that throttle bookshelves these days. I like to think of this one as pleasantly different in a wonderful way.

On the editing front, I slowed myself down. I get to know each paragraph first, removing the clutter and the redundancies. That fluff new writers can’t get away with, while bestsellers get to add all they want. Fluff doesn’t make their books any better, it just makes their books thicker. I do add a few words, when needed for clarification, but that’s rare. See you next week.