Rest and refuel

I just got back from a much-needed vacation. My wife and I were planning to go to Greece, but over COVID my passport had expired without me noticing, and it took about two months to renew- not conducive to booking a flight during this crazy time. So, undeterred, we rented a car and stayed in New England. Taking only back roads, we drove up through New Hampshire, wandered around, and then continued into Maine. We stopped in Bangor, paid homage to the King, and then continued to Bar Harbor for a few nights to explore Acadia National Park. The fresh air and the silent woods were fantastic after not taking a vacation in more than two years. There were few bugs, and the weather was gorgeous. It was the beginning of Acadia’s peak season, but the crowds were manageable, and we stayed out of Bar Harbor itself, which was a zoo as usual. We took in the park’s main attractions early in the morning and were out of there before the horde arrived. We did a lot of hiking (about 10-15 miles a day), ate some great barbeque and seafood, and enjoyed the solitude. All in all, we clocked in 988 miles of gray sun-bleached road.

Like most, I needed a break. Two years of not traveling much more than 5 miles from my home for someone who loves to travel was brutal. I am also a nature-loving person who lives in the city- I needed green. Then, with working 50-70 hours a week and writing on top, I felt burnt out. I’m probably still burnt out, but a few days away from the world has released some of the pressure, and I’m already back to writing. Noonday in the North, book 3 of my Absolution of the Morning Star series, is at 79,712 words, so probably a little over halfway written. You can check out a rough draft of the first chapter here.

I also completed my first author interview a few weeks ago, which you can find here if you’re interested. It was a fun experience- thanks Angela! Well, just two more days of vacation before returning to the grind. I have some house projects to do and want to put down a few thousand more words before tackling the 221 work emails currently in my inbox (yuck). I better get to work!

Cheers!