Nasty 6:00 AM start to the day today.  The sky started out red, went to orange (wasn't there a song about that?), and then to an eerie yellow, followed by purple with gold-topped clouds, and then - -  black! The rain poured, the wind blew, and most of the blossoms on our crepe myrtle ended up in a white puddle in the middle of the driveway. It sounds colorful, but the cats did not find the thunder and lightning particularly appealing.  They have a habit of hiding in the nearest cupboard at the first clap.  The funniest part is watching them re-emerge after the storm passes.  Noses poke out of the door, then the body slinks out, but as soon as their hips appear, the door starts to close, inevitably catching a droopy tail.  I try not to laugh when they jump and whirl to see what is attacking them from behind.  All quiet now, at least until the next wave passes through.

While we wait, I've found a couple of articles for you today:

The Writing Game: A Collection of Advice and Clever Tips for Writers of all Genres

Every writer has a set of tricks to help navigate through thorny spots in the writing process. Maybe some of them will help you, too.  This article offers some insight into the way the mind of a historical fiction writer works.  It rings true to me.

Find it at: http://www.scoop.it/t/the-writing-game

Self-Publisher: How To Be Your Own Publisher without Going Bankrupt

When you think about doing a launch for your new book, do you start six months before publication, or does it come as an afterthought?  Here's why an early start works best.

Find it at: http://www.scoop.it/t/self-publisher