Left Stranded
That’s probably how this page feels at least. With runners on first and second, two outs, and the batter pops out to the catcher. Frustrating, right? And yeah, just because baseball season is over, does not mean I’m going to stop with that imagery. I am still working on Rounding for Home, so baseball is still going strong in my life.
And even though I got quiet here, I have still been writing. So, I’ll just jump into that.
Writing
Last month I took part in a ‘Book Finisher’s Bootcamp’(I may have mentioned that in my last post), and I was awarded a spot in her other ‘First Book Finish’ program(although this is *not* my first book), and the main tenent is to only work on one project at a time. Of course, I’m on final edits of Fixing the Books, so I’ve still been juggling both of those. It is keeping from bouncing around between all of my projects, though. And I have made a lot of progress on both of these(as well as a little plotting on another project
Rounding for Home
After getting feedback from beta readers, I decided to start this mostly from scratch(and not because they hated it. Just brought up a lot of issues that I thought would be easier to fix with a rewrite then just going in and making some changes). Did a whole new outline, started at a different place, and dove in. And I’ve got nearly 45,000 words now, and I’m not quite to the midpoint yet. There may be a good bit I can cut from the beginning, but otherwise, I’m really enjoying the new way the relationship is unfolding. I’m hoping to have this draft done by the end of the month(and am using NaNoWriMo to achieve that).
Fixing the Books
As I said above, I’m working on the final edits for this. Or the fine-tuning edit, as I call it. And I also got a cover and it’s available for pre-order. So, I really need to get those edits finished and have it formatted by 12/1. That shouldn’t be an issue. And if you want to order it now, you can find it here(and it will also be available on other platforms soon).
Reading
Diamond Ring by K.D. Casey
Okay, so I haven’t finished this yet. I’m a little more than halfway through. It’s baseball, queer, and just so, so good.
Crafting
I made a set of hats for a friend of my husband’s. So, I didn’t get to any of the whales I wanted to last month. I did just receive more yarn, so I’m hoping to get more of them done this month.
Story
Not a full story, but here’s the first scene from Fixing the Books, which may contain some slight spoilers for Down the Drain, if you haven’t read that(and why not I ask you? ;) )
"Be careful with their neck."
I ignored my mother since my hand already cradled Jordan's head the way Ross showed me the first time I held them, as if I'd been a novice. I wasn't a complete idiot when it came to babies. Our family certainly had enough of them.
"You know, Lou," my mother said. "You do look good with a baby. Maybe you should be thinking about one of your own."
I looked up sharply. "Please, Mom. It's not even Halloween yet. Don’t give me nightmares yet."
My mother rolled her eyes even as she let out a laugh. "I'd say that's a little overdramatic. That's usually Linnea's part to play."
"It's not. Overdramatic, I mean. I've told you before, I have no interest in having kids. Why should I when my siblings have provided so many?" These ones I could hand back when I'd had enough of them.
"What if whoever you marry--"
"Who said I was marrying anyone?" I asked, before she could finish that question. Usually, my dad was the one trying to convince me I needed a relationship, or at least I'd be happier if I was in one. I was plenty happy on my own. Since Jordan had been born, Dad seemed content to shower his attention on them. Maybe he'd given up on me.
If only I could be that lucky.
My parents, the whole family really, had always been good about not assuming who any of us would end up with. It helped that Ross, the oldest of the five of us, came out as gay at seventeen, when I was ten years old. It made it easier a few years later when I told my family I wasn't a girl, or a boy. That was all the words I had for the way I felt at the time. I learned the term genderqueer a few years later and found the label fit like a glove.
Jordan would never have to worry about that. Ross, and his husband, Eli, were raising them as gender neutrally as possible. Even in the couple months since they'd been born, my brother had realized how difficult identifying as nonbinary, including the various identities under that umbrella, could be in this world when people put you in one box or the other.
Speaking of my brother, he walked into the room just then. He looked tired. I hoped it was adjusting to living with a newborn, and not that he still suffered from what had happened shortly after Jordan was born.
He'd almost gotten killed because he came to my rescue. I hadn't thought I was taking unnecessary risks. I hadn't gone after a killer. I was just asking questions. Still, both of us could have died that day.
I was going to focus on my work instead of taking that chance. I'd just hired a new employee for my fix-it business, someone to take on some of the jobs so I didn't have to turn clients away. For the moment, he was still in training. The rest of my focus would be on my family and friends. We had a couple new members in our queer book club and besides that Linnea was due with her third child before the end of the year. That should be plenty to keep me busy without solving some mystery.
"Are you two planning to keep my baby from me the rest of the day?" Ross asked.
"It's been all of ten minutes," my mother argued. "Your other siblings aren't here yet, so we figured we'd take our chance while we had it."
"Sure. I'll buy that excuse."
"Don't you already spend all day with them?" I asked. "When are you going back to work? Eli didn't take that much time off."
"Eli was still trying to get the firm out from the mess Wallwork left it in. He didn't think the firm could afford him being away from work that long. And I've been consulting with some clients. I just haven't been going to the office. That changes Monday. I'm going in for half a day while we see how Jordan handles being at daycare. If it doesn't work, I can mostly work remotely. The cut to my paycheck hasn’t caused us to struggle. Even if I leave, we'll be fine."
I couldn't understand how my brother could be so willing to leave everything he'd worked for. He'd consulted with small businesses, helping them find ways to thrive, since he'd graduated college. Picturing him in any other role was nearly impossible. Except he took to the position of daddy easily.
I could see that even as he took Jordan from my arms, and they smacked their lips together. I realized he'd grabbed them with one arm because he had a bottle in the other. Had they actually been able to smell the milk? I watched as he slipped the bottle into their mouth, but something squirmed in my stomach, and I had to turn away.
I didn't want any of that, so what was this feeling? I'd never been comfortable with babies. Once they were older, could run around, and I didn't fear dropping them, it was different.
"Lou, Lou."
I turned toward the door as my nephew came running inside. "Hey, Spence," I said. "What's on your mind today?"
Off he went describing a documentary he'd been watching that morning about...something to do with robotics? I wasn't completely sure. At least he'd moved on from the human development he'd been fixated on during the summer. My little brother was likely relieved. This seemed a more normal interest for a six-year-old.
Not that many of Spence's interests had ever been "normal" for his age. It made spending time with him an unpredictable joy. You never knew what would come out of his mouth.
And I wouldn't change one thing.