Music and dogs

Friday’s writing required a lot of research. In terms of setting, it’s much easier for me to make up a town, and if I use actual places, for those to be places I know or at least have visited. Throwing my characters into places across the US and Europe–and Australia, for that matter–where I’ve never been is an interesting challenge. I know I can’t possibly get it all right, particularly when it includes decades before I was born. But I want to get it as right as I can and seek accuracy from others when I complete this saga.

Sometimes I’d like to listen to that inner voice that whispers, WHY does it matter? Who’s going to care? Who’s even going to read it? But listening to that inner voice makes me wonder why I’m doing any of this, and the wiser part of me knows it’s because I have to. Or I choose to have to. This iteration of stories about these characters has provided something for me since 2019, and at (almost) six books in, I wouldn’t be giving up something I don’t like doing or am tired of. I’d be giving up something I love.

Here’s the music that played while this mental stew of quit/neverquit bubbled, spilled over, made messes, got a few more ingredients and water from my tears added, and kept trying to escape a cauldron I call “1974.”

The Grass Roots, Let’s Live For Today; Greatest Hits, Volume One; Greatest Hits, Volume Two; and Anthology 1965-1975, two disks; Green Day, Insomniac (I have no idea where this came from); and Greta Van Fleet, From The Fires and The Battle At Garden’s Gate.

For those who have zero interest in my tunes-to-write-to, here are some other photos. Because if you have a soul, you either love dogs or you love photos of them.

Eva and Delta in front of the fire. Amusing for them to be together, as they consider themselves competition for the crown.

Delta. Always so much to think about.

Jack and Delta. Those faces. It must have been closing in on dinner time, the way they are watching me.

I envy Anime’s ability to sleep in a variety of places and positions all over the Hall.

Since I’m putting this post together in the wee hours of Saturday morning, I’ll try to follow her example and sleep.

Happy Saturday!

ETA: Much later Saturday morning, after seven hours of sleep, a shower, outside dog time, and mopping the library floor, I’m back at work, tunes ready for playing, with my brunch sitting next to me. Since my muse characters are gathered in London (at the Savoy–swanky!), I chose my Abbey Road cup for my coffee today.

Cup gift of Timmy and Paul from a London trip they took.