Maureen Bush

Banff

We spent Monday in the mountains – a birthday lunch at our favorite restaurant in Banff, some casual hiking when the skating rink we’d read about on-line failed to exist, and a visit to the Natural History Museum.

The museum, in a beautiful old building, is full of cabinets of dead animals. Most of them are as old as the building, and just as lovingly cared for. While I’m not keen on looking at stuffed animals (real ones, not the toys), I find it fascinating to see birds I’ve read about and seen illustrations of – up close.

I also was able to confirm one tidbit of information for the sequel to The Nexus Ring. There are security cameras at the Banff Cave and Basin, including at the basin itself (an outdoor pool, one of five pools inhabited by the endangered Banff Springs snail.)

The day was beautiful – sunny and warm, with a crisp wind to bite our cheeks and remind us it was still winter. There’s less snow in Banff than in Calgary, and, oddly, even less in the foothills between the two.

The photo was taken by the Bow River near Bow falls.

Editing at Last, or Did I Really Write That?

I’ve finally started the sometimes embarrassing process of formal editing for the sequel to The Nexus Ring. I’ve done lots of editing on this story, but this is the first official round.

Having someone else point out all the weak spots in a story should be painful, but I often already know they’re problems – I just haven’t figured out how to fix them. Or I didn’t notice, but certainly need to. It makes me pay attention when I might not otherwise.

The focus this round is on what information needs to be included from book one, and what not; tightening a few sections; and clarifying some ideas. Some corrections are easy, while others need time to mull and consider. What was I really trying to say here?

After working on it for so long, I’m enjoying having someone bring fresh eyes to the story. This helps me see it with fresh eyes, too.

Maureen

Editing

The first round of editing comments for the sequel to The Nexus Ring has arrived! The story starts at Castle Mountain (see photo).

I’m really excited. I never expected this to happen, but I actually enjoy editing. I like working with a professional editor who can look at the story with new eyes, find the weak spots and help me fix them. I like seeing the story improve as it’s polished and refined. I even like learning the incredibly picky rules of editing so that I can correct them myself next time. Most of all, I love how much better a story is once we’re finished.

I’m eager to leap in, but my desk is covered in presents and wrapping paper, and I have a list of Christmas baking to tackle. I guess editing will be my post-Christmas treat. Did I really write that? Weird. Merry Christmas.
Maureen

Corvus

Corvus is gone. I had a crow statue perched on the tea house, named after a character in the sequel to the Nexus Ring. It disappeared while I was away, and I miss him. I know where he came from, so I should be able to buy a new Corvus. Who, oddly enough, is another character in the story.

By the way, the sequel has a working title but it will likely be changed, so I won’t refer to it here. It’s confusing enough for me to think of it by the new name. I don’t want other people confused, too.

Maureen

Off to California

Friday I’m off to California for 10 days of meditating. I’ll return exhausted, deeply quiet and moving at half-speed, and not at all ready to start my next task, editing the sequel to The Nexus Ring.