Didn't make that goal - time for a new one

I began the summer with a list of books to read. A number of them were related to the new course I was taking over that had a set summer reading list.

I didn't get through them all.

The woman who created the list had her own perspective on life and men. Last week I told one of my fellow teachers that just getting part way through the list left me hating men.

I got down to the last three books. Two I gave up on and just skimmed. Let's see: a clueless dad who sells his daughter into virtual slavery (not a bad guy, actually, just a product of his sexist society who later comes to regret his actions); several abusive husbands; two men who impregnate unmarried young women, then desert them; a suicide (pregnant unmarried woman); an abortion (ditto); a lesbian love affair, then, after lover dies, starts to fall for the brother of the lover who looks like the lover; general mistreatment of women.

And neither book was particularly well-written. Lots of clichés. Lots of dastardly men. The jerks.

The last book is much more interesting. The writer is also a published poet. That one I'll finish.

But bogged down in trying to get through those books, plus painting the stockade fence, cleaning out piles of old papers (we now house many boxes of papers from five deceased relatives - heck, I found tax returns from 1992 in one box), dealing with a heat wave, shoulder issues, putting together a collection of poetry (almost ready to go to print) and, well, too many distractions, I didn't get to all the books and things I wanted to.

And school starts next week. Gotta get my room and all sorts of packets for the students ready.

So summer goals have bit the dust.

But there are some books I do want to get to. Just got two in the mail, one about hermits. Yeah.

Another new distraction was my novel, a dark fantasy. I had been working on it on my old computer, which died. In addition, I'd hit a road block. So I stopped.

Five years ago.

I'll wait for the laughter to subside.

But as I read the novels for my class, I kept thinking, if I'm going to criticize these books, maybe I should finish writing my own. Put up or shut up.

I searched and fortunately found a disc I'd saved it on. Twenty-one chapters; 37,000 words.

I'm rereading the last few chapters to refresh my memories. I've already encountered a character I'd forgotten about. Maybe I'll kill him off just to make things simpler.

It is a dark fantasy, after all.

I wonder if I can involve a raven in some way. Hmm.

After the poetry collection is done I'll start writing the novel again.

Who knows: At the rate I'm going maybe I'll finish it in time to supplement Social Security. I could be the Grandma Moses of dark fantasy.

Pax et bonum