The Girdle of Melian

ive revisited! I first did the Friday Five in 2010 : Here’re the rules: Answer 5 questions 5 times and then tag 5 people to play. Question 1: Where were you 5 years ago? (my answers span the summers of 2004-2006) On vacation in England and Scotland and Wales and Turkey Planning my wedding Reading Diana Gabaldon’s books for the first time Joining the Compuserve Books and Writers Community Starting to write again after not having had any inspiration for a couple of years! Question 2: Where would you like to be 5 years from now? In a new house, possibly by the water, possibly in another country Possibly with a puppy, which my cats will get along with A gardener (I can’t say ‘a better gardener’ because I’m not any kind of gardener at the moment.) With an agent! And with a book deal! A regular attendee at the Surrey International Writers’ Conference – and meeting some of my forum and blog friends Question 3: What 5 things are (were) on your to-do list today? Comment o

his week in history... The RMS Titanic sank, on 14 April 1912. Our last writers' houseparty , back in January, was set on the Titanic. I ended up with over 25,000 words at this party (not my highest houseparty word count ever!). This was the first time since maybe the first handful of houseparties that I didn't bring characters from a WiP, or a novel I was editing, or with specific story and character questions I needed answers to. I brought Brother Arcturus, Austin, and Kedi . Austin and Kedi have attended every houseparty ever held. Austin started off as a YA character, and as he grew, was the only one of my characters not involved in a romance. That all changed at the writers' houseparty set in San Francisco in 1865, when he met Barb, a character of another author. They were 15 at the time. Austin kept her in his thoughts, but was unable to act on his feelings at the Grand Finale writers' houseparty , at 20, because she was married. He arrived on t