Thanksgiving – Becky Levine

Halloween is done, although there’s still plenty of my son’s candy lurking on the counter and calling to me….November for me is the start of a mix of fun, family, and crazy juggling of holidays, school vacations, and–oh, yeah, some work! Here are just a few things on my mind for the upcoming month:

1. HOW big a turkey do I need to feed 11-13 people? And will that turkey fit in our smoker?

2. Is there any way to turn our refrigerator into one of those magical objects that’s a whole lot bigger on the inside that it is on the outside? Think Narnian wardrobe.

3. I should probably do some Christmas shopping this month. Oh, wait, there are a whole bunch of November birthdays to deal with first!

4. I will somehow squeeze in time to disappear as far as possible into two novels I’ve been waiting a long time for: S. J. Rozan’s On the Line and Naomi Novik’s Tongues of Serpents.

5. And the writing task–pick through every corner of my imagination and turn my MC’s mother into a serious, active antagonist who fills her daughter’s life with increasingly worse obstacles and problems. Oh, yeah, and keep moving the overall plot forward. And get my research done. And…okay, WAY more than five now.

I think I’ll watch some leaves fall, too, and enjoy the air getting more crisp and all the usual things about this month that makes Fall, even out here in California, my absolutely favorite season.

And you? What’s on your plate for November?

Earlier this week, I talked about the break I was giving myself by getting some files off early to my critique group. While I was writing the post, I wasthinking about all you NaNoers. First, for all of you who have made your word count already or can see that number within range, CONGRATULATIONS!

Specifically, though, I was thinking about the NaNoers who weren’t quite there, who were probably NOT giving themselves a break, not yet, and who may have been panicking a bit about non-writing hours eaten up 🙂 by the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

And I was thinking about any of us writers, even those not doing NaNo, who are looking at the end of the year heading rapidly toward us and thinking, “I was supposed to get more done.”

I know that feeling. I can bring it into the forefront of my mind any day, any hour. All it takes is looking at my writing path from a certain angle, one that somehow show right up front the goals I haven’t met, the books I haven’t written.

Let’s face it. This is an unhealthy angle. Goals and dreams are wonderful and necessary, and we should all use them as motivators. We should not use them as punishment.

So tomorrow, and for however many days you’re surrounding yourself with family, friends, and food, be thankful. Not just for the company you’re keeping, but for all the words you have managed to put on the page so far this month, or this year. Remind yourself of all the things you have accomplished, and let go of worrying about the ones you haven’t.

Relax and recharge. The dreams will be waiting for you.

Happy Thanksgiving to everybody!

Tag: Thanksgiving

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