The Writer's Blog

I have finally, finally, decided on the title for my next book. It will be called The Acquittal and if things go as planned, it will be published in October 2014. Right now I'm at my usual late year writing residency (Vermont Studio Center), fretting and fussing over the manuscript. Since I'm currently writing my THIRD ending for the book, fretting is very much the thing.

The Acquittal is my first post-dancer book and I'll admit I didn't have the confidence, focus, or stamina that I did before cancer treatment. So this is the new reality and I just get along with it. It'll be up to the readers to let me know if this new book seems to have suffered from cancer treatment, too. Who knows? Hair grows out differently after chemo; maybe one's writing style does as well.

My home state of Illinois has finally passed the marriage equality law, so Linda and I will be married by the state next summer. We've been married before each other for a long time - sixteen years. I'm very glad for this sea change in attitude toward marriage equality, but I have mixed feelings about it. I'm an old school 70s lesbian at heart. I feel a little patronized by being 'given' this right, which should have been ours all along. I sound like a crab, and I'm not. I'm happy that we'll be able to take advantage of the benefits. The health insurance I receive through Linda's employer will no longer be taxed. Things like that are important. Let's just say we won't feel any more married than we do already.

Back to The Acquittal, where I'll need to decide if a fourth ending is in order. As usual, I'm asking myself why in the world I ever thought it was a good idea to write novels!