A Good Day

For me, a good day starts wide open, meaning I've got a full day to focus on what I want to work on. For me, this would be writing and revising something.

A good day is probably sunny and warmish, which means that I can open the windows in my office. It also means that the kitties snuggle down for their naps around me, sort of keeping me company. A really good day brings the dog in, too. However, he generally prefers his dog bed, placed in a lovely sun spot on the first floor. I try not to take his absence personally.

A good day might also mean that I spend a few hours writing in my favorite cafe while sipping a chai latte. Mmmmm.

A good day is when either elves have run the various errands that are somehow endless or I've effectively put them out of my mind so that they are not nagging at me.

A good day usually includes a good book.

A really good day means that the ideas are flowing, as is the energy and the love of writing. A bad day is marked with blood, sweat, and a few tears, but I'll save that for another discussion.

An especially good day is when a lovely review arrives. May I share the latest for Buck Fever? Here it is, from Publishers Weekly:

"Willis's (Dog Gone) second novel nicely weaves a few familiar tropes into an entertaining and intense tale. Twelve-year-old Joey has the talent to be an amazing hunter: he's a great shot and, thanks to an ear infection that left him partially deaf, his sense of smell borders on the super-human. His father, an avid hunter, expects Joey to bring down his first buck during deer season, but Joey is more interested in playing hockey and drawing. With Joey's mother constantly out of the country on business trips, Joey struggles to tell his father that he doesn't want to shoot a deer, as well as whether to enter the art show his neighbor and mentor, Mrs. Davies, is pushing him toward. Subplots revolving around illegal hunting tactics and a creepy neighbor eventually merge into Joey's story, leading to a tense and dangerous climax. Willis avoids easy answers, clichés, and moralizing, instead focusing on Joey's inner struggle and the stress his mother's absence causes. The result is a satisfying novel filled with solid characters who learn the consequences of making some hard choices. Ages 9–13. (Nov.)"

Ahhh yes, a good day indeed.