Our 1960’s neighborhood is in the process of being rebuilt. As each mid-sized house is sold, it is torn down to bare earth and replaced by a bigger (MUCH bigger), fancier (MUCH fancier) home. I could bemoan the loss of sixty-year-old trees or the endless procession of dump trucks carrying shattered house remnants off to the dump, or I could debate the need for such massive homes. But instead, I’ve been thinking about the team of bricklayers who are working today across the street from my window.
Three men. A thirty-foot tall, multi-level scaffold. And an efficiency and economy of motion that I find amazing. The man in the orange shirt, perched twenty feet up at the moment, is the bricklayer—he layers the mortar, places each brick, taps it in place, smooths it all down. The man in blue, perched on the scaffold beside him, is the time-and-motion guy. He makes sure that every brick, every trowel full of mortar, is in precisely the right place so the bricklayer never takes a single step to get what he needs. And down at ground level, the guy in the faded Grateful Dead T-shirt mixes mortar and sends up supplies using a power winch.
I’ve been fascinated to watch, and I think part of my fascination is jealousy. They have a plan, they have a well-trained team, and the speed at which they work is nothing short of spectacular. In contrast, I’m in the midst of the first draft of a novel. (No title yet—I’m awful at titles—but it’s a story of suspense that takes place on an island in the Puget Sound.) I love these characters and am excited about the story, but as always, I hit points where it feels like I am thrashing around. My bricks are not within easy reach, my mortar is too wet or too dry or too little or too much, and some days I rip out more rows than I add.
I’ll get there. I always do. The story will flow, and the end result will be awesome. I promise. But I confess there are days when it would be nice to have a support person on the scaffold beside me, handing me exactly what I need at the moment I need it.
How’s your bricklaying going today? Click Reply or Comment below.
Etcetera
Did you notice the newsletter looks a little different this time? I’ve taken the leap to SubStack, and I now have an actual newsletter name: Fiction ZigZags. I’m still figuring out all the ins and outs, but I suspect the basic format will remain the same. You’ll still get a newsletter every quarter, with (perhaps) a quick note now and then if something fun is happening. You’ll now be able to see Comments that other subscribers make, and I love the fact that it will be easier for me to get to know you. Jump in! Give feedback! I hope you stay along for the ride.
I can’t close without sharing a few more photos. My husband and I spent a great week with our youngest son hiking in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks before the heat settled in. And I was able to spend a few days in my guise as Grandma Becca in Boston. I hope your summer is proving to be equally fun.
Keep scrolling down for this issue’s Giveaway.
This Issue’s Giveaway:
THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT, by Kimberly Belle
Kimberly Belle’s books are always page-turners, but this one kept me reading long into the wee hours. When a social media influencer shares all the details of her life with her personal assistant, what can go wrong? Plenty. As the back cover notes: ‘the greatest threat isn’t online but in her own living room.’ Check it out!
If you’re a subscriber, you're automatically entered to win this signed copy.
Congratulations to Ann B., who won a copy of AMAZING GRACIE by Laura Drake in my last issue.
Book Clubs
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GREAT pictures! Always glad to winch up a word to you. ;-)
Great story. I am happy to be the guy below handing you a brick anytime you need one. After all your kindness and generosity.