It’s Spring, for one thing. For another thing, the A to Z Challenge is here, and it felt like the right time to do something. Right? Right.

So what IS the challenge? So glad you asked!

Every day in the month of April, write a blog post – except on Sundays. If you count, you’ll find that gives you 26 days. In the English language alphabet, there are 26 letters. Voila. A to Z.

Some folx use a theme, some don’t. I’ve done years where I’ve had a theme, and years where I didn’t. This year, I decided on a theme:

Thawing

Why?

Therein lies the story.

(You had to know that was coming…)

It’s been a rough few years. Between the pandemic, the rise of Christo-fascism around the world, an illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, and the climate emergency, it’s hard to stay focused on anything much less keep up any consistent creative effort (and to the creators out there that have done it, my hat is off to you, truly).

Rachel and I are feeling the thaw this year, and 2023 is the first year we’ve both felt a bit of honest optimism. Like any flame, one needs to blow gently on a spark to get it to catch. This challenge is our effort to do that. By focusing on something all month, it will give us something to talk about, and hopefully get our fingers used to being back on the keyboard so we can get back to what we’re really good at – and finish the damned book (as Cherry Adair says!).

We are hard at work on Sapphire Dream and getting closer to the finish line. Cheula and Sami are…

Well, that would be telling. Check back on Monday for the letter B, and see if we tell you some more.

We’re glad you’re here!

Welcome!