Well guys, I’m happy to report here that summer is starting — really — for me today. Not long after school let out back in June, I had to start taking a summer class. (You may recall me talking about how awesome Erin is for putting up with that during her most recent visit.) As of yesterday, my class is over and I’ve got just about a month left before it’s time to go back to school as a teacher. So my one-month summer is really beginning now.
How will I spend it, you ask? Oh, boy, do I have a lot on my plate. I’m going to try (try, not promise) to finish Summer Love before I get back to school. I’ve got another writing project I’m working on as well, which will probably be quicker, but more involved in a lot of ways. Also, you may recall a while back I asked who would be interested in listening to an audio version of Other People’s Heroes. At the time, I was planning to do a “full cast” audio drama based on the book, with the help of some highly talented and incredibly generous volunteers. Unfortunately, for reasons I can’t get into just yet, I recently found out that isn’t a feasible project, at least not with OPH. I hope to get to do that some other time with some other story, but right now is the time for Other People’s Heroes. So very soon, like tomorrow, I plan to start recording the novel a segment at a time, basically reading the book myself, as I did with A Long November. It’s been a year and a half since ALN, though, and I’ve learned quite a lot about audio recording and production. I’m probably going to wait until I have all — or at least most — of the book recorded before I even start editing, production, and ultimately, release. But I intend to keep you posted on how it’s going.
So I’ve got a lot to work on. And I’d better get to work. But before I go, let me leave you with some photos of the Petit Fourth of July Blowout from this weekend, the highlight of which was a round of “Patriotic Pictionary” my dad envisioned, which turned into a five-hour long game of standard pictionary after we ran out of the Patriotic terms he had me come up with. It was a blast.
Setting up the tarp with true southern engineering
Chip tests Dad's "Washers" game
Heather's enthusiasm bubbles over
Kayla and Aimee meet Sandie's new puppy, Jack
Taking time to digest lunch
Norman here is the state high school wrestling champion. How is he at Washers?
Wally prepares the Pictionary board
"Truth, Justice, and the American Way"
This is either half a cow's udder or a strange-shaped map of the US
The clue? "Millard Fillmore." Alex just likes drawing dollar signs.
You can tell that's "Paul Revere" at the top because he looks just like him.
Just don't ask.
"Benjamin Franklin." No, seriously.
Chip and Kayla take advantage of the 100-degree heat to chill in the 90-degree swimming pool.
More photos in my “Friends and Family Flickr Album“!
People are saying…