Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters

I'm reading the 14th part of the Foreigner series by Cherryh and am amazed that the writer has been able to continue the series so long and with fresh new material. The story is science fiction and shows the politics of an alien culture and the impct and concerns of stranded humans. The characters have grown and developed. The action can be explosive at times. Each time I read a new book in the series, I am re-united with characters I have learned to enjoy and to care about. Is there a trace of envy in what I'm reading? Yes, but not the kind of envy that makes me want to put the person down.

Writers, and most other people, often find the negative kind of envy when reading stories other people have written. Envy can go from Wow, I wish I had written that to the kind that says If I had the chance I would have written a better kind of story.

It can be difficult to feel happy for another person's success when you have worked just as hard. But this kind of feeling doesn't help the person feeling this to do better. One of the groups I belong to posed a question about going back to change an event in one's life and what would it be. Several of the people had particular times they would change. Several says the choices they made have helped them become the person they are today. Interesting.

Now to my writing progress. Shattered Dreams is moving ahead. Shadowed Dreams will have another change. The first few chapters have bogged down now the middle of the book is approaching. I need to go back and re-focus on the first few chapters so I can continue through the middle to reach the end. Sometimes I groan at doing this, but it must be done. False starts can be corrected. Sticking to what's not working can't.