Recently, I learned that 2025 has been the hottest year ever recorded on earth. After I got done screaming, “The sky is falling”–and understand, I only stopped because I got tired–I gazed mournfully out the window and contemplated how long it has been since it rained.
Well, today, it is raining! A nice, soft, misty rainy that is soaking everything. It doesn’t get any better.
As I will obviously melt if I go outside in this, I have had a productive day irritating my cats and disappointing the dog. The edits for book #2 (Ruff Justice) have come back and I am working my ways through those. I also thought of an idea for a new series and wrote about 3000 words setting that up. Don’t worry, it’s a long-term project. Paw Prints in the Ledger will release in 21 days and I am making myself a complete best on social media over it.
When I got done with those tasks, I looked around and realized I hadn’t updated you on art stuff for a couple of weeks. Where does time go?
WSO Entries
As I said in my last post, I had been working on a couple of crane paintings to enter into the fall Watercolor Society of Oregon (WSO) show. I finished them and was just ready to post them for entry when I decided to check on the tiniest little detail… the gesso surface.
The fall WSO show is, technically, a watercolor (not water media) show. As it has been explained to me, all mediums must be re-active-able by water. Gesso is not. So, it was back to the drawing board (ha, literally!)
I ended up selecting “White horse” and “Flowers” as my entries.
Summer is for Plein Air
A few days later, my friend, Catherine Hingson of Playful Paintbrush, organized a plein air event at the Taft Waterfront (very close). After my usual Corvallis dog trip, I went down for a couple hours and painted these.
I’m not sure either is finished, but it was a fun afternoon.
Other Items
On a daily basis, it’s all about the writing and editing as I consider that my job now. With the edits for #2 under my belt, I will start working on #3 in order to get that in the queue. My goal (such as it is) is to have #2 publish around late Feb. 2026 and #3 in late Aug. thereafter. Book 4 isn’t finished but is shaping up nicely in my head, and I’ve mentally scheduled it for Feb. 2027. And #5 will be big and, hopefully, out in August 2027.
After #5, I will need to evaluable where I’m at. I may start a new series (as I said, got a great idea today) which I may try at a different (more prestigious) publisher. Or not. We’ll see.
The cats and dog are doing well. I’m doing well. The summer is progressing. I guess that’s all the news from here. Hope you are all well!