Stuck

Readers don't give a hoot about the travails of writing. They read the final product and either like or dislike it. Hopefully, in my case, they like it.





But, in order for them to read it, I have to get it written!


And, you certainly don't need to hear the woes causing this “writer's block” - a convenient name of just plain facing a blank wall.


Ir all started when, out of the clear [actually smog free] sky, I was informed we were going to rent our daughter's home. Not that I minded, it's far better than where we've lived for the last seven plus years. It was just a short notice affair and I still don't know if I got everything done concerning moving from one place to another. At least the bills seem to be getting to us.


And then, we took an overnight trip to San Diego to pick up my sister-in-law so she could stay with our daughter for a few weeks after she delivered our granddaughter.


But, the real crux of the problem is that this fourth book in Father Serra's Legacy is turning out to be, by far, the most difficult to write.


The characters are there. As Timothy and Jaime have reached their fifties, I've written The Missions Wither from the viewpoint of Timothy's son James and his best friend, David, an Esselen Indian from the Carmel/Monterey area.


The events and other characters are also there. Mexico gains its independence from Spain and takes over California. Foreigners are moving in. The missions are being threatened by something called secularization – taking them away from the friars and turning them over to the Indians. A total disaster as, unlike their Mexican counterparts, the California Indians were simply not prepared to deal with the discipline required to operate the mission industries.

So, what's the problem?


Up until now, I've been able to envision the scenes I wish to present to the reader. Where are the characters. What they are doing? How they react to the news of far away activities and even how to bring those actions closer to them. That simply isn't happening. The thought starts – and ends with a blooming wilt.


Will it end? Of course it will! You see, once this Book Four of Father Serra's Legacy is on the market, I've got another to rewrite that I am very excited about. I've posted some tidbits about Don Fernando Rivera and his story, Leatherjacket Soldier, is what I am truly looking forward to preparing for readers – and I know there's a huge market out there of Mexicans and Hispanics here and abroad, to read about a true hero of his time and place.




 

[And, guess what, I'm back to writing!}