What I've Been Up To ...

It’s probably a little early to say it out loud, but... why not? I’ve been told that my story has been accepted for inclusion in the upcoming anthology Bare Skies Ahead—a naturist-themed fantasy and science fiction collection being released on July 4th. Even better, all proceeds go to Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). So it’s not just a collection of stories — it’s a good cause too.

Now, this news might sound like I’ve been busy writing for months, churning out stories left and right, but the truth is, this one took a lot more than imagination. It took four years of silence, one surprise submission, and a whole lot of emotional excavation.

A Long Quiet

I used to write all the time, mostly a lot of rambling, but I had ideas. I had stories. I had notebooks, outlines, chapters. But when Daniel—my partner of over 30 years—died, it was like someone reached inside me and flipped the switch off. Just... nothing.

I was later diagnosed with chronic grief. That’s not depression. It’s a different kind of fog—a weight that doesn’t want to lift. You wake up, you move through your day, but everything creative feels pointless. Every idea sounds stupid. I’d start something, get a few paragraphs down, and then shut the whole thing off with that voice in my head saying, “Who’s going to want to read this crap?”

For years, I tried to write through it. I really did. I had this idea—a metaphysical love story. A journey through strange worlds and celestial puzzles in search of connection, of re-connection. It had a pyramid-shaped ladder, a labyrinth, a once-in-13-trillion-years solar event. It was complicated. Probably too complicated for someone with writer’s block. But it was mine. And in the pieces I did manage to write, I was trying to find Daniel again.

A Door Reopens

Back when I was still able to write freely, there was a call for submissions to a murder mystery anthology. I had a piece called Mudscapes I had been working on, but I missed the deadline. Daniel had just been diagnosed with two different stage-4 cancers, and the story—like everything else—went quiet.

So when I saw the announcement for Bare Skies Ahead, I wasn’t sure I was ready. I wasn’t sure I could face another blank screen, let alone finish anything. But something in me didn’t want to miss this one. Not again.

I didn’t have a polished story. I had bits and fragments, a rough sketch of my love-lost tale. My story was intended to be a full length novel someday, and although I had many sections of it written, I did not have a short story for a submission to the anthology — so I submitted a synopsis. Why not?

To my surprise, the editors liked it. They wanted more character development and interaction. So I went digging through my old notes, pulled out pieces from my storyboard, filled in some missing moments... and in doing so, I ended up with way too many words than was permitted. I thought, Well, that’s it. Can’t fix this without ruining it. I was about to give up again.

But the editors wouldn’t let me. They worked with me—patiently, kindly—and together we found a way to make it fit. I owe them big time. Honestly, I think they worked harder than I did.

Back to Writing

My story will be included in the anthology and when it comes out, I really hope you’ll give it a read. Not just for my contribution, but for the cause it supports and the other writers who poured themselves into it. I think you’ll find something meaningful inside.

And for me… well, something’s changed. Since I pushed myself to finish that story, something opened up again. I’ve been writing nearly every day. Not everything is worth sharing—some of it’s probably just me working through things still—but I’m adding some of it (like this) to my blog index anyway. Because now I know: even when you think the light’s gone out for good, sometimes all it takes is a little spark. A deadline. A quiet push. A memory. A reason.

And maybe that’s what writing really is—finding your way back, one word at a time.

The pre-sale link for the anthology is located here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FFHJ32DY?tag=bk00010a-20&geniuslink=true

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