The blistering days of sunscreen applications and nasty weather watches on the weather channel are behind us. Replaced, of course, with a slight nip in the morning air, cool afternoon breezes and an occasional frost warning. 
Autumn. My favorite time of the year, especially with Mother Nature wearing her prettiest clothes in reds, oranges and golds. I’ve always loved autumn. Could this be because my favorite color is orange? Of course, my favorite flower is the tiger lily and I love those adorable ginger-colored kittens. But I digress.
Autumn means hearty stews and healthy soups made from recently harvested root veggies like beets, carrots, turnips and potatoes. (Of course, I don’t garden anymore. And there is no better reason to support your local Farmers’ Markets.)
September means back to school for the kids with mothers scrambling to get everyone into a routine. And I like to put the lazy days of summer behind me and get back to some serious writing time, including self-imposed deadlines. Even as an Indie author, I require some form of structure in my life and that means setting goals and target dates for book releases.
I’m currently working on two projects consecutively. During the summer months I’ve been plotting and writing both a contemporary western and Book 6 in the historical Spirit Creek Series. A week or so of plotting and/or writing on one project, and then switching over to the other. And then back again. *Crosses fingers* I’m hoping to have both of them released by the end of the year. As long as life doesn’t get in the way, as tends to happen on occasion.
And now that the weather is cooling off, we can snuggle under a blanket on the sofa, sipping a cup of hot chocolate or herbal tea, and crack open a good book or our e-readers for some downtime with our new favorite characters. In between writing sessions and couch time with my Kindle, I plan to get outside and enjoy the invigorating autumn air before that white fluffy stuff arrives.
Happy autumn and happy reading, everyone!
