Lucy is Juggling Happiness and Scotland @lucyburdette

LUCY BURDETTE: It’s amazing to me that as long as I’ve been writing, I’m still discovering new things about myself as a writer. This week it’s that I can’t write two things at once. 

I can work on one book and promote another, or write one blog while writing a book, but I can’t seem to work on two books at once. And of course that’s what I’m trying to do. I think this may be because it’s hard to get into a character's head, and so moving to another character in another story means starting all over. 

You might think (I did) that you should be able to pick up wherever you left off. But it doesn’t seem to be so. I want to get a lot done on two projects, a deep revision of Chasing Happiness (formerly The Happiness Connection), and the first draft of food critic mystery number 11. I’ve spent the past week switching from one to the other and feeling stuck with both. And yet I have a fear that if I move ahead with one I’ll forget the other.

So meanwhile, I’m posting a snippet of the Scottish Key West mystery (#11) because it made me laugh as I was writing it. Hayley and Miss Gloria are in Nathan’s sister’s living room, unwinding from an eventful and difficult day…

Once we’d finished the washing up and stored the leftovers in the freezer, Miss Gloria insisted on pouring us another finger of whiskey to sip in front of the telly. We watched the end of the BBC news, and there was not a word said about America or her policies or politics. Honestly, it was nice to have a breather from the problems that dogged us at home.

Deep into an episode of a TV series based on Ann Cleeves’ Shetland, I heard a car outside in the driveway and then somebody crashing into the garbage cans. Before I could panic about a possible intruder, Nathan and Warren clattered into the room, wearing kilts—the full dress version with what looked like animal pelts hanging from their waists and swords tucked into their skirts. This time, Nathan looked completely comfortable in his costume, as if he had grown up roaming the Scottish moors. For the first time, I could really understand why Claire went all wobbly seeing the redheaded Jamie in his kilt in Outlander.

I stood up to kiss him hello. “Who are you, you gorgeous hunk of male flesh, and what have you done with my husband?”

“It is I, Nathan the conqueror, and I’ve come to sweep away a wee Scottish lassie,” he said, sounding a little tipsy and absolutely giddy. He grabbed me by the waist and swung me into an embrace.

I couldn’t help giggling once he’d released me. “And how much whiskey have you two drunk because maybe Miss Gloria and I have some catching up to do.”

He flopped down on the couch beside our friend. “We’ve had the most amazing day. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be playing the same course where Tiger Woods won the British Open? Of course, my drives aren’t quite as long as his.”

Warren cackled and brandished his sword. “No comment, my friend. Nothing you’ve got is as long as his.” They both howled with laughter this time.

Then Nathan gazed around at Miss Gloria and me. “You all look a little glum. How was your day?”

“Kind of brutal,” said Miss Gloria. “There was a death at the wheel.”

Meanwhile, if anyone has any tips about juggling more than one project at a time, I'm all ears!

On another note, if you are a Netgalley reviewer, THE KEY LIME CRIME is available. I can't help looking at what folks are saying. This one gave me a real thrill:

Peter Mayle!! Only four months until THE KEY LIME CRIME, book 10 in the Key West food critic mystery series, will arrive in bookstores everywhere--I can't wait for you to read it! THE KEY LIME CRIME (July 2020) is available for pre-order now...