Maryann Austin

My next novel will be set during the Civil War.  Have to get into a different mindset.  Hey the hurricane was helpful in that respect.  Reminded of what it's like to live without electricity, heat, and running water.  

Yesterday I spoke to my mom on the phone.  She will be eighty years old next year.  When I was four years old, she was widowed and left to raise five of us. The youngest was two and the oldest was fifteen.  It was a challenging but colorful childhood with no father and a mom who struggled.  What else was she to do?  She cared enough to struggle.  Anyway, had a heartwarming conversation with her yesterday.  She expressed guilt over not having encouraged me more.  She told me that my writing transported her to another place (and she is very immobile these days).  She was impressed and felt sorry that she didn't really see whatever talent I had. I told her that I wouldn't have had my life any other way.  I told her that I made my own choices and that I wanted to live a life before writing.  And that is what I did.  I love my mom.

It's easy to make the mistake of blaming God for what men do.

Vivaldi Concerto no.3 in F Letting myself believe that he wrote this piece just for me. Someone knew that it would lift my spirits today. So fitting. "Autumn ". The colors get more beautiful each day.

Drove way into the mountains of WV today. A carpet of yellow and red as far as the eye could see. Over the Cacapon River. Curvy mountain roads that make me dizzy.

Its a sad day. A boy in my son's school was shot and killed last night. My heart goes out to his parents We live in a scary world.

The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace. --Kate Chopin. The Awakening

Humuhumunukunukuapuaa Now that's a great name.

wrote about kittens today, how they grab your wrist with a death grip then shave skin off your arm with their back legs--all this while looking absolutely cute as a button.