Just because I don’t post here every day doesn’t mean that I’ve put writing projects to the side. I earnestly try to follow the oft-seen instruction to write something daily even if it’s just a few phrases in my journal. My current projects include bits and pieces of two books and the resurrection of an old one. If that sounds confusing, let me explain.

The Camden chapter of the South Carolina Writers’ Workshop is putting together an anthology of stories, poems, recipes, and memories. The original idea was to create a collection of holiday tales, but as members began submitting work to be critiqued, the focus enlarged to include all sorts of contributions. The primary stipulation is that nostalgia permeate its pages. I’m working on my fourth entry now, a love story about two people who met in Camden fifty years ago. And yes, they’re still together.

When I worked full-time at Central Carolina, I was fortunate to work with some creative, hard working, talented, and zany folks who are writing something called Summer Novel. Each person involved writes a chapter based on the one that came before. I have NEVER written fiction, but when the project manager asked me to write a chapter, I thought, “Why not?” It’s just for fun…or so she said. I’ll just say that I’m glad I’d read The Alchemist the week before because it gave me some ideas.

And finally, a few years ago I began creating a book of what I perceived to be beautiful beach photographs with quotes, stories, and short paragraphs. I even held a contest promising to include the best entry in the future book. Then something happened. I started working on Crossing the Bridge, and that became so all-consuming that I put Seas the Day on the back burner.

Initially, the “beach book” was to include photographs taken from November to November with my iPhone. I included only pictures of Carolina coasts in the original collection. Now that I’m semi-retired and have more time to explore other shorelines, however, I’m expanding the Carolina coastlines to include those of  Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and Maine.

And did I mention that I’ve been reading, reading, reading? I call it research. As “they” say, good readers make good writers.

• If I hadn’t read The Alchemist a couple of weeks ago, I might not have contributed to Summer Novel.
• Today I’m going to finish The Orphan Train, a heart wrenching novel about Molly and Vivian and Dutchy, and I’m learning more about how to write fiction from it.
• I’ve been reading The Mastery of Love by Miquel Ruiz on the beach each morning, and it’s given me much to ponder about how childhood relationships affect our psyches.

What’s your current writing project? What are you reading? Would you like to contribute a photograph or beach memory to Seas the Day?  I’d love that.