Keys Disease

It's been a productive few weeks for Book Three. Dynamic, you might say. The bottom line is that my next novel finally has a title.

Are you ready?

Keys Disease

It's okay to swoon. I did, too, when it slapped me across the face. Admittedly, I didn't coin the phrase, although I recall only too well how it feels to suffer from the affliction. Until this book, "keys disease' simply referred to that overwhelming desire you get to ignore your real life and make your Keys vacation your permanent situation. Each time Doug and I came to Islamorada with the kids during spring break or over Thanksgiving, I suffered from keys disease for months afterwards. I'd scour online job ads, apply to anything and everything, while day dreaming of palm trees and turquoise water.

This book has taught me that there are other versions of the disorder. I don't want to give away too much, but the symptoms may include excessive consumption of alcohol, drug use, human trafficking, unhealthy relationships, a sense of being stuck, trapped by one's income, etc. There are many forms the disease can take. None of them are terribly pretty, but all of them make for great stories.

In addition to establishing a title, the book's ending wrote itself yesterday morning. I thought I knew how it would end, but I was wrong. As is often the case, my characters have minds of their own and do whatever the hell they wish. I've lost all control over this band of boozing bandits and love-sick saps. It's so alarming when I think I have the upper hand and then one of these hambones takes control of the keyboard and before I can recover, we've shot off in an unpredictable - but wonderful - direction. They especially like to do this just when I think I've wrapped things up. That's when they pull at a loose thread in the fabric of the story, unraveling another mess for me to stitch back together. While I tell you now that the book's ending has been written, we all know that decision rests firmly in the hands of those telling the story; I'm just along for the ride.

I've worked on the book's cover, too. I'm not ready to reveal it yet, but I've shown it to a couple of friend's whose opinions I value, and their reaction to it was just what I'd hoped. I look forward to sharing it with all of you in the near future. Until then, I'll keep you posted on what happens as I make another attempt to wrap the book into a neat, little package.

Slan go foill. (Did I tell you that I'm teaching myself to speak Irish?)