Headstall

No, she's out, but it's still kind of warm. I'll put her in when the rain stops... if she'll come...

Such a vibrant photo!

Oh wow! That's fantastic!

Gorgeous day here too, but it has been raining unbelievably heavy for over an hour... lots of thunder and lightning...

Happy Birthday, Albert! It's a pleasure to have you in our lives, buddy!

Interesting question, Zombie. Here's my two cents. I believe I have done this from the beginning. As much as the characters are inside my head, I do my best to get in theirs. I not only want, but need to understand the people I'm writing about. Whether it makes it fully onto the page, there is always a backstory I explore in my mind. I need to understand why they act the way they do, or their motives and reasons for being how they are. I would suspect that is the way of a lot of writers. It's easy for a reader to see the opposite, when an author is struggling to pin down their characters, because a character usually acts 'out of character,' leaving us scratching our heads and saying WTF. That said, some characters are totally or partially unpredictable, but I feel as long a readers understand that about them, it can be okay in moderation. I always keep in mind characters are a part of a reader's life for a time, and they want to feel they really know them. You mention speech patterns and I think that is intrinsic to how I write. I hear my character's voices clearly, and I hear their little speech idiosyncrasies. Never has it been as important as in my latest story, Sidewinder, set in the Old West. I must be a method writer, because I find myself using the western dialect and sayings of my characters in my everyday thinking and speaking. Cheers!

Christmas is going to be really difficult for me, but the main thing is to stay safe, and know my kids and their families are having good Christmases in their homes.

Hi, Tink! The whole world needs to make a concerted effort.

Happy Thursday, all. Nice, dull day here. Feels like more rain to come.

Hi, Albert!

"Jesus in a bucket" ? LOL. So, Dad is a steamroller who makes Rick's life hell. His only concern should be that is son is well and happy... I didn't hear any of that from the man. Poor Rick. Such a kind man, he is. I've chased chickens, and it's not fun. Another great chapter, Parker... cheers!

Hey, Demented! Welcome, and happy writing... and reading... Gary

Lol. Yes, a Bette Davis slap might be a bit extreme. Right, no more comments from me on dropping shoes... but I try every day to keep the faith that we will return to normal one day, and I can hug my kids and grandkids. Thanks for the support, buddy...

Welcome, Aaron! There's always plenty of room at GA. Good luck with your writing... cheers... Gary....

Ah... great quote for what's happening here. I love that song. It's okay if you want to slap them, David, but I find myself mostly wanting to hug the pair of them. Like you, I am strongly attached to these characters, and to be honest, I don't know exactly what it is either. Boone broke my heart as soon as he entered my head... I pictured him as a little fella, mostly fending for himself and watching a strange world go by. His mother was a tragic figure, and I don't think he was ever happy until he met Coy, and now he's leaving him, and an incredible friendship. Coy has been under the influence of his mother and his brother for much of his life, and he has known consistent tragedy himself, with the loss of everyone he loved... Boone was his rock... the one who he could always count on.... So, yeah, I get the emotion... I wrote this as a means to escape the reality of the pandemic, and my emotions were pretty raw during the whole process. Actually, not much has changed in that respect... it's like I'm holding my breath, waiting for some shoe to drop. Anyway, I'm glad you feel the connection you do for both of them... they've lived full lives already, but they are still young... and there is lots of life left to be lived. Cheers, my friend, and thank you for sharing... Gary....