The Once and Future King

I know I really enjoyed a book when I turn the last page, come up gasping for air, notice my poor children looking gauntly at me from the doorway, and realize that suppertime is three hours past.
This book was not it.

Now, don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed T.H. White's Arthurian tale.
I laughed out loud at the Monty Python like humor of the scenes with King Pellenore and those of the Grail quest. I was awed by the insightful, philosophical ramblings into the nature of mankind. I was even mildly appreciative that Disney didn't wreck The Sword in the Stone as badly as they have some of their other books-into-movies (although, I really would have liked to have seen them film the bit with the ants).

At times, I also hated this book. It was a bit like an enormous plate of pasta: the more you eat, the more is still left in the bowl. It tastes great in the beginning, but by the end, you just want to lay on the couch and moan. The fault is mostly mine. I have not read something this ponderous in quite awhile, and my brain is mushy. The other problem lies with Arthurian legends in general. You know they are going to end in tragedy, and it makes you want to hide with your fingers over your eyes.

Surely, with all of the time warping, alternate reality hi-jinx in the Science Fiction realm today, somebody could write a story where Arthur and everyone else live happily ever after? Just once? Pretty please?

Ffzztt!

Have you ever lived in a place with a fuse box? Can you recall the fizzing, popping sound that a fuse makes when it is overloaded with electricity?
I'm pretty sure that is the sound my brain made yesterday afternoon when I opened the fridge and the pitcher of grape juice dumped all over the floor. The purple liquid splattered over 60% of the contents of the fridge, my pants, and the surrounding cabinets before running under the grill and into the unknown darkness below the appliance. What followed was even uglier.
Why am I telling you this?
I have been spending a great deal of time studying about writing, publishing, marketing, platforms, and the business of being an author. I have not been spending much time on the business of being a wife and mother. My family is very supportive of my desire to write, but that's a little backwards for me. I want to be supportive of them, especially while my children are so young.
So, right about the time the fuse blew, a decision was reached. While I could no more stop reading and writing than I could stop breathing, I am going to stop pursuing publication for the time being.
What does that me for this blog? Probably only a few minor changes:

• A slight shift in focus-less critique, more fun
• Fewer posts per week
• More access to complete stories--since I no longer have to hold back because of the possibility of publication, I can post complete stories rather than just segments. I will probably begin by posting the rest of Cricket. Yeah, I thought you'd like that.

 This will give me time to hone my craft and build up a body of work. If, at some point, I feel ready to take the next step, you'll be the first to know.