Valerie Nieman v. 3.0

Today the old year has begun its slow climb back toward the light. The Sun stood still, but despite the doomsayers, returned as expected to bring light and renewal to the earth. We still light candles and fires to brighten our holidays, barely giving a nod to a long, long history of solstice celebrations, when the invocation of a New Sun was a matter of life and death - when people in the cold dark were not at all certain that the Sun would relent and return. Whatever our view of divinity and spirit, we are drawn to these midwinter celebrations of light - Hanukkah, Diwali, Chrismas. We stand in the dark and sing back the light. David Halperin had a lovely reflection on the nature of Christmas, a view from an outsider who is also an insider to the story. Be sure to visit David's blog again next month, when he'll give us a look at his new novel. Those who've read Journal of a UFO Investigator will be delighted to re-encounter Daniel.  

I had the pleasure of being selected to participate in a blog hop called My Next Big Thing . I was tagged by Nancy Hinchcliff, writer, editor, educator, musician, and innkeeper from Louisville, Ky. I was asked to respond to  the following ten questions concerning my most recent project. 1.  What is the working title of your book or project? Backwater 2.  Where did the idea come from for the book or project? There never seems to be just one idea, but two or three or four that come together, becoming more than the sum of the parts. I had made notes toward a novel several years ago, when I found my high school yearbook in the course of packing for a move. Among the comments and mottos written by friends was an inscription from the “popular girl,” to the effect that she hoped we could put all that behind us and be friends. I could not remember that small spat, but the minor mystery haunted me. I also read several comments referring to my “adventures at Pine-Apple Junctio