It's been over a year since the passing of the "J" in J R Hardesty, Jan having passed away on 2 April of '22, and I have had a hard time getting back to writing.
She was the main creator of the Lindensaga and although we did a lot of brainstorming, she always wrote the first draft and then handed it to me for my input & editing. Writing that first draft did involve a lot of discussions between us, as she was always bouncing ideas off me, but she was the originator of things.
Now that she is gone, I am faced with continuing on without her input, and that is no easy task. Fortunately, she left a lot of notes behind and they are proving invaluable. And her costume expertise is not readily replaced. I have the reference books she used back when she was getting her degree in theatre arts and I guess I'm going to have to educate myself!
And, I have been re-reading the books we've already finished in order to get my brain back into the world of Linden as I was away from it for about a year, trying to adjust to life without my other half.
The time has come, though, to get on with it and so I shall, however slowly at first. In re-reading the finished books, I am quite taken with what we have created and am determined to continue on. She put so much into the series that I owe it to her to see it finished.
Oh, the writing is on hold for a bit as I refresh my mind and get re-acquainted with the world and the people of Linden.
Wish me well!
---Richard, 6/9/23