Writing-wise, this was a lovely week. On Tuesday, DEADLY SETUP officially came out. Author Sarah Glenn hosted me on her blog where I wrote an essay, “Beyond the External Plot: What’s Your Book Really About?” in which I talked about the difference between DEADLY SETUP’s plot and its deeper themes. I’d love for you to check it out:
https://saraheglenn.blogspot.com/2022/07/lynn-slaughter-beyond-external-plot.html

Also this week, I learned that LEISHA’S SONG was a Silver Falchion finalist. And last night, at Imaginarium’s awards banquet, LEISHA’S SONG won the Imadjinn award in the young adult category. Meantime, on Friday at the conference, I got to moderate a panel on Writing YA which was really fun. I loved meeting the other authors and hearing their insights.

All in all, I feel very grateful for the nice things that have been happening writing-wise. But my mind and heart have been focused on my younger son Joel as he recovers from a bad fall he took climbing a mountain in Mexico. He needed two surgeries, one on his neck and the other on four dislocated ribs. In all honesty, there have been days where he has been all my husband and I could think about. We are so grateful that he’s alive and that some other climbers heard his calls for help and rescued him.

By sheer luck, our older son Ed was on business in Mexico and was able to be with Joel until his wife Priscilla arrived.  Joel got out of the hospital two days ago and is now staying at the home of our daughter-in-law’s relatives in Mexico. He should make a full recovery, but it will take months.

It’s been hard to be so far away and have our son in such pain and discomfort. I guess no matter how old your children are, you never stop being their parent and worrying about them.

In the end, family is what really matters.

Joel with his daughter, Charisma