Once again, I’m preparing to leave for China next week. This will be a quick trip, roughly a week and a half, but the distance will be great. From GuangZhou to Harbin. That the North American equivalent of Mexico City to Montreal or from 75 degrees to -25 degrees; a temperature swing of 100 degrees. So, packing for a trip like this will be a challenge keeping in mind that I have to limit myself to one reaonably sized suitcase. The other issue making this a challenging trip is that we will not be in one hotel long enough to have laundry done.

Some of the things I am looking forward to, beyond seeing some very good friends is seeing the progress of a new facility that I was involved in from the begining. Also, the chance at visiting the ice festival in Harbin. Harbin is a city near the Russian border (near Siberia). It is incredibly cold there and every January, ice blocks are carved from the frozen Songhua River and built into ice buildings, replicas of structures and works of art. To top it off, lights are embedded into the ice to give it a surrealistic and dramatic flair at night. Once I get there, however, it will be so cold I’ll be taking pictures and heading back for the warmth of the hotel.

Even though I always look forward to going to China, the timing for this trip isn’t the best. With my book release less than two months away, I’ve been busy with quite a few issues. I’m waiting for my proofs and cover art, looking for authors for blurbs, pulling together a media kit, etc. I’m also trying to keep focused on finishing my second book.

You would think that I could use the time on the airplane to write. I have plenty of it. The leg from Chicago to Tokyo is 13+ hours with another 5 1/2 hour leg from Tokyo to Gunagzhou. But writing on a plane is cumbersome and for some reason I’m not very productive. I’ll certainly have my memory stick, my laptop and an airplane power cord, so I’ll give it a try.

I’ll report back when I return in early February. Hopefully, when I get back, I’ll have my cover art and proofs for A REASON FOR DYING and I’ll be busy with the arrangements for the launch.

My day job closes it’s offices during the holidays. So from December 23rd to January 2nd, I have absolutely nothing to do but lounge around……………..NOT!
For some reason, the holidays seemed busier than ever. Hosting two Christmas get-togethers, returning all the gifts, and then there were the chores and day job items. Yes, I said that the day job offices were closed, but that doesn’t mean much when you’re in the middle of a couple of large project in China and the Chinese don’t celebrate Christmas. I have enough experience to know that the best laid plans are subject to change.

Part of my holiday planning was to work on the proofs for my first book and to make headway on my second novel. Well, I didn’t get the proofs from my editor, so that left me with my 2nd novel. I planned on writing 5,000 words, which isn’t all that much, but I thought it would be a good goal to work toward.

Well, low and behold, I managed a little over 6,000 words, plus I have my mind set on the next two chapters. I would have loved to have churned out 10,000 words, but I’ll settle for 6,000.
Now for my new-year’s resolution. I plan to finish my 2nd novel by May 1st. That’s somewhat optomistic since A REASON FOR DYING is due to be released by April, but I’ll do my best to stick with it.