It’s been almost a month now since I posted a story or a chapter.

And you’re thinking, “yes, and?” And so you should.

But I realized that, from the time I posted the first chapter of my first story here (appropriately, July 4, 2022 — there were fireworks!) until March 4, 2023, I posted something at least once a week. Over 50 separate chapters or solos, and over 450,000 words.

That’s . . . a lotta words. I guess maybe I had a lot of stories I’d been bottling up for a few years. I wouldn’t be done with one story before another was knocking on my cranium, demanding to get out.

Well, I’ve been doing a bit of traveling, and I’ve got a bit more coming up, so I knew better than to start another series! But even solos have been slow to emerge. My promiscuous muse is off clubbing somewhere, and I haven’t felt compelled to push something out during the most recent of her (frequent!) absences. I’m noodling on some things, and playing with concepts, but no more than that.

Instead, I’ve taken some time to recharge, and allowed myself to do some binge reading on the site. And what an absolute delight that has been! I read all of the books Erisian has posted to date in her incredible Light saga, and let me tell you: If you haven’t yet, you are in for an amazing treat. A story as detailed and intricate as the best of Frank Herbert (that is, before he kinda went out of his mind), with characters who will stay with you forever.

And today, I got to binge read Rasufelle’s engaging Wednesday Knights, which gave me a fascinating look at the world of gaming, streaming, and roll-play, with characters who are believable and interesting. I had thought, wrongly, that the story was behind a paywall, but it isn’t, and it’s a great time to get caught up.

So why am I writing this blog post, other than to talk about some of the great BC writers I’ve been reading? Really, just to talk about seasons.

There’s a time to speak, and a time to refrain from speaking. Similarly, there’s a time to write, and a time to read. Turns out, what I needed right now, for a little bit, was to put down my keyboard and soak in the wonderful stories, the wisdom, the different perspectives, that our wonderful community serves up, day after day.

I’ll write more soon. Promise. Probably not another 450 thousand words in eight months! But . . . They will be better words, more thoughtful words, for having taken the time to listen and learn.

Grace and peace,

Emma