Today I didn’t get much writing done because I had to drive out to Monument Valley to observe a student teacher. It’s a three-hour drive each way, so by the time I got home I was exhausted. I played with Oscar for awhile, put him to bed, ate dinner, and almost fell asleep at 9:00 with no writing under my belt at all.

Then Oscar woke up.

By the time I nursed him and got him settled down and back to sleep I was wide awake. So I decided to come downstairs and write. I couldn’t get the strange landscapes I saw on my drive today out of my head, so I decided to incorporate them into my novel. Anyway, this part of Arizona is the perfect setting for one of my characters.

So what do I do while driving? I listen to a wonderful podcast by Mur Lafferty called I Should Be Writing.  Not only is it fun to listen to and filled with great advice and references to resources, but it also gives me the motivation and the kick in the pants I need to keep writing. I am still on track with my word count, and even a little ahead, which means I am probably about to get the flu.