Going Home, But Not Going Back

Wow, the best of the airport!

August is now upon us, and true to form for educators, it means some of us have already started classes, and the rest will be shortly. For me, it means the summer reprieve is thankfully ending. I don’t say it in some wanton manner, just matter-of-fact to get back into a routine of sorts, to embrace my new haunt of Wroclaw, and see what this new opportunity is all about.

True to form, I’m writing this from the Munich airport, no less, where I have been waiting for my connecting flight, oh nine or so hours. While I would love to focus on the parent who thinks it's appropriate to play soccer with his kids in the middle of the seats, or the guy who keeps walking laps on his phone, talking loud enough so we all know his company business, I’m going to focus on the writing process and personal reflection. 

While I waited patiently at the airport, feasted on Wiener Schnitzel, and had copious amounts of water to offset my flight over the Atlantic, I also spent four or so hours editing. Forever Poland might be out, but I told myself that before I could start any new projects, I needed to revisit Swimming with Angels and Going Home. At the very least, I needed to read them again.

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A proper dinner at the airport.

What strikes me as odd is that I must have been in some COVID haze the last time I turned to those projects. Both copies I have on file are from 2021, and for the most part they are a riddled mess. I know I lost the most recent version, which sucks to say the least. I should be bothered, but it’s not like either book has been moving off the shelf in the last five years. To that end, last summer I made some tweaks to Running with Vince so that I could reissue the book on Apple, Google Books, and Barnes and Noble. It only made sense to do the same with these follow-up books even if they are beyond wordy. Yes, that’s my take on my older stories. If I see smiled, nodded his head, or anything not overly descriptive that has a synonym that offers some real variety, I might cry myself to sleep. Then again, I still could. 

As a storyteller, I will share that I appreciate reading these older works and seeing how my tone, style, and verbiage have changed. I do agree with Stephen King that the more one reads, the more their craft improves. Prior to 2021, I didn’t read as much as I should have. I even had a cockamamie reason that reading other books would impact my projects and I would, in effect, be copying others. 

That can’t be farther from the truth, because I don’t read books in the same genres I am writing. Even when I do, I know that I don’t write action sequences the way others do, or even describe situations in the same flowing prose. Knowing that Stephen King has a far superior track record, I listened to the master and shifted to reading more, where now I’m averaging forty books a year. I’m not a crazy reader, but I do set aside time because I know it helps.

During this summer break, my reading has been more constricted to current projects, but even so, reading old books and wondering how things could change is good for perspective, whether the words are edited or not. I, for one, will be happy to work on the third book in the Stokes series, but it’s okay to wait a few more weeks or even months. Rumor has it that the newest edition of Swimming with Angels is already out.

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Manning Lake - the central setting for the Vincent Chronicles.

The title for this blog uses Going Home, which is the title of the third book in The Vincent Chronicles. Originally, the book was titled Standing with God, which was intentional with three words like the other two book titles in the series, and the fact that Vincent’s journey goes from twin brother to ghost to angel who helps all. 

For me, it’s been a nice exercise revisiting these books, because I am reminded of my lifelong connection to Manning Lake, Gilmanton Iron Works, and the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Even though I haven’t read these books in years, reviewing them now, I remember where I was when I wrote different scenes, and why I elected to present the story in a given light. More importantly, I am able to focus on home, and on those places in New Hampshire that meant so much to me. 

As the years have passed, I moved away from that region, for that matter out of the country. Now, when I visit, there are only warm memories, because I realize that for me, I can’t be like Christian and go back, settle, and trust that the universe will take care of everything. Teaching and living overseas has filled a different void, leaving the stagnant energy behind, and forcing me, even in incremental steps, to get out of my comfort zone. 

With my flight to Wroclaw set to leave in two hours, I’m looking forward to this next challenge, to creating a home that serves and resonates more than my last few stops. My books remind me of good times and a childhood I wish all could have, but it’s also a marker that change is good. As an adult, the best change is taking a risk and seeing what life has to offer. Sometimes, getting out your front door is the biggest challenge and adventure. One never knows…

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