author, creator, mighty fine swimmer
I like to write about the turning points of the seasons, the so-called “four posts” of the astronomical calendar. In this case, the longest day of the year (for the Northern Hemisphere): the Summer Solstice. Today.
It’s the midpoint of the year for me (the year starting at the Winter Solstice). And for summer, it’s roughly midway in the growing season, halfway between planting and harvest.
I needed to get away. Someplace without distractions. Where I could be alone with my thoughts and my notes. A personal retreat to work on the new novel. And reconnect with the ocean and the beach.
So I took off in a rented all-wheel-drive SUV and made the six-hour trip to Cape Hatteras on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
I admit it. The winter solstice is the most important day of the year for me. More than a birthday (including my own). More than a traditional holiday.
The word “solstice” comes from the Latin words “sol” for sun and “stit” (sistere) for “stopped.” So the solstice marks the time when the sun “stands still.” It’s when the North Pole is tilted farthest away from the sun. When the days turn. When the sunlight reverses.
My new novel (NEANDER: A Time Travel Adventure) is published. It’s a fast-moving, action-packed book that’s a pretty quick read (under 3 hours, says Amazon). And yes, there are Neanderthals. And Time Travel. And some Romance (of an unusual kind).