Conversations with Calliope- The Tale Continues

(Butterfly Museum, Niagara Falls, Ontario)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How is the review of your manuscript coming.
JOE: I am happy to report that Marital Property has aged well over the past few months.
CALLIOPE: I take it you have found time to continue working on it.
JOE: I have.
CALLIOPE: What have you discovered?
JOE: Mostly typos and weaknesses in phrasing at points.
CALLIOPE: Other than fixing those, anything else?
JOE: I found a few places what I assumed the writer knew what I did.
CALLIOPE: Bad assumption.
JOE: I realize that and fixed it when I came across passages where there was no foundation for a character acting or talking a certain way.
CALLIOPE: That's good.
JOE: I also found a couple actions which I foreshadowed but did not include in the story. If I didn't fix that some readers might finish the book wondering what happened.
CALLIOPE: Also a good catch. Best of luck with the rest of the manuscript.
JOE: Thanks. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Struggling with my cold which I thought was about gone but is back.
CALLIOPE: Sorry to hear it. Did you get any work done yesterday?
JOE: I was dragging but did manage to work on Marital Property. I finished thinking about the crisis and think I have one worked out.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about it.
JOE: Denis will buy an expensive sailboat, ostensibly for the family, without consulting anyone else. Cynthia will be quite upset that he did not consult her and Denis will be upset that she does not appreciate him. Then we will see what develops.
CALLIOPE: I guess we will. It seems like it took you quite a while to develop this crisis.
JOE: It did. I wanted it to be large enough to test them and also specific to their personalities, needs and fears.
CALLIOPE: Congratulations. I can't wait to see what happens.
JOE: Neither can I. I think I will get working on it. Talk with you on Monday.

(50 foot catamaran)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon Joe. I thought you might not show up today.
JOE: Please have more faith. I got involved in various activities this morning and am finally getting to you.
CALLIOPE: What have you been up to?
JOE: I prepared and mailed out a copy of The Pastor's Inferno to a friend who agreed to do a review.
CALLIOPE: Professional or ordinary reader.
JOE: Professional. She teaches comparative religion.
CALLIOPE: What else have you been up to?
JOE: I assembled my materials for an art course I am starting on Monday.
CALLIOPE: Oh?
JOE: I guess I didn't tell you. A friend invited me to take a watercolor landscape painting course with her. I thought it would be fun since I have never had any formal art training but enjoy dabbling with painting and drawing. I'm looking forward to it.
CALLIOPE: Any work on Marital Property?
JOE: Yes. I made a list of characteristics of both major characters concentrating on parts of their personalities would clash. These will come into play in the crisis. I am working on a situation which will bring out the worst in each to see how they handle it.
CALLIOPE: Is it ready to write?
JOE: Almost. I still have to work out some details, but expect to have it written this weekend. I'll let you know how it's coming tomorrow.

(Storm clouds in the Rocky Mountains)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today.
JOE: I am feeling less frenetic than I have felt in the past few weeks.
CALLIOPE: On what account?
JOE: On account of having The Pastor's Inferno at the printer as we speak.
CALLIOPE: Are you taking a little vacation?
JOE: No. I have been working on publicity. Yesterday I completed a news release and an announcement for The Pastor's Inferno.
CALLIOPE: Any writing yesterday?
JOE: In addition to the release and announcement, I finished another chapter of Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: What do you think will be the fate of your couple?
JOE: I am inclined to think they will save their marriage. But I don't know for sure. I just write what you bring into my head and am following my characters to see where their story takes them.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like an adventure. How about today?
JOE: I am leaving soon to visit Aunt Lucille in her new digs at Brothers of Mercy Nursing Home. I am hoping to write another chapter of Marital Property today.
CALLIOPE: Better get to it.
JOE: Right you are.

(Nina replica at full sail)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How goes it today.

JOE: Good. I learned what I needed to about Medicare supplement plans yesterday for the moment. I also weathered a board meeting.

CALLIOPE: Do you find all this distracting from your writing?

JOE: Yes and no. It takes time away from my writing but it does give me some other things to think about. I met several people in various stages of dealing with Medicare and got to know a little about their lives. I also got a sense of all the things lacking in our mental health system.

CALLIOPE: So what do you do with all that information?

JOE: File it in case I need it at some point. I have come to realize I can't save the world but knowing its ills helps me focus on things I can address through my writing.

CALLIOPE: How do you see your role?

JOE: To help people think about ways to envision their lives and also to realize that there might be other ways to view things and to interact with people.

CALLIOPE: Do you feel you are accomplishing anything?

JOE: Sometimes I do. I receive favorable comments from people I meet in my wanderings. But sometimes I am overwhelmed with the problems in the world and wonder if anything can make a difference.

CALLIOPE: I guess all you can do is your part.

JOE: I agree. I am trying to stay focused on that rather than all that needs to be done. If I do my part, maybe others will do theirs.

CALLIOPE: So how about the book?

JOE: I finally finished the chapter between my husband and his brother. It took a while, but the writing came easier yesterday. I guess it varies from day to day.

CALLIOPE: Yes it does. How about today?

JOE: I have fewer distractions. All I have on my schedule besides writing is a trip to the farmer's market, working out at the Y and doing some laundry.

CALLIOPE: So what's the writing plan for today?

JOE: I will focus on my wife meeting with her sister and finding a conducive spot on Chappaquiddick for their conversation.

CALLIOPE: Have you been there?

JOE:Once I drove out to the end of it with Carol stopping to look at Ted Kennedy's famous bridge spot. It is about as far from civilization as you can get on the Vineyard, but should be a good spot for a heart to heart.

CALLIOPE: I am looking forward to seeing what develops.

JOE: So am I. I guess it is time to get on with it.

(Ferry from Nantucket to Oak Bluffs)