Stopped for the night in Casey, Illinois. I like Casey. I had a friend named Casey who was/is a truly awesome person, as wholesome and hospitable and truly kind as you would never believe existed in this world. Maybe it’s the name, because I certainly like Casey, Illinois.
It was raining a little. It drizzled most of the way across Ohio, let up for most of Indiana, then we drove into more in Illinois. After seventeen years in Arizona, you can bet I enjoyed that!
Bly started reading my manuscript. I got the idea from CJ Cherryh, who says in her writing blog that when she and her writer-friend and roommate drive to cons, the passenger usually reads one of their manuscripts. It is, supposedly, a great way to edit. I don’t know about that–though Bly made a lot of marks and threatened to beat me with my commas, I’m not sure how helpful it will be–but it was a lot of fun, having her read it to me and laugh and gasp in all the right places.
Not to mention having my head in Eve’s book is very helpful when I need a dose of confidence. I tend to take on some aspects of whomever I’m writing, and Eve is perhaps the most likely to take me over. Which is a good thing. In Tucson I never take the freeway if I can possibly avoid it, but today I drove across two and a half (I think) states in one day. And never thought once of having Bly take a turn. Not because I was being kind, even though she’s still scared of the idea of driving. Because I was having fun both with driving and her reading.
Anyway. Casey, Illinois. Stopped at a nice motel. Saw a firefly, standing in the drizzle enjoying the climate while Bly booked a room. Walked across the street to scare the heck out of a McDonald’s employee who didn’t hear us come in. Discovered they had chocolate-dipped ice cream cones, and mentioned that when I called Hope to check in. She begged me to bring her one. Then asked to talk to Bly, and begged her to bring a cone back.
Hope is having a blast. Thomas left a message earlier (naturally I am not answering my cell phone while I’m driving, and Bly couldn’t find it in the truck either) that my house was still standing, though one of my cats seems to have vanished. It’s the black one, so I figure he’s just hiding with his eyes closed. And we’re in Casey, Illinois, having made excellent progress.
I’m loving this vacation.