I’m trying to put the last pieces of my synopsis together. Some books lend themselves to this more easily than others. I’ve got mega amounts of back story for these folks. But just exactly how they’re going to work out their issues is harder to nail down.

It means that I have to think ahead — figure out what lessons they have to learn so that they can grow and become the people they’re meant to be as their best selves — and until I’ve actually done it, that’s tricky.

I’ve got bits and pieces. Like a jigsaw now. And I’ve got all the bottom bits put in — and the edges and I’m working toward the middle. But I’m not quite to the point where I can see how all the pieces totally fit yet. It’s a growing process for Flynn and Sara — and for me.

We’re getting there, though. I have faith in them. And in an hour or so the puzzle will be roughed out and ready to send. Keep your fingers crossed

By the way, we have 30 countries already in just a little over two weeks of keeping track. I’m impressed. Thanks all of you who have showed up to make my flag list grow.

I’m not sure exactly what brings people here, though I noticed in the summer when I wrote a blog about Shaka Hislop, the goalkeeper for the Trinidad and Tobago soccer team that I got a lot of hits from T&T.

I’m pretty sure they turned up because he was on my blog, not because they had suddenly developed an interest in romance novels. But I was delighted they dropped in.

I’m delighted, too, to discover that Shaka is now with the Dallas FC and has been since shortly after the World Cup, having been signed from the premiership club of West Ham in Britain. I really loved watching the game he played against Sweden in the World Cup.

Next time I got down there to visit my daughter and family, I might have to drag my son-in-law, the baseball fanatic, to a soccer game. Both are much better enjoyed in person. Television doesn’t do either justice — at least not in the US. They get in too close and don’t allow viewers to step back and watch the plays develop.

Thinking about watching plays develop, though, is taking me back to thinking about my synopsis and how it’s not developing while I’m doing this. So I’d better get to work.

Found a couple of more pics of James Purefoy in my blog file which I’ll share with you and then I’m getting back to work.

We’re still eating leftovers from Thanksgiving. In the US it’s what we do this time of year. I like them, although I admit that thrice-reheated green bean casserole is making me think longingly of a fresh green salad tonight.

More important, though, I have other leftovers, too, from my Male on Monday post which went up a few minutes ago on the Pink Heart blog site.

Hey, it’s Monday in Britain. And it’s been Monday so long in Australia and New Zealand and that part of the word that they’re probably eating lunch!

Anyway, the man of the day is British actor, James Purefoy, whose films and television appearances I’ve been enjoying since I saw him in The Knight’s Tale several years ago. And I was delighted to be able to share some of James’s roles — and photos — on the Pink Heart site.

But I’m even happier to have some left over that I am posting here. A picture is definitely worth a thousand words. Enjoy!

There are three of them!

I put “Homebush, Australia” in Google, and I had my pick. Did I want Homebush, Queensland? Homebush, New South Wales? Homebush, Victoria?

Who knew? It’s like Springfields in the USA. Every state has one. Or almost every.

The Aussies tell me that the Homebush referred to as a ‘recent city’ on my neo-counter is near Sydney. It’s where the Olympic Games were held, they say. Probably they are right. But how do they know this? Who’s to say there isn’t a lone romance reader in Homebush, Victoria (or Queensland, for that matter) who can’t wait to read my blog every day?

Not me.

If you want to raise your hand and identify your whereabouts, Homebush, I’d love to narrow things down. But if you prefer anonymity, that’s fine, too. I’m just very glad you’re here and that you’ve come back!

I’ve tracked down Espoo, Finland and Leixlip, Ireland. I’ve found Derrimut, Australia and Curitiba, Brazil. The map search thingy thinks that Italian Gully is in New Zealand, but the flag said Australia. I suppose it’s comforting to know that the software designers are almost as geographically challenged as I am. I just won’t be asking them for directions any time soon.

But I have to stop spending so much time on this, no matter how much fun — and education — it is. I have a synopsis to write. Flynn has got to get to the coffee bar and beyond. And he’s got to do it by Monday. I told the ed that I’d been hijacked by Thanksgiving, and she accepted that. But I doubt she’s going to be quite as thrilled if I don’t turn up with Flynn on Monday, instead telling her that I was abducted by multiple-identitied Australian towns.

It’s quite true that I was also distracted by my ‘male on Monday’ blog post which took me until 2 a.m. to finish. It’s ready to be uploaded now. At last. What a lot of work. I don’t know how Ally and Nic and Trish and Natasha do it week after week! Check in on Monday and read all about it on the Pink Heart blog — and the ‘leftovers’ will be turning up here for those who haven’t already had a surfeit of pictures.

Now then, back to Flynn and his drafty (draughty?) Irish castle.