Remember what I said about ‘transitions?’

It’s true. I was working my way back through the middle of the book, basically doing something that felt like ironing spaghetti (and about as useful), when I realized that the issue wasn’t what I had written, it was where it was happening.

I needed — or rather Demetrios and Anny needed — just a bit more time. Not a minute-by-minute play-by-play, but rather some nice transitional jumps that would take them from one day to the next to the one a couple of days after that without dragging the readers with them.

What I needed were a few well-placed transitions.

So . . . I’m busy creating transitions, and feeling like I’ve finally got a grip on this thing. Not that it’s ready to go in, by any means. But the sense of no longer being becalmed is energizing. There will probably be less ironing of the spaghetti strands now, too.

Charley is pleased. He thinks that we’ve wasted a lot of time doing that. He wants to get out and socialize more. He doesn’t like having to tell all his lady friends that he has work to do.

I told him they’d be impressed that he’s a hard-working responsible type. I’m not sure he’s convinced. I have a feeling Charley is going to be one of those heroes who takes more than a single book to shape up.

Lucky for him I’m patient.