At the urgings of my b-in-l Gavin, I have finally started reading Dennis Lehane's first effort at historical fiction: The Given Day. Set in the early part of the 20th Century, this book includes real-life historical figures like Babe Ruth, the famous baseball player, as well as political figures of the day. I haven't gotten very far yet but Lehane's description of the Babe watching a negro-league baseball game (complete with the historically accurate but now considered offensive terminology to describe the black ball-players) is quite exceptional.

I am looking forward to reading more but have so many other projects on the go (including Christmas, of course, and other related tasks) that it may take me some time to finish the book. I'm hopeful that it will be more about the history and less about blood and gore than some of his other books but we'll see.

In the meantime, of course, I continue work on the Harry Potter Concordance. It's slow work but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I've set up a table and computer downstairs in what we call our "White Room" so that I can leave the stuff out, ready for me to come back to it whenever I have a chance. Our dog likes that room too since it's nice and cool and she has plenty of space to lie down and sleep.

I have also finished another Abigail Massey at McAdam Station story — The Circus Comes to Town — available through the McAdam link to the left. Right now, it's still a bit of a draft since I'm not entirely sure I like the relationship between Miss Pierce and her brother. I'm awaiting feedback from my sister, mother and partner to see what they think.

And I really have to get back to the Phillip Gold short stories I've been working on; they've kind of gotten left behind but one is ready to be sent out for consideration. I think that's a worthwhile cause upon which to focus in the coming weeks.

Especially with snow falling and Christmas looming!

Tags: Lehane, Harry Potter, McAdam Station, Abigail Massey