If you didn’t read the title of this blog to the tune of “Just Another Manic Monday,” then go back and do so immediately because this won’t be one of my weird Thursday updates if you don’t!

Okay, Realmers, now that we have that out of the way, allow me to update you on what’s happening here at Realm Central. We’re stuck.

You know I’ve been editing, and according to my own report, it’s going very well. And then I hit Chapter 25a, or as I like to call it The Wall. And it may not even be the twenty-fifth chapter by the time I’m finished editing, but right now, it has a Post-it flag bearing the indicator 25a.

My current WIP isn’t coming together in the same fashion my previous novels have, and that’s okay. There’s a lot more blending of short scenes that are required based on which character has what knowledge about the situation. Still, I’m trying hard not to have chapters comprised of nothing but a few paragraphs.

On the other hand, if the perspective, details, and timeline require that the scene be written but also make it awkward to attach the passage to a previous or following chapter, then I find myself in a quandary about how to proceed.

So, after several days of edits and re-writes, what did I do? I made stollen. You heard me right. When one creative outlet develops a log jam, I step away and channel my energies into something equally creative and no less satisfying. I mean, c’mon—I’m going to eat delicious, homemade stollen in about ten minutes with a cup of tea.

And speaking of tea, and poets for that matter, I spent yesterday (an official writing day for me) at the home of my sweet friend, Cat Russell. Time spent with Cat is always an amazing recharge, and our conversations are interesting. She introduced me to my first experience with display tea (also known as blooming tea), and although I forgot to take a picture because I was so impressed with the art of the process, I thoroughly enjoyed my cup of tea and the flower that emerged in the glass teapot.

Here’s a photo from the Internet to give you an idea of what I had the pleasure of experiencing. The best part was that my husband gave me a glass teapot for Hanukkah, and while I thought it was unique and pretty, I didn’t realize it had a specific purpose. But then I don’t think he did either.

Check out Cat’s poetry, books, and blog at Cat Russell ~ Writer, Reader, Bibliophile Extraordinaire.

As for me, I’m refueled with tea and stollen, so it’s back to put “another brick in The Wall” or perhaps remove one or two. Or a whole row of them. Where’s my sledgehammer?