Time and Teamwork

Buying books would be a good thing if one could also buy the time to read them in.
— Arthur Schopenhauer

Welcome to the Counios & Gane monthly newsletter.

We are Angie Counios and David Gane, internationally award-winning authors of the Shepherd & Wolfe mysteries.

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David

David:

A few weeks ago, I finally sent the first half of the book to Ang. It’s been a long time coming.

Almost a year ago, we had the first half, a version that Ang and I had both worked on. Then, as I worked through the second half, we discovered significant problems, which sent us back to rewrite big sections of the first half. Then life and work happened, and it took a great deal of effort for me to get back into it.

The big breakthrough for me was simply time management—using a technique called time-boxing to schedule every single thing I wanted to do into a calendar. I’m still learning, but it has been a game-changer. Instead of leaving the big goals and dreams for tomorrow, I’m doing them now.

Over the next month, I hope to plow through the second half. We have the plan—I just need to get through a little more rewriting, and then I’m on my way.

It’s been a journey, but I believe it will be worth it.

Angie

I walk through the park to school almost every day.

Today I noticed and was surprised that there are still so many leaves on the trees, dried and crispy but still hanging on. Eventually, a big wind will take them down, and our landscape will be the winter one that is so familiar to us in this part of the country this time of year.  

Stepping into this transition of autumn, I’ve also been enjoying a change in the Shepherd and Wolfe process. Dave handed over—finally (sorry, Dave)—the first part of Shepherd’s Call.

I am so excited! I feel like a little kid opening my present and playing a little and then putting it away to look at it again tomorrow. What a gift! And I am genuinely excited.

I’ve also enjoyed several collegial conversations and texts with David. All sorts of funny questions dealing with the logistics of the story, plot, and character elements. Sometimes I want to look over my shoulder for a witness that might call the police on me!

I am reminded that teamwork is a good thing and that as much as there are challenges, there are also rewards.