Mind the Gap

**tap tap** Is this mic still on?

Just kidding, friends. It is. My apologies for a bit of an absence from social media. I’m fine, everything’s fine, I was just taking a few weeks to just . . . be. In a foreign country. Where, I kid you not, their lint rollers do not peel from left to right, but right to left. (I will provide video evidence next time I have my phone and a roller in the same confined space.) I’ve been “me lovely” and “me darlin’” and just plain “love”’d at every turn in the course of everyday conversation, seen a few historical structures of note, and caught up with dear friends and family.

But let me back up a little since you’re here and I’m here and I have some room to dish.

It’s been ten years or so since I made a few hard decisions that upended a substantial bit of my life’s landscape. The fall-out, though expected and necessary, was fairly extensive. It took me a few years to regain my equilibrium, my health, my writing, my peace, etc. But ten years later, I’m overcome with gratitude for family, for friends, and for readers who have been so kind with their words, generous with their support, and gracious with the space on their bookshelves for my stories. 

It’s funny, but even though I spend my life writing stories about others changing their stars — to quote a phrase — I’m not sure it had occurred to me that maybe I could do the same for myself. But last year just such an opportunity came my way. A treasured soul in my little orbit offered me the chance to do a little couch-surfing in the UK for a few months. 

Let me be frank and a bit less private than I normally am: I’m a hobbit. I would really like to think I’m not so much a hobbit in rotund, height-challenged appearance—I was once almost 5’10”—but when it comes to a hot fire, a good book, and any reason at all to stay at home with the front door shut and bolted, I’m there.

But I said a very grateful yes, sold most of my stuff, crammed the rest into a storage unit, and packed up my little pale green trunk and here I am in the UK. I wish I could say I hit the ground running, but I’ve actually spent quite a while just trying to find my feet. To be honest, I think I’ve had a little bit of transplant shock. For you gardeners out there, you know what I’m talking about. Moving roses is sometimes great for them, sometimes critical, but when the root ball needs to be jettisoned so new growth can happen, it can be challenging for the plant.

Hence the gap, I suppose, between the previous part of my life that needed to be carefully and gratefully considered one for the books, and the next part which is already full of my favorite things: family, wonderful readers, continuing to write books about characters I love, and the absolute privilege of getting to immerse myself in the surroundings that produced some pretty terrific writers. I hope some of that last bit rubs off on me.

My plan is to document on Instagram (and occasionally here as well) things that I find interesting or amusing about what I encounter in everyday life. It’s the closest I can come at the moment to having you all here with me for a road trip, so I hope it will suit. (I’ll try to post a couple of times a week . . .)

In the immortal words of Bilbo Baggins, “I think I’m quite ready for a new adventure.” (And with a nod to time slipping I’ll admit I’m a little ahead of my posts, but we’ll catch up eventually.)

I hope you’ll come along with me.

<3

Lynn

PS. Instalink courtesy of COC: 

https://www.instagram.com/lynnkurlandofficial?igsh=MSQyb3d6MHB4aW5jdA==