The past few days I’ve notice that Autumn is sneaking up on us. Mother Nature’s four daughters, Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer are crafty that way. Dropping hints everywhere, Autumn is gearing us up for her arrival.

First it was patches of color on a few trees (already? It’s only August!). Then it was the fall flowers coming into bloom. But the worst tell tale sign is the condensation on the car windows, or that fact that our evenings are cooler and we can turn off the air conditioner.

And that can only mean one thing…

While we bask in her weather and bountiful colors, while we bake apple and pumpkin pies and decorate for All Hallow’s Eve, Autumn’s even craftier sister Winter is waiting in the wings. Like Elsa in “Frozen”, she’s rubbing her hands together in anticipation of her cue to step on stage. Don’t worry, she’ll zap a little frost and there to jiggle your memory.

What’s even worse is the calendar. How could September be here already?

Now, don’t get me wrong – Autumn is my favorite time of the year. And this year there are a few special moments coming up for me. The first half of October is the release of “East on Central, an anthology of art and poetry, published by the Highland Park Poetry Organization.  Yours truly (moi!) has two poems appearing in the year’s publication!

A few days later, I will be presenting a couple of writing workshops on the story arc and how to create characters that stay with the reader long after they’ve finished the book. There will also be local authors, Kristen Oakley, author of Carpe Diem, Illinois and Fern Schumer Chapman, author of Motherland making presentations for local writers and writer wannabes. Kristen will speak about settings that grab the agent, editor and reader, and Fern about her experiences with self-publishing and publishing houses.

This is all part of a mini-writers conference sponsored by the Zion Public Library on October 8^th. It’s in conjunction with their short story contest. Teen writers will have presentations in the afternoon and the adults in the evening.

So, if you’re going to be in the Lake County, Illinois area on Columbus Day, October 8^th, contact me or check out the Zion Library Events on their website: http://zblibrary.evanced.info/signup/Calendar.

With all her cleverness she isn’t fooling me – I know she’s coming. I’m ready.

Go ahead Autumn, bring it on! But leave your sister Winter at home, would you?

Photo by Natalija Mislevicha from Pexels