Autumn—Beginnings and Endings

by James M. Jackson

In the circle of life, endings and beginnings often overlap. Which aspect we focus on depends on our perspective at the moment. Although the calendar marks the end of summer and beginning of autumn in the third week of September, for me that demarcation occurs at the beginning of September. As a kid I was ready for summer to end and couldn’t wait for school to begin, anxious to see friends I had missed over the summer and to learn new things.

Now that I live in the north woods, by the end of August, ferns are already turning brown, sumac are showing the first flashes of their brilliant red, and the leaves of a few maples have turned purple. My resident hummingbirds are chugging sugar water to lay in a supply of fat for the migration they will start in just a few days. Shorebirds have already started their fall migration. Mornings are often foggy, as the air temperature at night dips below the lake’s water temperature.

And so, with change in the air, I will be stepping away from Booklover’s Bench. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my association with the members and especially the readers at BLB. However, as I assess my writing, I see the stories I tell continue to darken, moving further from traditional mystery and more toward suspense and domestic thrillers—stories that fit less comfortably with the cozies, romantic suspense, and humor filling the BLB bookshelves. I risk becoming a prickly pear in the midst of a luscious garden, and so this is an ending.

But also beginnings:

You’ll soon hear news of great additions to the BLB team. And I’m working on some new things. If you’re not already on my newsletter mailing list, this link will allow you to keep track of what I am up to (https://jamesmjackson.com/newsletter/newsletter-signup.html).

Thanks, everyone, for the time we’ve spent together.