Writing over the holidays has become a tradition for me, and this December I'm writing a story set in January 2005. Recently I'd posted a vignette about Peter's birthday in January 2004, and the upcoming Wish on a Star vignette occurs on his next birthday.
This birthday occurs between the stories Caffrey Aloha and Silbrith's The Dreamer. I imagined a scenario where El's event planning business keeps her busy on Peter's birthday. Of course our creative cast of characters will still dream up a way to have a birthday celebration. They'll even try to make it a surprise, but it isn't easy to surprise an FBI agent.
This time of year I'm keenly aware of ideas of loss and renewal. I mourn those we've lost, and the holidays will always be a little sad without my mother. On the other hand, there's a new year and new opportunities on the horizon.
Peter's birthday falls in the first half of January, so that dichotomy of loss and renewal as one year has ended and another begins feels appropriate. I'm delving into my own experiences and feelings to feed both aspects. Silbrith asked me if I find it painful, and in all honesty it is, but it's also helpful to explore and express the pain, while also writing about moving beyond it. So there's sadness in the vignette -- for instance, June has spent her first Christmas and New Year's as a widow. For balance, there's also humor and optimism.
The vignette's title was inspired by multiple factors. One of the inspirations was the Make-A-Wish foundation. Another is the fact that Peter and other characters love astronomy and stargazing. Stars and wishes will be themes in the vignette.
I'll be posting the story around the end of the year. I hope you enjoy it, and have a Happy New Year!
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