The Battle of Peace on Earth

Sometimes I wonder if the battle scenes in my books might be too graphic or gory. But then I remember that the day after Thanksgiving is National Mortal Combat in the Wee Hours of the Morning Day. That title is frequently abridged to Black Friday to make it sound civilized and socially acceptable. But we all know the reality of this day. It is the only blood sport that is universally practiced in America. But it does reassure me about the content of my books. 

There is, however, one feature of Black Friday that has always been a muse and pleasure of mine. It is the only morning out of the year in which I sleep, while everyone else is up early. Normally, I'm up and going between four and five in the morning. It is a solitary existence, especially on Saturdays, to be working on something while the world sleeps in. But, it is also a delight to get things done undisturbed.

So if you are one of the millions of Americans engaged in combat shopping today, and you find this in your inbox as you wait in line for the next available cashier, or if you are awaiting triage at the emergence room (for those who have gone to level-three shopping), I want to thank you. Thank you for getting out of bed while I slept. Thank you for taking the "early" watch. Thank you for providing amusing antics for us socially awkward people who would rather observe human behavior than engage in it. And thank you especially for giving me that sense that I'm not completely abnormal. It is a temporary sensation, I know, but it's sort of fun for a few hours in the morning, once a year.