As I come to the end of my self-imposed hiatus, I have a confession.  I cheated.  It was my intention to put down the figurative pen and re-charge my batteries this summer.  I wanted to travel a little (in between those silly obligations like work and family) and open myself up to new experiences.  It is very hard, though, to ignore the voices in your head.  As you’re communing with nature in Appalachia, relaxing on a beach in Florida, or even just sitting on your back patio listening to the cicadas, new characters are whispering in your ear.  They are telling you their story and urging you to introduce them to that handsome man in the corner of your brain.  So, at times this summer, I could be found on my laptop, jotting down a few words…or chapters.  My husband would look over at me and say, “What are you doing?” and I would look up with guilt and say, “Facebook.”  We would stare at each other, him waiting for me to admit my failure to relax and me waiting for him to chastise me for returning to my second, much-loved, job too early.  Hello, my name is Sandy and I’m a compulsive writer.