Many things are possible. Few things are certain.

I'm a social caterpillar. I am not a social butterfly

Plausible development, building from what we know about what really did go on, and a whacking good story… Surrounded by Enemies delivers on both, big-time. So hold on to your hats, folks. You’re in for quite a ride.

I do first draft in longhand, which saves a lot of rewriting. I try to get a certain amount done each day. Don't always, but I try. Then I clean up in the rewrites.

You can write better about a place you've seen for yourself. You don't have to have been there - I've sure written about places I've never seen - but it does help.

I learned by reading an awful lot and by writing a half a million words of stuff nobody would do anything with except wrap old fish.

People you don't like are pigheaded. Your friends are stubborn, or hold to their purpose.