So what do Dan Futterman, the TV show "Oz," my elementary school cafeteria, and a floral-scented reed diffuser have in common? Not much. Unless they are all elements of one of my dreams. A really interesting, three-part dream, probably stemming from watching five hours of "Oz" yesterday.
The remarkable thing is I was able to take bits of those dreams and discover some backstory for one of my books. I haven't written a lot of Evy Stone's backstory (the star of the book currently with my agent), but now I have a connection to a present-day character I never would have considered if not for the dream.
I love it when stuff like this comes together.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Thankful
I have so much to be thankful for today, and I don't just mean my wonderful agent.
On Tuesday, my store was robbed. Okay, so it's not as dramatic as all that. I was in the stockroom at the time, so these are the events as I was told: Store Manager (SM) was up at the cashstand, facing away from the front doors. Less than a week ago, we finally installed a doorbell. Doorbell rings. SM turns around. She seems the front door still swinging shut and a man, carrying a small wood end table that had been standing less than a foot inside the front door, booking it toward the parking lot.
She yells, rushes outside. Yells at him some more as he fast-walks across the street toward a waiting car. He doesn't look back, just gets in. Two women in SUV's (God bless them), try to cut him off. One gets the (incorrect, it turns out) license plate number. Vague description of the car. Bastard got away with the table. It was quite the experience. We even had a cute sheriff's deputy show up to file the official report. We didn't have much to give him and the cost of the table was a petty larceny charge, anyway. But still, to walk into a store and do that in broad daylight?!?!
The other thing I'm thankful for is electricity. Yesterday, a tornado touched down one county over from here (Northern Virginia, people!!! We don't get tornadoes!!!). 350,000 homes were without power today, with a high of ninety degrees. Two people I work with were without power last night and this morning. So yes, I'm thankful for refrigeration, my fans, and cold, running water. Also the power to write this, since my laptop needs to be charged.
On Tuesday, my store was robbed. Okay, so it's not as dramatic as all that. I was in the stockroom at the time, so these are the events as I was told: Store Manager (SM) was up at the cashstand, facing away from the front doors. Less than a week ago, we finally installed a doorbell. Doorbell rings. SM turns around. She seems the front door still swinging shut and a man, carrying a small wood end table that had been standing less than a foot inside the front door, booking it toward the parking lot.
She yells, rushes outside. Yells at him some more as he fast-walks across the street toward a waiting car. He doesn't look back, just gets in. Two women in SUV's (God bless them), try to cut him off. One gets the (incorrect, it turns out) license plate number. Vague description of the car. Bastard got away with the table. It was quite the experience. We even had a cute sheriff's deputy show up to file the official report. We didn't have much to give him and the cost of the table was a petty larceny charge, anyway. But still, to walk into a store and do that in broad daylight?!?!
The other thing I'm thankful for is electricity. Yesterday, a tornado touched down one county over from here (Northern Virginia, people!!! We don't get tornadoes!!!). 350,000 homes were without power today, with a high of ninety degrees. Two people I work with were without power last night and this morning. So yes, I'm thankful for refrigeration, my fans, and cold, running water. Also the power to write this, since my laptop needs to be charged.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Drum Roll, Please....
Okay, so here's the news I hinted at yesterday: I have an agent.
An honest-to-God literary agent.
Excuse me while I squee like a girl: SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
Ahem. I feel better now.
An honest-to-God literary agent.
Excuse me while I squee like a girl: SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
Ahem. I feel better now.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Summer Movie Report - Part One
This is the first summer in a long time that has me excited to go to the movies. I mean, really excited. Too many, too little money; but I've promised myself I get to see most of them. Just 'cuz I don't want to wait for DVD release.
First in line: Iron Man. Awesome film. One of the best superhero movies that's come along in a while. I've loved Robert Downey, Jr. for quite some time, and he is one of those actors who truly gets better with age. He was amazing as Tony Stark. Hotness personified. I couldn't think of a better movie with which to start the summer season. Score: 9.5
Second so far: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Dang, the title is a mouthful. So is the convoluted plot. I love Indie. I love Spielberg. I am starting to hate George Lucas (I mean, look what he did to the Star Wars prequels!). So I'm going to blame Lucas for all the bad stuff in Crystal Skull. Like the collapsing-sucking pyramid thing that was a total rip-off of The Mummy remake. But hot damn, Shia LeBouf is now on my Hollywood Hottie list. His character, Mutt, was fantastic. Best part of the film, in my opinion. I'd watch him in his own spin-off film. Score: 7
First in line: Iron Man. Awesome film. One of the best superhero movies that's come along in a while. I've loved Robert Downey, Jr. for quite some time, and he is one of those actors who truly gets better with age. He was amazing as Tony Stark. Hotness personified. I couldn't think of a better movie with which to start the summer season. Score: 9.5
Second so far: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Dang, the title is a mouthful. So is the convoluted plot. I love Indie. I love Spielberg. I am starting to hate George Lucas (I mean, look what he did to the Star Wars prequels!). So I'm going to blame Lucas for all the bad stuff in Crystal Skull. Like the collapsing-sucking pyramid thing that was a total rip-off of The Mummy remake. But hot damn, Shia LeBouf is now on my Hollywood Hottie list. His character, Mutt, was fantastic. Best part of the film, in my opinion. I'd watch him in his own spin-off film. Score: 7
Things Are About to Get Busier Here
I can't share the good news yet, because nothing's official. But let's just say the long, slow process toward publication has just taken a huge shot forward. More news on that in a couple of days.
On the homefront, I've made the oddest personal connection. On the AW Watercooler, a random conversation with another member led to a series of PM's (private messages), in which we discovered we both graduated the same high school. One year apart. How funny is that? 21,000 members, and we lived in the same town, same high school.
My best bud Serenity (who has a new blog: http://serenemoments.wordpress.com/ ) turned in her Master's thesis! Yay, Melissa!!! You go, girl! I'm so proud of her. Two years of online classes, stress and lack of "fun writing" has paid off. We celebrated on Monday by grilling turkey burgers, making onion dip, and watching five hours of "Oz" episodes. She's finally, officially hooked. My work there is done.
We have had a new store manager since April 30th, and things are working out well. We're finally hitting our stride as a management team, so things are looking up. Good thing, too, because I'm getting sick of Virginia. I'm ready to move back to the Eastern Shore, so who knows? Maybe by the end of the summer, I'll be posting from a new apartment closer to home.
More later...
On the homefront, I've made the oddest personal connection. On the AW Watercooler, a random conversation with another member led to a series of PM's (private messages), in which we discovered we both graduated the same high school. One year apart. How funny is that? 21,000 members, and we lived in the same town, same high school.
My best bud Serenity (who has a new blog: http://serenemoments.wordpress.com/ ) turned in her Master's thesis! Yay, Melissa!!! You go, girl! I'm so proud of her. Two years of online classes, stress and lack of "fun writing" has paid off. We celebrated on Monday by grilling turkey burgers, making onion dip, and watching five hours of "Oz" episodes. She's finally, officially hooked. My work there is done.
We have had a new store manager since April 30th, and things are working out well. We're finally hitting our stride as a management team, so things are looking up. Good thing, too, because I'm getting sick of Virginia. I'm ready to move back to the Eastern Shore, so who knows? Maybe by the end of the summer, I'll be posting from a new apartment closer to home.
More later...
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Nip/Tuck Finale
It's a rare show that gets away with a line like: "I can't believe I have to say this, but you can't sleep with your sister again."
After five years of attracting all manner of sociopaths and psychopaths, you'd think Sean and Christian would have learned a simple lessoon: Don't taunt the lunatic.
What happens when you do? The lunatic snaps. Simple. Little. Equation.
And is it just me, or should Matt take a vow of celibacy? He sleeps with all the oddballs, from Ava to Nazi-chick to Kimber. Like father, like son, indeed.
After five years of attracting all manner of sociopaths and psychopaths, you'd think Sean and Christian would have learned a simple lessoon: Don't taunt the lunatic.
What happens when you do? The lunatic snaps. Simple. Little. Equation.
And is it just me, or should Matt take a vow of celibacy? He sleeps with all the oddballs, from Ava to Nazi-chick to Kimber. Like father, like son, indeed.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
I Confuddled Gaius Baltar
I don't make as big a deal out of attending Farpoint as I do Shore Leave. For one, Farpoint is a smaller con. There is less programming, fewer attendees, and usually ice or snow on the ground. We tried a full weekend, but decided it wasn't worth the money. So now we try and just go up on Saturday (we = me, Melissa aka Serenity, and my sister Dawn). We've been the Three Musketeers of Hunt Valley Cons for about eight years, give or take.
I was almost sad we didn't have Sunday membership. There were a couple of panels I'd have liked to attend (one on Paranormal and Fantasy Romance novels!). And listening to James Callis (Battlestar Galactica) was a hoot. He is a great public speaker, and I'd have loved to hear him again. One hour of that voice just wasn't enough.
He spoke last, after Marina Sirtis. This is my second con in which Marina has appeared (she was at Shore Leave two summers ago), and my third time listening to her. She is brilliant, funny, vulgar, outspoken, and refreshing. She told a particularly funny story about her guest appearance on Stargate SG-1, right around the time Michael Shanks was trying to get off the show (season five?). She, he and Amanda Tapping were filming in an enclosed space (the submarine set) and it was pretty hot. Apparently Michael got angry, pitched a fit, and said, "Who do I have have to f**k to get off this show?" To which Marine promptly replied, "The same person you f**ked to get on it." Said Amanda fell out of her chair.
I love stories like this. It's one of the reasons I love attending cons and listening to actors talk about their jobs. That one so many of them (James Callis, Jamie Bamber) have sexy accents, or are just plain easy on the eyes (Connor Trinneer, James Marsters). I don't mind staring at them for an hour.
And once in a while, as my post title suggests, I have a sincere moment that just makes my day.
We were at the end of the autograph line (high badge numbers), and it was the end of the day, so James was pretty tired by the time we got to his table. He was still (bless him) personalizing the autographs, and asked my name. I said, "Kelly." Cuz that's my name. He starts writing "Kell..." and then stops to look up at my badge (to check for the correct ending). I said "two l's, one y."
He paused, sort of stared at the photo, and then laughed about completely losing track of what he was doing. I laughed, too, because he was so adorable about it. He said it had been a long day and apologized. I agreed and thanked him. So sweet.
The final inscription on the photo is: "Dear Kelly, It's been a long day. Lots of love, James Callis."
*happy sigh*
I also have a photo of the three of us with Marina Sirtis. She ran down the line to take photos with anyone who wanted them, so she didn't have to keep getting up and down at the table. It was really generous of her to stand for those photos anyway, since the con usually frowns on it (holds up the line).
I'd upload photos, but I'm one of those folks still in love with her film camera. So I need to get them developed first, and then scanned in. All in all, it was a good day.
I was almost sad we didn't have Sunday membership. There were a couple of panels I'd have liked to attend (one on Paranormal and Fantasy Romance novels!). And listening to James Callis (Battlestar Galactica) was a hoot. He is a great public speaker, and I'd have loved to hear him again. One hour of that voice just wasn't enough.
He spoke last, after Marina Sirtis. This is my second con in which Marina has appeared (she was at Shore Leave two summers ago), and my third time listening to her. She is brilliant, funny, vulgar, outspoken, and refreshing. She told a particularly funny story about her guest appearance on Stargate SG-1, right around the time Michael Shanks was trying to get off the show (season five?). She, he and Amanda Tapping were filming in an enclosed space (the submarine set) and it was pretty hot. Apparently Michael got angry, pitched a fit, and said, "Who do I have have to f**k to get off this show?" To which Marine promptly replied, "The same person you f**ked to get on it." Said Amanda fell out of her chair.
I love stories like this. It's one of the reasons I love attending cons and listening to actors talk about their jobs. That one so many of them (James Callis, Jamie Bamber) have sexy accents, or are just plain easy on the eyes (Connor Trinneer, James Marsters). I don't mind staring at them for an hour.
And once in a while, as my post title suggests, I have a sincere moment that just makes my day.
We were at the end of the autograph line (high badge numbers), and it was the end of the day, so James was pretty tired by the time we got to his table. He was still (bless him) personalizing the autographs, and asked my name. I said, "Kelly." Cuz that's my name. He starts writing "Kell..." and then stops to look up at my badge (to check for the correct ending). I said "two l's, one y."
He paused, sort of stared at the photo, and then laughed about completely losing track of what he was doing. I laughed, too, because he was so adorable about it. He said it had been a long day and apologized. I agreed and thanked him. So sweet.
The final inscription on the photo is: "Dear Kelly, It's been a long day. Lots of love, James Callis."
*happy sigh*
I also have a photo of the three of us with Marina Sirtis. She ran down the line to take photos with anyone who wanted them, so she didn't have to keep getting up and down at the table. It was really generous of her to stand for those photos anyway, since the con usually frowns on it (holds up the line).
I'd upload photos, but I'm one of those folks still in love with her film camera. So I need to get them developed first, and then scanned in. All in all, it was a good day.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
February Blog Chain: Balance
Yes, I'm back on the AW Blog Chain Wagon. February's theme is Balance, and today I have the daunting task of following an amazing post from Ava Jarvis at Spontaneous Derivation. I kid you not. If you aren't following the chain and just happened upon this post, go read it.
Right now.
*taps foot*
Done? Yes? Good.
So balance. My handy-dandy Webster's Dictionary and Thesauras (Basic English Words for Daily Use) only gives two definitions. One: device for determining the weight of something. Duh, and not quite what I'm going for here. Two: agreement of totals in the debt and credit of an account. Close, but not quite. It's interesting that the only two definitions are both related to numbers.
The thesaurus half provides more useful synonyms: poise, stability, composure, equilibrium, equalize.
I'll add harmony to the list.
In her blog chain post, Ava mentioned being a Leo and some traits that go along with it. I don't read my horoscope or really know what it means to be a Cancer, so I checked it out. In particular, this line stood out for me: "When your level of security is undermined, particularly by domestic disturbances, you can lose your equilibrium, becoming irritable, hypersensitive, snappy, unforgiving, self-pitying and brooding."
Holy beans, that describes me so well. Especially over the last couple of months. I've been riding the ups and downs of the Query Train, attempting to land a literary agent. Family problems (snooze, snore, we all have them, I know) keep cropping up and sapping my energy. And let's not even talk about The Job From Hell right now, in which I can't seem to find any sort of firm footing.
So where am I? Emotionally exhausted, crabby all the time (no astrology-pun intended), snappy at my roommate and employees, avoiding phone calls to my parents, very down on my writing ability, and in moderate amounts of physical pain (did I mention my job is also physically strenuous?).
I've fallen so far away from my center I don't quite know how to find it again. How to strike the balance in my life that was there just three months ago. Unless it was never there to begin with, and I just never realized how far off-center I'd become. I don't know. Maybe I'll never know.
But my horoscope says that change is coming (of course, they all say that, because change is quite inevitable). It's nice, though, to believe in a positive change on the horizon. Something to nudge me back toward the center of things. Something to weigh down the opposite side of the scale and give me back my balance.
Next up is The Writer's Round-About.
The Unfocused Life
Auria Cortes
Spontaneous Derivation
Organized Chaos
The Writer's Round-About
Spynotes
Williebee
Even in a Little Thing
Spittin' (out words) Like a Llama
A Thoughtful Life
Life in Scribbletown
My Path to Publication
For the First Time
Green Diva
Polenth's Quill
Right now.
*taps foot*
Done? Yes? Good.
So balance. My handy-dandy Webster's Dictionary and Thesauras (Basic English Words for Daily Use) only gives two definitions. One: device for determining the weight of something. Duh, and not quite what I'm going for here. Two: agreement of totals in the debt and credit of an account. Close, but not quite. It's interesting that the only two definitions are both related to numbers.
The thesaurus half provides more useful synonyms: poise, stability, composure, equilibrium, equalize.
I'll add harmony to the list.
In her blog chain post, Ava mentioned being a Leo and some traits that go along with it. I don't read my horoscope or really know what it means to be a Cancer, so I checked it out. In particular, this line stood out for me: "When your level of security is undermined, particularly by domestic disturbances, you can lose your equilibrium, becoming irritable, hypersensitive, snappy, unforgiving, self-pitying and brooding."
Holy beans, that describes me so well. Especially over the last couple of months. I've been riding the ups and downs of the Query Train, attempting to land a literary agent. Family problems (snooze, snore, we all have them, I know) keep cropping up and sapping my energy. And let's not even talk about The Job From Hell right now, in which I can't seem to find any sort of firm footing.
So where am I? Emotionally exhausted, crabby all the time (no astrology-pun intended), snappy at my roommate and employees, avoiding phone calls to my parents, very down on my writing ability, and in moderate amounts of physical pain (did I mention my job is also physically strenuous?).
I've fallen so far away from my center I don't quite know how to find it again. How to strike the balance in my life that was there just three months ago. Unless it was never there to begin with, and I just never realized how far off-center I'd become. I don't know. Maybe I'll never know.
But my horoscope says that change is coming (of course, they all say that, because change is quite inevitable). It's nice, though, to believe in a positive change on the horizon. Something to nudge me back toward the center of things. Something to weigh down the opposite side of the scale and give me back my balance.
Next up is The Writer's Round-About.
The Unfocused Life
Auria Cortes
Spontaneous Derivation
Organized Chaos
The Writer's Round-About
Spynotes
Williebee
Even in a Little Thing
Spittin' (out words) Like a Llama
A Thoughtful Life
Life in Scribbletown
My Path to Publication
For the First Time
Green Diva
Polenth's Quill
Monday, February 11, 2008
God Speed, Captain
For me, he'll always be Captain Nathan Bridger.
I was fourteen when seaQuest, DSV debuted, and I admit the real draw was (the late) Jonathan Brandis. After enjoying films like Ladybugs and Sidekicks, I determined he was the most adorable thing under the sun. It also helped that Don Franklin (of The Young Riders fame) was one of his co-stars. I only knew the actor playing the captain as "that guy from Jaws."
But Roy Scheider was, and will always be, the heart of that series. Even though he left after season two (good move, in my opinion, as the abbreviated season three was a huge blunder), his absence was felt. It was an ensemble, but the series was about Bridger and the ship he helped build. I bought the first season on DVD a few months back, and it's been great fun to relive those old adventures. I'll be adding season two to my collection very soon.
No matter the role, Mr. Scheider had a humanity that he instilled in his characters. His guest arc on Third Watch, as a homicidal Russian mafia honcho, blew me away. His small part in The Punisher had an intensity of love that made Frank's desire for vengeance that much more realistic. His quiet heroism in Jaws is something I'll never forget.
R.I.P., Roy Scheider. 1932-2008.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
On Demand or Out of Service?
I refuse the feel guilty about spending the entire day in sweats, alternating between the TV and the computer, doing a whole lot of nothing. It's the first whole day I've had to myself in weeks. I watched an Alien Nation movie, an episode of Nash Bridges, a behind-the-scenes featurette for Wild Hogs, and part of a movie on OnDemand called Reeker. Was Reeker any good? The bits I saw weren't bad, but what exactly is the point of OnDemand if the system goes down forty minutes into a movie?
Further proof that Comcast sucks wild turkey toes? I thought so...
Anyway, I finally vegged enough to sit down and get some writing done. I'm closing in on 15k words on the WIP. I'm back in Micah's POV, and the story just took a turn that I wasn't expecting quite so soon. I just love it when the story surprises me. I've become confident enough in my writing to go with those flows, and they always work out well.
I also started a pretty interesting discussion on the AbsoluteWrite forums, stemming from some comments made in Share Your Work (yes, I showed my work, I'm so proud of myself). It's been great fun to follow, and it's helping me understand a few things about that particular book (Dark City, aka Marionette).
Further proof that Comcast sucks wild turkey toes? I thought so...
Anyway, I finally vegged enough to sit down and get some writing done. I'm closing in on 15k words on the WIP. I'm back in Micah's POV, and the story just took a turn that I wasn't expecting quite so soon. I just love it when the story surprises me. I've become confident enough in my writing to go with those flows, and they always work out well.
I also started a pretty interesting discussion on the AbsoluteWrite forums, stemming from some comments made in Share Your Work (yes, I showed my work, I'm so proud of myself). It's been great fun to follow, and it's helping me understand a few things about that particular book (Dark City, aka Marionette).
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
77 Hours
Seventy-seven hours don't explain why I've been MIA since August. I can't even explain that one; maybe I just thought I'd posted here a few times in the interim. Wow.
*dusts the place off*
No, seventy-seven hours are how many I've worked in the last nine straight days. Way back in December, I was "temporarily" promoted to Interim Store Manager. My manager was promoted to a new store, so three weeks before Christmas, I'm in the hot seat. Two months later, I'm still there. I'm exhausted. My legs ache, my arms ache, even my fingers ache.
But I still manage to write a few words, in between ten hour shifts. Writing a novella set in the Watchman-Universe helped keep me sane over Christmas. I wrote it with the intention of submitting to an anthology, but missed the deadline. Oh well. It'll keep, and it was fun to write.
The WIP is tentatively titled "Alchemy 101." It will make sense one day, I swear. I love the concept, and adore one of my protags (I love his brother, too, but there's something about Micah...). One knows when people are about to die; the other is taunted by the ghost of his dead cousin. What the frell does alchemy have to do with it all? Therein lies the mystery....
*dusts the place off*
No, seventy-seven hours are how many I've worked in the last nine straight days. Way back in December, I was "temporarily" promoted to Interim Store Manager. My manager was promoted to a new store, so three weeks before Christmas, I'm in the hot seat. Two months later, I'm still there. I'm exhausted. My legs ache, my arms ache, even my fingers ache.
But I still manage to write a few words, in between ten hour shifts. Writing a novella set in the Watchman-Universe helped keep me sane over Christmas. I wrote it with the intention of submitting to an anthology, but missed the deadline. Oh well. It'll keep, and it was fun to write.
The WIP is tentatively titled "Alchemy 101." It will make sense one day, I swear. I love the concept, and adore one of my protags (I love his brother, too, but there's something about Micah...). One knows when people are about to die; the other is taunted by the ghost of his dead cousin. What the frell does alchemy have to do with it all? Therein lies the mystery....
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Review: Broken
I've read romance, but hadn't tried a erotica until a friend handed me a copy of Megan Hart's Broken. It's part of Harlequin's new Spice line of erotic novels.Explicit sex abounds (hello! Erotica, remember?), but the miracle is that it never grows tiresome. And part of that is the hook of the novel. Once a month, married therapist Sadie has lunch with Joe, a man she met quite by accident. And every month, Joe tells her a story about one of his sexual conquests. Sadie imagines herself as the star of each of Joe's stories, but not because she secretly wants Joe.
Sadie's husband Adam is a quadriplegic, the result of a skiing accident four years ago. While half of the book consists of Joe's erotic tales, the other half is a tender, tough, terrible, loving and heartbreaking portrait of a married couple, once wildly in love, now just struggling to survive. They alternately love each other and hate each other. The author does a wonderful job of showing Sadie's internal and external struggles, both with her husband, her job, her family, and ultimately, her lunches with Joe. Is mental infidelity still cheating?
The ending is, in a way, predicatable, but never trite or contrived. It hit me hard, and while the book might not appeal to traditional romance readers, it's a love story worth experiencing.
Friday, August 24, 2007
The Great Word Chopping Challenge
Boy, what a month it's been. Craziness at work. Nuttiness at home. Ups and downs with the writing. Summer is almost over, which means Christmas is around the corner. And we all know what that means. Christmas Eve dinner with my extended family, wherein I will deflect questions about my lack of love life and my continuing status as an unagented, unpublished writer. But that little drama is still four months away, so no use worrying about it quite yet.
What have I been up to, you ask? And what the hell does my blog post title mean?
Frequently on AbsoluteWrite, a thread will pop up (very often from an overzealous newbie) asking about word counts. The common theme: "I've written a 200,000 word fantasy/thriller/mystery/whatever, but agents say they won't take anything over 120,000. I can't possible cut anything, because my baby is perfect the way she is. Since my book is so awesome, do you think the agent will make an exception?"
**headdesk**
Once a month. Seriously.
It got me to thinking about editing and cutting and making a story stronger. I pondered two books that I wrote several years ago. They were originally one long novel, but it kept growing in scope, so I split it into two average length books. Together, their word count was approximately 170,000.
I love those books. I love the characters and the world and their unique powers. It's been part of my life since the year 2000. I had queried the first novel as a standalone, unsuccessfully, for nearly two years before my final rejection arrived this summer. I had planned to simply stick it in a drawer for a while and move onward with other projects. And I did. For about a month.
Then I started thinking about editing and word count trimming. Did it really need to be two books? Were all of those subplots necessary? Could I trim it down to a manageable 120k words without losing the overall story?
No. No. We'll see.
So I opened up Word and pasted both documents into it, and thus began the Great Word Chopping Challenge. I excised an entire subplot that, while fun and research-heavy during the first draft, wasn't absolutely needed for the story to work. I chopped out whole scenes. I cut two beloved flashbacks. I removed extraneous details, excessive dialogue tags, and about a hundred "nods, smiles, and grins." The words melted off, leaving a tighter, leaner story behind. I finished with a word count of 119,890.
Was it painful to cut away favorite scenes/moments? Hell, yes. Was I proud of myself once I hit the delete key? Definitely. Do I think this single novel is an improvement over the duology? Yes. Why? Dunno.
My point is that it can be done. Words can be trimmed. Often, getting rid of that extra fat will make the overall novel healthier and happier. Is this true in all instances? No. Some stories are just long. I'd love to see the original duology in print, but if the combined version is what sells, then I'll be satisfied. It's a story I want to share with others, whether it's the Theatrical Release, or the Extended Director's Cut.
Either way, the challenge was worth it.
Happy Chopping!
What have I been up to, you ask? And what the hell does my blog post title mean?
Frequently on AbsoluteWrite, a thread will pop up (very often from an overzealous newbie) asking about word counts. The common theme: "I've written a 200,000 word fantasy/thriller/mystery/whatever, but agents say they won't take anything over 120,000. I can't possible cut anything, because my baby is perfect the way she is. Since my book is so awesome, do you think the agent will make an exception?"
**headdesk**
Once a month. Seriously.
It got me to thinking about editing and cutting and making a story stronger. I pondered two books that I wrote several years ago. They were originally one long novel, but it kept growing in scope, so I split it into two average length books. Together, their word count was approximately 170,000.
I love those books. I love the characters and the world and their unique powers. It's been part of my life since the year 2000. I had queried the first novel as a standalone, unsuccessfully, for nearly two years before my final rejection arrived this summer. I had planned to simply stick it in a drawer for a while and move onward with other projects. And I did. For about a month.
Then I started thinking about editing and word count trimming. Did it really need to be two books? Were all of those subplots necessary? Could I trim it down to a manageable 120k words without losing the overall story?
No. No. We'll see.
So I opened up Word and pasted both documents into it, and thus began the Great Word Chopping Challenge. I excised an entire subplot that, while fun and research-heavy during the first draft, wasn't absolutely needed for the story to work. I chopped out whole scenes. I cut two beloved flashbacks. I removed extraneous details, excessive dialogue tags, and about a hundred "nods, smiles, and grins." The words melted off, leaving a tighter, leaner story behind. I finished with a word count of 119,890.
Was it painful to cut away favorite scenes/moments? Hell, yes. Was I proud of myself once I hit the delete key? Definitely. Do I think this single novel is an improvement over the duology? Yes. Why? Dunno.
My point is that it can be done. Words can be trimmed. Often, getting rid of that extra fat will make the overall novel healthier and happier. Is this true in all instances? No. Some stories are just long. I'd love to see the original duology in print, but if the combined version is what sells, then I'll be satisfied. It's a story I want to share with others, whether it's the Theatrical Release, or the Extended Director's Cut.
Either way, the challenge was worth it.
Happy Chopping!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Next time, I'm taking the whole day off.
Never work half a day when you're trying to arrive someplace on time. It just makes for an unpleasant day. Or an unpleasant half-day, as the case may be.
Last weekend was Shore Leave 29, my annual SFF convention experience. We like to arrive around 4pm, get settled into the hotel, and have a leisurely dinner at a nearby Baja Fresh before activities begin. The hotel is roughly an hour-thirty from my apartment. So on Friday, I agreed to work until 2pm. It would get us on the road by 2:45, if all went well.
All didn't go well.
My fellow manager (the one who is relieving me at 2 so I can hit the road) calls and says she forgot she had an 11 am dentist appointment. She may be a few minutes late. A few I can handle. To me, a few is five, ten minutes. Whatever.
My sister calls around noon. She's at the hotel, but they need a credit card that can hold the room bill until Sunday (we always pay cash, since three people split it). She doesn't have one with a large enough balance. I do. The hotel faxes over a sheet for me to fill out. I wait. No fax. I call back (on my cell, since the office phone at work had been on the fritz for a week by that point). They refax. I get it. A customer issue at work delays me returning it. Sister calls back. It didn't go through.
What? I panic, because I knew I had a large enough balance. Our third roommate didn't have a card. So sis calls her boyfriend, hoping he has one. Meanwhile, I get on the phone with Capital One, hoping to get a customer service rep and figure out what the hell went wrong (I was planning on using a cash advance from this card to pay for my share of the hotel expense). I am on hold for thirty-five minutes. "Please stay on the line, and you, too, will receive our personal attention."
Yeah, right.
I hang up, frustrated beyond words that I've wasted so much time (but I was in the stock room, opening new merchandise with one hand, so at least it wasn't a complete waste). Sister calls back; boyfriend had a card that held us the room. Phew.
Two o'clock rolls around, and I'm raring to go. I want to hit the ground running, because I have to stop by the post office and mail another full manuscript request (yay!) before we leave. 2:10 now. *taps foot* *checks watch* Okay, this is more than a few minutes. My associates are watching me with trepidation, afraid my head will spin off my shoulders. My relief finally arrives at almost 2:40 (!!!). I get out the door five minutes later, because I had to talk her in (store slang for explain what's happened, where we are with sales, if there are any problems that need to be addressed).
I zip in and out of the post office. I try to use my Capital One card to pay for shipping, but it comes back with an "over balance" message. WTF? Okay, fine, I use my debit card. My frustration level is so high that I'm swearing a blue streak at traffic all the way home. I finally get there and storm into my room to plug in my dying cell phone, and I call Capital One again.
"We are currently experience high call traffic...."
I burst into tears.
I'm one of those people who cries when I get really, really frustrated. It's my body's way of venting, I suppose. I felt a little better afterward. My roommate calmed me down, and we figured out a solution to my hotel money woes. After a few minutes, we were packed up and ready to go. Finally hit the road at 3:40 pm.
Made it to the hotel by 5pm on the dot. As soon as I got there, the day's frustration melted away. It was my weekend to geek out, have fun, and just revel in science fiction and fantasy. I had a great time, laughed loads, and discovered a new favorite saying:
YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN (WRITING) CAREER.
Truer words were never spoken.
Last weekend was Shore Leave 29, my annual SFF convention experience. We like to arrive around 4pm, get settled into the hotel, and have a leisurely dinner at a nearby Baja Fresh before activities begin. The hotel is roughly an hour-thirty from my apartment. So on Friday, I agreed to work until 2pm. It would get us on the road by 2:45, if all went well.
All didn't go well.
My fellow manager (the one who is relieving me at 2 so I can hit the road) calls and says she forgot she had an 11 am dentist appointment. She may be a few minutes late. A few I can handle. To me, a few is five, ten minutes. Whatever.
My sister calls around noon. She's at the hotel, but they need a credit card that can hold the room bill until Sunday (we always pay cash, since three people split it). She doesn't have one with a large enough balance. I do. The hotel faxes over a sheet for me to fill out. I wait. No fax. I call back (on my cell, since the office phone at work had been on the fritz for a week by that point). They refax. I get it. A customer issue at work delays me returning it. Sister calls back. It didn't go through.
What? I panic, because I knew I had a large enough balance. Our third roommate didn't have a card. So sis calls her boyfriend, hoping he has one. Meanwhile, I get on the phone with Capital One, hoping to get a customer service rep and figure out what the hell went wrong (I was planning on using a cash advance from this card to pay for my share of the hotel expense). I am on hold for thirty-five minutes. "Please stay on the line, and you, too, will receive our personal attention."
Yeah, right.
I hang up, frustrated beyond words that I've wasted so much time (but I was in the stock room, opening new merchandise with one hand, so at least it wasn't a complete waste). Sister calls back; boyfriend had a card that held us the room. Phew.
Two o'clock rolls around, and I'm raring to go. I want to hit the ground running, because I have to stop by the post office and mail another full manuscript request (yay!) before we leave. 2:10 now. *taps foot* *checks watch* Okay, this is more than a few minutes. My associates are watching me with trepidation, afraid my head will spin off my shoulders. My relief finally arrives at almost 2:40 (!!!). I get out the door five minutes later, because I had to talk her in (store slang for explain what's happened, where we are with sales, if there are any problems that need to be addressed).
I zip in and out of the post office. I try to use my Capital One card to pay for shipping, but it comes back with an "over balance" message. WTF? Okay, fine, I use my debit card. My frustration level is so high that I'm swearing a blue streak at traffic all the way home. I finally get there and storm into my room to plug in my dying cell phone, and I call Capital One again.
"We are currently experience high call traffic...."
I burst into tears.
I'm one of those people who cries when I get really, really frustrated. It's my body's way of venting, I suppose. I felt a little better afterward. My roommate calmed me down, and we figured out a solution to my hotel money woes. After a few minutes, we were packed up and ready to go. Finally hit the road at 3:40 pm.
Made it to the hotel by 5pm on the dot. As soon as I got there, the day's frustration melted away. It was my weekend to geek out, have fun, and just revel in science fiction and fantasy. I had a great time, laughed loads, and discovered a new favorite saying:
YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN (WRITING) CAREER.
Truer words were never spoken.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Grabby Hands
Random observation of the day:
SciFi Channel is airing Final Destination 2. Not a great film, but it gets points for starring Michael Landes (*pants*). I left it on in the background and look up from time to time. Tonight it occurs to me that Michael grabs AJ Cook an awful lot in this film.
He knocks her down and away from the speeding car.
He grabs her so she doesn't run after her now-mowed-down friends.
He grabs her so she doesn't run toward a piece of glass that is about to smush a kid.
He grips her arms during one of her visions.
He hugs her (twice) after Isabella has the baby.
He knocks her down again, this time as a hospital room explodes.
He grabs her to keep her away from Clear's roasted body (the girl likes to race toward dead people, I don't get it).
He holds onto her again when she starts talking about self-sacrifice.
You know you've watched a movie too many times when these are the things you notice...
SciFi Channel is airing Final Destination 2. Not a great film, but it gets points for starring Michael Landes (*pants*). I left it on in the background and look up from time to time. Tonight it occurs to me that Michael grabs AJ Cook an awful lot in this film.
He knocks her down and away from the speeding car.
He grabs her so she doesn't run after her now-mowed-down friends.
He grabs her so she doesn't run toward a piece of glass that is about to smush a kid.
He grips her arms during one of her visions.
He hugs her (twice) after Isabella has the baby.
He knocks her down again, this time as a hospital room explodes.
He grabs her to keep her away from Clear's roasted body (the girl likes to race toward dead people, I don't get it).
He holds onto her again when she starts talking about self-sacrifice.
You know you've watched a movie too many times when these are the things you notice...
Friday, June 22, 2007
One Year Later
One year ago today, Anna Eva Meding passed away at the wonderful age of 88 years old. I spent the day thinking of her, trying to come up with a post that showed how much she meant to me. To describe what a wonderful, complex, loving woman she was. The funny thing is, I couldn't think of a thing to write, because what she meant to me is so ingrained in who I am that it's impossible to put it into a few hundred words.
Instead of an essay, I've decided on a word collage. Things that, while they may seem random to you, mean something to me.
TINKER TOYS
MAPLE TREE
SCREENED PORCH
CRACKER DRESSING
WHITE JEWELRY BOX
ANGELS
FIREBIRD
LEMON DROPS
Every story she ever told ended with the same phrase, so it seemed appropriate to sign off with it: That's the way it goes.
I love you, Grandma. I miss you.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
It's Not Rocket Science
I love that grocery stores have those Self Checkout lines. Yes, I know it means fewer cashiers, but even before they became popular, I rarely saw more than a third of the available registers at use. The number hasn't seemed to change much with the installation of Self Checkouts in grocery stores across the country.
I like using the Self Checkout because it's more peaceful. I don't have to smile at a discontented cashier who looks about as happy as a constipated gorilla (especially if I've had a bad day, and I look as happy as said gorilla). I can scan my club card, scan my groceries, pay, bag and go.
At least, I used to bag my own groceries and go. Now some stories have wandering baggers, who toddle from line to line and bag the groceries.
Grocery baggers are nothing new. Larger chains used to have them all the time. And bagging groceries does not take a degree. Just common sense. Don't put a jar of spagetti sauce on top of the bread. Don't put canned goods on top of the eggs. Double-bag heavy stuff so the handles don't break.
Every bagger who's bagged my groceries has managed to follow all of these simple guidelines. However, one exists that is never followed. Given that it's summer and very hot, this one should be first and foremost in every bagger's mind: put cold stuff together!
For crying out loud!
Don't put my non-dairy creamer and deli meat in with the box of rice. Don't put two frozen dinners in with my bread. Put the creamer, meat and frozen dinners in one bag; put the rice and bread in another. I don't want my room temp stuff getting damp or accumulating moisture. And I like my cold stuff to stay cold on the way home, thank you very much.
It's not rocket science! Like things together! Which one of these does not belong?
*sigh*
I like using the Self Checkout because it's more peaceful. I don't have to smile at a discontented cashier who looks about as happy as a constipated gorilla (especially if I've had a bad day, and I look as happy as said gorilla). I can scan my club card, scan my groceries, pay, bag and go.
At least, I used to bag my own groceries and go. Now some stories have wandering baggers, who toddle from line to line and bag the groceries.
Grocery baggers are nothing new. Larger chains used to have them all the time. And bagging groceries does not take a degree. Just common sense. Don't put a jar of spagetti sauce on top of the bread. Don't put canned goods on top of the eggs. Double-bag heavy stuff so the handles don't break.
Every bagger who's bagged my groceries has managed to follow all of these simple guidelines. However, one exists that is never followed. Given that it's summer and very hot, this one should be first and foremost in every bagger's mind: put cold stuff together!
For crying out loud!
Don't put my non-dairy creamer and deli meat in with the box of rice. Don't put two frozen dinners in with my bread. Put the creamer, meat and frozen dinners in one bag; put the rice and bread in another. I don't want my room temp stuff getting damp or accumulating moisture. And I like my cold stuff to stay cold on the way home, thank you very much.
It's not rocket science! Like things together! Which one of these does not belong?
*sigh*
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
A Couple of Throw Pillows, A TV News Reporter....
Whaddaya think?
Who knew changing the look of my blog was so easy? Probably thousands of other Blogger users who've already done it. *snicker*
I love the new digs, and hope to add a few more features over the next couple of days.
Who knew changing the look of my blog was so easy? Probably thousands of other Blogger users who've already done it. *snicker*
I love the new digs, and hope to add a few more features over the next couple of days.
Monday, June 11, 2007
100th Post
I hadn't given much thought to what my 100th blog post would be about, so imagine my surprise when I decided to blog about a great rejection.
Some folks will say that there is no such thing as a great rejection. A rejection is just a rejection. Period.
Whatever.
I submitted a full manuscript two weeks ago. This morning I received an email rejection from the agent, and while the "no" stung a little, the message contained enough hope to soothe the wound. She said I had a lot of strong prose, stronger than a lot of writing that passed her desk. She also felt I had a sympathetic heroine.
The major downfall for her was some of the plot turns. Some didn't feel natural, and those reservations prevented her from taking on the novel. It definitely gives me something to look harder at tomorrow (day off = editing day).
She closed the letter by inviting me to submit future projects, if I find myself without representation and another book available. *swoon*
So there it is: the good, the bad, and the hopeful.
Some folks will say that there is no such thing as a great rejection. A rejection is just a rejection. Period.
Whatever.
I submitted a full manuscript two weeks ago. This morning I received an email rejection from the agent, and while the "no" stung a little, the message contained enough hope to soothe the wound. She said I had a lot of strong prose, stronger than a lot of writing that passed her desk. She also felt I had a sympathetic heroine.
The major downfall for her was some of the plot turns. Some didn't feel natural, and those reservations prevented her from taking on the novel. It definitely gives me something to look harder at tomorrow (day off = editing day).
She closed the letter by inviting me to submit future projects, if I find myself without representation and another book available. *swoon*
So there it is: the good, the bad, and the hopeful.
Friday, June 08, 2007
AW Blog Chain 9
I haven't participated in an AW blog chain for quite a while, and I'm ecstatic to be back. I neglected the poor thing for a few months (the blog, not AW, heaven knows I spend too much time there).
If may be so bold as to quote from A View From the Waterfront (the lovely blog that preceded mine), Alan writes: What will Kelly at Organized Chaos do with this thread?
What, indeed?
Alan blogged about food security in Alaska. I have to be honest here--I never pondered the notion that food would be a problem to get in Alaska. Why? Well, I admit to a somewhat limited worldview, since my life has been spent in Southern Delaware and Northern Virginia (with a brief stopover in Los Angeles and Pennsylvania for college). I know Alaska is snowy and cold, and most of its major cities are along the coast. Dummy me never really understood why until I read his post: food.
My roommate is a huge fan of "Deadliest Catch," and she could probably write me an essay on the importance of seafood to Alaskan survival. Or on the sound a grown man makes when a crab pinches his nethers. I imagine it contains swear words.
Living here in the continental US, it's hard to imagine not having immediate access to all sorts of groceries. If I want steak, I go buy steak. If I want shrimp, I go buy shrimp. If I want peaches, I go buy peaches (although ripeness is negotiable, depending on the time of year). The idea of subsistence foods being provided by the Federal Government just astounds me. It sounds like something we do to villages in South America, not to our fellow Americans in the great white north.
It truly instills a sense of respect. Respect for the folks who carve out a life and a living up there in Alaska. A place that is fifty degrees in the summer and can have upwards of six months of constant sunlight in certain areas is not a state I'd want to live in. But my hat is off to those that do. It's a beautiful state, and you have been blessed with its wonders.
*rereads*
Well, not the post I thought I'd create for this chain (I just watched The Guardian, which takes place in Alaska, and was prepared to go off on a tangent about films set in Alaska....alas...).
Next up is Williebee.
awchain
If may be so bold as to quote from A View From the Waterfront (the lovely blog that preceded mine), Alan writes: What will Kelly at Organized Chaos do with this thread?
What, indeed?
Alan blogged about food security in Alaska. I have to be honest here--I never pondered the notion that food would be a problem to get in Alaska. Why? Well, I admit to a somewhat limited worldview, since my life has been spent in Southern Delaware and Northern Virginia (with a brief stopover in Los Angeles and Pennsylvania for college). I know Alaska is snowy and cold, and most of its major cities are along the coast. Dummy me never really understood why until I read his post: food.
My roommate is a huge fan of "Deadliest Catch," and she could probably write me an essay on the importance of seafood to Alaskan survival. Or on the sound a grown man makes when a crab pinches his nethers. I imagine it contains swear words.
Living here in the continental US, it's hard to imagine not having immediate access to all sorts of groceries. If I want steak, I go buy steak. If I want shrimp, I go buy shrimp. If I want peaches, I go buy peaches (although ripeness is negotiable, depending on the time of year). The idea of subsistence foods being provided by the Federal Government just astounds me. It sounds like something we do to villages in South America, not to our fellow Americans in the great white north.
It truly instills a sense of respect. Respect for the folks who carve out a life and a living up there in Alaska. A place that is fifty degrees in the summer and can have upwards of six months of constant sunlight in certain areas is not a state I'd want to live in. But my hat is off to those that do. It's a beautiful state, and you have been blessed with its wonders.
*rereads*
Well, not the post I thought I'd create for this chain (I just watched The Guardian, which takes place in Alaska, and was prepared to go off on a tangent about films set in Alaska....alas...).
Next up is Williebee.
awchain
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
